Archive for the ‘Sustainable living’ Category

Bees on February Flowers

Posted in Bee Video, Bee-loving flowers, Natural Beekeeping, Sustainable living, Warre Hive, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 26, 2017| 13 Comments »

It might not be pretty…

1-warre-hive-protection-2016-2017-2-23-17-copy

…but it’s pretty effective. This is my Warré hive winter protection from high winds driving copious amounts of rain against my hive. Since October, we have gotten 66.5 inches of rainfall (1689 mm).

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A look through the observation window in December shows lots of natural honey comb.

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I think this bright yellow pollen is from the Hooker Willow which thrives in soggy wet soil along The Oregon Coast.

I’ve been somewhat afraid to write about my bees.  They seem to be doing fine with my efforts to protect them, but I didn’t want to jinx them.  This is the end of February.  The Hooker Willow has started flowering and bees are returning with bright yellow pollen, so I think they will make it.  Also the gorse (Ulex europeaus) is blooming as it always does in February.  The video shows bees on both.

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Independence Day

Posted in Bee to Flower relationship, Sustainable living, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on July 5, 2016| 15 Comments »

Returning from our morning walk, my wife turns to me, “Pat, the field is looking seedy.  Should we mow it?”  “Yeah, let’s mow it,” I say, wondering if there’s enough gas.  Hmmm, I think I’ll try the new EGO battery mower to see if it’ll work on the thicker grass.  To my surprise it works well.

3513 Pat mowing with EGO, 7-4-16 copy

July 4th…Independence Day. Mowing thick grass with the EGO cordless electric mower. I’m not producing carbon emissions. I’M INDEPENDENT OF FOSSIL FUEL.

We usually mow the field with the big DR Brush cutter.  It’s about 11 hp and uses quite a bit of gas, so I was very impressed that the EGO cordless mower could handle this thicker and taller grass.

3529 Leave some Heal's All, Bird's Foot Trefoil for bees, 7-4-16

Leave some “No Mow Zones” for the bees. Here’s some healsall plants and some yellow Bird’s Foot Trefoil.

3527 Left some tall grass for the deer, 7-4-16

I left some tall grass too, for the deer. I know, I know, you’re not supposed to feed the deer, but there are so many juicy temptations in the garden that they feasted on last year. In a way, I am thanking the deer for not jumping the new deer fence into the garden. Maybe it’s more of a distraction, but so far it works. We’ve been picking up the “June drop” apples along with the mountains of ripe plums and scattering them in an area where we can see them eat (outside the garden, of course.)

Time to recharge. I use solar power.
Solar power plug installed 1 January 2013 (into my press room) Before that, I used a long extension cord from the panels through the shop window. 🙂
My wife won’t let me trim the flowers around the solar panels, but if they start casting shadows, there’s gonna be trouble! 🙂
EGO’s 56 volt battery RULES!!!
3514 Wheelbarrow load of clippings, 7-4-16 copy

We fill several wheelbarrow loads. What are we using the grass clippings for, you ask? For mulch in the garden. We are coming into the dry season. We’re on a shallow well, so we try to conserve on water usage. Mulch cuts down on the need for water. I scatter the lawn clippings out in the sun. I’ll turn them tomorrow morning. It only takes a couple of sunny days to dry them out enough. (I’ve learned my lesson. Years ago I used fresh lawn clippings over newly planted potatoes. I couldn’t figure out why no potatoes were growing. Pulling up the mulch, I realized the grass had burned off the sprouts.)

After letting grass clippings dry for a couple of hot days, it’s ready to go.
Mulch in squash, lettuce and bean bed.
Barrels benefit from using mulch.
Poles beans growing nicely with drip watering pvc and lots of mulch.

With the advances in battery technology, it’s exciting to be able to do more and more things without using fossil fuels.  If it’s true what most scientists are saying, then our grandchildren are facing a future of mass starvation, cities underwater, and out of control wildfires.  With that being a possibility, we are very willing to reduce our carbon emissions as much as possible.

3492 Cousins, 7-1-16 copy

July 4…Our grandchildren.

