SURVIVORS
Chaptre 69. Honey Bee Breeding
Within 10 days, Robert and his team could tame 2 more horses from the prairie. Then a week ago Gilang and Leon finally managed to get quite a number of beehives and brought them to the residence. Now they have a large stock of honey.
So much so, that Robert separated some parts of the beehive that he thought contained would-be bees into a flat earthenware container made by Chandra's doctor. Then Robert went to the field of flowers to pick up the stems of tall grass flowers like weeds. Braided and fastened forming like a large high cap with curved ends. The small hole is filled and put some wood cross inside to strengthen its shape and buffer the new honeycombs later.
Robert used the 'grass hat' to seal the pottery container containing the honeycomb surrounded by bees. Robert placed it on the rocks, not far from Toni's tomb overlooking the flower fields.
"Honey beekeeping here is definitely easier. Plenty of flowers for the source of the food" said doctor Chandra as he stared at the flower bed in front of him.
"Although it is easy to keep bees, but if it can not be sold and make money for what? In the small forest there, some bee colonies have giant nests. No human took it, hahaha," Gilang laughed.
Robert and Dr. Chandra laugh at the fact that only they live there.
"Even so, there is no harm in storing the excess honeycomb like this. If we run out of stock, there's no need to take it far into the forest just to make a sweet pot of tea, right." Robert argues. Gilang and Dr Chandra nodded in agreement.
***
Four days ago Robert and Liam went to inspect an area further away from the grass field where the horses and deer gathered. Previously, every team that left, still had not found any signs of the existence of other humans near them.
Gilang and Leon go to the small forest to retrieve the honeycomb. This time they intend to keep the honeycomb following the way Robert taught. They carried a horse on which he was tied a container to bring the honeycomb harvest.
2 days ago Silvia and Angel have made a special pottery container for storing honeycomb while maintaining it. Robert made the design resemble a box with a small entrance hole and wooden trunk support curves and cover so that the nest is not flooded if it rains. They burned the pottery box in the fireplace yesterday. So there are 2 earthenware containers ready to wait for the new residents.
Finished breakfast, Niken and Laras go to the flower field picking some flowers for a supply of flower tea that they love so much.
Silvia and Angel were still cool in the garden when doctors Chandra and Indra came back from picking up shells and crabs on the beach.
"Silvi, Angel, this is the seafood we got" Chandra's doctor called.
Silvia left her job. "Kipples and clams again doc?" tanyanya flat. They end up getting tired of eating seafood.
"Yes, but there's also a squid. And oysters. We walked down the beach further and found a small niche filled with pearl oysters. Look at this," Chandra's doctor puts his hand in his pants pocket to pick up something and shows it.
"Woa.. This is a huge pearl. It's beautiful." Silvia's eyes twinkled.
"Yes, here are some more unopened, share with others. We just take the big oysters, let the population awake.," doctor Chandra handed Silvi a basket of seafood.
Indra took quite a lot. He wants to give it to Niken later. So all the oysters are stored in a pottery jug filled with sea water, so that the oysters stay alive. That makes him have to return to the beach 2 more times just collecting sea water.
"Doc. doc. Where's indra?" niken's voice came from outside the fence of their residence.
"He was... Ahh, that's it he's back." Dr. Chandra pointed behind Niken.
"What's looking for me? Kangen huh?" said Indra while kissing Niken's forehead.
Niken did not answer yet, Indra said again.
"It's a gift for you" Indra poured the sea water he brought into the jug.
"What's that?" Niken approached and saw the large shells inside the jug.
"That's an unopened pearl oyster. You can open and take your own gifts. Like this, pretty, right?" Indra showed a large golden yellow pearl.
"Waahh, that's beautiful. This for me?" tanyanya expectantly while hugging Indra's arm.
"One pitcher is for you all," Indra smiled sweetly at her lover's indulgence.
"Thank you dear. You're the best." Niken kissed Indra's cheeks with a radiant face.
"Ah, so forget. I was looking for you to tell me there was a white horse in the flower field. Real pretty. Can you get it for me?" Niken's eyes that looked so wanted, made Indra feel her heart flowery.
"Let's see" Indra asked and took the rope they had made from the twisted willow bark.
