Cole’s Farm NC

08/03/2026

Alright… this one made me laugh more than I expected 😄

“Show me your OCD without saying it.”

This will be the last little behind-the-scenes sneak peek of the bee yard expansion project, and it’s probably the most “me” photo of them all.

Before I even thought about sharing it, that caption popped straight into my head… because if you know, you know.

I’ve always been pretty particular when it comes to projects like this. When there’s time to plan, measure, and execute without rushing, I’m going to take full advantage of it. I’d much rather slow down and do it right the first time than have to circle back later and redo something that could’ve been avoided.

Here’s the view of one of the hive stand bases—a simple cinderblock—but what matters here is the string line. That line is my guide to make sure each pair of hive stands is perfectly aligned with the next.

Now let’s be honest… does this matter to the bees? Not one bit. They couldn’t care less if these stands are off by an inch or two.

But the bees aren’t the ones designing this yard—I am.

And for me, the details matter. Clean lines, consistent spacing, and a layout that just feels right… it all adds up. Not because it has to—but because I want it to.

Sometimes it’s not about necessity—it’s about pride in the process.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/31/2026

There’s something special about standing in the middle of freshly cleared land and seeing the vision come to life. This view—from the backside of the electric fence—shows the new hive stand layout taking shape as we expand the beeyard.

For years, our hives sat in long, continuous rows on shared cinderblocks and 4x4s. It worked… but came with a big limitation. Because everything was connected, moving even a small section meant removing 8–10 hives just to make an adjustment.

With this new setup, each stand is now independent—built with its own cinderblocks and a pair of 4x4x8s. This gives us flexibility to move things as needed without disrupting multiple colonies.

We’re also spacing the hives out more and facing them east to catch that early morning sun. That means better flight paths for the bees and more working room for inspections, feeding, and treatments.

Sometimes small changes in layout make a big difference—and this is one of them.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/29/2026

We did it… 🐝🍯

20 hives loaded up and hauled across North Carolina to chase the Sourwood honey flow in the mountains. This has been a long-time goal of mine, and it’s finally happening.

From loading hives in the rain to getting them set in a beautiful pasture surrounded by sourwood trees—this journey is just getting started.

Check out the full video here: https://youtu.be/2AaB0XvxeV4?is=zk6cHaIZ12tnhtXy

This video documents a major milestone in my beekeeping journey—bec...

07/29/2026

There’s something satisfying about upgrading a piece of equipment that instantly makes a difference—and this new solar energizer is exactly that.

As we wrapped up the electric fence install for our newly cleared beeyard expansion, we made the jump from a small 2-mile energizer (0.04 output joules / 0.07 stored joules)… to a “45-mile” 1.2 joule solar energizer. And let me tell you—this isn’t just an upgrade on paper.

What we’ve already noticed:
⚡ A much faster pulse cycle—roughly every 2 seconds compared to the old 10-second delay
⚡ Consistent, strong output across the entire fence line
⚡ Voltage readings hitting 7000V every single pulse, no matter the distance from the energizer

That kind of reliability is exactly what we’re looking for when it comes to protecting our bees—especially as we continue to grow and improve the yard layout.

If you’ve been following along, you know this expansion has been a big step forward for us. And if you haven’t—no worries… we’ve got you covered.

🎥 We’ll be dropping full videos in late August showing the entire transformation, from clearing land to final fence setup.

Until then, we’ll be sharing a few sneak peeks right here on Instagram and Facebook—so stay tuned 👀

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/27/2026

✨ A Little Something Sweet for Our Bee Community 🐝🍯

We’re incredibly grateful to partner with some amazing companies that support not only us—but the entire beekeeping community. Their commitment to quality tools and resources helps all of us become better stewards of our bees.

To say thank you for supporting Cole’s Farm, we wanted to pass along some exclusive savings you can use on your next order 👇

🌿 HillCo – Save 5% with code ColesFarm5
➡️ https://www.hillco.buzz/

🌿 Apis Tactical – Save 10% with code ColesFarm10
➡️ https://apis-tactical.com

🌿 Galena Farms – Save 5% with code JeffCrane
➡️ https://galenafarms.com/?ref=colesfarmnc

🌿 GardePro – Save 15% with code ColesFarm15
➡️ https://gardepro.com/colesfarmnc

Every purchase made through these links helps support our farm and the content we share with you all. It’s a simple way to save a little while giving back to the beekeeping community we all love 💛

From our hive to yours—enjoy the savings, and thank you for being part of this journey with us.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/24/2026

One of the most rewarding parts of a quick hive inspection is pulling a frame like this and seeing firsthand the incredible work happening inside the colony.

