I checked on our other two hives, one located at picket fence creamery, and one at raccoon forks farm in redfield. They are both doing GREAT!

(footwear of choice of pink-haired beekeepers). By the way, donning jeans, hi-tops, a long sleeved button up shirt, hat, veil, and gloves in 97 degree heat and 115 degree heat index? Is HOT.

Swiss chard is so pretty!

Tomatillos!

The garden is loving the heat. We haven't watered ONCE during this heat wave.

Let me repeat that.

We haven't watered ONCE during this week long stretch of 95+ degree hear and heat indexes over 110 every day.

That, my friends, is the power of mulch, lasagna beds, and soil rich in organic matter.

Started harvesting a few veggies!

Ask Donna how much she likes figuring retail sales tax. Go ahead. I double dog dare you.

Making bath teas

Our rooster-that-was-supposed-to-be-a-layer started crowing yesterday. At Maggies house, in town. He was promptly relocated to a friendly farm outside of Madrid! Lucky fella... Gets to do what roosters were meant to do, with lots of lovely lady chickens!!!

A "cold front" moved through Thursday, bringing rain and temps "only" in the upper 80's yesterday. Donna and Cam took the opportunity to go puddle stomping. (note Cam's foot attire....cracks me up!)

So, I load the smoker with some mite-repelling herbs and head out to check the Prairieland hive (Beatrice) on Sunday.

Silly bees are getting a little creative with their comb building. Including building comb between the upper and lower supers.

I find they have done almost no comb building in the last three weeks!! What's up with that, girls???

But I did find these crazy cells... Which looked to me to be too big to be drone cells....

And no baby bees, or bee larvae! Not good!

After consulting with some experts... Seems our queen died or swarmed, and the hive made another! There are six or seven small queen cells, all opened. So hopefully one of them is alive and well and starting to do her queen thing...

I will continue to check the hive very frequently, looking for signs that the new bee is alive and well.

Sample Sundays are ridiculously fun, and this one was no exception, Eden despite temps in the mid 90's and a heat index of 110.

Here Donna and I model some of Traci Leff's beautiful handmade aprons. They're very affordable and come in all sizes and colors! We have them for sale at the store, come check them out :)

Sally made us these AMAZING chocolate chile cupcakes!!! They were so good! She bakes the best stuff :)

Ila, of River's Ropes, sold her handmade natural dog treats, and cuddled the kittens :)

Lynn's teas and tinctures were a hit as always! And she stocked our store with some NEAT tea travel mugs -now you can brew your loose tea on the go!

Our peace flags adorn the classroom entrance.

Traci's honey, woven goods, and aprons.

Delicious baked goods from Lovin' oven

Sally's amazing handmade jams

The roadside wildflowers are stunning this time of year.

Donna's ditch, planted with wildflowers and native species.

They even grew up around our sign :)

Catnip in full bloom

Shop walkway, all tidied and ready for sample Sunday!

Two kittens got adopted, one still needs a home!