Because he already had several horses, Robert taught them how to make a rope from the skin of a willow twig that was twisted and woven up to 3 or 4 layers, to be strong. They need a rope to tie the saddle of cloth and luggage. Robert said, willow twig skin is actually not too idel to be used as a rope. But since there is no hemp plant or poplar tree, then while should be quite satisfied with the existing material.
"Where's the line?" ask Angel who's back from the garden.
"He's still in the flower field. I went back to call Indra," answered Niken as he passed.
"What's it look like?" ask Angel again.
"There was a horse in the field of flowers, so beautiful. I think Indra might be able to get it" replied Niken.
"Hey.no, danger. Just wait for Robert," Dr. Chandra prevented.
"Hemm, alright," doctor Chandra finally nodded. Indra and Niken walked away.
**
In the field of flowers, Indra walked quietly approaching the horse that was cool to eat the flowers and grass that was there. The horse was still unaware of the danger behind him.
Indra prepared the ropes as Robert had taught. Loosening of the rope to make a trap hole that is enough to trap the horse's neck.
By observing Laras and Niken, slowly Indra got closer to the left side of the horse and stood up. His hands are ready to throw the rope. When Indra turned the rope to form a circle, the horse's head stood up. There was no choice but to throw the rope before the horse regained consciousness and ran.
Hup.
The rope entered and snared the neck of the horse, making him instantly surprised and jumped and ran. Indra who was still smiling was satisfied, his body immediately jolted pulled by a horse that ran chaotically damaging the area of the flower field. The place was a mess trampled on the feet of rebellious horses and ran away.
"Indaura!" niken shouted in panic and chased after Indra who began to fall dragged because he could not keep up with the speed of running horses.
Laras was stunned to see that shocking scene. When he woke up, he grabbed a flower basket and ran home screaming.
"Please. toloong.." his yells repeatedly made his voice become raucous.
**
At the cottage, Robert and Liam have just returned. Dr. Chandra welcomes with his trademark soothing smile.
"What's this?" ask Dr. Chandra to see the luggage on the backs of the two horses.
"That's an oat plant. Similar to wheat. Now we can have alternatives to staple foods other than potatoes and corn" replied Robert.
"Oats? Different from wheat, right? I guess it's the same. In Jakarta I used to like to buy instant ones at the supermarket" doctor Chandra recalled his past.
"Yes, it's processed oats. If this is wild oats, not farm produce. So maybe the grain can be smaller than what doctors usually buy in the store," explained Robert.
"Yes, no problem. As long as the benefits are still the same to nourish the heart and digestion, then it's the same."
~~Grain plant illustration (wheat)- left, Oat-right.
Doctor Chandra smiled widely. She was happy because her favorite food was now in front of her eyes. Ask Robert how to clean it up. Dr. Chandra helps to lower the horse's weight while Robert and Liam take a drink.
"Where are Indra, Gilang and Leon?" ask Robert.
Not yet had Chandra doctor said, sounding Laras cry for help from a distance. Robert immediately stood up and put the cup on the wooden table and walked out the gate. The barrel had arrived in front of him with breath gasping for new running.
"What's wrong?" Robert immediately asked without waiting for Laras to catch his breath.
"Indra, he's dragged by a horse." The laras pointed to the flower field.
"What!" all surprised. Robert jumped on his horse.
"Where is he now?" tanyakanya.
"In the flower field! Indra to the field of flowers." Doctor Chandra answered quickly.
Robert immediately threw the horse into the flower field. While Laras sat down weakly because of tired running. Silvia immediately thrust out a cup of water to ease her thirst.
***
Additional info:
Bees can basically be kept on any medium. It does not have to be a wooden box as is now commonly done. Because in the wild, bees sometimes take over abandoned bird nests for new queen colonies to occupy.
The creativity of beekeepers has now made it possible to create special containers so that bees can nest directly in the glass bottles of packaging to minimize damage to the main hive. When the bottle is full of the hive, it is only necessary to cut the connected parts and then close the packaging and ready to sell honey plus a delicious and healthy beehive.
Even the latest innovation is an automatic honeycomb house that just turns the tap, fresh bee honey goes straight out and into the bottle.
It's practically. Are you interested in becoming a beekeeper? no need to buy hloo feed, just need to plant a lot of flowers in the yard aja 🥰
An example of a beehive.