Tag Archives: lessons learned

Backyard Beekeeping vs Professional Beekeeping

Posted on July 26, 2014 by Laura Rittenhouse

A couple years ago, my husband and I became backyard beekeepers. Frank’s father had been a hobby/semi-professional beekeeper yonks ago so Frank had some idea what he was getting into, though that was a different hemisphere and a different generation. … Continue reading →

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Our Hive has EFB

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

One of our hives has European Foulbrood (EFB). That’s a bacterial infection (Melissococcus pluton) that kills off some of the bees before they’re born and weakens a colony. It’s considered a stress-related disease and moving hives can trigger it. It’s spread … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Nature | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Pecan Milk

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

I’ve been making my own Almond Milk and Meal for over a year now. It is one of the simplest, most reliable and most money-saving food tricks I’ve discovered. But with my new pecan orchard giving me absolutely free pecans … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden, Recipe, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Patterson’s Curse

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

Until recently I knew 2 things about Patterson’s Curse (Echium plantagineum): 1) It is a noxious, introduced weed that is overrunning the grazing lands of Australia and is poisonous to some livestock. 2) It produces beautiful, small, purple flowers in … Continue reading →

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The 80-20 Rule of Gardening

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

I am a devout proponent of the 80-20 rule in all things. Life has taught me that it is really true that you can achieve 80% of the results with 20% of the effort. Life has also taught me that … Continue reading →

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First Season Honey Harvests

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

Brag alert! This post is all about my fantastic honey harvests. I’m unashamedly blowing my own horn while modestly giving a nod to my hard-working bees who actually did all the work. To those of you who struggle with harsh … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Nature, Sustainability | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

Types of Honey

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

Who knew there were so many ways to classify honey? Before I became a beekeeper, I sure didn’t! As I’ve studied more about my new hobby, I’ve discovered there are a lot of things that can be done during the production … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Garden, Nature, Sustainability | Tagged , , | 28 Comments

Making Beeswax Candles

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

With the large harvest of wax from our beehives, I knew I was going to make beeswax candles. What I didn’t know was exactly how you go about making them. So I did what I always do when I’m unsure, … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Recipe, Sustainability | Tagged , , , | 30 Comments

Bountiful Basil

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

Basil is a mainstay in our household. It works as a bit of flavouring in many dishes, raw or cooked, and can even be the key ingredient to dishes like bruchetta or pesto. I always sow a lot of basil … Continue reading →

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Rearing Queen Bees

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Laura Rittenhouse

Frank and I attended a workshop last weekend on queen bee rearing at a really cool property that’s owned by The Wheen Bee Foundation. This is a small organisation that exists due to the generosity of its benefactor, Gretchen Wheen. … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Nature, Sustainability | Tagged , | 14 Comments