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The (Great??) Turnip Experiment

Posted in Bee Video, Gardening, Growing flowers for bees, Natural Beekeeping, Sustainable living, Videos, tagged , , , , , on August 22, 2015| 2 Comments »

Growing turnips for the bees and for us

June 22...I mowed half the mustard flowers down and spaded them into the soil. Those lengths of white pvc were supposed to hold the deer netting over the clover, but the clover experienced a freeze at a delicate stage and died out. All this mustard is volunteer courtesy of our compost bin. Clearly, it doesn't get hot enough to kill the seeds.

June 22…I mowed half the mustard flowers down and spaded them into the soil. Those lengths of white pvc were supposed to hold the deer netting over the clover, but the clover experienced a freeze at a delicate stage and died out. All this mustard is volunteer courtesy of our compost bin. Clearly, it doesn’t get hot enough in the bin to kill the seeds.

Two years ago we planted turnip seeds in July and had the happy surprise of turnip flowers in January.  The bees appreciated having a nectar/pollen source in the middle of winter.

Last year we tried growing turnips for the bees again, but for some unknown reason, most of them didn’t germinate…only a few in the middle row.  We were looking for a place to bury crab shell and dug it in on both sides of the few turnips.  They must have liked it because they grew HUGE.  Since there were so few and since my wife makes a delicious turnip soup, those turnips never got to go to seed.

This year we’d like to try it again…with lots of crab shell, and lots of turnips.  This is our attempt to ‘grow for the bees.’

I had to get the trench dug and bury the crab shell before work. Crab shell doesn't keep very long before getting really rank. It's in the bin in the wheelbarrow. A tire is weighing down the lid to keep the raccoons out of it. You don't want raccoons to make a mess of things. Uh, they will if it's not protected.

I had to get the trench dug and bury the crab shell before work. Crab shell doesn’t keep very long before getting really rank. It’s in the bin in the wheelbarrow. A tire is weighing down the lid to keep the raccoons out of it. You don’t want raccoons to make a mess of things. Uh, they will if it’s not protected.

A bucket of kitchen garbage...

A bucket of kitchen garbage…

...and a bin of crab shell...

…and a bin of crab shell…

...go into the trench.

…go into the trench.

This is what crab shell looks like after being buried for 8 months.

This is what crab shell looks like after being buried for 8 months.

July 9...The drip water grid is in place. We're ready to plant.

July 9…The drip water grid is in place. We’re ready to plant.

July 10...Turnip seeds planted and covered with vermiculite.

July 10…Turnip seeds planted and covered with vermiculite.

Deer net hoops set up.

Deer net hoops set up.

July 17...It looks like ALL the turnip seeds germinated this year.

July 17…It looks like ALL the turnip seeds germinated this year.

We better use some fabric to protect them from the wire worm.

We better use some fabric to protect them from the wire worm.

August 1...Hmmm. I think I planted these too close. I better thin them out.

August 1…Hmmm. I think I planted these too close. I better thin them out.

We'll be eating turnip greens for a few days.

We’ll be eating turnip greens for a few days.

I'm going to try some crab water mixed 1:5 parts water to see what happens.

I’m going to try some crab water mixed 1:5 parts water to see what happens.

August 1...I'm watering just the outboard rows of turnips with the crab water just to see if crab water encourages them to stronger.

August 1…I’m watering just the outboard rows of turnips with the crab water just to see if crab water encourages them to grow stronger.

This yearling deer is waiting for me to leave 'her' garden.

This yearling deer is waiting for me to leave ‘her’ garden.

Aug. 9...If a little crab shell is good, does that mean a lot is even better? Let's add some more on this side.

Aug. 9…If a little crab shell is good, does that mean a lot is even better? Let’s add some more on this side.

I better protect it from the raccoons. I don't want them tearing up the seedlings to get at the crab shell. If you're wondering where I got all the tires, I used to plant 60 tomato plants...inside the tires for warmth. I poked, cut, and drilled holes in each one to drain rain water out. Now a days, I'm not planting that many tomatoes, but it's costly to get rid of the tires...anyone want some free tires?

I better protect it from the raccoons. I don’t want them tearing up the seedlings to get at the crab shell. If you’re wondering where I got all the tires, I used to plant 60 tomato plants…inside the tires for warmth. I poked, cut, and drilled holes in each one to drain rain water out. Now a days, I’m not planting that many tomatoes, but it’s costly to get rid of the tires…anyone want some free tires?

