Buzzzzzy August on Sasserfrass Hill

The temperatures are cooling off a bit. Fall is only a few week away... Can you believe this year is slipping away ....
We have had a very busy August.
Mr. Charlie and I were speakers at the Clark Hill Beekeepers meeting this month. The meeting was at the Columbia County Library. It was exciting and we met several people that are serious about getting bees in the spring.

We took bees from a house down the street. Wayne came over and said he had bees coming and going from the second story eve of their house. He cut a big hole in the living room sheet rock .We got all the comb out of the ceiling, but lots of bees went down inside the walls. We vacuumed a lot out of the house and put the bees into a hive. They swarmed into a nearby tree. We cut the limb and put them back into the hive as it started to rain. We rubber banded the brood into frames. When we went back to get them the next day they had swarmed again. So I am not sure what happened or why they refused to come back home.

I was on Channel 6 new noon show on August 19th talking about National Honey Bee Awareness Day. I had a delightful time and Mary Morrison was very sweet... and she bought honey.

Mr. Charlie and I also went down to the Saturday Market downtown Augusta on August 21st for National Honey Bee Day. Several other beekeepers came out and talked to people about the bees and how we all can help them survive. We sold our honey, stamped little hands with bees, we had honey for tastings and photos and posters for viewing. The observation hive was a big hit. People were very interested and asked lots of really good questions. It was a very good day. But it was way too hot. The heat index was 101 degrees..... too hot to enjoy.!!

Valerie, from the County Extension office came over and helped me make up the card that will go into the golf package. She had everything for embossing and stamping the cards. She really made them look professional and I was so impressed with what she accomplished.

I made lotion bars all day Wednesday, August 25th. for the golf package. I labeled them all day Thursday and had everything packaged and labeled for pick up on Friday morning.
Pat was happy with the 65 jars of honey, 65 lotion bars and the 65 lip balms. She said they wanted something different to give away to the golfers. I hope everyone likes our all natural products.
Mr. Charlie had his 75th birthday on the 28th. His kids threw him a big party. Lots of his family and friends came. It was a nice time had by all.

I met some organic growers. We were talking and they may be able to help me get a grant to buy a HD High speed, digital camera for making bee documentaries. I will be attending a organic growers meeting in September. I am hopeful we will be funded soon.

Mr. Charlie and I went down to Waynesboro and started getting bees from a tree. I asked why they wanted the bees out of the tree? They said "The renters were afraid of the bees." We went back and checked on the bees the next day, we had to do a little more caulking. Hopefully they will like the hive we put out for them, and we will get another strong colony.

The very last day of August was my birthday. We went over to North Augusta and brought seven of the hives home to Mr. Charlies bee yard. They were starving. Not to mention....Lots and lots of Small Hive Beetles.... I have added hive beetles to my short list .... roaches, mosquito, sand fleas and hive beetles....Creatures I hate!!

We did several extraction this month. We did not get the honey we did last year. Not enough rain at the right time I guess. The girls are working hard but the nectar flow was short.

We did our Bee Venom Therapy on our regular clients. We had several new people come and see if they could be helped by the anti-inflammatory in the venom.... Time will tell.

August has been a great month for Sasserfrass Hill. We appreciate all our many blessings and all the people that has help, encouraged, cheered, reassured and supported us along the way.
Thank you all and Bee Well,
Ms. Deb