tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post6210046379643365262..comments2012-01-05T16:14:14.361+13:00Leannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15497683565965322222noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-52854815536472182512012-01-05T16:14:14.361+13:002012-01-05T16:14:14.361+13:00Oh - and Darlene - you&#39;ll probably need to weed whack the grass down to a manageable length for the sheep to start things off. If it&#39;s too long, they won&#39;t eat it, unless they&#39;re starved, in which case your trees are really at risk. Better the weed whacker!Leannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15497683565965322222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-85023251727562280042012-01-05T16:12:54.006+13:002012-01-05T16:12:54.006+13:00Hi Darlene - I was told that if the tree bends when an adult pushes against it, it will need protection from sheep e.g. wiring. <br /><br />Our neighbour had trees in that were about four years old, and he thought they were okay. A ram made short work of them. I&#39;m glad he told me in advance, so we can be wary and not suffer the same fate!<br /><br />I&#39;ll find a link to our beehive design, but in the meanwhil this looks pretty much identical: <a href="http://topbarbees.wordpress.com/about/design/" rel="nofollow"><b>http://topbarbees.wordpress.com/about/design/</b></a>. <br /><br />We used aluminium cut from an old dismantled shed for the roofing, and it has worked well.<br /><br />The only addition / change we&#39;ve made to our beehive plans is we&#39;re adding handles at either end of the lid / roof, to enable easier lifting. <br /><br />I haven&#39;t added mine yet, but I&#39;ll just be getting plain screw-on metal handles from the kitchen section at the local hardware store.Leannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15497683565965322222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-6759821660783542782012-01-05T10:26:23.446+13:002012-01-05T10:26:23.446+13:00Oh I love that beehive!! A link to design of the beehive?<br /><br />I agree about gardens - and thanks for the tip on sheep with orchard. How long you think before fruit trees can cope with sheep in orchard? We&#39;re getting sheep soon and I&#39;ve got an orchard going, set up about 3 years ago and wasn&#39;t sure if I really should fence it out as grass is really taking over! lol<br /><br />Thanks and all looks great there!Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384341072901614340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-12274623264379574402011-12-12T15:05:04.195+13:002011-12-12T15:05:04.195+13:00Wow you sure do have a lot going on. We are not fully organic but we try and thistle hacking is always on our list.Fiona from Arbordale Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05196630415124998431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-33619103149722111252011-12-12T04:43:17.182+13:002011-12-12T04:43:17.182+13:00I was missing you!! Really glad to hear what is going on down your way. We&#39;re in the midst of winter up here in the Norhtern Hemisphere, so it&#39;s wonderful to hear about summer activities as we hybernate and dream of gardens 6 months from now.Sandi Ratchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116615865329010148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-41823413243082203562011-12-11T22:13:50.977+13:002011-12-11T22:13:50.977+13:00Great to see you back. It&#39;s pretty amazing the difference doing the correct prep work can create in an orchard. Congratulations on getting those thistles under control, they really are a force to be reckoned with once they get a toe hold on a property.<br /><br />Kind Regards<br />BelindaBelindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04061114934356314515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6369572030113150662.post-54061748551206425622011-12-11T16:16:44.789+13:002011-12-11T16:16:44.789+13:00Love the ode!<br />(http://dancingwithfrogs.com)Frogdancerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04890242501923389490noreply@blogger.com