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Homesteading Skills
- Thread starter Al-Jim19
- Start date
Can’t hurt to try and adjust the next batch as necessary. I bet they will be good though!
I hope so! I actually grew the dill too. Next time I will use real garlic. The pickles looked very crunchie when I picked them. When I shake these up, it looks like a snow globe. 
Live and learn.
I might also look into pickling boiled eggs next. My chickens are about 11 weeks old and should be laying in a month
Live and learn.I might also look into pickling boiled eggs next. My chickens are about 11 weeks old and should be laying in a month
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xtry51
NES Member
I've never built an offgrid solar array before, but I just launched myself into an expensive crash course. I should probably book a room at a holiday Inn express this weekend to help....
Have to order batteries tonight. Building my own from 260ah lifepo4 cells.
Have to order batteries tonight. Building my own from 260ah lifepo4 cells.
xtry51
NES Member
2000-8000 cycles to 20% capacity loss depending on discharge/charge rate. Solar systems are on the lower end of discharge potential. Let's say I went worst case scenario every day. That's still 5.5 years and I'm at 80% total capacity. 8,000 cycles would be irrelevant as I would certainly add capacity by then ir outright replace them.
Batteries are improving rapidly now in cost and total power per pack. And I'm not building this system with an expectation of saving or breaking even on electricity cost. I'm doing this because I believe we're in real trouble globally with energy right now.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
Russian bread soda! A friend of mine (Ukrainian, actually) introduced me to it years ago. When I find myself in the right neighborhoods in Brookline, etc., I'll occasionally pick up a bottle at a convenience store.
Mesatchornug
NES Member
The ones I've had were soft drinks, but I'd not be surprised to buy 5 to 10%
My wife went into one of hives yesterday. She hadn’t opened them up in a long time. The top box, which the queen is excluded from (keep it all honey with no eggs) was empty. The lower boxes were “honey bound” - full of honey with no room for eggs. She had to pull two honey frames to free up some room for eggs. Hopefully we weren’t too late. She is going to check the second hive today.
We did get about 7 lbs or so of honey from those two frames.
We did get about 7 lbs or so of honey from those two frames.
I'd remove the Queen Excluder at this point, and the honey super. They won't draw comb on those frames at this point...
Next year, it helps to 'bait' the bees up above the QE by taking two frames of capped brood and place them in the honey super. The bees will hatch out and the colony will begin to fill it with nectar. Repeat if necessary.
TP
Next year, it helps to 'bait' the bees up above the QE by taking two frames of capped brood and place them in the honey super. The bees will hatch out and the colony will begin to fill it with nectar. Repeat if necessary.
TP
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
I need to check my hive. I can’t remember the last time I was in there. Other than getting stung through my mechanic gloves because I couldn’t find both of my bee gloves. 
I’m interested to see how they have been making out. Maybe when I’m done with my meetings at 4:00
I’m interested to see how they have been making out. Maybe when I’m done with my meetings at 4:00
Thank you! I was going to ask what we should do next year to get them to move up.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Ok couldn’t find my smoker so it got a little busy out there but it looks like there are some full frame in the honey super.
The food is about maxed out and the brood box has plenty of capped of worker cells with some drones and some nectar in there.
I really need to find my smoker. It was getting wild and I backed out before I could really inspect everything and spot the queen.
I’m also running a QE. Should just pull that top box of honey at the end of the season and leave the brood and food?
Then reinstall next season? Or should I spin it and pop it back on top (with or without QE) to let them clean up all the leftover honey?
I really need to get into a course or just get a good all in one book. Other than here I don’t know any other bee keepers so my interest dwindles quick.
I’m all out of honey so I’m dying to harvest. That and install my propolis trap
The food is about maxed out and the brood box has plenty of capped of worker cells with some drones and some nectar in there.
I really need to find my smoker. It was getting wild and I backed out before I could really inspect everything and spot the queen.
I’m also running a QE. Should just pull that top box of honey at the end of the season and leave the brood and food?
Then reinstall next season? Or should I spin it and pop it back on top (with or without QE) to let them clean up all the leftover honey?
I really need to get into a course or just get a good all in one book. Other than here I don’t know any other bee keepers so my interest dwindles quick.
I’m all out of honey so I’m dying to harvest. That and install my propolis trap
So you have 2 boxes, 1 of Brood, and 1 of Honey below the excluder, and a super with some frames of honey?
Yes. Pull, spin, let the bees clean out by putting the extracted super ATOP the inner cover for a few days. Then pull that and bag it for next year.
Pull the queen excluder too.
TP
Yes. Pull, spin, let the bees clean out by putting the extracted super ATOP the inner cover for a few days. Then pull that and bag it for next year.
Pull the queen excluder too.
TP
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Exactly.
Ok thank you. I’ll do that. Thinking of leaving it for a little while longer. Lots of goldenrod and such still out there. Thinking of popping in the propolis trap soon too.
I love propolis and having my own source is awesome. I want to make some tincture.
I like that idea. I will have to give it a go.
How to Grow Apple Trees From Seed
Apple seeds are easy to grow at home with the proper preparation, and seedlings are often more vigorous than their grafted nursery counterparts. Give an apple tree seedling 3-4 years, and it'll catch up to
practicalselfreliance.com
Literally just read this article two days ago and am planning to plant some in the spring.I started mine in the spring using the method above.How to Grow Apple Trees From Seed
Apple seeds are easy to grow at home with the proper preparation, and seedlings are often more vigorous than their grafted nursery counterparts. Give an apple tree seedling 3-4 years, and it'll catch up to
We are at 1400‘ elevation and can have killing frosts well into April. Would seeds be more resistant than saplings?
Old, my inclination is to buy saplings so I can actully eat some before Im dead….
Old, my inclination is to buy saplings so I can actully eat some before Im dead….
