Korean Farmer Tech

Theory Meets the Real World Now that the app's core logic is stable, it’s time to talk about the physical side of things. In development, we often think in "ideal" terms, but the apiary is far from a controlled environment. Currently, my apiary is tucked away under heavy insulation blankets to survive the freezing winter. While a full-scale rollout has to wait until the spring thaw in March, I headed out to the field with two smartphones—one to run the app and another to capture the process—to demonstrate the installation on my EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) hives . 1. The "Golden Spot": Rear-Side Tagging In my apiary, EPP hives make up the majority of the units. I’ve decided that the rear of the hive body is the "Golden Spot" for tagging. Why the Rear? : Beekeepers work from the back to stay out of the flight path. Tagging here allows for an immediate digital record the moment you finish an inspection. Permanence : Unlike covers, which get swapped, the...

  Nature and Health: A Lessons in Patience I was hoping to return with a more technical update this week, but sometimes life—and nature—has other plans. I am still in the process of recovering from the illness I mentioned in my last post. To be honest, I haven't been able to touch a single line of code or make any updates to the app this past week. My priority has been simply getting my strength back. 1. The Winter Silence The apiary is currently buried under a blanket of snow. In this sub-zero weather, the bees are in their winter cluster, and the hives are completely wrapped in thick insulation blankets to keep them alive. As you can see in the photo, the hives are inaccessible. These blankets will remain on until at least early March . Even if I were feeling 100%, physical field testing—like attaching NFC tags to the rear of the hives—is effectively on standby until the spring thaw. 2. The Ideal Spot vs. The Current Reality In my mind, I’ve already decided that the rear of the...

 A Sincere Apology for the Delay First, I want to apologize for missing my scheduled post last Wednesday. I’ve spent the past week battling a severe illness that kept me completely away from my computer. It was a tough reminder that health truly is wealth. I’m finally back on my feet and excited to share the next chapter of this project. Stay healthy, everyone! In this third installment, we dive into the "brain" of the app: NFC communication. I’ll also discuss a major architectural pivot I made mid-stream that completely changed the trajectory of the development. 1. Taming Android's Core: Intent and NFC Adapter While .NET MAUI provides a cross-platform framework, controlling hardware like NFC requires deep-diving into Android’s native APIs: NfcAdapter and Intent. The first hurdle was configuring the MainActivity to intercept the OnNewIntent broadcast whenever an NFC tag is detected. The goal was to make the app react instantly. Getting this "handshake" right, wh...

  Hello everyone, and welcome back. Last week, in Part 1, we explained why we chose NFC tags over handwritten notes or QR codes to withstand the harsh environment of the apiary (sticky gloves, dirt, and rain). Now that we have the hardware (NFC tags and a smartphone), the next question is software: "What exactly should we write on these tags?" Today, we dive into the Data Architecture . As a developer-turned-farmer, this is where I had to balance "Technical Perfection" with "Field Flexibility." 1. The Dilemma: "Storage" vs. "Key" When using NFC, there are two main ways to handle data. This was my first technical hurdle. Option A: Store Everything on the Tag (The USB Approach) We write the entire inspection history (dates, disease status, queen condition) directly into the NFC tag's memory. Pros: No internet connection needed. Cons: Data Loss Risk. If a tag gets damaged or the hive cover blows away in a typhoon, the history is go...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to A Beekeeper's Journal. The hives are quiet, but the keyboard in our farmhouse is louder than ever. Since there is no fieldwork to do in winter, the 'developer instincts' of our team (specifically, the husband!) have woken up. So, we are kicking off a new series: [Smart Beekeeping Dev Log] . In this series, we want to share our journey of attempting a full-scale 'Digital Transformation (DX)' of our apiary. Our first mission is building a Beekeeping Management System using NFC . Today, rather than diving straight into code, we want to share the "Why." Why did we choose NFC over QR codes or simple handwriting? And what does this mean for the future of beekeeping in Korea? 1. The Crisis of Korean Beekeeping: Data is the Key to Survival The beekeeping environment in South Korea is tougher than one might expect. While the density of beekeepers relative to the land area is high, the nectar sources are woefully insufficient , ...

Hello, everyone. It is December 24th, Christmas Eve here in Korea. Outside my window, the apiary is silent. The bees are tightly clustered together, keeping each other warm against the winter chill. Usually, I share stories about traditional farming or culture. But today, I simply want to send you a sweet greeting. In the photo, I am adding a generous squeeze of our honey to a warm cup of tea. Just like this convenient bottle makes it easy to add sweetness to life, I hope your holidays are filled with simple, easy joys. Starting this blog and sharing my stories about bees, Ondol, and Kimchi with you has been the highlight of my year. Thank you for following our journey. I am currently enjoying this warm Honey Tea and planning for the exciting projects coming next year—like our NFC system and Olive trees. Stay warm, and I will see you next Wednesday with more stories from the Korean countryside. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! From, Mr. Shin & Mrs. Pak (Gokseong, South Korea)