In 2020, we buzzed in on a new adventure:

Bee Keeping!

Follow along on our journey to BEE HAPPY and produce some of our very own,
​tasty Valley View Farm Honey while learning the art of Bee Keeping. 

We started with Two Hives.

2021 Update
Sad news, the 2 hives didn't survive the SoDak winter.
We will try again this year with 3 hives and a different location on our farm.
We will also experiment with splitting hives and catching swarms.
Wish us luck!

The BEES are Buzzing!!!
​They will be Arriving May 24, 2021!
Stay Tuned!

Fall 2021 Update:
As Roger would say, 
Bees - 2, Cindy - 0
I've been trying to get my hives ready for winter, and
I've had to go to acute care twice in 3 weeks for bee stings. 
The bees are just nasty this year.

2022 Update:
After a very eventful 2021 we will not be purchasing any nucs this year. 
Maybe we'll be able to catch a swarm, but if not, we will not be having any Bee Adventures this year.

• Italian Bees Picked up from Hartford, SD on May 20, 2020
• Placed in Hives May 21, 2020
• First Honey August 2020, 18 bottles, alfalfa clover

West Hive: Millennials and the East Hive: Baby Boomers

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Phoenix and Matthew will have their own very own hive in 2021. 

Our 3 nucs arrived on May 24, 2021. 
Placed in hives on May 25, 2021.

We relocated the hives this year. 

We will try to create a 4th hive by splitting or catching a swarm. ​

*update* 
No luck catching a swarm or splitting a hive. 

The very west hive remained weak all year but the boys' hives have done pretty good. 

Our very first Hive Inspection - July 27, 2021

Fall 2021 - Honey Harvest