Gardening in the winter

So when I look out the window and see leaves and sticks I think about all the stuff that I want/need to do outside.  So I’m planning and plotting and recently I came across an article that sparked my desire to grow my own veggies (again). Ten Vegetables to Grow in the Shade well now I just happen to have a bed that isn’t over planted and that is a nice rectangle and would be easy to fence!  Which of course led me to order seeds from great places Botanical Interests and Seed Savers Exchange (which I also joined!) because I wanted organic and heirloom seeds.  This led to me collecting a bunch of plastic containers to use for winter sowing and more research about which vegetables can be winter sown.
So here are the results of my first planting day!

Eight containers in all, I’ve got more to plant in March, I’m following the suggestions!  I can almost taste those fresh veggies…

Freeman Bottom Boards

Granted Randy is a woodworker and will and can build just about anything I ask for, when it comes to the beehive components he is preferring that we order things, at least for the first time.
So here is one of my new  “Original Freeman Beetle Trap” from Heartwood.  It’s a screened bottom board that will help with controlling small hive beetles.  That white tray can be filled with oil or water and the screen is large enough that if the bees chase the SHB down into the bottom, they fall through and die.  These trays will also help count (and kill) varroa mites if those happen to get into the hives as well.

Plans for these abound on the internet so if you want to DIY just do a search, if however you are like Randy and want to see one and how it’s made before you dive in, these came from Heartwood.  They are made of cypress and rust free mesh, it’s very sturdy and the joints are nice and tight.  While I don’t look forward to dealing with SHB again, I am looking forward to putting the trays in place this Spring.