The "Girls" are making Honey

We have been very busy at Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farm. The "Girls" are hard at work coming and going all over the bee yard and beyond. We went through the hive with honey supers on Saturday, Rick helped me with the heavy lifting. The honey supers weights close to 80 pounds. They have capped off lots of the supers and I am waiting for them to finish each one.

We have gone over and checked several new beekeepers bees. It looks like everyone will have an excellent spring harvest.

We are as busy as the bees with speaking engagements, making lotion bars and lip balms, graduations, class reunions, plantings and spring chores.

We will post more later, look at the time ...where does time go???

Bee Well,

Ms Deb

The Sasserfrass Hill "Girls" make the 6pm News CH 12

We planted flowers, cut the grass, did the weed eating, cleaned the bee shed and we were all excited to see News Channel 12 pull up to shoot a news story on the bees of Sasserfrass Hill.

I met a cute, young reporter, Carter Coyle at the MCG 's Earth Day a couple of weeks ago, she ask ed if she could do a story on the bees. She called yesterday and came over today and did the story.

Carter was tough, she got a sting on the cheek while we were shooting the story. She was brave and had a great attitude. I apologized for the sting, but she said she expected at least one sting.

I was wishing for the girls to be extra gentle . . .

Carter said she would send the link as soon as she got the web story posted. I will pass it along as soon as I get it.

We had fun today.. and maybe someone will see the story and get some bees or at least plant some wildflowers. The "Girls" will appreciate it.

Bee Well,

Ms Deb

We are all buzzing on Sasserfrass Hill

Happy Spring Everyone.!!!! We are having a Buzzzzy time on Sasserfrass Hill.

I am learning so much about my bees everyday. I have been speaking to Garden Clubs in the area. Encouraging everyone to stop using so many chemicals in the garden.

We all know the pollinators are in trouble. But, Why you ask???? Scientist blame one group of agricultural toxin-neonicotinoid pesticides as a major contributor to their rapid demise, and bee populations have recovered in four European countries that have banned these products.

Bayer still sells this deadly poison here in the United States. One of our goals on Sasserfrass Hill is to enlighten everyone and get this poison banned in the United States of America.We must convince our government not to heed the powerful chemical lobby, but to defend the bees and the country's food supply by calling for a national ban NOW!!!!! ... no time to waist.

Our best chance to save bees now is to push our government to join the ban, their action is critical and will have a ripple effect on the rest of the word.

This is not just about saving the bees , this is about survival. Silently, billion of bees are dying off and our entire food chain is in danger. Bees don't just make honey; they are a giant, humble workforce, pollinating 90% of the plants we grow.

Please join me, sign the emergency petition now, and send it on to everyone you know ...we must get the poison banned in our country.

To sign up go to: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees/?vl

Bee Safe... (did I mention the poison is put on your corn seed),

Deborah

New Packages of Bee Are Here!

It seems like we have been waiting a long time for our spring bees to come in ...and they are finally here. I am getting two - three pound packages of bees on Sunday. Orders for spring bees must be in place late in the fall. Wilbank Apiaries in Claxton, GA is the original home of these south Georgia girls. I hope they will like Augusta and Sasserfrass Hill.

I lost three colonies this cold winter, they froze in a cluster in the middle of the hive with honey all around. They were too small of a cluster and the temperatures went too low and stayed cold for too long time for them to generate the heat they needed to stay warm. I was very sad.

Lee Ann gave me six brand new frames with wax foundation. I have never use them before...I have always used plastic. I will see how the girls like them.

I am off to get everything ready for the new arrivals.

Bee Well,

Deborah

Spring is here and the Bees are Happy!

I took some photos of Lee Ann Hagler's bees last week. They are extremely strong hives. Lee Ann is planning to split them and add two more. She has a beautiful garden and a perfect location for her "girls". She is panting two more hives. She bought a queen at the meeting on Tuesday and wants to get the queen in the hive by Friday. I plan to help her and take photos.

