Gardening and Beekeeping with Adam Rapier

by | Feb 16, 2023 | Beekeeping, Gardening, Homesteading, Podcast

Gardening, Beekeeping, Homesteading, Podcasting, Livestock

In this 215th Episode of the Small Scale Life Podcast, I continue the conversation with my friend Adam Rapier from Colorado.  We are going to dive into gardening and beekeeping in this episode.  We discuss some fantastic garden beds they built at Adam’s parent’s house, and we discuss the start of their beekeeping journey.

 

Who is Adam Rapier?

Adam and Kathleen Rapier, beekeeping, High Desert Hives

 
Adam and I met in 2018 at Doneil Freeman’s ranch in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  We spent a couple days together observing bees, checking out wicking bed gardens, riding ATVs and hanging out. Adam and I have been friends ever since, and I am happy to have him on the show.
 
In Episode 214 of the Small Scale Life Podcast, Adam and I discussed his and his family’s journey from urban living in Denver to their homestead in rural Colorado.  Adam and his wonderful bride Kathleen wanted to provide a different way, a different path, for their boys to grow up.  At the same time, they wanted to be closer to aging parents and discover the freedom of living in the country and doing things their way.  
I do have one correction from Episode 214: Adam’s homestead is called “The Rapier Ranch,” and their bustling beekeeping and honey business is called “High Desert Hives.”  I made that mistake in my haste to the get the episode posted, and I apologize for that.  We don’t have many corrections at Small Scale Life, but when I am wrong, I will tell you and make that known.  Fortunately, if you want to find them, links to their social media and website are in the show notes at smallscalelife.com.  
 
We will have one more episode with Adam where we dive into Beekeeping as a Business, and I hope you stay tuned to listen to their journey.  It is amazing what happens when you have a surplus of a good or product like bees and honey!  If you are a gardener, you might have an abundance of tomatoes, green beans or zucchini, and you can give the surplus away or sell it.
 
Such is life when you are gardening and beekeeping!

Topics for Gardening and Beekeeping with Adam Rapier

Adam and Kathleen Rapier, beekeeping, High Desert Hives

In this episode, we discuss the following Gardening and Beekeeping topics:

“Wellness Ducks”

  • Beating the System
  • Beekeeping Ordinances

 

Castle Farm Massive Gardening Project

  • 6 Raised Bed Gardens
  • Dimensions:
    • 5 planters are 3 feet high, 4 feet wide, 28 feet long!
    • 1 planter is 3 feet high, 4 feet wide and 18 feet long
    • Cheap block from the site
    • Soil from a local supply and lots of rabbit poop

Busy Homestead: bees, chickens, ducks, rabbits quail and gardens

  • Pandemic Lessons Learned
  • Hiding food in the landscaping
  • Apartment Homesteading
  • Importance of networking with neighbors – The Exchange

Rapier Ranch – “Projects Are Us”

  • Property line fence
  • Lambs
  • Infrastructure – Adding one thing at a time and scaling

Beekeeping Journey

 

Listen to this Episode!

Gardening, Beekeeping, Homesteading, Podcasting, Livestock

Listen to the Small Scale Life Podcast on any of the following apps:

To download and listen to this episode, click this text.

Special Thanks

For Small Scale Life Podcasts, I would like to thank Sean at Osi and the Jupiter for the intro song "Harvest."  Sean wrote this specifically for us, and I really enjoy all of his work.  You can find more Osi and the Jupiter at their Bandcamp site: https://osifolk.bandcamp.com/

I would also like to thank Austin Quinn at Vlog Vibes for the intro and outro music. For more information abut Austin and Vlog Vibes, please see the Vlog Vibes YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY80LeqtJf-YBzJy2TWKpDw

 

 

Reviews on iTunes

How to Complete an iTunes Review

We love reviews!  It helps us grow the show.  To leave a review of the Small Scale Life Podcast on iTunes, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Click on this link or the image above.
  2. Go to ratings and reviews.
  3. Click on the number stars.
  4. Subscribe to the podcast (optional, but appreciated)!
  5. You can also write a quick review or some words of encouragement (optional, but GREATLY appreciated)!

You can also write a longer review, though it’s not necessary.  Again, thank you for listening and your review!

Ratings and reviews help us grow the podcast and the blog, and I appreciate your reviews.  I will be reading reviews out on future episodes of the Small Scale Life Podcast!