Lesley Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 Yes, Ginette, they are - I posted a photo of them in the Self Sufficiency section. None of these are for sale Clare! - I'm going to struggle to give any as Christmas Presents, which was the plan I just want to line them up and look at them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Wow Lesley that looks great, it must be fantastic having your own honey on toast in the morning, well done to you both and of course the busy bee's.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy&cake Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Oh Lesley! You are amazing! That is so cool , and i bet it tastes fabulous! Keep posting! I love love love this thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Never mind Lesley, next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 The honey looks fantastic I promised Mark a bee hive for his Birthday, but we were on our honey moon at the time, and when we got home other things took over He never did get one, and bless him that was 17 years ago karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Wow, that's really impressive Lesley! I read an account of extracting honey in "Scenes from a smallholding", it turned into a very sticky situation! Did you end up like Winnie-the-Pooh with honey all over your paws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Well done. Honey from your own bees is like nothing you can buy. Lovely on porridge on a cold winter morning My dad keeps bees and I swap jars of homemade jam made with fruit from our allotment for jars of honey. When he has been short I have tried buying it from farmers markets and other direct from the producer ways but it has always been insipid compared to the honey my dads bees make. He lives in North Wales so maybe it is a difference in the flowers available in this area. I'm too scared of bees and wasps to keep my own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I'm not too keen on them either Liz, although Lesley's bees are very well behaved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Lesley you have been a busy bee as usual They look fantastic, no wonder you wanted you line them up and look at them You must be very pleased Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 That's fantastic. Please add me to the order list for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Lesley, they look fantastic, home-grown honey Well done those bees, and of course to you, Carl, Lauren & Jake for all the hard work in getting the hive establishe, bee care, extracting and bottling It's awe-inspiring to think how much you've achieved in such a short space of time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Amazing Lesley. I don't know how you find the time to go to work! Pretty Labels. Did you design them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 The honey looks fantastic I promised Mark a bee hive for his Birthday, but we were on our honey moon at the time, and when we got home other things took over He never did get one, and bless him that was 17 years ago karen x there's still time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Never mind Lesley, next time. Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Oh well done again Lesley! :D Can I put my name down for next year too please You'll be launching your own website soon, selling your wares!! A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Lesley how fab! Reading this thread always brings a smile to my face about how determined you and the OH are, the hard work you put in and the amazing results you get! Inspiration indeed. You truly are living the dream! Willows Farm Honey - brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 I didn't realise honey would be so popular! We're going to have two hives next year - and manage them a bit better than we did with this one, so hopefully we'll have honey spare next year. We buy a 1lb jar from the Farmers' Market every fortnight - more if I cook with it - so this little stash isn't going to last long. Lauren and Jake took half a jar home tonight and my son,who was also helping with the extraction, took another half jar................I'm finding it very hard to let go Carl had some on toast this morning - and I had some on porridge. HellyW - I don't know about sticky paws! - the extractor is deeper than my arms are long......... I had to clean it out this morning....... and ended up with a sticky bosom from leaning in to reach the bottom ........ and sticky paws, sticky arms, sticky worktops, floor, sink ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 oh dear I'm not laughing honest... :lol: A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Ooops karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Oh Lesley that looks fantastic! You must have a great sense of satisfaction from that little lot! Can just imagine you trying to clean out that extractor though - I'd be just the same - little legs waving out the top! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I love the sticky bosom story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Can just imagine you trying to clean out that extractor though - I'd be just the same - little legs waving out the top! Sounds like when Pooh Bear got stuck in the rabbit hole - his little legs waved in the air Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 It must have looked just like that Clare! Pooh and I are of ....... erm .......... similar stature! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 22, 2007 Author Share Posted October 22, 2007 We had a phone call on Friday to say we could take the ram lambs this morning Yesterday, we got the trailer out - difficult with the Defender as the barn door is too low - it was OK with the Freelander but the Defender lifts it too high so it has to be moved by hand. Carl hooked up the lights and fused all the lights on the car We'd had to get a new fuse box on the stock trailer as the pigs ate the last one - we thought it was wired correctly We used all our spare fuses and then had to go to the nearest garage to buy more. They still wouldn't work and we had no lights on the car. We had to call out Land Rover Assistance - just as the Grand Prix started - I bet he was happy So were we, the plan had been to be ready in time to watch it live for a change We had to have lights as we needed to be at the abattoir at 7am and it is still dark then. We tagged 4 of the 5 ram lambs with ear tags - the 5th one escaped - and then we loaded two into the trailer. We left the trailer in the field ready for this morning. This morning, Carl didn't hear me say I'd come out and help and by the time I'd caught up with him, the 3 lambs had escaped and were running up and down the space between paddocks - in the dark! Carl got two back in and one just wouldn't go back in, we had to leave him there while we went off to the abattoir. We had to use the number plate and lights board off the cycle carrier and tie it onto the trailer as we couldn't afford to fuse all the lights again. I filled in the movement form and when Carl looked at it, I'd put dates where it needed a Holding No. and vice versa - I knew I should have put my glasses on It was a very sad moment to see the two little (big) lambs trot off into the abattoir - but we were more stressed than they were We've taken pigs before and it is sad but these were born on the farm and it was soooooo difficult to do We have to go back later to collect the skins as I've found somewhere that will tan them organically - I just have to cure them with salt first. Everything is ready for that. Back home and we had to catch the escapee - that wasn't too difficult in the daylight. We're just catching our breath now We did get to see a beautiful sunrise as we were driving home - a beautiful morning here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 You ought to write a book Lesley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
