BeeHive

Gardening to 'grow your own food' from square foot to half an acre !!
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

Samphire, eh? Used to live on the Isle of Sheppey, and it grows all over the place there - its truly stunning too!
Canterbury - you must at least near us here!
I reckon you should put some recipes and stuff on here, and tell people what to look out for, whats in season. I for one would be really interested.

The bees seem to have settled OK, but I had put the feeder on upside down! Our beekeeper mentor popped in today, to take a quick look at them. He said its a very small swarm, and the queen is quite young - she's barely bigger than the rest of the colony. So, looks like we wont get any honey this year, because they will be putting all of their energy into making more bees and getting their winter store.
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chickenofthewoods
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Post by chickenofthewoods »

We actually live up near Rochester (I think we must be under the influence of the magnetic effect of cathedrals or something) but the littlehall thing is a bushcraft meet in a private woodland so we all get to run around pretending to be Ray Mears (well, the boys do anyay!). I will probably do some bushcrafty wild food cooking type stuff depending on what I can rustle up while I'm out and about.

I'll have to get my thinking cap on for you for the seasonal thing, I'm always squirreling away recipes and snippets of info and have stack of reference books. Give me a day to sort it out and I can happily bore you to tears with my pet subject! :oops:

I don't think that having a young queen is a disadvantage really, you've probably got yourself some breathing (and learning) space that way - and it should give you plenty of time to prepare for when they do go into production.

I have to say I'm dead impressed with what you've been doing, it's really made me all the more keen to learn about it properly. I can't imagine anything more perfect in the circle of life than to nurture the bees who pollenate the plants and flowers that we grow. I'm sure that in general people don't appreciate just how important they are to, well everything really!

(f+
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

You're so right!! One in every 3 mouthfuls of food is, essentially, down to bee's adn the part they play in nature.

Kent has been hardest hit by the Varroa thing, and apparently farmers are crying out for Apiarists to put their hives on their land.

I'm not worried about a young queen, we can learn together! (f+
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Citrine
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Bee Diary 6

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Its now been a week since we homed the swarm, they seem to have settled and look to be staying put! Been feeding them on sugar syrup, which is an art in itself!! Getting the right quantities has been a bit of an adventure, and then the cooking of it without burning – well, lets just say I think I have the hang of it now!
Hubby rings me at work, to tell me we have a Nucleus ear marked for us. I'm not too sure what this is really, but our Mentor has it all planned - luckily, he's lending us the box, frames etc.
Now, this batch of busy bees is going to be queenless. Mentor says, the bees will make an emergency queen, then supercede her once she's got things going, ie laying eggs wise.
I didnt think bees could do that, make queens willy-nilly, but hey no, you live and learn!
Get home to find hubby installed himself up the top of the garden, with the bees. Seeing as he is terrified of Wasps, I'm pleasantly surprised as to how well he's taken to them. Think the BeeSuit gives him reassurance, he seems in his element!!
I havent really had a look-in with this little lot, but from what Hubby says, they seem a little more agressive than our swarm. Perhaps they didnt like his driving!!
Looking forward to Saturday, our first BeeKeeping meeting - hoping to learn absolutely loads, and meeting new people.
My Websites; http://www.tranquillitytherapies.co.uk
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

i am glad they have decided to stay as house guests.
Great that your OH is so interested as well.
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Moonpoppy
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Post by Moonpoppy »

Awwww Citrine, I get such a warm glow reading your bee updates ... I am so happy that things are going well and that hubby is really involved with the bees too.

Your mentor sounds wonderful (f+

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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

...and another swarm winging its way to us as we speak!!! Yeeehaa!!!!!!!!!! (f+
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

Wow...I know the bee lady of Kent.
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

...but thats a good thing, right? :oops:
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

Ooooh Yesss
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

Have had a lot going on with the Bee's this week, so will do an update at some point in the week - just to keep you informed! )t'
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

Bee Diary 7 ( 23 may)
:cry:
Ooops, my neighbour has been stalked and stung by one of the bee's. Our mentor seems to think its because they dont have a Queen. He is going to come and give (more!) advice. Saturday i cant wait for, will be asking loads of questions!!!
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Citrine
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Bee Diary 8

Post by Citrine »

So, we've been to the Beekeeping meeting - what a wonderful lot of people!!!
An even spread of ladies and gents, and ages from early 20's to 82!!!!
I got chatting to several people, a newbie like myself, well, she calls herself a newbie, but she's been coming to the meetings for a year, but hasnt got any bees.
Sometimes I wonder if we havent done things the 'wrong way round', but hey, its done, and we can only learn from experience!

Todays meeting is about checking and doing Swarm Control - this is where you inspect the hive for Queen Cells, and, depending on if you're keeping them or not, get rid of them or mark the top of the frame so you can keep an eye on her. This is crucial, as the idea is not to lose your honey stocks, and to make another hive.

After the demonstration, we all have a cuppa, cake and a raffle. Beginners luck, I win something - a pot of foot and ankle cream - ideal for my therapies!!!
We meet with the County Bee Inspector, and he books a date to come and see us. We also get asked by a student from Denmark, if she could come along and interview us about our bee's and our experiences so far. She is doing a Masters in Flora and Bee's and the effect one has on the other etc.

Its been an exciting afternoon, and now we wait for the Inspection from DEFRA!!!! :shock:
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Post by wendy »

Oooh more bee news.
How interesting all this is.
I would love to keep them. But don't want the honey.
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

Bee Diary 9 Friday 30th May 2008-06-11
So its D-Day today! The phone has been going mad, with people wanting swarms collected. Good job we’re on annual leave this week, we spent the whole morning chasing bee’s!
So, now we have swarm number two – that’s a 3rd hive. We only just make it home in time for the interview with the student!
She asks lots of questions, ie what got us interested, did our parents/grandparents/family keep bees, what do the neighbours think (..wont go there seeing as both of them have been stung!) etc etc.
She gives me a chart, and asks what kind of flowers I have in the garden, and when they flower. I have to fill this in for her – its like doing homework!!!
Then, the Bee Inspector arrives. We all don our outfits (except the student, she has no veil) and go and see the bees. First off is the hive which I call the ‘Bitey Bees’ (..yes they sting, but it fits better!), these are the ones without a queen as of yet, but they are making one. Bee Inspector says treatment for Varroa is needed, but not until the new queen is hatched and laying.
Inspects the other hives, and says that our first one is probably a Cast – this is a lot smaller than an actual swarm, and don’t usually survive. We may well meld the ‘Bitey Bees’ and the nice original bees together, then hopefully they will all benefit all round.
We invite both the guests in for tea and cake, but when we get in, the dog has decided to steal it off of the side and lob it on the lounge floor.
The added insult, was that he didn’t eat it!!!
Whilst Bee Inspector is making his notes, we and the student go and home our new swarm. Student get stung on side of head, even though we told her to stand well back! Once the swarm is housed, we make our way back to the house, and administer an anti-histamine tablet.
We wave goodbye to both guests, and start to investigate Varroa treatments…..
Entering the Nuc Box
Bees Entering the Nucleus Box
Housing the swarm

Hubby taking pics of bees
My Websites; http://www.tranquillitytherapies.co.uk
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