Suburban Sodbuster

Sodbuster (noun) sod·​bust·​er | \ ˈsäd-ˌbə-stər  \: A person or a thing (such as a farmer or a plow) that breaks the sod (Merriam-Webster)

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I am an organic gardener and natural beekeeper, turning our suburban backyard from lawn to an oasis for food production. Past projects have been the expansion of our raised bed garden, addition of a 600 square foot in-ground garden, construction of a terrace for raspberries and blackberries, planting of fruit trees and the addition of beehives. As the garden and apiary grows, I share my progress and lessons learned with the world via YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Are you something of a Sodbuster yourself? Let the world know with the T-shirt!

“Something of a Sodbuster” T-Shirt

If beekeeping and/or gardening interest you then I’d appreciate you following and/or subscribing to these accounts:

Also, check out the books, beekeeping equipment, and other useful items in the Sodbuster Store

Thank you for support! I hope that I can provide some help for your own gardening and/or beekeeping goals, or at least offer some entertainment.

Please check out my videos on YouTube:

Justin of @HomesteadRefuge has caught swarms - and we have a clear winner in our comparison of swarm lures. Subscribe to @HomesteadRefuge and @HomesteadRefugeKids to see what's happening at their homestead. If you need Swarm Commander products, lemongrass oil, or other items for catching your own swarms, these are available on my website at: https://suburbansodbuster.com/product-category/swarm-catching. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster
Justin of @HomesteadRefuge and I opened the hives to check on the status of our splits. We found that the bees were doing well in making new queens - so well that we made more colonies! We also gave an update on the swarm traps and the comparison of lemongrass oil to Swarm Commander Keep following to see how these hives progress and how our comparison of lemongrass oil to Swarm Commander turns out. Subscribe to @HomesteadRefuge and @HomesteadRefugeKids to see what's happening at their homestead. If you need Swarm Commander products, lemongrass oil, or other items for catching your own swarms, these are available on my website at: https://suburbansodbuster.com/product-category/swarm-catching. The veil that I'm wearing is available on Amazon at this link: https://amzn.to/4bhcgEk If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster
I returned to @HomesteadRefuge to inspect the beehives and check on the swarm traps. While there we looked for swarm preparations, discussed what we saw on the frames, and created some splits. Keep following to see how these hives progress and how our comparison of lemongrass oil to Swarm Commander turns out. Subscribe to @HomesteadRefuge and @HomesteadRefugeKids to see what's happening at their homestead. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster
What do you do when a honeybee colony is failing because of an old queen? Move her to another colony? This episode might be titled "I do dumb stuff so you don't have to" because in it I try to use a failing queen from one colony to help another. This video includes the effort and the outcome so watch to see if the gambit works. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster
We were not in the direct path of the recent solar eclipse, but close enough for 98-99% totality. During this time I recorded the activity at a couple hive entrances. It's interesting to watch the bees rush in as the sky grows darker, then wait and venture out again as the sun returns. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster Music used in this video: Track: "Beautiful Eyes", Stocaden Music provided by https://slip.stream Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/OVJWGq Track: "By Sheer Will And Grace" Music provided by https://slip.stream Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/S8pwwn Track: "Final Track" Music provided by https://slip.stream Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/YLO6PX Track: "The Voice Within" Music provided by https://slip.stream Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/SIAWdt Track: "Hope Isnt Far" Music provided by https://slip.stream Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/OpxTpr Track: "Trials of Magic", The Moody Monarch Music provided by https://slip.stream Download / Stream: https://get.slip.stream/Q9b9KO I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster
Swarm season is upon us, so this is a good time to chat about reasons, methods and tips for catching honeybee swarms with guest Bruce Rodriguez of @Swarmstead Bees and Gardening. Products for catching your own swarms can be found in the Sodbuster store at https://suburbansodbuster.com/product-category/swarm-catching. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives.
This year I've started a new mentoring project to help a family get started with honeybees. I brought a couple of my hives to their homestead to use for teaching, but we also hung some swarm traps for them to catch their own colonies. In the bait hives we used two different lures - lemongrass oil and Swarm Commander - as a test to see which of the two the bees favor. Check out the channels for @HomesteadRefuge and @HomesteadRefugeKids The products mentioned can be found in the store at https://suburbansodbuster.com/product-category/swarm-catching. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives.
At the beginning of March I inspected hives I've placed at remote locations - hives I hadn't visited since winterizing them last fall. Come along as I see which are doing well and which... are not. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives.
Spring is coming quickly and I finally got into my Layens hives for the first time this year. A lot can be learned from watching the entrance activity, but without looking inside you can't learn the full story of how the hive is doing. This was an encouraging inspection and gives me hope for a good year. If you find value in my videos would you partner with me and provide support as a Patron? I appreciate your monthly commitment at any of the 3 Patreon levels: $2 - Supporting Sodbuster $5 - Official Sodbuster $10 - VIP Sodbuster See my Patreon page for the exclusive benefits available to members at each level. Thanks, in advance, for your support! https://www.patreon.com/suburbansodbuster Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ssodbuster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suburban_sodbuster I grew up on a farm on the edge of the Nebraska sandhills. A cattle ranch that bears our family name, founded in the late 1800s by my ancestors, is still owned and worked by my cousin. Life events have put me in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area in middle America, where my wife and I have raised our two kids. It's in this environment that I work to make as sustainable a life as I can, converting much of our backyard to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees and bee hives. I attempt to use natural methods, as much as is possible, in my gardening and beekeeping. I garden organically and continue to learn to work with the soil and the plants, without the use of chemical supplements, herbicides or pesticides, to improve our harvest. Our honey bees are sourced from local colonies through swarms, trap-outs and cut-outs, and are kept, using treatment-free, natural methods, in Layens horizontal hives.
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Suburban Sodbuster

