Permaculture Ouroboros

Gini Lester is certified both in Permaculture Design, and as a Permaculture teacher.

As a Nurse Gini has been first person witness to changes in the overall health of human bodies over time. Because of this perspective she recognized that it was time to begin treatment in the community. “Eating healthy food is the foundation of a healthy body. Growing your own food is a good source of healthy food.”

Stephanie Bergner joined Solomon’s Knot as its beekeeper. She is a Social Worker who began beekeeping as a hobby. She gained bee knowledge through professional courses, trainings, self-directed on-line education, and personal experience. She has enjoyed several years of successful beekeeping with healthy bees. She works hard to make sure they stay healthy.

If you are in the market for local (Will County, IL) honey, please call us or go by Mitchell’s Food Mart on Raynor in Joliet. If they don’t have it, we don’t have any honey left until next season. We always leave enough honey for the bees for winter, when the bees cluster together to keep each other warm.

The apiary is located in a metal scraper´s yard near Joliet. Having beehives in Joliet is against zoning code unless you know someone. The honey is still local honey because it´s the same bio-region.

We started with 3 hives and 1 nuc beginning of 2022. The bees did well over that winter. The apiary grew a little so Nov 2023 there were 3 hives and 3 nucs. 2 were weak, and I suspected wouldn’t make it over the winter. Unfortunately, none made it over the winter. We will start again April 2024 with 2 colonies and add an over-wintered Illinois nuc in May. In the meantime we’re building all new woodenware. It was too warm late in the season then a deep cold, and then warm again. This has created less than ideal conditions. Pests and moisture were the culprits. New woodenware may help with both issues.

Now on August 24, 2023 there are 3 hives and 3 nucs.

November 4, 2023 Tucked in for the winter.