About the Author

Kristi Cook

Kristi Cook lives in Arkansas where every year brings something new to her family’s journey for a more sustainable lifestyle. She keeps a flock of laying hens, dairy goats, a rapidly growing apiary, a large garden, and more. When she’s not busy with the critters and veggies, you can find her sharing sustainable living skills through her workshops, articles, and blog at tenderheartshomestead.com.

Learn How Bees Can Be Sustainably Managed

July 17, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Beekeeping 101

The most sustainable manner of keeping bees requires Beeks to learn skills beyond hive inspection, feeding regimens, and pest control. Learning to create splits and raise queens are, without a doubt, the most sustainable manner of reducing costs.

What’s Wrong with My Filtered Beeswax?

July 13, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Ask The Expert, Honey & Beeswax

Filtering beeswax can take a bit of trial and error as you get a feel for the process. However, with a bit of practice, you’ll be an old pro in no time. So first, let’s talk about the bubbles you’re seeing in your wax as that’s the first indicator of what is most likely the underlying cause of your multi-shaded wax.

DIY Hive Top Feeder Plan

June 1, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Hives & Equipment

Bees are hungry little creatures that occasionally require supplemental feeding. Fortunately, feeding honey bees during the warmer months requires little more than selecting a feeder and filling it with syrup.

Conduct an Alcohol Wash for Varroa Mite Monitoring

May 20, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Health & Pests

Monitoring Varroa destructor’s infestation levels is arguably one of the most important tasks on a beehive inspection checklist — yet mite checks are also the most commonly forgotten task. This doesn’t have to be with so many fast and simple methods available.

Catch and Release Powdered Sugar Roll Varroa Mite Test

April 17, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Health & Pests

Knowing what a hive’s mite load is can mean the difference between a hive surviving the winter in a healthy state ready to tackle the next honey season and an almost guaranteed untimely death from the viruses and diseases contributed to high varroa loads.

How Do I Harvest Royal Jelly?

March 24, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Ask The Expert

To harvest royal jelly in any quantifiable amount, you’ll need several strong, healthy hives and a working knowledge of queen grafting.

When Should I Perform the First Mite Check and Treatment?

February 11, 2020 · Kristi Cook · Ask The Expert, Health & Pests

A key time for getting a jump on varroa is when the colony is broodless, since any mites present will be in a phoretic state rather than hiding inside capped brood.