Of Bee Trees and Leeks

I had to stop over at the farm where Gabe is at yesterday and afterward, Tanner and I went out for a hike and got a better look at the bee tree.  Mother Nature finally remembered that it is still March and so the weather was lousy, cold with intermittent sleet and snow.  Because of all the grey, the pictures didn't come out very well, but I got what I could.  I wish I had had something to show the scale of this old Hemlock, but take it from me it is a big tree. 

The bees live in this dead offshoot of the main trunk...

The entrance to the hive is at the center of the conjoined trunks towards the bottom of the photo.  Unfortunately, there were no bees flying because of the cold.  I knocked at the front door, but no one came out to scold me or invite me in. 

If you look close, you can see the bottom of a piece of honeycomb just inside the entrance of the hive.  

It is likely that the honeycombs stretch 10-15 feet up the length of the hollow trunk.  The bees store honey and raise brood in the combs.  A healthy hive generally needs 70-80 pounds of honey to get through a winter.  Bees do not hibernate, rather they form a tight cluster over the combs and vibrate their wings to generate heat.  The bees in the cluster are always moving from the outer, colder layers to the inner warmer regions with the queen always at the center.  When they begin raising new bees in February or March, they keep the center of the cluster at 90 degrees.  It's hard work being a bee.

After visiting with the bees Tanner and I continued on and found another of my favorite signs of Spring, wild leeks (also known as ramps).  These grow in great numbers in wet, rocky areas througout the woods.  I always go out this time of year and collect some of these as they are very delicious, but mostly, I just love how vibrant and green they are.  They make the woods feel so alive and awake.  It's my favorite time of year.

I'll make it up to you

I knew I'd get a little grief for not having pictures of Gabe and the bee tree:)  I wanted to focus on Gabe yesterday so I didn't take the camera with me.  I am going back Thurs. afternoon and maybe Tanner and I will go out and get a closer look at the bees, then I'll have some pictures to post.  I'd like to get a good look at the hive, it's so difficult keeping bees alive now that I would like to see what is working for them.  I suspect the biggest advantage they have is isolation.  They are in a pretty remote spot, far away from any  houses or farms.  The worst killer of honey bees is the pesticide that is used to coat corn seeds.  The chemical is drawn up into the plants "bloodstream" and concentrated in the pollen.  The bees collect the pollen and bring it back to the hive and they all die.  I have not been able to keep a single hive alive for more then a season since the farmer down the road started growing corn several years ago. 

In the meantime, let me introduce you to my friend's farm, Natural Borders Farm, where we raise grassfed beef and lamb.  The first calf of the season was born a few days ago...

Back in the saddle

I had a great ride with Gabe this afternoon.  We went out on the trails for about two hours and Gabe did fantastic.  He's even starting to pick up a nice neck rein.  We rode through an area with a couple of really spectacular old hemlocks.  One of the trees had a hollow trunk and had an active honeybee hive in it.  The trainer knew I would be interested in seeing it since I keep bees.  He said that there have been bees in that tree for the last twenty years.  Honeybees are in such terrible trouble, it was an unexpected gift to find an active bee tree. We marveled that those couple of trees had never been logged and neither of us could figure out why they had been left.  It's a miracle that they are still standing.  Maybe those bees have managed to protect their home all these years, it's a very old hive.

The weather has suddenly remembered that it is March and it was horribly cold yesterday and last night. Today though, was in the 30's and sunny and ended up being a great day for riding in the woods. The trainer told me that if I ever want to part with Gabe, I should call him first. It's a good sign when the horse trainer wants to keep your horse:)