Author Topic: Getting ready for spring (Read 17228 times)

mamapoppybee · « **Reply #20 on:** January 05, 2014, 11:52:24 am »

my granpa had a device that would put electrical current into the ground. He would crank it up and next thing you know night crawlers come wriggling up. us kids would grabb them and put them in the bait bucket. this might be some thing for harvesting your worm farm.

JanO · « **Reply #21 on:** January 05, 2014, 01:26:26 pm »

My one hive is painted and ready to go out, and I'm picking up a couple used hives today ($50. for two complete hives with supers) that I'll work on cleaning up and getting ready for spring as soon as the weather allows. The more I do to get ready for spring, the more excited I get. Can't wait to get started!

Jen · « **Reply #22 on:** January 05, 2014, 02:52:02 pm »

Mee Too JanO, now that the holidays are over, I'm thinking Spring everyday. We are doing our first oxalic treatment today

Slowmodem · « **Reply #23 on:** January 05, 2014, 05:04:25 pm »

Quote from: mamapoppybee on January 05, 2014, 11:52:24 am

my granpa had a device that would put electrical current into the ground. He would crank it up and next thing you know night crawlers come wriggling up. us kids would grabb them and put them in the bait bucket. this might be some thing for harvesting your worm farm.

My worm farm is in the house. It looks like this:

minz · « **Reply #24 on:** January 06, 2014, 04:46:03 pm »

JanO that was some nice weather we had this last weekend. With our December being one of the coldest and driest in the books I am curious to see what January is going to bring. It was a about 47 on Sunday but the sun got them girls out for a quick potty flight for the full sun hives. How far are you from PDX?
Efmesch, I cut the roots around the outside of a weeping cherry and pulled it out with the truck. It was right in the hives and it was cold enough that the girls let me be for the job. This weekend fired up the chainsaw and made it into turning blanks.

JanO · « **Reply #25 on:** January 06, 2014, 06:56:34 pm »

Yes, minz last weekend was nice. I got my boxes painted, then picked up a few more that need some TLC to keep me busy for another couple of weeks. It looks like the rain is coming though, and won't stop for a while. I'm not too far from PDX; about 2 hours north up the I-5.

efmesch · « **Reply #26 on:** January 07, 2014, 02:05:53 am »

Quote from: minz on January 06, 2014, 04:46:03 pm

....... This weekend fired up the chainsaw and made it into turning blanks.

You caught me on a sore point. I dream of buying a chain saw and making easy work of my tree cutting work----only I'm afraid of them things. I don't think my strength today is adquate to handle one safely.
Such frustration. I'll take virtual consolation in knowing that you did a good job.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #27 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:26:05 am »

So find a small chainsaw Ef.. Pop has one so little he uses one hand to hold it and trim branches with. I have no doubt you could find one that fits your capability.

iddee · « **Reply #28 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:29:54 am »

They also make small electric ones for city lots.

Finally Home · « **Reply #29 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:48:51 am »

We have a little 14" echo for trimming. Handles pretty easy.

Slowmodem · « **Reply #30 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:52:04 am »

Quote from: iddee on January 07, 2014, 09:29:54 am

They also make small electric ones for city lots.

ROFL You read my mind.

I got my Dad a small Stihl chainsaw (14" I think) that has a spring loaded pull starter. You can start that saw with two fingers. It doesn't turn the motor, it charges a spring that turns the motor.

kebee · « **Reply #31 on:** January 07, 2014, 10:02:20 am »

My gas chainsaw gas line mess up on it, so I bought an electric one and it cut real good only bad thing is the long cord for it to run. EF if I can handle one I know you can for I think you are in better shape than I am.

Ken

riverbee · « **Reply #32 on:** January 07, 2014, 12:27:05 pm »

we have a variety of chainsaws, and FH we have that little echo 14". it does a nice job. ef, it's getting difficult for me to lug around heavy chainsaws and 'fight' with them sometimes to get them to start. purchased one of these last year:

Stihl MS 180 C-BE Lightweight Easy2 Start Chainsaw

i like it, it's not heavy, and the easy 2 start system, fires up right away. the only thing i am not a fan of on this chainsaw is the quick chain adjuster.

Slowmodem · « **Reply #33 on:** January 07, 2014, 05:28:09 pm »

Quote from: riverbee on January 07, 2014, 12:27:05 pm

purchased one of these last year:

Stihl MS 180 C-BE Lightweight Easy2 Start Chainsaw

i like it, it's not heavy, and the easy 2 start system, fires up right away. the only thing i am not a fan of on this chainsaw is the quick chain adjuster.

That's the one I got for my Dad. We also have a farm boss 20" for the major tree work. If this cold weather keeps up, we'll have to get them back out and use them some more!

Perry · « **Reply #34 on:** January 07, 2014, 06:36:30 pm »

I don't know what to tell you Ef, but everyone seems bound and determined to make you work!

efmesch · « **Reply #35 on:** January 08, 2014, 04:06:31 am »

Perry, my resistance to the encouragement is low----I think I'll sstart looking to see what is available from the local suppliers. These lighter models might not be available in Israel. [Almost everyone here likes to be "Macho"

]

tecumseh · « **Reply #36 on:** January 08, 2014, 06:35:18 am »

I would suggest that without a large and roaring 2 cycle motor and a 2 foot bar an operator of a chain saw doesn't really look manly...

in a professional wood lot even a stihl looks a bit wimpy. get yourself a good Husky or johansen and then work on the swagger. some folks just don't seem to know how to create a certain air of respect.

Jacobs · « **Reply #37 on:** January 08, 2014, 07:55:16 am »

As soon as the weather warms up enough and is dry enough for my backyard bees to fly, I will begin my program of supplemental feeding to crank up brood rearing. I have external jar feeders about 30 feet from my hives and use honey water in them. I will also put out a dry mix of spent brewers yeast, soy flour, and sugar that I have powdered myself (no corn starch). The bees will really use this pollen substitute until the red maples bloom here around the first of February. Once the red maple blooms, the bees quit visiting the substitute mix, and within a few days, I get my first phone calls or e-mails from people looking for local honey to help with allergies.

For me, that sort of marks the beginning of the spring season and is a reminder to try finish up whatever I need to get done for the spring buildup.

efmesch · « **Reply #38 on:** January 08, 2014, 08:15:06 am »

Quote from: tecumseh on January 08, 2014, 06:35:18 am

... get yourself a good Husky or johansen and then work on the swagger. some folks just don't seem to know how to create a certain air of respect.

Maybe I should change my avatar too---a big cowboy hat would probably do me wonders.

minz · « **Reply #39 on:** January 08, 2014, 03:50:04 pm »

Cowboys out here stopped wearing cowboy hats, they said they confused for truckers too often.
I hear that the new chainsaws are fussy on fuel. Are you guys required to run alcohol in your fuel? I am using one that my dad said was too big for him. Last year it quit and when I pulled it apart I found the fuel line was rotted off the tank. That could have been a bad fire.