BEE STUFF

This post is a copy from the BEE BUZZ page.

 Drawing the comb downwards (video)

"This is a great little video from Gaia Bees, an American natural beekeeper doing some very interesting work in bee colony resilience and apicentric beekeeping.
The super interesting thing about this video is that it clearly shows how, in a ‘wild hive’, the colony starts at the highest point of the cavity, and draws their comb downwards. This is precisely what Emile Warré was trying to mimic with the way his ‘people’s hive’ worked, and with his approach to beekeeping… " quote from

http://milkwood.net/2013/07/17/drawing-the-comb-downwards-video/

 Read about the Warre style of beekeeping, another method of using a topbar hive at the above address.

http://gaiabees.com

More information and loads more videos on natural beekeeping (as well as the sunhive) at this address, with a stack of resources if you wish to continue to learn more about bees.

posted marijka

 

Alistair has written an article on Christine's and his journey to France for her uncle's wedding.. Check it out on our Gardeners' page.

 

Christine and Nico Painting on letterbox.

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June- Bee Hive Construction and Pussy Willow Destruction...

Mid Winter here in Melbourne and lots happened last Sunday- it was quite a "hive" of activity.(Sorry- but I couldn't resist that one!)
Marijka marshalled the troops and set Vince and Josh on to the construction of our Top-Bar bee hive with a little personalised NCG symbol burnt onto the side. It all came together well thanks to Marijka's research and direction, and while the sawing and nailing was happening Pia, Marijka and I melted some beeswax and linseed oil (thank-you Pia) to rub into the finished hive. (Although some people did have trouble waiting until the hive was actually built before waxing it...not mentioning any names).

Meanwhile, Alistair, Ian and Chris were chain-sawing down the Pussy Willow tree by the pond in preparation for our new orchard and berry grove. It's always a bit traumatic to cut down a tree when you're a lover of trees, but this one really did need to go in order to make way for new, more productive trees.
It was done with great flair and efficiency I must say, and it was quite a show to watch it being pulled down- we are such a multi-talented bunch aren't we?

February, sunflowers, bees and zucchinis!

Despite a horrible dry Summer we have all managed to grow an abundance of zucchinis (see below or Recipe page for Christine's zucchini pickle recipe) and the sunflowers have been very happy this year- so of course the bees have been too! Our very first harvest of honey from our hive and the Rooftop Honey folk was so spectacularly delicious that Alistair and Marijka are plotting to get another hive so we can have MORE honey, and there's been lots of debate about bee-keeping methods and how to go about it.
We had a good turn out for our last working bee and it was lovely to have Heather and Rebecca the Younger (to quote Marijka) back from their overseas adventures.
Now it's time to start thinking about Autumn and Winter crops- and wishing for some rain!

Christine's Zucchini Pickle

1 kg of them small over-abundant zucchinis

2 medium onions

1/4 cup salt

2 1/2 cups white vinegar

1/2-3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp celery seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp dry mustard

slice unpeeled zucc and onions

put them in bowl and cover with water, add salt. stand one hour and drain.

mix remaining ingredients and bring to boil, pour over veg, stand one hour

bring mixture to boil and cook covered 10 minutes

stir gently to prevet breaking the zucchinis

bottle and seal.

Posted by Rebecca the Elder.

The day it happened Rebecca's drawing class.

The old northcote community gardens shed (beloved) felt something it had never felt before. Peace and quiet settled inside  as Chris the Younger and Pauline began drawing..under the watchful eye of Rebecca who with helpful explanations and gentle reassurances moved the situation along and an occasional 'mild'  "You can do it...Just do it..." from Marijka..

.... and as the sunflowers did their joyful, splendiferous thing on Rebecca's plot ...it happened, drawing was done..upside down and unrecognisable.  But as he turned his drawing the right way round, Chris the Younger was open mouthed, no words came out ...There it was for all to see, a real drawing...See below...

In the meantime the rest of the gardeners did their usual thing,  weeding and chatting, both a favourite pastime..Alistair behind the fence talking to the weeds threatening them with extinction..and Jess of the famous red hair...of which very little to be seen... hardly recognisable, but still beautiful and oh! oh! that hat...
"Where did you get that hat? Where did you get that hat?" .

Christine: " Look I found one.." great excitement it's a black russian..tiny...

The beginning of the new sign...designed and being executed by  Rebecca.  More to look forward to.
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Rebecca in a thoughtful mood... 

 Pauline and Chris discussing the miraclulous and ever fascinating Zucchini growing on her plot.

Christine's cosmos...blowing in the wind..

Photos: marijka
Published: marijka 

Orchard, Sign, New plot and Christmas...already!!!

The herb garden has now become Liz's plot, and last week Chris and I decided to use all the lovely rocks Alistair is excavating, to make a path between her plot and mine leading to the fabulous new orchard. (Under construction). We were doing o.k. with it, but then Ros came to help out and turned it into a masterpiece of stonework. Thanks Ros! The sign is looking very stately thanks to Alistair, Vince and Chris's efforts. For those of you concerned about it's legibility, an 8 year old on a scooter stood next to me while I took this photo and managed to spell it out without any help from me, so it's not too bad. And it is pretty.

We have our Christmas party this Sunday 1st December and the native clematis on the front fence is appropriately covered in fluffy white stars. It's been a good year at the NCG and we all deserve to celebrate!

Posted by Rebecca.

September Working Bee

It's nearly time for the October Working Bee ( Oct. 7th) but here's some "better late than never" snaps of the September Working Bee.
We had lots more planting of the natives, Ros and Christine constructed a raised bed out of the old fencing that has been sitting about for ages, and we had some more of Christine's yummy sausages followed by some sitting about enjoying the Spring sunshine and watching Alistair, Chris and Vince work on their secret project. (Shhh!).
Plus a fond (temporary) farewell to Heather who is now in Europe having an adventure, but will be back in a few months time.

Posted by Rebecca. (Photo of Christine by Marijka).