Green Cedars Farm Pensacola FL

Bee Time Lapse

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:22:16 +0000

Doug Corbin coming out last week was the confidence boost I needed. I jumped into beekeeping with both feet and wasn’t afraid of the bees at all… until I started getting stung. The last few months of just trying to fill their jars with sugar water has come with several stings resulting in a deflation of my confidence. My bees seemed to be more aggressive than I remember and I started keeping my distance.

In talking with Doug over the phone he diagnosed the problem without even seeing the hive: mites. Varroa mites to be exact. They attach themselves to the bees and crawl into the cells where the queen has laid eggs. It can be very damaging to a hive if not controlled. There are two basic ways to take care of varroa mites: chemicals or powered sugar. Powered sugar is the organic way to treat bees and this is the path we’ve chosen to take at the farm. You’re probably wondering how powdered sugar could take care of the mites, after all, it is just sugar! Once a bee is covered in powered sugar they will groom themselves and the mites will become dislodged from the bee. For this to be effective the bees must be sugared over a period of time. Doug recommended every 3-5 days for a period of 35 days.

There was a lot of activity at the hives today. It was a very warm day and some plants are beginning to bloom. I saw lots of bees with big yellow balls of pollen attached to their legs. Here is a time lapse video I did today of me sugaring the bees. – Michael

Doug Corbin works my bees | Bee State Inspection

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:37:27 +0000

Doug Corbin is the state bee inspector for our area and he came out to the farm to take a look at our bees. It was amazing to watch a master beekeeper work bees in such an efficient and comfortable way. As you can see below my bees took a liking to Doug and wanted to tag along on his jacket. Doug is an amazing teacher and I learned a lot. A big thank you to Doug Corbin for your time and expertise!

Meet Arnold | Pensacola Hog Farmer

admin — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:16:31 +0000

Arnold, a Tamworth boar from nearby Green Acres Farm, has come a-courtin’! Pansy and Petunia are still primping while Arnold patiently waits for those girls to get ready! Don’t you think they’ll be smitten with his stunning good looks and charming personality?

Peter Parker tells the farmer, “That’s sooooome pig!”

Jasper Goes for a Swim

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:43:58 +0000

Jasper has been an entertaining and fun addition to the farm! He continues to amuse us in all his Corgi ways. He’s all boy and all Corgi and we love him for it. Our resident photographer was in the right place at the right time today to catch this hilarious snippet of Jasper quenching his thirst. He likes to put his feet in the water and today he got a little more than he had bargained for, enjoy!

(To play the video press play, then pause. Wait a minute to let the video load and then press play again.)

Featured on NorthEscambia.com

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:26:48 +0000

Thank you to NorthEscambi.com for featuring Green Cedars Farm and our Farm Family of Year Award in 2011. CLICK HERE to read the article.

Mother Earth News: Pastured Eggs Vitamin D

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:57:41 +0000

The latest report from Mother Earth News:

LATEST RESULTS: New test results show that pastured egg producers are kicking the commercial industry’s derriere when it comes to vitamin D! Eggs from hens raised on pasture show 4 to 6 times as much vitamin D as typical supermarket eggs. Learn more: Eggciting News!!!

RESULTS FROM OUR PREVIOUS STUDY: Eggs from hens allowed to peck on pasture are a heck of a lot better than those from chickens raised in cages! Most of the eggs currently sold in supermarkets are nutritionally inferior to eggs produced by hens raised on pasture. That’s the conclusion we have reached following completion of the 2007 Mother Earth News egg testing project. Our testing has found that, compared to official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:

• 1⁄3 less cholesterol• 1⁄4 less saturated fat• 2⁄3 more vitamin A• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids• 3 times more vitamin E• 7 times more beta carotene

These amazing results come from 14 flocks around the country that range freely on pasture or are housed in moveable pens that are rotated frequently to maximize access to fresh pasture and protect the birds from predators. We had six eggs from each of the 14 pastured flocks tested by an accredited laboratory in Portland, Ore. The chart in Meet the Real Free-range Eggs (October/November 2007) shows the average nutrient content of the samples, compared with the official egg nutrient data from the USDA for “conventional” (i.e. from confined hens) eggs. The chart lists the individual results from each flock.

Merry Christmas from Green Cedars Farm

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:32:10 +0000

Photo by Michael Newman Photography

The Farm on Video

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:41:13 +0000

Our resident photographer recently got a new camera that also shoots video. Here are the results.

*For best results Press Play then Pause and once the video has loaded press Play again.

Peter Parker the Barker has a new sidekick!

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 04:34:58 +0000

Jasper, a 9-week-old Corgi puppy, joined the Green Cedars Farm family just before Thanksgiving. Today, Jasper went to his first Farmer’s Market to lick hands and kiss babies! He’s doing very well as an apprentice farm dog, already accompanying the farmer at his chores.

Photos by Michael Newman Photography

Front Page News!

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:23:56 +0000

For our annual Turkey Day, Green Cedars Farm processed over 30 turkeys. Our thanks are extended to Pensacola News Journal reporter Louis Cooper and photographer Tony Giberson for their great coverage of the farm and their support of local foods. See the article at More Cluck Less Truck

Photo by Michael Newman Photography