Rellik Hill Farm

Rellik Hill Farm Off-grid farming on the Appalachian Mountains- Ducks, bees, and trees! Eggs, honey, syrup, etc.

07/09/2025

When Hives Turn Into A Royal Mess

These large cells each hold a developing queen, ready to chew their way out around day 16. Once she emerges, she pipes to announce her presence—and she’ll challenge any rivals. The other queens respond by quacking inside their cells.

To prevent this chaos, beekeepers should step in early, cutting out all but one or two queen cells. This minimizes the risk of injury from battling queens and reduces the chance of the colony casting multiple swarms.

When introducing a new queen from another colony, all cells should be removed so the bees are more likely to accept her.

Members of Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah BONS

07/04/2025

Launching the arial show early at Rellik Hill Farm— Happy 4th of July!
🇺🇸 🐝

06/30/2025

Capped brood patterns like these reflect a productive queen. Consistent egg-laying is key to hive strength. Efficiency builds strength.

We’ve been spending some time assisting a fellow BONS member with her two oversized colonies—even after they both swarme...
06/25/2025

We’ve been spending some time assisting a fellow BONS member with her two oversized colonies—even after they both swarmed!

We located and marked the new queens, conducted mite checks, made a new split to reduce the back-breaking height of the previous towering supers, and helped consolidate her hive equipment into an all 8-frame system for easier long-term management.

Beekeeping can feel overwhelming sometimes—but with community support, it becomes so much easier.

Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah BONS

06/25/2025

Here’s a Hint: use a carpenter’s pencil!

A flat pencil is much easier to hold against a duck’s head when doing the pencil test as part of a conformational evaluation.

Our young Indian runner duck model, aptly named ‘Hint,’ shows how it can even be done one-handed!

In profile, you’re looking for a straight line from the tip of the bill to the back of the skull.

Watch for any gaps or rocking — the pencil should sit flush against both the bill and the skull at the same time.

This test is best done on mature ducks in a naturally upright position. But keep in mind — a full head evaluation goes beyond what a pencil can measure!


Rellik Hill Farm is a member of the Virginia Poultry Breeders Association

06/23/2025

Unlike packages, our nucleus colonies come fully established on drawn comb with a proven, actively laying queen—making them easy to install anytime during the season. All of our nucs are raised from calm, productive queens, mated in the mountains above the Shenandoah River.

Ready to get started? Need to re-queen? Colony need a boost? Want to fix a laying worker? Contact us to reserve your nuc today!

Members of Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah BONS

Runner duck warmups: stretching. Those peas won't catch themselves!
06/18/2025

Runner duck warmups: stretching. Those peas won't catch themselves!

Thank you, Marcus for picking up our nuc today and congratulations on graduating from Virginia Tech! We're excited for t...
06/13/2025

Thank you, Marcus for picking up our nuc today and congratulations on graduating from Virginia Tech! We're excited for the next generation of beekeepers like you.

This fun new batch of runners is measuring up! A distinguished exhibition runner displays a smooth, slender, and nearly ...
06/12/2025

This fun new batch of runners is measuring up! A distinguished exhibition runner displays a smooth, slender, and nearly vertical stance. They exhibit a sleek and refined build, which arguably makes them the most peculiar and entertaining foragers of the duck clan.

06/11/2025

Effective Varroa mite control requires sampling at least four times a year to monitor mite infestations before they reach critical levels that can impact colony health and productivity. This assessment determines if a treatment is necessary. Sampling should be repeated after treatment to determine effectiveness within the colony. Treatment thresholds vary by season; the Honeybee Health Coalition's Tools for Varroa Management Guide is extremely comprehensive when considering Varroa control options.https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/HBHC-Guide_Varroa-Mgmt_8thEd-082422.pdf at Rellik Hill Farm Members of Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah BONS

Stripes are in this year. Rellik Hill Farm 2025 spring nucs are now available!
06/09/2025

Stripes are in this year. Rellik Hill Farm 2025 spring nucs are now available!

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Pioneer Lane
Boyce, VA
22620

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