Suburban Sodbuster

I raise vegetables using no-till, organic methods in our backyard. I also keep honey bees, using natural, treatment-free methods, primarily in Layens hives.

Suburban Sodbuster

1 week ago

Suburban Sodbuster
I hope this is not the case, but the way the guy sprayed the bees then sucked them into a shop vac (not a gentler bee vac) seemed odd. Maybe next time the ballpark will call a beekeeper, not an exterminator. ... See MoreSee Less
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Suburban Sodbuster

1 week ago

Suburban Sodbuster
I understand that today is naked gardening day. Out of compassion for my neighbors, I did not participate. If I had, out of compassion for you, I would be posting no photos. ... See MoreSee Less
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Suburban Sodbuster

2 weeks ago

Suburban Sodbuster
I haven't posted much about the garden this year, mainly because other activities and responsibilities this spring have put me woefully behind on my seed starting and planting. But today I was able to pull a first harvest of French Breakfast radishes. Although I'm not yet selling at farmers' markets, I used this small harvest to practice washing and bundling the radishes for sale.While there aren't many to sell, it's more than we'll use. If you want some fresh, organically grown radishes ($3 per bunch of 6) and are local to Affton, MO for pickup, drop me a message. ... See MoreSee Less

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Suburban Sodbuster

2 weeks ago

Suburban Sodbuster
I'm packing this swarm trap to ship out this morning and almost boxed it up before I noticed my mistake. It's a pretty important detail - do you see what's wrong? #oops #swarmtrap #swarmcatching #honeybeeswarm #honeybees #beekeeping #freebees #baithive #laughingatmyself ... See MoreSee Less

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Suburban Sodbuster

3 weeks ago

Suburban Sodbuster
I returned to youtube.com/@HomesteadRefuge to inspect the beehives and check on the swarm traps. While there we looked for swarm preparations, discussed what we saw on the frames, and created some splits. Keep following to see how these hives progress and how our comparison of lemongrass oil to Swarm Commander turns out.youtu.be/FJ5OPWucSro ... See MoreSee Less

Honeybee Hive Inspections and Splits with Homestead Refuge

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I returned to @HomesteadRefuge to inspect the beehives and check on the swarm traps. While there we looked for swarm preparations, discussed what we saw on ...

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