With a sadistic mental laugh, I remind myself that I am sinking deeper into stewardship this year with my “Stewardship Initiative”. The icy 17pmh winds tore my breath away, stinging my cheeks as I carried yet another bucket of water out to the sheep. During the recent polar vortex, when temperatures across the region plunged,…
Tag: citizen science
The Maine Big Night Project is Coming Back to Runamuk!
This spring the Maine Big Night project is coming to the Runamuk Acres Conservation Farm! Amphibians and reptiles played an important part in my childhood, fostering my love for wildlife at an early age. Even today, these keystone species continue to hold a special place in my heart. I am super excited to be able…
Keys to successful bee stewardship
This is the third segment of my coverage of the 2014 Maine State Beekeepers’ Association’s annual conference, and the second post regarding Dewey Caron’s lectures about good bee stewardship . This year Dr. Dewey Caron gave two presentations–you can read about the first entitled “Looking in the Beehive” by clicking here, and be sure to…
Honey pricing & marketing management at MSBA
At the Maine State Beekeepers’ annual convention, Deborah Delaney took the floor for a second time that day to present a talk that was entitled: “Honey Pricing & Marketing Risk Management Education for Honey Producers”. Deborah told the crowd about yet another aspect of her research which involves scientifically identifying how to improve marketing of…
Sustainable beekeeping at the state beekeepers’ conference
I love the assortment of people who are drawn to beekeeping. Young and old, eccentric and conservative, financially solvent–and bootstrappers like me–those who make do with less. People from all over the state come together for the annual Maine State Beekeepers’ conference to join together in the spirit of learning; to bask in the feeling…
“Wings of Life” mesmerizes and inspires
We received the “Wings of Life” documentary on Saturday, I ordered it from Amazon and had it shipped here by mail, but I couldn’t even begin to think about writing a review of the film until just the other day–so mesmerized by the vivid depiction of the one thing that I prize above all others…
Take action this Earth Day
At Runamuk Earth Day is a big event. Any significant event celebrating nature is a big event here because we make it so, the Winter Solstice, Mid-Summer’s Eve, the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes, Arbor Day, Pollinator Week, Compost Awareness Week, just to name a few. Keith and I are both nature lovers, passionate about embracing…
Studying native bees on the Maine coast
I’m excited to announce that this August I will be participating in a five day seminar called “Native Bees as Pollinators: Diversity, Ecology, Conservation and Enhancing Pollinator Habitats” at the Eagle Hill Institute in Steuben, Maine!
Citizen science for summer
There are some great opportunities for scientific involvement this summer, and it’s not too late to get in on it. I like citizen science projects. I think they’re a really fun way to get my family practicing science, and we love the feeling of doing our part to help real scientists. Usually the projects are…




