Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1174258
"I started to look at it as a viable sideline business for the farm, thinking down the road a bit. I have 70 hives now, the goal is to have 100 by the end of the season so they can go to California for the winter." He convinced me to suit up so I could help him and his eight-year-old daughter, Kinsley, add boxes and frames to the hives. It's was also Kinsley's first time helping. Her initial nervousness at all the bees buzzing around faded as she started helping her dad place new boxes on the stacks. "Dad look! Look at their legs!" Kinsely points to the bright yellow pollen on the legs of the bees returning to the hive. Drew and Phil try to look at the farm as a place of opportunity: what can they can do to bring in more income with the resources they have on site and make family succession possible? "Bee season doesn't conflict too much with farming, which doesn't conflict with the guest house and hunting season. e overlaps are minimal. All three operations are part of the succession plan. e three combined can be a sufficient source of income," Drew told me as he harvested some of honey and poured it into mason jars. ey are always keeping their eyes open for something else to try on the farm. "If there is another cycle or another opportunity to explore then we'll try it," Drew tells me as he shows me a test plot of hops he started this year, "I'll test things out, see if they work here, and then scale up if they do." If you are interested in learning more, head over to www.prcountrycomforts.com or Drew's blog www.406farmer.com. 23 farm406 Brian Anderson, Shelby ............ 434-5000 Austin Orcutt, Conrad ............... 278-9189 Eric Gray, Fort Benton .............. 622-5481 Dan Kolar, Billings .................... 252-8012 RQVHOHFW&OHDUÀHOGYDULHWLHV 1XWULHQ$J6ROXWLRQVRଉHUVWKHEHVWWHFKQRORJLHV WRROVDQGSURGXFWVVR\RXFDQIRFXVRQZKDW\RX GREHVWGROW. Formerly Northern Seed The results are in! 2019 Strip Trial Data Ft Benton Conrad Variety Bu/ac Bu/ac SY 517 CL2 71.0 39.3 MTCS1601 67.7 50.8 WB4792 66.5 49.0 Brawl CLP 64.7 42.1 Keldin 63.6 59.1 LCS Fusion AX 62.0 43.6 Warhorse 61.7 54.3 Loma 61.7 49.8 LCS Jet 61.2 55.9 WB4623 CLP 60.7 44.9 SY Clearstone CL2 58.6 42.7 Monument 57.7 57.6 WB4483 57.0 53.6 SY Legend CL2 44.3 42.7 FINANCING OFFER R F 0 % 7DONWR\RXU1XWULHQ$J6ROXWLRQVVHHG VSHFLDOLVWDERXWWKHYDULHWLHVWKDW\LHOG WKHEHVWUHVXOWVIRU\RXUIDUP And z SY 517 CL2 z SY Legend CL2 z SY Clearstone CL2 z Brawl CL Plus Drew holds up a filled frame of honey in the sunlight.