August 23...Turnips are exploding with growth. Just in time because this part of the garden is starting to lose the sun.

August 23…Turnips are exploding with growth. Just in time because this part of the garden is starting to lose the sun.

August 23...Making Purple Top White Globe Turnips.

August 23…Making Purple Top White Globe Turnips.

August 29...Freshly picked turnip 'thinnings.'

August 29…Freshly picked turnip ‘thinnings.’

No bug holes, which is the reason why we use a 'pest protection' floating row cover.

No bug holes, which is the reason why we use a ‘pest protection’ floating row cover.

August 29...Turnip soup made from scratch by my Sweetie. :)

August 29…Turnip soup made from scratch by my Sweetie. 🙂

September 2...More turnip thinnings result in a Turnip Frittata. Soooo very delicious!!! After reading about the health benefits of turnips, I planted more this evening. If they flower in January or February, the bees will benefit as well.

September 2…More turnip thinnings result in a Turnip Frittata. Soooo very delicious!!!
After reading about the health benefits of turnips, I planted more this evening. If they flower in January or February, the bees will benefit as well.

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Pedal Power

Posted in solar water pump, Sustainable living, tagged , on August 8, 2015| 16 Comments »

This was probably about 40 years ago, my sweetheart is showing how my bicycle can pump water. We had bought an old (very old) Fairbanks-Morse water pump and I think we were testing it out.

This was probably about 40 years ago, my sweetheart is showing how my bicycle can pump water. We had bought an old (very old) Fairbanks-Morse water pump and I think we were testing it out.

My sister sent me this picture from long ago of my wife using my old 10 speed Schwinn Varsity to pump water. That was when we were young and more energetic…probably about 40 years ago. Since then, we’ve hooked up solar…much less work.

Solar panels on handmade wheeled cart

Solar panels on handmade wheeled cart

Footnote…The first photo is a black and white which I had developed in my little darkroom.  I’m sure I made some 8 x 10’s and sent them to Mom and Dad to show off our pioneering efforts.  Recalling all the work that went into the darkroom, using different photo papers to get more contrast, hours of trying to get the perfect exposure with the enlarger, tray development, it’s a marvel to be able to perform all those functions and more on my laptop…40 years later.  Thank you digital photography!!!

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Bees Enjoy Winter Turnip Flowers (and more)

Posted in Bee-loving flowers, Drip watering, Natural Beekeeping, Raised beds, Sustainable living, Videos, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 12, 2014| 16 Comments »

July 10, 2013...Spring veggies harvested, soil spaded and leveled, drip watering in place, this bed is ready to plant our winter garden.

July 7, 2013…Spring veggies harvested, soil spaded and leveled, drip watering in place, this bed is ready to plant our winter garden.

When we planted  turnips, lettuce and kale in July for our winter garden little did we know we were planting for the bees as well as ourselves.

July 28, 2013...turnips are growing nicely in the center, lettuce and kale are on the sides.

July 28, 2013…turnips are growing nicely in the center, lettuce and kale are on the sides. Deer netting over pvc hoops.

January 16, 2014...We had eaten most of the turnips and just left a few to go to seed. We never thought the bees would be enjoying them in mid January. What a welcome surprise.

January 16, 2014…We had eaten most of the turnips and just left a few to go to seed. We never thought the bees would be enjoying them in mid January. What a welcome surprise.

February 9, 2014...My apologies for posting such a fuzzy picture of a bee on the catkins,but it was rather high up. I wanted to show where the pollen was coming from that is going into my log hive.

February 9, 2014…My apologies for posting such a fuzzy picture of a bee on the catkins,but it was rather high up. I wanted to show where the pollen was coming from that is going into my log hive.

February 9, 2014...Many colors of pollen entering the hive. In the video you can see the bright yellow from the turnip flowers. It's possible this is from the pussy willows that are just starting to blossom

February 9, 2014…Many colors of pollen can be seen entering the hive. In the video you can see the bright yellow pollen from turnip flowers. It’s possible this shot is from the pussy willows that are just starting to blossom.  The darker orange might be from early gorse.

February 10, 2014...Yellow turnip flowers have been flowering since mid January. Pussy willows are starting to blossom already.