This medium frame was removed during a brief check of the supers, and it tells a powerful story. The bees have been hard at work rebuilding comb and filling each cell with fresh Sourwood nectar. Every drop represents countless foraging trips, teamwork, and precision inside the hive.

We’re not quite there yet—but it won’t be long. As the bees continue to reduce the moisture content, these cells will soon be fully capped, signaling that the honey is ready for harvest.

If you look closely at the surrounding frames still in the super, and especially the one that’s been pulled, you’ll notice a key indicator of a strong nectar flow: bright, clean, white wax. That fresh wax is a sure sign the bees are producing comb rapidly and capitalizing on the Sourwood bloom.

Moments like this are a reminder of just how in tune these colonies are with their environment—and how quickly things can progress when conditions are just right.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/22/2026

One last look before the big move 🚛🐝

In this video, I walk through final hive prep before hauling 20 colonies to Andrews, NC for the Sourwood flow. From checking “dry” supers to reducing colonies and equalizing hive strength—this is everything that goes into getting bees ready for a major nectar flow.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/yu0C5Mla_nE?is=tXIk0hvuY6iM4Ime

On June 18th, I made one final stop in the bee yard before loading ...

07/22/2026

Back to one of the moments that reminded me exactly why I started this journey…

This photo captures the trailer loaded with colonies—now 19 strong after the loss of Hive No. 25. If you look closely, you can see the sky filled with bees, each one locked into its role, working with purpose, navigating the mountain air, and bringing in nectar during the Sourwood flow.

It’s hard to put into words what this scene means to me.

For years, the idea of moving bees to the mountains—chasing the Sourwood bloom in Andrews, NC—was just that… an idea. A goal that felt distant. Something I wasn’t quite sure I could pull off. There were too many unknowns, too many moving parts, and too many reasons it could fail.

But standing there beside this trailer, watching thousands of bees in flight, I found myself reflecting on how far this journey has come. What once felt out of reach is now real. Not perfect. Not without lessons. But real.

Every visit to the trailer during that week in the mountains reminded me that growth doesn’t happen without risk. That progress isn’t always clean. And that even with setbacks, you keep moving forward.

Because sometimes, the dream you’ve been chasing for years is right there in front of you—you just have to be willing to take the steps to get there.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/20/2026

Not every trip, every move, or every hive goes the way you hope—and this was one of those moments.

This photo is one I didn’t expect to take… a bottom board covered in roughly three inches of dead bees.

This was one of the first—and biggest—lessons we learned during our first attempt at transporting colonies to the mountains.

I believe this was Hive No. 25. Somewhere along the journey, the number marker was lost—another small but important lesson learned: secure your hive identification better, because when things go wrong, you need to know exactly what you’re looking at.

The morning after placing the trailer on June 20, I made adjustments to improve flight paths, especially for the hives positioned behind the wheel wells. As I worked, I noticed something wasn’t right—more dead bees at the entrance than you’d typically expect.

When I opened the hive, I was met with a strong, sweet, and unusual smell.

As I separated the boxes, it became clear just how serious the situation was. The top deep had significant losses. Moving down into the brood chambers, there were even more. It was one of those moments where you pause and realize this is no longer routine—this is a hard lesson unfolding in real time.

But even in that moment, there was a small win.

As I worked through the frames, I found a portion of the colony still alive… and most importantly, I found the queen.

I cleaned out what I could, did a quick assessment, and closed the hive back up—hoping they had enough strength left to recover.

Knowing I’d be back in Andrews the following week, this colony immediately became a priority for follow-up.

Beekeeping will humble you quickly. You can plan, prepare, and execute—but the bees, the environment, and the conditions always get the final say.

Every loss carries a lesson. And every lesson makes us better stewards for the next time.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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07/17/2026

I had to do a double take when I pulled this frame… a completely capped medium frame, packed full of honey.

To put this into perspective—these bees were just getting settled on June 20th when the trailer was put in place. The photo you’re looking at was taken July 3rd, the last time I was able to check on them in Andrews.

Local insight suggests the Sourwood nectar flow didn’t really begin to ramp up until around June 26th. That means there’s a very real possibility that this colony—and likely others—filled out an entire medium super in about a week.

Let that sink in.

This is what a strong nectar flow looks like. When conditions align—weather, bloom timing, colony strength—the bees shift into overdrive. Fresh nectar comes in fast, moisture gets reduced below that critical 18.6%, and before long… you’re staring at beautifully capped frames like this one.

Moments like this are a reminder of just how efficient and powerful these colonies can be when everything clicks.

🐝 One link. All the buzz. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/colesfarmnc
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