Photo Albums
Johnson House Hive Removal April 2, 2010
Last year, honeybees found a home with the Johnson's in Oswego. After their removal on a sunny April 2nd, they are now located at the Emerson Creek Pottery and Tearoom off of Grove Road in Oswego. The green box in the last photo was their home for 3 weeks where they successfully reared their own new queen from fresh eggs I was able to save from the extraction.
Installation of Honeybees March 30, 2010
My bee-helpers Bella (left) and Bentley (right) were all ready to go this year as we installed honey bees at 4 locations in Kendall County. Pictured above are the beeyards at the Cherry Farm and our location at a private residence on Plainfield Rd. The other two locations are the Bramel Farm on Rt. 71 and Knutson Country Harvest in Newark off of Rt. 71 (follow the signs).
Yorkville Environmental Fair
The 2nd Annual Yorkville Enviromental Fair was twice as big and successful at the first one last year. Great exhibitors assisted participants in understanding a wide range of practical "greening" options for their houses, gardens and lifestyles. Keep an eye out for next year's flyers.
Sydney's 10th Birthday Party February 2010
Gotta love a honeybee theme with honeybee pinata.
Fox Chase Elementary School - 4th Grade
It's always fun to talk with 4th graders. They are full of questions and they are willing to listen to the live bees before they actually see them. They also like to dress up like my daughter Sydney who later in the year got the Blue Ribbon at the Kendall County Fair for her honey.
Family Days at The Kendall County Outdoor Education Center August '09
Dr. B. presented a fully hands-on display and photo op for kids and the young-at-heart at the KCOEC Family Days at Hoover Outdoor Education Center in Yorkville, IL
Tour & Honeybee Presentation at Knutson's Country Market in Newark, IL
Dennis Knutson gives students hayride tour of The Knutson's Orchard.
Karen Knutson runs the show in their Country Market Storefront
Storefront set up for honeybee presentation after the hayride shows off the hives
An Evening with a Boy Scout Troop
Checking out the bees and the smell of a smoker all turned out to be a great hands-on experience for these scouts.
The Queens Reign April 23, 09
The queens are present and laying eggs for the new brood.
Checking the hives for a queen that is producing eggs a week after installation.
To know if there is a good queen and that she is present and producing, you look for evidence like laying eggs. I got lucky on this hive, there she is - good luck finding her in this grouping. I found 11 of 12 hives had visible evidence of a queen though I only found one queen. I was able to requeen the one hive. I'll check it again soon.
Installation of Honeybees at Thanksgiving Farm and Lyon Farm April 15, 09
Thanksgving Farm Honeybees
Packaged bees in the BeeMobile Three of 5 hives installed at the Thanksgiving Farm.
BeeMobile stuck in the mud. Thanks Oliver for the pullout. Yes, lots of "stuff" to do this job.
The Historic Lyon Farm is now home to Honeybees
Arriving at the Lyon Farm, Bernie Moe and Chuck Smith help with getting the packages ready.
We prepped each hive with frames, syrup, pollen patties (Lynn Santa assisting) and bees before we start the process of actually installing the bees.
I am demonstrating what we will be doing as Bernie (left) and Chuck (right) look on. Bernie then takes his turn.
Chuck then got into the act. Wow, it is really beginning to look like an aprairy as all of the installation of seven new hives is complete. Thank you to Lee Moe for taking all of the pictures at the Lyon Farm.
Sponsored Hives
The Nagel Family of Oswego The Goeken-Miles Family of Yorkville
The Martis Family of Naperville Fox Chase Elementary Brownies of Oswego
The Schilingo Family of Owsego The Moe Family of Oswego & Lynn Santa
These are the first three hives in the apairy and were donated by the Constantine Family in memory of Ralph Constantine who passed away in December of 2008. Their generous donation also includes all of the hive bodies use in the sponsored hive program with processing equipment to be used later this year to process the honey these hives will produce. We expect the first harvest to be in late July.
Removal of Bees from the 1873 Oswego House at the Lyon Farm October 2, 08
The honeybees were taken out of the Owsego House in early September to allow roofers to reroof the house before the snow. Hillard Bryant (Plano - guy on left) and I removed them with the idea that we would see if they can make it through the winter though it was late in the season. I made up frames of brood and honey from the original nest and we placed the bees in a hive out in the northwest courner of the farm (can be seen from Rt. 71). As of the snow flying, the bees were still responsive. We have our collective fingers crossed.
Beekeeping Exhibit at Lyon Farm October 2008
Young and older alike enjoyed a day at the farm.
Getting the Beekeeping Equipment Ready for Spring
Well, I've been busy in my garage all winter getting the hives ready for the Spring. I have moved the equipment out to the Lyon Farm for staging as we wait for the weather to warm up a bit.