Category archives: farm

People Of Kennett Square–Beth Secor
November 30, 2015 art, artist, farm, life, painting, people, photography, portrait, Story

My daughter took a drawing and painting class at Y. After finished the classes, she showed me her paintings, I was amazed by her work and the way the teacher was teaching. I had a chance to meet the teacher–Beth, an artist who loves doing animals portraits and  teaching art to children.  I went to her house, she showed me all the fun things in her studio , and activities at the farm. I felt her love of  animals , and passion for painting and teaching.

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1.What’s your life like when you were a kid?

We had a Ton of fun,brought up on a 99 acre horse farm with horses and dogs and a lot of people.We worked hard on ponies and horses to re sell,or train for other people.My mother was a big hearted free spirit who stressed honesty and to treat other people the way you want to be treated.We got up early and worked hard,then got to do fun active activities all together with out many rules,but you gave it your all in spirit!

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2.When and how did you start painting? 

I always doodled and loved looking at Art…When I was 16,I had a serious back operation,they said no riding horses for a while!!!..That was my life,Mom said ..whow what are you going to do…I thought if she doesn’t know..it is up to me..I said I’m going to Art School,,,,where one door shuts another one opens!!!My Art has given me so much pleasure and others!!

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3. Why do you like to paint animals? 

I LOVE animals and feel I intrinsically..intuitively..connect to them,so to paint them enhances these feelings,plus it is a challenge!! I like being able to paint peoples animals so they have a piece of the love forever,it is such a deep feeling…I love painting them!!!!!!

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4.What animal do you like most? why? 

Horses and Dogs and Big lions….They are free,,atheletic and pick who they trust,then are very loyal..and the partnership grows!!

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5.Can you talk a little bit about your last trip to Africa?

My last trip to Africa was magical,I did a lot of sketching..being outside in nature focusing on such beauty of the land the animals and my connection with them was surreal…I wrote in my book…I am revolving with the Universe..which was all beauty and possibility for me!!! I felt totally centered and as if the Dear Lord was whispering in my ear,I’m Proud of you Beth,I do well with those Real Feelings,,I can’t wait to go back!!!

You can check Beth’s work here: http://www.bethsecor.com/

 

People of Kennett Square–Meredith Petruccelli
September 15, 2015 farm, food, life, organic, people, photography, portrait, Story, Style

Meredith and her family moved to Kennett Square 3 years ago from big city. Now she lives in Kennett square with her 3 kids, 18 chickens, 3 barn cats, 1 dog, 1 rabbit and one 18 acres farm house from revolutionary war.

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Where did you live before move to KSQ?

Before we moved to Kennett Square, we lived in Philadelphia and New York City

 

Do you work?

I am a psychologist specializing in pediatrics. I work part time in private practice.

 

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What’s the life like with 3 kids, 18 chickens, 3 cats, and 1 dog and 1 rabbit and a 18 acres farm house?

I think most parents of young children would tell you that life is extremely busy. Restoring our house and caring for the land has been a labor of love. I often joke that farm chores keep me honest. Being around the animals is rewarding beyond measure.

 

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Why did you decide to move to Kennett Square?

We fell in love with the countryside surrounding Kennett and the charming community vibe of the borough. We hoped to raise our children in a place with plenty of open space and strong and diverse public schools.

 

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What’s your favorite part of country life?

There are so many things that I love about  living here. A few things that spring to mind immediately are being able to grow food and tend to a flock of chickens, nurturing my children’s love of nature and exploration,  feeling a sense of community and yet total privacy, and lastly having access to some of the most beautiful countryside in the region for horseback riding.

 

 

 

 

People of Kennett Square–Dan Borkoski
August 11, 2015 beekeeper, beekeeping, business, farm, food, honey, life, people, photography, portrait, Story, Uncategorized

Dan was my neighbor, he started beekeeping a few years ago. My daughter and I were fascinated by his honeycombs. When I was doing my photography project, I thought he should be on it. I went a farm where he had his hives. I was scared about the bees at first,  but after he used smoke to calm the bees, everything seemed fine. I was taking  pictures while the bees were dancing around me. It’s such a cool experience.

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When did your interest in beekeeping begin?
I’ve always thought beekeeping was interesting, but didn’t have any experience with it until I found myself working on a small farm, and was asked to help with the hives there.  I didn’t actually start beekeeping myself until a couple years later when I took a break from farming and was starting a family.  It began as a hobby, and as my family has grown and I’ve found I have a little more time available, it’s taken over.
 
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How did you get your hives?
Like almost all beekeepers, I purchased my first bees.  They come shipped in a package, usually from Georgia.  Package bees are not always the best quality, and my first hives didn’t survive their first winter (I was a new beekeeper myself then, so I’ll share some of the blame).  Since then, I began to try to seek out locally raised bees that are hopefully a little more adapted to our climate.  I usually now raise my own queens and bees, catch swarms, and I get some new bees by removing feral colonies from buildings.
 
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How many hives do you have? How much honey do you get from each?
These days, I maintain anywhere from 20-50 colonies.  The number fluxuates more than you might think.  Every Winter, I lose a few, but throughout the season I’m splitting some hives and combining others.  Raising healthy bees has always been my primary reason for keeping bees, not producing honey, so I leave plenty behind.  Some hives end up producing a surplus, and I end up feeding some honey back to other smaller colonies.
 
Are there different type of honey?
Definitely!  Honey varies widly depending on what nectar sources the bees are visiting.  From dark Buckwheat honey, to light Black Locust and everything in between, all the different varietal honeys have distinct flavors.  Around here, our bees (thankfully) enjoy a pretty diverse nectar flow, so we generally produce a “wildflower” honey.  I think our local Spring honey has a great floral quality, and it varies a bit year to year, as the season sometimes favors some blossoms more than others.  If you haven’t ever set up a honey tasting, you should try it some time.
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Do beekeepers get stung by bees? And what your experience so far?
Oh, yes.  I get that question a lot.  I don’t usually like to wear gloves or too much protective gear, because I think it leads one to be a little clumsy with the bees.  Honey bees are not usually aggressive, but I do sometimes get stung when I misplace a hand when I’m grabbing a frame from the hive.  These days, I’m working hives most days of the week, so it’s an unusual day when I don’t get a sting or two.
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What’s your favorite part of beekeeping?
Tough question.  It’s mesmerizing just watching all the activity going in and out of a hive, or just letting myself become surrounded by the hum of life around me when I open a hive.  Keeping bees can definitely be a challenge too, and I love that there is always more to learn.  I also really enjoy teaching people about honey bees, and I have to say, the beekeeping community is a pretty eccentric crowd.  Perhaps I’m most grateful that beekeeping has connected me with so many passionate and interesting people over the years.