Observationist Dave
Thank you for stopping. I'm Dave, and despite maintaining a 40 hour job outside the home, I still dream of my own homestead. My wife and I bought two acres about 10 years ago and I've spent that time first honing my garden skills, then more recently starting an apiary, and now a small flock of hens. There's plenty I know, and plenty more that I don't. I'll be posting mostly shorts that highlight tips or money/time/effort saving tips that I found or worked through myself. I hope you hang around and enjoy. Thank you again and enjoy.
Videos with title cards courtesy of Red Feather Sound Studios. Full disclosure, he's my son, and he's a great podcast editor. He has his own business, he went to school for sound editing, and he does video work as his job every day. Whether it's a one-time job or ongoing work, drop him a line and let him free up your time by taking on your editing work.
Redfeathersoundstudio@gmail.com
My email observationistdave@gmail.com
Observationist Dave
Queen cells on a frame of he hive. Shortly before one of these hatches out the old queen will swarm away with a portion of the hive. She will have laid anywhere from 5-10 of these, in my experience, and the first queen that hatches will immediately go thru the hive to rip open and kill all the other developing queens. Then its off on her virgin flight and when she returns she will never leave the hive again.
Until, of course, when it is her time to swarm
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 3
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Observationist Dave
So things are going well in the volunteer compost garden
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 5
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Observationist Dave
I've gardened for decades but never grown strawberry. This year I set aside a bed for both strawberry and asparagus and will be trying my hand with some Ozark Beauty crowns that I bought
2 months ago | [YT] | 6
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Observationist Dave
Peas on the left, broccoli starts on the right. These are in an unheated greenhouse, but the mist important thing for cold weather crops like these is keeping hard frost off of them. Zone 7b and they are doing their thing. #homestead #backyardgardening
2 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Observationist Dave
Yesterday I was off from the 40hr job and it turned into a snow day bust. Can't wait until warmer temps next month to get outside and busy
2 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Observationist Dave
What are you up to so far?
2 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Observationist Dave
Upcoming quickie video of rendering pork suet in the crock-pot once I get it edited. Chickens got these leftover cracklins. Certainly not an everyday food option, but a nice calorie dense treat for them in this cold weather.
4 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Observationist Dave
10 inches of snow blowing and drifting so the girls are mostly staying under the coop. This is why I add windbreaks on the north and west sides each winter. It keeps out the drifts and allows the girls a warm(er) area to huddle that's outside the coop proper but not in the constant wind (currently 20 to 25mph)
4 months ago | [YT] | 7
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Observationist Dave
The chickens rarely get scratch feed or cracked corn, only as an occasional treat. It has very little nutritional value and is mostly empty calories. However in cold weather those empty calories can go a long way towards heating the birds up and keeping them warm. When temps are below 32F they get a shot in the evening before roosting and then another shot in the morning to get them going. Staying warm in cold weather burns a lot of calories. Also make sure your girls can get out of the wind/rain/elements and have a secure spot. See the quick video below of how I windproof some of the run to provide such a space.
https://youtu.be/66seoz5OXqU?si=rOM4L...
4 months ago | [YT] | 9
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Observationist Dave
Seed starting greenhouse is lonely and quiet now, but not for long. What month do you start your seeds indoors?
4 months ago | [YT] | 6
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