Things are moving forward at the future site of the Runamuk Acres diversified farm, in preparation for our new beginnings. After much deliberation and–at times–heated debate–Keith and I hired a team of local loggers to do some careful thinning of this un-kempt forest in preparation of our upcoming endeavors.
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How to make your own laundry soap
If you’ve never made your own laundry soap you don’t know what you’re missing. The laundry soaps that are available commercially are expensive, and filled with ingredients that I’m not even going to attempt to pronounce. This laundry soap is very economical and simple to make. It works just as well as anything you’ll buy…
Beekeeping for beginners
Bee-school is new to this region of Maine. Before the Somerset Beekeepers were established 2 years ago folks had to travel to Rumford or Albion for any sort of beekeeper education. But now we have our annual bee-school, offered by the Somerset Beekeepers and hosted by the Somerset Cooperative Extension in Skowhegan.
I’ll be back!
It’s been a while since I last posted, and I don’t have the time to do it now, either. But for those of you who might follow this blog on a regular basis, I just wanted to give you a brief up-date. Runamuk is in hot pursuit of a loan so that we can establish…
Talking pollinators with the Somerset master gardeners
Last night I had the privilege of speaking to a group of my peers, the master gardeners of Somerset County. It was an informal pot-luck dinner for the alumni that the folks at the extension office organized to thank those who gathered for their time and dedication. I was honored that Kathy Hopkins and Tom…
What are the benefits of using beeswax?
Since man first began robbing bee-trees for honey, beeswax has been a highly prized commodity treasured for it’s many uses and healthful benefits. Beeswax is utilitarian, medicinal, and beautifying. Beeswax through the ages Both ancient Egyptians and Persians used beeswax when embalming the dead. When they conquered Corsica in 181 BC, the Romans demanded…
Feeding bees non-GMO sugar
There are a good number of beekeepers who object to feeding bees sugar. And I completely understand their objections. Sugar is essentially the equivalent of feeding your bees a steady diet of twinkies. It causes a number of health issues. Add to that the fact that mainstream sugar is produced from genetically modified sugar beets,…
The next hurdle…finding funding
Well we’ve got the land, we’ve got our ideas and plans and goals, now all we need is the money to put things into action. In order to even get started at the new site of Runamuk Acres, we’re going to have to establish a foundation at the new farm–that means all of the basics…
Who are the pollinators?
The spectrum of animal pollinators is much broader than most people realize. With some 200,000 species world-wide, pollinating approximately 80% of all flowering plants, this group of animals has a profound impact upon the functioning of Earth’s ecology. They are a keystone group of animals and without them our lives would be very different indeed….
Resources for beginning farmers at the Maine Agricultural Trade Show
We came home from the Civic Center in Augusta filled with hopeful optimism that lingers with us even now, after spending the day at the Maine Agricultural Trade Show on Tuesday.