Un-crystalize Honey
Don’t throw out that crystalized honey! Bee expert Melinda Jean Stafford tells us ways to un-crystalize honey.
How To
I Didn’t Die in the Sprinkler Valve Hole
Lawnmower versus sprinkler pipes When you think of ways you might die, upside down in a hole reaching for sprinkler valves is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. And I’m not saying you should worry about it. However, my story might give you some insight into safety precautions. It all started when […]
Blueberries 101
Blueberries 101 There’s a misconception that blueberries don’t grow in Idaho. That they are a fruit reserved for the cooler climates of Oregon and Washington. While it’s true that blueberries like acidic soil – something we don’t have here in Southwest Idaho – with a few steps along the way you can be growing berries right along with […]
Candy Boards for Winter Bee Food
Do your bees have enough food to survive the winter? Honey bees need honey as their food source during the winter when it is too cold to forage and there is very little in bloom. Hopefully, you left them 60-80 lbs of honey going into the fall season. This equates to about eight deep frames […]
Customer Q&A: Autumn Joy Sedum
Q: Hello, I am looking for a little help. This happens to this plant every fall. I don’t know the name of it but is there anyway to stop this from happening? It looks great all summer but I want to enjoy the fall color. Thanks A: Thanks for the question. The plant is an […]
Counting Mites
The Varroa Mite is a major factor (if not THE major factor) to the decline in honey bees. This little tiny mite causes many problems. They spread diseases, weaken the immune systems of the bees, and can even cause deformities like shriveled wings. It can be nearly impossible to completely eradicate mites from our hives, […]
How to Build an Oven to Bend PVC Pipe for Less Than $20
Softening and bending PVC pipe has become a regular activity for my engineer. He has done everything from forcing straight pipes to fit into anchor slots to form a hoop house cold frame, to using a blowtorch to make the stand for my underwater swimming timer. The problems with forced bending are limits of degree […]
Grow Your Garden Indoors During the Winter
Do you feel like the green of your thumb is starting to fade? If so, maybe it’s time to play with your food and grow something. Want a steady supply of green onion tops? Buy scallions, cut off the green part for use in a recipe. Place the white bulbs in a glass with water […]
How to Make a Heavy Duty Chicken Water Heater
The other day, I saw some nifty directions for making a chicken water heater out of a cookie tin and a light kit . Since my husband, Greg, is an electrical engineer, he likes me to ask him before I begin projects like that. So, I asked. He said, “Let me think about it.”
A short while later, he was teaching me about resistors, Ohm’s Law, and how to calculate how much power a 60 watt light bulb uses. He showed me a website, mouser.com, that sells electronic parts, this is where we ordered our resistors. Then, we made a trip to Radioshack for heat shrink tubing.