Mikkola Family Farm & Apiary

05/04/2025

Beautiful day to be assembling hive parts & putting out orders for new beekeepers.

I have to admit I absolutely love when it’s a family with young ones starting out.

Also very impressed with them taking the necessary steps to be educated on their needs and making an informed decision before starting.

Both families have already completed the OBA’s Apiology 101 and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) self guided courses.

They have also already fufilled the necessary requirements by applying for and registering themselves with OMAFA for their Beekeeper ID #. (Which is law under the Ontario’s Bees Act).

These basic steps will see them having a higher probability of becoming successful in this industry. I look forward to working with them as this season starts.

Bandit also likes when they bring timbits or kids to play with 😂

05/04/2025

Congratulations Leslee Salo well deseved. I know you have never once volunteered a day to garner any attention. You give selflessly to this community and to the preservation of its history and our agricultural diversity.

Thank you for all you do!!

City of Greater Sudbury honours community's volunteers
'This year's recipients embody generosity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to civic duty'

Published May 04, 2025 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 1 minute read

Leslee Salo, president of the Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society, has been honoured as a community volunteer.

Leslee Salo, president of the Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society, has been honoured as a community volunteer. Photo by John Lappa /Sudbury Star
The City of Greater Sudbury recognized community volunteers during a Civic Awards ceremony at Falconbridge Recreation Centre last week.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The awards are presented to individuals and groups who consistently give back to the community. These awards promote and reward leadership, humanitarian service and enrichment of the human spirit through volunteerism and community involvement.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of Greater Sudbury, and the Civic Awards shine a well-deserved spotlight on their dedication,” Mayor Paul Lefebvre said in a release. “This year’s recipients embody generosity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to civic duty.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to these inspiring leaders for their contributions to building a vibrant, inclusive community where everyone can flourish.”

The following groups were recognized for their service:

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

– Beaver Lake Sports and Cultural Club Inc.

– United Way community volunteer income tax program.

– Les bénévoles du Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury.

New Sudbury Days Organizing Committee 2024.

– Pet Save.

– SWC (formerly Sudbury Women’s Centre.)

– Wahnapitae Community Centre.

Twelve individuals were also recognized:

– Craig Fielding, donor to several community groups, including No One Eats Alone and Pet Save.

– Carolyn Cattapan.

– Crystal Richer.

– Denis Gauthier.

– Jessica Montgomery.

– Leslee Salo, president of the Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society.

– Marie Ntganda, founder of Chemin de la lumiere.

– Paul Schutt.

– Père Ronald Perron.

– Randy Baldelli.

– Stephen Costello.

– Tarang Ingle.

04/27/2025

04/23/2025

Largest ever US honeybee die-off has destroyed 1.6 million colonies 💬🔗⬇️

Beekeepers are in crisis after a honeybee die-off killed 1.6 million colonies in the U.S. leaving scientists scrambling to understand why. (Story in comments)

04/12/2025

Sure feels weird walking out in only having a handful of hives. Definitely not the 75-100 I should have coming out of winter. I will take a day this week to get out and see what I can do to help the few that survived.

04/11/2025

Closed - Atleast until Tuesday!

Been working while away helping someone out and I’m going to still do my best to respond quickly but I am now on some strong antibiotics with some intense side effects.

Please be patient and I will update everyone at the onset of next week. Hope this doesn’t last the next week.

Sorry for any inconvenience!!

04/09/2025

I talk to my girls

04/06/2025

Look at the Calendar and it says Spring is Here. This also means that campaigns such as No Mow May will start coming out in the media.

I have been fielding a lot of emails and calls as of late looking for an update. I wish I could say more but I will say this.

I want everyone to know we (myself accompanied with two colleagues) did have a meeting in January with the Minister of Environment and Conservation and Park (MECP). At that time we all agreed they needed more time to continue their investigation.

There was also many discoveries made and since there has been many many meetings, a lot of research and connections made with some very brilliant scientists and others who have come before me looking to Stop the Non-Agricultural Use of Permethrin (specifically in regards to Mosquito Spraying.)

I want to just take this moment to say thank-you to everyone who supported the testing last season because without you all some very impactful changes could not have been made. The details to this I will announce in the coming weeks.

I just need you all to bare with me a bit longer. Have faith I am working tirelessly to ensure this does not fall to the way side and stays at the forefront of the minds of those who are put in place to protect our precious ecosystem.

TODAY!!! I ask you all to reconsider any and all pesticide, herbicide or fungicide use, either through your own application or through contracting a third party spray company.

Chemicals used in the treatments of lawns and pest control are nondiscriminatory and their impact on the environment has a far greater consequence than I can express at this time.

Please if you chose to use the active ingredients in these broad spectrum applications try applying them to your clothing or person or pet directly before the damage is too far gone.

If you do not want to apply them to your individual 150 lb plus body directly ask yourself how you are okay with spraying the land around you?

These products were designed to protect our food source not for our personal comfort!

Please wait a week or so and a more official release will be made. I just needed you all to know that between a full time vital volunteer obligation (coming to an end); the beekeeping supply orders; research etc I have not forgotten you all and I am "im"patiently awaiting a meeting with the MECP (in the near future) to give a more formal statement.

Again thank-you all and I look forward to sharing more in the coming days and weeks.

04/06/2025

I may be quiet but only because my days have been long and I have been spending every spare minute deep in rabbit holes.

Here’s an appalling “Did you know?”