Freeland Farms

05/29/2026

How queen bees are created-

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀.

It’s food.

Two female larvae can hatch from nearly identical eggs. One becomes a worker that lives around 6 weeks during summer.

The other becomes a queen capable of laying 1,500 to 2,000 eggs a day and living several years.

What changes her entire destiny?

Royal jelly.

While worker bees and queen bees have the exact same DNA, their diets during the larval stage dictate which genes are turned on or off.

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗲𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲
𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗝𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆

Royal jelly is a creamy, nutrient dense substance produced by young nurse bees.

It’s often called the “queen maker” because it’s the key food that triggers full queen development.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲
• Produced by young nurse bees, usually 5 to 15 days old
• Nurse bees consume large amounts of bee bread
• Special glands in their heads become activated
• Those glands produce a thick milky secretion called royal jelly

The bees then feed it directly to developing larvae.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
For the first 3 days, ALL bee larvae receive royal jelly:
• Workers
• Drones
• Future queens

After that:
• Worker and drone larvae are switched to bee bread and nectar
• Future queens continue receiving massive amounts of royal jelly

That one nutritional difference completely changes development.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀
• Triggers full reproductive development
• Helps develop functioning ovaries • Increases body size
• Extends lifespan dramatically
• Fuels extreme egg production

The queen is not “born special.”
The colony builds her through nutrition.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆?
It contains:
• Water
• Proteins
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids and healthy fats
• Vitamins
• Trace minerals
• Free amino acids
• Enzymes

Royal jelly is considered one of the richest natural sources of free amino acids found in nature.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲

Adult worker bees do NOT live on royal jelly.

Only the queen continues consuming it for her entire life.

That constant access to high nutrition is one reason queens can live years while summer workers may only live weeks.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁

Nutrition matters.

What you feed determines what can be built.

The hive doesn’t leave development to chance.

It feeds for the future.

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞, 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠. 𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀
𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚 🐝💛
𝐘’𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥

05/29/2026

Had to humble 9 little boarlings today.

Now, they're barrows.

We've never had a majority male litter of pigs before, but apparently 2 t***s per piglet is NOT ENOUGH! 🙄

The fighting was getting bad, so we decided to castrate a little early. (We don't cut teeth.)

This should slow the fighting down... for a couple of days at least. 🤣

05/27/2026

Did things get *a little* western over the last few weeks?
Yes, yes they did.

Did we still manage to get the job done?
Yes, yes we did.

Couldn't have done any of it without Kris Choate!

We AI'd 6 of our mama cows for us yesterday. Here's to hoping they take! 🤞🏻

Updates to come!

05/27/2026

"Weeds"

Sometimes you just have to bring the pasture to the pigs.

Someone, somewhere, did a really great job branding "weeds" (aka native plants) as a bad thing. Yet, a lot of "weeds" are undeniably medicinal & edible by both humans & livestock.

Utilizing the native plants that already grow here effortlessly & for free, is something everyone can do.

There are some great apps for identifying plants- I personally use the PictureThis app. Livestock are inherently brilliant at avoiding consuming toxic plants. Humans, less so.

05/26/2026

Bad Baxter Farm giving out all the best farm cheats.

Duckweed is a GAME CHANGER. 🤯

This is what I mean-

These babies just hatched. They have an option of the high protein crumble in the top of the frame OR duckweed in the bottom of the frame (in a strainer).

Watch what they choose.

Some things just make sense.

Duckweed is:
Sustainable.
Healthier.
Foraging training.
Cheaper than bagged feed.
..& they prefer it.

Out of all the reasons to hate social media & the internet...
learning sustainable farm hacks from our friends is one reason to love it, & one of the reasons we are still active here. ❤️

05/26/2026

I was caught a little off guard when I pulled these monster turnips. We grew these specifically for the greens to feed our little bearded dragon. 🦎

If you grow turnips, how do you like to utilize them best? 🫜

My first inclination was to feed 'em to the pigs. Then I thought... well, I've never grown 'em, so maybe I should try 'em!? 🤪

If you have a favorite way to prepare large, homegrown turnips- please let me know in the comments! 👇🏻

05/25/2026

Videos give zero justice to the awesomeness of an active swarm. 🐝

You just have to be there.

There is nothing more mesmerizing than standing in the center of thousands of bees flying in a circular pattern so perfectly in sync that you catch a wind from their collective tiny flapping wings. 💨

The sound of humming honeybees is soothing in such a way I can't describe.

You just have to be there. ❤️

05/25/2026

I keep tryin' to tell this HOMEWRECKER H***Y that Papa Goose already has a wife, but she refuses to listen to me.

This Canadian goose is STILL here trying to persuade our Chinese gander to be her mate. 🤦🏻‍♀️

05/24/2026

This silly Canadian goose is trying to seduce our favorite Chinese gander. 😐😑