Farming in the shade

A friend reminded me that I have a blog. There is so much other busyness to take up my time that I find it difficult to take photos, upload photos, edit photos, download photos, and then find words to put with them. But if I think I am busy, The Farmer is even more so. Spring tillage has started--we have the oats and the hay planted, and he is working the ground for corn and beans. Our parents are busy with other things around the farm--groundskeeping, gardening, cleaning dry beans for sale, fixing things that break, etc. The other day The Farmer was out in the field in his tractor and saw something strange on a fencepost. It seemed to be moving. When he got closer, he saw this: Sometimes bees will swarm, following a queen to find a new place. I am not an expert on bee activity, but we do know who to call when we see a swarm. A couple of beekeeping friends came out right away. It's a little like being called to a fire--if you stop to finish what you're doing, you'...

"The wing structure of the hornet, in relation to its weight, is not suitable for flight, but he does not know this and flies anyway." --Albert Einstein One day this summer while working the fields, The Farmer encountered a nest. He hit it with the tractor, hidden as it were in the leaves of a tree at the edge of a field. Good news: The tractor he was driving was the only one that we own that has an enclosed cab. Bad news: Since the air conditioning on this mid-80s tractor hasn't worked in years, all the windows were open, and the door was taken off entirely. Good news: Even though he was instantly surrounded by a swarm of flying, stinging insects (we suspect hornets), he was able to drive off without being stung. At all. Bad news: The next day, when he returned for a picture, he was stung. Just once, fortunately. The moral is perhaps to leave dangerous situations well enough alone...

How Doth the Little Busy Bee How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour, and gather honey all the day From every opening flower! How skilfully she builds her cell! How neat she spreads the wax! And labors hard to store it well With the sweet food she makes. In works of labor or of skill,  I would be busy too; For Satan finds some mischief still For idle hands to do.  In books, or work, or healthful play, Let my first years be passed, That I may give for every day Some good account at last. --Isaac Watts The bees are back at Shady Side Farm. Due to Colony Collapse Disorder , our beekeeper friend opted to keep the few bees he had last year close to home. He's had wonderful success capturing swarms this year, however, and that means the bees are back.  The summer has blown by us--we've experienced several cold days that make us think about fall  and the season that follows it . We rush through our ...