I have been planting flowers and shrubs this week. Betty, one of my oldest friends gave me some Zinnias, Marigolds and Mums seeds in the fall. I shared some with my mom and started planting seed all over Sasserfrass Hill. Caren and John Bricker gave me several Devil Tongue plants, the hummingbirds love them I hope the bees will too.

Mr. Charlie said I could buy two packages of bees from him. He is picking them up this week and will deliver them on Sunday. I lost three hives this winter and it will be good to get some new girls and have bees ready for the nectar flow.

I have a lot more plants to get in the ground....I had better get a move on.

Bee Well,

Deborah

Sasserfrass Hill talks to Garden Clubs

I had one of the best days ever in the history of Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farm.

I spoke to the Suburban Garden Club this afternoon. They were outside under a big tent, the weather was a perfect 72 degrees, sun peeking in and out of the clouds. The ladies were gracious, attentive and engaging, asking good questions and enjoying some laughs at the drones expense.

I had a delightful time telling everyone about my "girls". The ladies loved my photos... They told me "I was the best speaker they had ever had and my photographs were worth of National Geographic!!!" They were oh so good for the ego.!!!

I told of the benefits of eating local raw honey and of my experiences mixing up lotion bars with all natural oils, exotic butters and my wholesome beeswax. I gave out small samples lotion bars, once they felt the luscious, nourishing oils... they adored and bought them.

One of the ladies ask if I would come to Brandon Wilde to speak in May. I was excited to excepted her invitation. I look forward to spreading the word about my tiny pollinators.

I went to my Soil Sisters Garden club meeting this morning. I got a registration form for the Augusta Council of Garden Clubs Spring luncheon held at the Augusta Country Club on March 31st. Pam Beck, a freelance garden writer, lecturer and photographer from North Carolina will be the speaker. I am looking forward to meeting lots of new gardeners and making lots of valuable contacts.

A lady is coming to Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farm on Thursday from Lexington, SC. She is writing a kids book on bees and beekeepers. She was given my contact information by one of the Midstate beekeepers I met last week. I am anxious to see all the possibilities this opportunity may bring.... I will let you know how that turns out.

I was on the phone with my sister and she said can you see the rainbow from your house? I grabbed my camera and ran outside... Suddenly the rain stopped and the sun broke through and out popped a beautiful rainbow...Wait ... a beautiful double rainbow. Thank you God!!!

I took all the plants out of my bee shed/greenhouse this afternoon before the rain started. They all were happy to get out and get some liquid sunshine. We are all ready to welcome the warm spring days.

I have had a long, busy as a bee, magical day.... Thank you God.!!! I am grateful. I am blessed.

Bee Bold... enough to trust your wings and fly.

Ms Deb

I got a call from Mary Louise Hagler (a master Gardener and speaker) Monday afternoon, she said she was over booked for Tuesday and ask if I would speak to a garden club in her place.

I jumped at the opportunity. I love talking to women and telling them about my tiny pollinators and all the problems they are facing. I encourage everyone to stop using so many chemicals and plant wildflowers to help feed the all the pollinators bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Carol Finch gave me several plants on Monday afternoon. We had tea and a nice visit. She is always very generous with her plants and information on how to care for them. She has a beautiful yard. She is helping me choose plants for Sasserfrass Hill the bees will love. I came home and planted them. I can only hope they will grow half as well for me as they did her.

I am updating and adding more information to http://www.sasserfrasshill.com/ website. We are busy with our spring chores, feeding the bees and working in our bee yard. I am going to have a small garden this spring and hope it will flourish and be pollinated by those cute Sasserfrass Hill "girls."

I put plastic around the bee shed and made it into a little greenhouse this winter. It did the job and most of my plants over wintered without much trouble.

I am off to put in some weed block underneath the hives and start fighting the weeds early this year.

I hope my garden grows half as well as my hardy robust weeds.

Bee Well,

Deborah