There is nothing like a harvest to re-ignite a fire in the belly. I built five brood boxes and seven medium depth honey supers the other day. I plan to paint them but Ramona hasn't decided on a color. It is time to assemble some more bottom boards and I think I will make some migratory lids with some lumber I have laying around. I purchased some clover, alfalfa, and inoculant for the two acres of pasture that are adjacent to the four acres of wildflower that I sowed earlier this spring. I intend to sow the seed around the end of March.
Clovers and alfalfa are legumes, which means they are able to get nitrogen from the air for their own use, unlike other non-legume plants. But they are only able to use nitrogen from the air if Rhizobium bacteria are present in nodules of their roots. To ensure that the Rhizobium bacteria is present you need to provide those bacteria initially; therefore the need for inoculant.
We are expecting two new colonies in early April and I still need to move the McFadden hive to the farm. The McFadden hive is full of very mean bees and my amateurish attempts to move them have, so far, been thwarted. I stapled hardware cloth over the various holes in the hive and every time I think I have the colony buttoned up they find another escape route. So, last weekend I ordered a moving net to cover the whole enchilada. Once I get them moved I can tidy up the hive and make it weather proof. If they are on my own place, I can work the hive at my leisure.
By the way, have I mentioned yet how much I appreciate my new shop. This was a winter long project, working many weekends and nights, and it is almost finished. I was very comfortable assembling the new hive boxes with a work bench and tools at hand.
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