We have a Cover Girl on SasserFrass Hill

Some of you may know already... But I will tell you again.
A few weeks ago I took a spoonful of honey and went into my bee yard. I chased bees around until I got one of the girls to stop for a taste.

I started taking photos, lots and lots of photos... I downloaded them into my computer. I had one that caught my eye so I decided to send it over to Kim Flottum, the editor of Bee Culture magazine.

I ask if they accepted freelance photography, adding, jokingly, that I'd always wanted to be on the cover of the Rolling Stone…(an old 70s song by Dr Hook)… . If not The Rolling Stone, I would love to make the cover of Bee Culture magazine.

He emailed back saying "Nice photo"…. But for the cover the image need more headroom for the title and a more vertical shot. If I could take a shot that good, with the format he needed maybe even Rolling Stone would want it.
Soooooo… I went back into PhotoShop. I re-cropped the shot; I even added the magazine title and sent it back and ask…what about this?
He answered; can you have it back to me by tomorrow? I want to use it on the October cover. I was so excited! This October? was my response. I had no idea in just a few week I would see a Sasserfrass Hill girl on the cover of a National magazine !

He gave me the format he needed. I got the photo to him in a few hours. The production coordinator- Kathy Summers emailed and said my photo had made their deadline and would defiantly be on the October 2009 cover of Bee Culture.
So keep your eye out for the Sasserfrass Hill cover girl making her debut on the cover of October issue of Bee Culture magazine.

Check out my mock up of the cover....I also believe in positive affirmations....

Bee Well,

Ms. Deb

Sasserfrass Hill Cover Girl

I can hardly bee-lieve it, I sent in a photograph of one of my girls drinking honey from a spoon to Bee Culture magazine. They are a national Bee Keepers publication. They are going to use my photograph for the cover of their magazine in October 2009. I am beyond stoked.!!!

I took lots and lots of photos before I got this shot.... but it turned out so beautiful..... I love it..

Bee Creative,

Ms Deb

A Spoonful of Honey

I have had lots of hive beetles in all my hives. It seems the lime and the blue hives have lots more than the rest. Thanks to Mr. Charlie's idea to use the plastic on top I have managed to kill beetles everyday. I can see how people lose hives to these awful pests. If I didn't check and kill them everyday they would surely over run and take my hives.

Sunday morning I got a spoonful of honey and took it into the bee yard. I chased bees around till I got one to taste it. She drank and drank till her little honey stomach was full and bulging. I took lots of photographs and finally got this one. I absolutely love it. You can see her little tongue slurping up the honey.

Things are going well on Sasserfrass Hill. We got a supply of Shea Butter, Jojoba oil, Cocoa Butter and lanolin in and we are making lotion bars this week. We will see how that goes.

Hope everyone has a great week.

Bee Well,

Ms Deb

We extracted 112 pounds of Honey today!

We are buzzing along on Sasserfrass Hill. Today I extracted a super from the Blue, purple and pink hives. Mr. Charlie came by yesterday and helped me put the escape boards on. Rick took the three supers off late yesterday and blew out most of the bees. He put the supers into the trunk of my car so I could take over to Mr. Charlies Honey House to extract.
Mr. Charlie also confirmed I have no queen in the Aqua and Peach hives. The queens we got from Wilbanks Apiaries and installed on June 17, did not take!!!!! Not sure why???? We are going back down to Wilbanks in Claxton on Thursday and pick up four more queens. (Mr Charlie needs two also.) This will be the third queen for the Aqua hive and the second for the Peach. The Clipped and Marked queens cost $20 each. I thinks these hives may be costing me just to keep them. But that's O.K.

I had to wait for Rick to get home from work to help me get the two 5 gallon buckets out of my car. They are too heavy for me to pick up. I am proud to announce I extracted 112 pounds of honey today. I am very excited about another big harvest from the girls on Sasserfrass Hill.

Mama put another case of half pint jars into the dishwasher. I have sold more half pints than any other size this season. I will bottle today's honey on Friday morning. Just in time for the Brickyard Market in North Augusta, Friday afternoon from 4 - 8pm. This will be our fourth Friday at the Brickyard and we have really enjoyed being one of the vendors. If you have not been over to the Brickyard Market on Friday afternoon come by and see us and all the vendors. They sell fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, jams and jellies, jewelry, candles, wooden bowls and much more. Don't forget to pick up a few jars of liquid gold. Start eating your honey now to build up your immunities to help fight your fall allergies. Hope to see you soon.

Bee Well,

Ms Deb

August 3, 2009 Happy Birthday Julian

Today is Monday, August 3, 2009. Today is my youngest brother Julian's birthday. I called him today to wish him many blessings. We have had several nice showers on Sasserfrass Hill this past week. My grass is still green and my flowers are still blooming. The bees seem to be doing well. My peach hive is not bringing in pollen like I think it should. I may go into it this week and see if I can see any problems. I have been persistent at killing many hive beetles in all my hives. I wonder what other beekeepers do that don't kill them everyday. I can see how you could loose a hive to this pest. If I could sell hive beetles... I would be a wealthy woman.

Tonight is the monthly meeting of the Clark Hill Beekeepers. I hope we have a good turnout. I love to hear about other people bees and how they are doing. Thank you God for another beautiful day on Sasserfrass Hill.

Another Beautiful Day on Sasserfrass Hill

I have been going to the local flea market to sell honey on the weekends. I am going to try the Friday Brickyard Market in North Augusta this week. Mr Charlie and I are going to see if it will be worth our while to try this new venue.

I have sold almost half of my first 109 pound harvest. Mr Charlie has three times the honey and hives that I have, so he has a lot more to sell. We enjoy talking to people and educating them about the bees. We encourage anyone interested in keeping bees to jump in and help save this incredible creatures.

Bees are in trouble from loss of habit, starvation and all the chemicals we are pouring into the environment. It is really scary to think... what if the bees go away ? ..... What will happen to our food supply??? Every third bite you take is due to a bee. Did you know that? The only thing not pollinated by a bee is corn and wheat (They are wind pollinated). So if you like gruel you should be fine but if you like fruits and vegetables you are going to bee in big trouble. So.... Help protect the bees and remember to plant wildflowers and don't use chemicals in your yard.

North Augusta girls cross the mighty Savannah

CCD ?? I am still puzzled. My green hive disappeared. I really don't know what happened to it. It was a very strong hive. The bees could have swarmed while I was away, I am not sure , but I wish I knew. Rick and I took the entire green hive out of the bee yard. It had been robbed of all honey and most of the pollen and hive beetle larva had moved in. I put the frames into the freezer to kill all the bugs...

Mr Charlie had four hives at his sons house in North Augusta. A brush fire had killed all but one hive. He brought over one super with lots of brood to replaced my green hive. The North Augusta girls were hungry and feisty. He said I should feed them for a few weeks. I took them fresh sugar water and one of the pugnacious guards stung me on the finger. I guess no one told her of the old saying "don't sting the hand that feeds you". Mr Charlie has a queen cell he is going to transfer into this hive. We hope the new queen will make it a more gentle hive and we hope it will bounce back and become even stronger than before. To welcome the North Augusta girls to the Georgia side of the river, I mixed up a enormous supply of sugar water with Honey B Healthy feeding stimulant . . . Who's slogan is "Helps your Hives to Thrive! I will keep the feeders full and hope they love it here on Sasserfrass Hill and flourish.