Worried about lack of bees....

 I have a zuke plant that's full of blooms and I have yet to see a bee in or around it.  This really, really worries me when I think of all the CCD going on around the country and possible the world.  I mean, without bees how will the plants get pollinated to feed us?  I know some insects help with it, but without bees we would definitely suffer.  I've planted some plants that will attract bees (haven't flowered yet though) and plan on purchasing some Mason bee blocks.  Maybe one day will be up to tackling having some beehives around, but that's an endeavor for the future.  That being said, here are some more recent pics of our little micro-homestead.

zucchini

lower garden shelf

this was a wood heater I bought for $150 last year then accidentally broke the darn thing after I got it home so now it's just an expensive planter.  It has lemon balm, oregano, and peppermint.

Dutch bunny nibbles (buckling)

blue tipped himalayan doe's  babies

stevia

bee balm

strawberries

radishes and carrots

cucumbers

rhubard and strawberry

thyme

rhubarb and onions

Potato bed with strawberries in the chair to the left and radishes/carrots to the right

Birdbath with rhubarb on each side, thyme in front and a few onion plants

Bought this metal tipi for $8.00 and wooden finnial on top for $1.00.  I will be growing 3 pickling cucumbers around it. oh and that's a stevia plant to the right

The stevia to the left, and planted is basil, bee balm, onions and some tomatoes

Lots of new things

It's been awhile since I last posted since I've been so busy around the house and with school...also pc problems with letting me post...I lost a lot of the pics I had but here's an idea of what's been going on:

These are the new baby bunnies that were born April 16th.  The mom is the blue tipped Himalayan and not sure who the dad is since she was with both bucks.

There were 7 orginally but one died and one managed to get out of the cage and I suppose it crawled off or something ate it.  I will post recent pics asap.  There is one black, one silver (or chinchilla I suppose) one cute brown & grey, and 2 white.

This is some "shelving" I made out of some milk crates I got really cheap at a flea market.  They are zip-tied together on top of the little mini fridge I was given after my other fridge bit the dust.

Free light I was given that is now hanging in the pantry...Oh, and have more done to the pantry as well and will post pics asap.

This is the end of my 24' bottom garden bed.  It is actually now finished and planted.  Again...will post pics asap lol

This is one of the 3 rhubarb plants that I planted.  They are a little bigger now though.

These potato plants are now much bigger and have a planting box around them as well.

This is the planting box around the potatoes.  They are tall enough now that the boards around the top can be finished all the way around.

My 12 year old digging in the garden

The digging of the end of the bottom bed

My 12 year old (KK) holding Bella the Blue Silver Fox

doeling

Not really homestead related, but this is Destiny's cat NINJA just being cute and mischievious

Cutting the hole out for the window that was given to me a few months ago

Window from inside Destiny's room

Window from outside her room...we're still not done trimming it lol

This is my rosemary shrub                 

And last, but not least, our new baby bunny Nibbles.

He is a Dutch and is so precious

Basically on the farm I have finished the bottom bed and started the one above it, gotten a new rabbit,planted LOTS of goodies (list and pics will be posted later) started a frame for the new camper stove I was given, installed the window in Destiny's room, installed the new to me air conditioner I was given and Zac has been digging a koi pond for me.  I know there's stuff I've forgotten to mention, but will try to catch up on my postings.

wow...this thing is being crazy

What's new?

Planted Yukon Gold potatoes on the second but I'm wondering about them cause they haven't broken the surface of the soil yet and we didn't plant them very deep at all?

The Blue Silver Fox rabbit (Bella) is getting quite big and is already in need of a bigger cage.  I also got the Golden Delicious apple tree planted

Yeah, gotta cut down all that dead grass from last year lol.  This is my favorite variety of apple and supposedly doesn't need a pollinator (although will produce better with one) so we'll see how it goes.  I know it will be several years before it starts producing so I need to learn all about organic maintenance for it.  The blueberries aren't looking too good (surprise, surprise) I tend to be a blueberry murderer....one day I will have luck growing those little buggars.  The blackberry and raspberry are budding quite nicely and even the strawberries that the cats destroyed are trying to make a comeback. 

Things on the to do list are still:
build rabbit hutches
expand chicken yard
fix leaky roof
put more shelves in pantry
dig and build more garden beds

There's lots more but all I my tired little brain can think of at the moment.

Blue Silver Fox doeling

This is my new farm addition...Bella...almost 8 week old Blue Silver Fox rabbit.  She was born Jan 13, 2011

Isn't she just the cutest thing?  More pics in the future...

Loving this beautiful weather!

My 14 year old planted a potato bed yesterday (yukon gold) and I made my rounds taking the weekly pics of the garden so far.  Chickens started laying on the 7th of last month and we got a total of 28 eggs out of 4 chickens.  I really hope the production picks up.  Can't let them free range due to very small land, too many predators (and I don't think they are really allowed in the community lol) but we feed 'em like crazy.  I turned the rabbit hutch into a big nest box lol.  I loved the hutch, but just too much trouble having to pull the bottom out and clean it so often.  I prefer the rabbit poop to just fall through the wire onto the ground so I can scoop it up to add to garden or compost bin.  Got my 3rd blueberry plant, the accidental raspberry, and the blackberry all planted.  Some of the strawberry plants that I thought had died are pushing some leaves up through the dirt (YAY!)  So, here are some pics for your enjoyment :)

This is the new shelf my daughter and I put up

in the pantry that will hold the crates of food

This is my 12 year old daughter's cat Prince Buddy

checking the sturdiness of the shelf lol

 Shelf with the crates of food

almost a perfect fit

Here are some pics of the chicken yard I built with the panels that can be moved around.  It's not gonna stay this small, just ran outta money.

And here is the rabbit hutch nest box I converted for them to lay in.

I apologize for the blurriness

And here are more pics of Destiny's (my 14 yo) NZ mix buck Snickerdoodle

coming out to get his daily treat of a few pieces of fresh grass

And here is Dizzy planting the potatoes

The 'accidental' raspberry.  I wasn't paying attention and thought I grabbed 2 blackberry plants lol

 Current pic of the strawberries

The Blackberry Plant

The Tifblue blueberry plant

And last, but not least, the dead looking Tango Mandarin orange tree

that I planted last year

And I will be leaving at 9am tomorrow for the 6 hour drive (3 there, 3 back) for my new Blue Silver Fox doeling!  I'm very excited to have the chance to breed this rare, heritage breed.  I will post pics of her ASAP.