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Well, this year has not been very productive when it comes to my first attempt at farming things besides plants.

Earlier this year some dogs came and killed all of my chickens. They were 10, then 7, then 1, and then all dead.

My honey bees were doing better. They were growing, so much so I got a second layer for them. In August they were so many they were beading. They had heavy frames, tons of bees, and all over doing great.

Well, I got lazy or negligent, or just being a dumb first year bee keeper. The end results are dead.All dead. All the wax and honey is gone, all gone.

What happened you may ask? I'll tell you. I was hoping to just let bees do what bees do best. However, they were not a strong enough hive. I should not have put the second layer, or if I did it should have been a proper second layer. Not the same size as the brooder. Mistake one.

Then I checked on them, but not nearly enough. Mistake two.

I saw mites once but wanted to let the bees figure it out and take care of it. Mistake three.

I then looked up and started to worry about winterizing my bees in October, after it already started to get cold. Mistake four.

Starting both chickens and bees while trying to first identify a depression, work though, and get out of a depression was also probably not a good idea. I didn't know I was depressed at the time, but again, mistake five.

I have failed as a first year bee keeper. I have learned, hopefully from my mistakes, and come spring of next year, I will, try, try again. 

Anyone else been successful in killing all of their new projects this year? Let me know with a comment below.