Yes, I always Winter sow in January also, to delay germination. Glad to see that method confirmed here. Judy, I was at the seed swap too! Would you like to come to my Spring plant swap? I went to your page to click your Email Me link, but it isnt there. Any hopes of activating it so we can get in touch about trading? NCdirtdigger, I went to your page too, and your Email Me link isnt activated either. I would like to help you find homes for those things you've got potted up and ready to go. I have a huge list of things likewise. I have an April plant swap each year. Please email me for details and consider yourself invited. I hope you live near the Triad, but you dont say on your page. Spring is almost here and it's time to see the Winter sowing kick into action! I can never use all of the seeds that come up. I sow directly into the garden. Here's my list. Here is a link that might be useful: trade list

Thanks Will! When I got home from work tonight I took these photos of the one and only conifer in our yard. But I can assure you it wont be alone for long now ;) I found it at a local nursery and liked it because it was "different". I think it is a Globe Blue Spruce. It is on the north side of our house and seems to really like it there. Slow grower, I have had it two years and it has grown about an inch a year.

BSF suck! (pardon the pun) The negatives far outweight the one plus (efficiency at pre-composting worm food). The negatives: they act like schizophrenic psychopathic drug addicts on bad speed trips with severe cases of spastic, involuntary and uncontrollable flight patterns who like to get right in your face while hovering about an inch from your nose and performing zig-zag maneuvers as if they're trying to decide which of your nostrils to fly into...all the while making ear-splitting buzzing noises like ordinary, cute little house flies amplified to the intensity of infinity. And that's just my experience long ago when a few of them got into one bin. I can only imagine how disconcerting the experience would be if someone encouraged them to co-habitate a once peaceful worm composting operation. I'd imagine mandatory ear and nose protection...as well as a healthy disregard for the unintended consequences of creating a safe haven for the monster of the fly kingdom in your immediate surroundings, or community. That said, I can't say enough about my disregard for the intentional infestation of a thing of beauty like a working worm bin with these flying environmental disasters. I'll just let my worm food ripen a few days in a decomp pot before insertion. (That's where the patience comes in) Chuckiebtoo Moderation, Diversity, Patience

Hmmm... interesting hypotheses. I applaud your inquisitive mind. It is nice to know people,even those that may not be directly involved with keeping bees, are aware of some of the problems we are facing, and further more, realize that what it now our problem will soon become everyone's problem. The honey bee is an amazing insect and so very important and yet often taken for granted. The problems many beekeepers are having with CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) especially is alarming, how can we solve a problem without discovering how or why it exists? Your idea that how we use smoke on our honey bees is thought provoking and a good observation. Certainly just as valid as most ideas I have heard on why CCD is happening. Cell phone? Smoke? Field Chemicals? All are valid ideas that should be looked into. I would like to point out a few things that have not been commented on however, by the bee keeper you have been debating with. Smoke calms bees by not only masking the pheromones but also by triggering a bee response to smoke; smoke causes honey bees to fill their stomachs up with honey (perhaps thinking their hive is burning?) And makes it impossible for the bee to sting. After a bees stomach is full in can not flex its abdomen into position to inject its stinger. It saves a lot of bee lives and keeps the keeper a bit safer as well. I know that doesn't change your point or anything, I just felt it should be more fully explained. I suppose the largest fault with your theory though, is the fact that a honey bees life is so short that the toxins in the smoke really wouldn't cause that much damage. A honey bee will most likely only inhale smoke one of two time in its entire life (roughly 40 days long) It makes it much harder to compare with a chain smoker that would inhale billions of times the amount and on daily basis. That being said, I do appreciate your curiosity and commitment, both to beekeepers and the world at large on this issue. Smoke certainly not seem a thing good for honey bees, anyone or anything, and it may turn out this over looked practice of mine and my fellow beekeepers has more of an impact than we realize. I don't personally think it is the answer to all of our problems but maybe it will at least give us insight into some of them. Smoking bees definitely deserves research, both for the good it does and the harm it may cause. I personally only use smoke when I know a lot of bees will kill themselves stinging me if I don't, but I hate to use it even then...it's just seems it helps them more to be smoked and live than to sting my and kill themselves though. Certainly,logical alternatives would be nice instead smoking bees. No nicotine patches made small enough to fit them yet, but maybe the gum would work? :) Cheers! -Matthias