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Varroa Mite Management – in 2025 for Harmony Hollow Apiary

Probably one of the widest talked-about topics in beekeeping is that of Varroa mites.

It is now the end of August of 2025, and it seems that we as an industry are both (a) nowhere close to where we WANT to be in regards to varroa and their destruction of colonies of bees – and […]

August 29th, 2025 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Bee Yard, Beekeeping, Birds and the Bees, Bohemian Utopia, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Pollinators, Sustainability, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

Ag Valuation Questionnaire – Collin County – 2025

Clients in Collin County now have a questionnaire to fill out for their annual ag valuation for honeybees. Here are some of the answers I can provide for you for filling that out – for properties where I am managing bees on your land:

 

When did you obtain equipment – (when placed on your […]

March 18th, 2025 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Bee Yard, Bee Yard Projects, Beekeeping, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

Effects of sublethal doses of glyphosate on honeybee navigation

I thought I had posted this link to research – however I’m not finding it at the moment – so I will post it again – in light of this winters’ reported massive honeybee losses by commercial beekeepers. (as noted in my last post). While the symptoms and possible causes are being investigated – I […]

February 19th, 2025 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Bee Yard, Beekeeping, Bohemian Life, Garden, Gardening, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Legislation, Nature, Permaculture, Sustainability, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

Urgent: Nationwide Bee Losses in Winter of 2024-2025 Varroa

2-7-2025 10pm

If you have not heard – over the last month – as many beekeepers prepare to send bees to California for Almond pollination – it’s being found that the normal approximate annual attrition rate of honeybee colonies of 40% – is this year – being seen in the range of 50%-80% and in […]

February 7th, 2025 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Bee Yard, Bee Yard Projects, Beekeeping, Bohemian Life, Bohemian Utopia, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Legislation, Life, Nature, Projects, Sustainability, Swarms, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

Pollinator Plants for Texas

Many property owners ask me about what to plant to help feed the bees. The short answer – is to plant for ALL the pollinators (butterflies, moths, wasps, bees (including native species as well as the honeybees used in agriculture for pollination services and honey production).

Though I separate this list […]

January 27th, 2025 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Bee Yard, Bee Yard Projects, Beekeeping, Bohemian Life, Bohemian Utopia, DIY, Garden, Gardening, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Homesteading, Legislation, Nature, Permaculture, Sustainability, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

ATREE and Beekeeping in India – West Bengal – Darjeeling Region

This is a work in progress as I have time to update from my recollection and notes from my trip to India for the month of October and early November 2016. Some photos are by freelance photographer Saad Amer – and are credited to him on each one. The remainder were taken by myself.

Ashoka […]

January 24th, 2025 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Beekeeping, Bohemian Life, Bohemian Utopia, Gardening, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Homesteading, Life, Permaculture, Projects, Sustainability, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

2025 – Central Texas Bee School – Brenham Tx

If you’re available to attend the Central Texas Bee School on March 1, 2025, it’s a great place and opportunity to learn more about bees and their management.

Rex Smith will be teaching (2) sessions – on performing hive inspections at the bee school.

Sign up ASAP to reserve your space.

https://centraltexasbeekeepers.org/bee-school/

 

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January 19th, 2025 | Tags: , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Beekeeping, Birds and the Bees, Bohemian Utopia, Community, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Legislation, Pollinators, Sustainability, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

Equipment Build – Solar Wax Melter (Broke Boy SWM)

Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter – BBSWM

This solar wax melter is one that was cobbled together in the time-frame of about 2012. I call it the “Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter”.

Commercially sold solar wax melters for the hobby market – are currently (2024) marketed at prices ranging from $170-$350. For something that is […]

July 13th, 2024 | Tags: , , , , | Category: Bee Yard, Bee Yard Projects, Beekeeping, Bohemian Life, Bohemian Utopia, Crafts, DIY, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Homesteading, Projects, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

Rainfall and the Effects on Nectar

In North Texas – the 2024 spring season gave me a false hope of being a good honey production year. The first weeks in March provided the beginning of a decent nectar flow from the plants that were in bloom leading up to that week. Several hives proved to me that nectar was being brought […]

June 12th, 2024 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Bee Yard, Bee Yard Projects, Beekeeping, Bohemian Life, Bohemian Utopia, Garden, Gardening, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Homesteading, Nature, Sustainability, Swarms, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment

The State of the Bees – June 11 2024

11 June 2024.

An update on this year’s honeybees.

Rain Rain Rain!

We have had MUCH more rain this year than the last 10 year average. Of the locations that I manage hives – the rainfall has been between 55% and 80.0% higher than the last 10 years’ average rainfall.

The highest actual rainfall – […]

June 1st, 2024 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: Ag Valuation, Bee Yard, Beekeeping, Bohemian Utopia, Garden, Harmony Hollow Apiaries, Nature, Texas Master Beekeeper | Leave a comment
 
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