Displaying 1 - 4 of 234 entries.

BeeTime

  • Posted on May 11, 2012 at 3:33 pm

I just wanted to write and say thank you so very, very much to David, Sheri and the team at Long Lane Honey Bee Farms (aka www.honeybeesonline.com !!  I’m a 1 year beekeeper who lost my hives at the end of the very hot summer last year… but now I’m back in business and thrilled.

BeeHive

BeeHive in Waiting

I got my first package bees (4 pkgs) last Friday morning here in Arkansas.  I was called by the post office and arrived there by 9am.  As instructed by David, I inspected the packages, and was shocked to see 3 of the packages full of dead bees.  I’m not talking the small number that are normal, I’m talking 3 packages of dead bees.  Before leaving the post office, I got Form #1000 from the postmaster who seemed to not know how to help me.

Still standing at the post office dock, I put in a frantic call to LBHBF and amazingly enough at this time of year reached David Burns!!!  He was awesome, listening to my plight and asking a few questions.  We ended the conversation with David telling me he would send replacement packages this week.  He did ask me to check the queen packages and see if they were okay and to return them to him if they were.

I got home and installed the one living package in the ready hive (they still seem to be doing great, by the way).  Upon checking the other packages, there were only a few living bees walking around.  All three  queens, and their attendants were dead.  I’m really not sure if it was the heat in Arkansas last week or some other cause, but the poor bees were definitely dead.

At 7:30 this morning, I got a call from the post office telling me I had bees there.  I had a business meeting I had to go to, but I got to the post office around 10am.  I was nervous as I waited for the post master to bring out my 3 replacement packages of bees.  When he set them on the dock, I took time to look at them and was amazed and thrilled to see the huge balls of bees hanging from the roof of the packages.  There were even a few ‘hitchhickers’ on the outside of the packages (I’m not sure if they had made the trip from Illinois just ‘hanging on’ or if they joined up somewhere else), but it made me laugh.  I had a net hive cover so I used it for the trip home in the car.

I got home and husband helped me hive the bees.  I don’t have pics now, but I’ll get some put up this weekend.  Anyway – I just wanted to thank David, Sheri and all the Lone Lane Honey Bee Farms team for my awesome bee packages.

Have a great weekend!!

Ellen Crane
Lake Dardanelle, AR

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Spring is Here!

  • Posted on March 19, 2012 at 5:33 am

Well.. March 19, 2012.. as crazy as it sounds, Spring seems to be here to stay.  I was out gardening all weekend and the weather was just beautiful.  I saw bees (honey, bumble and mason bees checking out the flowers).  There were butterflies of various colorations, wasps and even ‘gasp’… ticks!

Then last night, when I was out in the hot tub, I saw this lovely moth…. so I snapped a pic for you.

Iridescent Moth

Iridescent Moth

No telling what the weather will be for the rest of the year, but the next 10 days are definitely ‘Spring has Sprung’!

Have a great day… Hugs, Ellen

Herb Recipe – Basil Butter

  • Posted on March 8, 2012 at 12:25 pm

For this recipe you can use your favorite variety of basil or make several versions of this butter with all your favorite basil varieties for different taste treats.  I keep several of these in my freezer for adding that special touch to your dish.

Fine Leaf Verde Basil

Fine Leaf Verde Basil

Herb Recipe – Basil Butter

16 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2-1/2 ounces butter, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
  • A chopped garlic clove or 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

To chop the basil you can use a food processor, but I prefer to hand chop with a very sharp blade (dull blades turn the basil black).  Hand chopping will take more time, but the difference in texture is amazing. Add butter, lemon juice and pepper and garlic salt; blend until smooth. Drop by half-tablespoons onto a baking sheet; freeze. Remove from baking sheet and store in freezer bags. Use to flavor chicken, fish or vegetables.

Pistou Basil

Pistou Basil

 

I have quite a few varieties of basil growing now for the local farmer’s and community markets.  Some of them are…

  • Blue Spice Basil – spicy fragrance with a vanilla overtone
  • Cinnamon Basil – great for use in fruit compotes and cheesecakes
  • Christmas Basil – has a fruity mulled-wine aroma
  • Dark Opal Basil – great green and purple color combo, works great in flavored vinegars.
  • Fine Verde Basil – small leaves with an intense scent
  • Floral Spires Basil (Purple flowers) – a distinct cinnamon Thai basil scent
  • Lemon Basil – popular in Thai, Indonesian and other Eastern cuisine
  • Lime Basil – adds that extra bit of kick to salsas, dressings and marinades for chicken or fish
  • Mozzarella Basil (Genovese type) – delicious in soups and pasta dishes
  • Red Rubin - soft purple of Largeleaf Italian, ornamental and sturdy
  • Spicy Bush Basil – small round globe shapes with an awesome flavor
  • Sweet basil – standard, probably easiest to grow
  • Thai Holy “Kaprao” Basil – popular in Thai cuisine with a spicy, sweet, clove-like flavor

Plus quite a few more as well as all my other herbs and plants.  Try this basil butter recipe, I think you’ll love it.

What is your favorite Basil?

Hugs, Ellen

Blue Daze – Evolvulus glomeratus

  • Posted on March 3, 2012 at 6:00 am

I have fallen in love with this beautiful plant – Blue Daze! Evolvulus glomeratus – Blue Daze is a native of Brazil and Paraguay.  An evergreen ‘subshrub’, it grows in a low, spreading mound (up to 2-3′ in diameter, but no more than 1′ tall).  The stems become woody as they age and the leaves and stems are covered with a light gray fuzz.

Blue Daze

Blue Daze

Blue Daze blooms profusely and almost continuously, but each flower only lasts a day, opening in the morning and closing by the afternoon.  The blooms are the most beautiful shade of blue.  Hardy in zones 8-11, this plant like it HOT and full sun!  In areas of frost, either bring the container inside or plant in the garden as an annual.

Blue Daze makes a spectacular hanging basket, I have several of them hanging outside, stop by and see them soon!

Have a great week…  Hugs, Ellen