Farm to Table

Now that I've confirmed Mike and Reese aren't in the Bee Mafia and the bees have been transplanted into their new hive, it's time to check on the Queen. After all, everything revolves around her (this is the story of my life with a 4 year old who thinks she is a Princess Elsa). The main reason to check on the hive a couple days after introducing the colony to their new home is to make sure 1) that she and the colony are there, and 2) to see if they have started to build and acclimate to their new home. We also want to remove the cage that the queen was in when we first introduced the colony. We transplanted our bees May 1st and went to check on them May 4th. After a quick visual inspection we could see lots of bees moving in and out of the hive some were even bringing in pollen, a really good sign! Lifting the lid the hive was teaming wi... Read more

New bee hive set up in Great Falls, MT. May 2015 You know that weird feeling you get when watching a tense part of a movie, or a YouTube video you know isn't going to end well? Yeah, that feeling where you want to yell at the guy jumping his bike off the house and into the kiddie pool? That's the feeling I had the other day when I willingly walked up to a swarm of bees, picked them up and put them in my truck. Pretty sure I haven't been that nervous since 1988 when I went to my first day of Mrs. Grogan's Kindergarten class. New bee hive set up in Great Falls, MT. May 2015 At first, handling bees seemed like a sketchy sort of business. With less than 24 hours' notice, we met a couple of random guys in a parking lot. They introduced themselves as Mike and Reese, whether or not that was their real name is still in question. Off to the side... Read more

As beginning beekeepers, I imagine you all have many questions and concerns. One thing I have come across is this: you can only read and watch so much--you need to get out and "do!" In hopes to give you all a great head start into the bee game, we're going through the process ourselves with some of our local Great Falls, Montana customers: I'm fascinated by what bees can accomplish. This fascination drove me to a point where I said, "I want to have bees." Now I'm to the point where I want to catch wild bees. After a lot of research this winter, I found out that saying is really true: you can only learn so much from reading. So after exhausting my data plan searching bee videos on YouTube and browsing various beekeeping websites, I had to talk to a human about this new adventure I was planning to undertake. Long story short running out ... Read more

As winter begins to loosen its grip in the northwest, the faint sounds of springs are steadily increasing at all North 40 Outfitters locations. Spring sounds indoors? Yes, spring arrives with the welcoming sounds of baby chicks as we get them settled into their temporary homes. Here's the selection of Nutrena NatureWise feeds we carry online. The peep, peep, peeps will gradually increase over the next few weeks as we reach the peak of Chick Days intermingled with laughter from kids and adults alike. It's a great way to welcome the new growing season, and one that we strive to work hard at, keeping our feathered friends at their best health so they can ultimately make it home to be successful egg layers and meat birds. Chickens have always been part of our culture for as long as I can remember (which is about 20 years). Taking care of c... Read more

Eggs. From baking to breakfast, we use eggs in just about everything. Three years ago, I bought some baby chicks and decided to see why this whole "Urban Chicken" industry was growing so fast. I started out with fourteen baby chicks, brought them home, and set up our brooder kit that had the walls and post for a brooder heat lamp. I first set it up in my garage worried the little buggers needed to be inside rather than just in the barn outside. Here's a brooder kit we sell online that can help keep you in getting your new chicks established. I also realized that they eat and drink a lot  and keeping electrolytes in the water and keeping it clean was a bit tough. Once they started developing their feathers, they became almost self-sufficient. Meat & Layer Birds: Differences to Learn As I did some research, I found that meat bird... Read more

Chick season is here and we're going to help you get ready. We've made a list of chicken varieties that will be available in your area. Available varieties differ by store. Check out your location below to see what chicks your local 40 may have. Please note: this list is not a guarantee. SHIPPING DATES VARY. Due to unforeseen circumstances, shipping dates, or varieties not showing up (due to bad hatches); this list is only meant to act as a helpful guide. You can confirm chick availability and arrival dates by calling your local North 40 Outfitters. We're happy to answer any questions you may have. Great Falls - Montana First due Date 3.8.17 Havre - Montana First due Date 3.1.17 Colville - Washington First due Date 2.9.17 Mead - Washington First due Date 2.23.17 Moses Lake - Washington First due Date 3.3.17 Spokane - Washington First du... Read more