It's Spring and we have big plans for the farm. To get the season rolling, we are hosting an all day OPEN FARM on April 21st and I expect all my blog followers, yes even those of you who live in quaint villages like Trelawnd, Forrest, Peyrot, and Chicago to attend.
The day will be filled with farm tours, pasture walks, and hands on animal husbandry.The main attraction will be Zan Asha herself, all the way from New York, to teach participants how to bee-keep without chemicals.
Zan is...beyond fun.
She is one of a kind and once you hear her teach about non-chemical ways to raise bees you'll be converted and if not converted you will at least be entertained and you will certainly get your moneys worth. For just $50 per class you will hear Zan tell of her own adventures raising bees in the biggest of cities via the rooftop. She will share methods passed down to her from her WW II era European grandfather as well as other tidbits she has learned in her fantastic travels (most recently via horse drawn wagon) across our beautiful country. Learn how to work with bees based on their behavior, WITHOUT the use of pesticides or chemicals
**PLEASE NOTE: THESE BEE CLASSES ARE HANDS ON: we will be looking AT bees up close and personal, so PLEASE WEAR either a BEESUIT with VEIL or A VEIL/EYE PROTECTION with LIGHT COLORED LONG SLEEVED shirt with COLLAR and LONG PANTS and CLOSED SHOES***
Organic Beekeeping 101 (Beginner's): 10:30a - 1:30pm
Learn the basics of beekeeping: the history of beekeeping, standards of bee society and behavior, set up of hives, various hives including topbar hives, basic bee care, organic answers to pests and more!
Organic Beekeeping 102 (Advanced): 2-5pm
For the more experienced beekeeper, this class discusses progressive organic techniques in keeping bees, including splitting hives, swarming and swarm prevention, advanced disease prevention, honey harvesting and marketing, varietal honey and more!
$50/person/per class
To register and pay for one or both of the classes please go to Zan's site http://www.beyondvagabond.com/p/about.html
Payment will also be accepted that day (CASH only) and walk-ins are very welcome.
Tours of the farm are FREE and our farm store will be open. Items for sale include cage free chicken, free range eggs, all natural hand made soaps, GMO free popcorn, organic beef, and pork. Raw milk will also be available for purchase but you will need to bring your own container.
For more information, about these classes, the tours or our farm, please call us at 815-635-3414 or email us at opies99 @gmail.com
For directions to our farm please go to our web site
http://www.south-pork-ranch.com/directions.html
To read a great interview of Zan done by Writer/Farmer/Fellow Central Illinois Blogger
Deborah Nieman go to Deborah's blog http://www.homegrownandhandmadethebook.com/
Zan will be teaching the same bee classes at that farm the next day if you can't make it to our place.
Hope to see LOTS of you here on our farm April 21st !!
Wow...sounds like I'll be missing out on a great day at the farm. rats!!
ReplyDeleteI wish I lived just a bit closer ~ I would love to visit! I didn't realise you could even raise bees other than chemical free? What rock have I been living under I wonder.... I remember my Dad donning his overalls, hat with net, gloves and boots; then feeding his smoke pot with aromatic braken and new gum leaves and gently smoking the hives to keep the bees calm and contained :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an experience that would be! Wish it were possible to pop over to Illinois for a visit.
ReplyDeleteI know that both London and Paris produce honey. Central London also produces quite a lot of wine too!
ReplyDeleteApril 21st! Is there an airport in Chatsworth?
Our French neighbour puts is white van in the field across the street from our house and opens the back doors. Then he distributes several objects around on the ground -- like a metal tub, for instance and a white plastic sheet for another and leaning against the van is a rack with honey combs. From our garden we can hear the bees swarming and by the end of the afternoon he has enough raw honey for his family. We always go over to watch as he goes -- without any special clothing at all and proudly lifts the combs out of the rack to show us. That's it, the show is over until next year!
ReplyDeleteOnly the Atlantic and the lack of an airfare stands between me and the South Pork Bee Experience.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds fantastic.
I wish I was closer as well! Sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like such a great day! Is it weird that I Mapquested just how far way it was, and then debated whether or not 9+ hours was too far to drive, and kind of thought it wasn't? I also loved the last post, your new camera takes amazing pictures and loved the commentary! Your cows are beautiful, I think there's something so calming about cattle, Dave thought I had lost it when I applied for a job as a milker at a dairy and told him it was my dream job - and meant it!
ReplyDeleteWhoa Nelly! I almost feel famous, Donna! Except not more famous than your soap, milk, and other goodies...and I will be trying to sneak those from you while still trying to teach a class!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU FOR HOSTING. We will need fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment because when the both of us together, I sense mischief a'happenin'!
I'm terrified of bees but I love their honey. My sister always says she wants to be a beekeeper. I'd have to have a concrete suit on to work with them.
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Our bees are bringing in pollen. Unheard of this time of year. Wish I was closer and could stop by for a bee lesson exchange.
ReplyDelete