February 10, 2014…Yellow turnip flowers have been flowering since mid January. Pussy willows are starting to blossom already.  Second bed is producing greens for our salads.  We can eat them 15 minutes after they are picked…can’t get much fresher than that.  We cover them with plastic film (partially visible on far side) on nights of sub freezing temps.

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Pat’s Stats, 2013, 2014, 2015

Posted in Burley bicycle trailer, Solar, Sustainable living, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on December 31, 2013| 11 Comments »

Our bicycles are nothing fancy, but they work to get us to the grocery store or post office, a distance of 3 miles round trip.

Our bicycles are nothing fancy, but they work to get us to the grocery store or post office, a distance of about three miles round trip.

Riding a bicycle for errands is a “win, win, win!”  We don’t pollute, we don’t use gasoline, and we get some exercise…gets the cardiovascular circulation going.  Of course we use the bicycle to get groceries and other items like crab shells and coffee grounds, too.  Occasionally I’ll even deliver print jobs from a printer I know.  A few years ago someone on NPR said he was trying to cut down on his carbon footprint by not driving at least one day a week.  We thought that was a great idea, so in 2006 we set out to get at least 51 days without using a car.

The following are the totals  of “Car-free days” per year and rainfall totals.

2006   59/365=16.2%    No rainfall report.

2007   76/365=20.8%  No rainfall report.

2008  134/366=36.6%  No rainfall report.

2009  144/365=39.5% Total rainfall 49.27 inches  (1251 mm)     Avg. rainfall 64.41 inches.

2010  153/365=41.9% Total rainfall 66.1 inches  (1679 mm)     Avg. rainfall 64.43 inches.

2011  186/365=50.1% Total rainfall 39.16 inches (994 mm)     Avg. rainfall 64.91 inches.

2012  162/366=44.3% Total rainfall 54.89 inches (1394 mm)  Avg. rainfall 64.57 inches.

2013  149/365=40.8% Total rainfall 29.5 inches (749 mm)   Avg. rainfall 64.57 inches.  (Footnote:  2013 is driest year on record)

2014  183/365=50%.  HOORAY!! 50% Car-free days, and that’s with 18″ more rainfall this year.              Total rainfall is 47.58 inches (1233 mm)  Avg. rainfall is 64.57 inches.

2015  180/365=49.3%.  I couldn’t quite get my 50% car-free days.  Rainfall for 2015 is 44.89 inches (1140 mm)

As you can see 2011 was our best year at 50.1%.  That works out to be 3.5 car-free days a week.  Rainfall was comparatively low that year, so it was easier to get around.  The next year I started beekeeping so the numbers have dropped a bit since I started attending bee meetings, hanging bait hives, and chasing down swarms.

Yes, I'm proud of my home-made bicycle sign. I figure if I can make drivers smile, they won't run over me. I've gotten many comments on this sign, but the best one was from a man who said he dialed the number and his wife answered.

I’m proud of my home-made bicycle sign. I figure if I can make drivers smile, they won’t run over me. I’ve gotten many comments on this sign, but the best one was from a man who said he dialed the number and his wife answered. 🙂

Lumber loaded on bicycle trailer, barely clears ground.

Lumber loaded on bicycle trailer, barely clears ground.

I can’t remember what this lumber was for, but my little Burley Flat Bed trailer was able to get it (and me) home in one piece.

The point of car-free days is to try to limit our carbon footprint.  We live in a small town so it’s easy for us to bicycle.  If we lived in a large city with public transportation, we would use it.  We feel that it’s important to cut down on our energy usage (and pollution) as much as possible.

Just for the record I want to add the totals from my little solar system…

12-31-13…..5139 Total Kilowatt hours produced from start up in June 2009

12-31-12…..3915 Total Kilowatt hours produced from start up in June 2009

1224 Kilowatt hours produced Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013

12-31-13…..188.1 Total kilo-amp hours produced from start up in June 2009

12-31-12…..143.2 Total kilo-amp hours produced from start up in June 2009

44.9 Kilo-amp hours produce Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013

1-1-14…..Zero’d out the meter today.

12-31-14…..45.6 Kilo-amp hours produced Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014

12-31-15…..48.6 Kilo-amp hours produced Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015

12-31-15…..1,320 Kilo wt hours produced Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015

12-31-15…..Note to Pat…Did NOT zero out meter…Didn’t remember code. 😦

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