Comments on: To bee http://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/ Bumbling toward self-sufficiency in the wilds of Cape Cod Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:03:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Greg Smarthttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-4584 Greg Smart Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:35:20 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-4584 Hi Tamar I thought I might give you an update on my bees. Last mid April my one & only hive swarmed several times at least 6 that I observed. Twice they went back to their hive. Four times I caught the swarms & combined them into one hive #2. Hive number two has required 9 yes, nine medium 6 5/8" supers for honey storage. About mid July I thought hive #2 could use more honey storage space so I started extracting honey so that I might give them more empty supers as nine where all that I had on hand, also all nine of the supers I gave them were new i.e. new foundation, wooden supers & frames. As of today I have extracted five 5 medium supers for a total of 9+ gallons or about 110 lbs. of honey. And I have another 2-3 supers yet to extract in addition to anything more the bees have refilled in the five supers I had already extracted. Rather amazing amount of honey for the bees to make & in such a short time! Also I use (as per Ormond Aebi's my beekeeping teacher's design) only ONE, yes, 1 full depth brood chamber & a queen excluder. I certainly am awed by what these bees have done & only since mid April. Rather hard to believe & I have watched the bees do it all. REJOICE! as Ormond would say. Hope you are having as good a time with your bees as I am. Bee Well, Greg Hi Tamar
I thought I might give you an update on my bees. Last mid April my one & only hive swarmed several times at least 6 that I observed. Twice they went back to their hive. Four times I caught the swarms & combined them into one hive #2. Hive number two has required 9 yes, nine medium 6 5/8″ supers for honey storage. About mid July I thought hive #2 could use more honey storage space so I started extracting honey so that I might give them more empty supers as nine where all that I had on hand, also all nine of the supers I gave them were new i.e. new foundation, wooden supers & frames. As of today I have extracted five 5 medium supers for a total of 9+ gallons or about 110 lbs. of honey. And I have another 2-3 supers yet to extract in addition to anything more the bees have refilled in the five supers I had already extracted.
Rather amazing amount of honey for the bees to make & in such a short time! Also I use (as per Ormond Aebi’s my beekeeping teacher’s design) only ONE, yes, 1 full depth brood chamber & a queen excluder. I certainly am awed by what these bees have done & only since mid April. Rather hard to believe & I have watched the bees do it all. REJOICE! as Ormond would say.
Hope you are having as good a time with your bees as I am. Bee Well, Greg

]]> By: Bee day — Starving off the Landhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3676 Bee day — Starving off the Land Sun, 16 May 2010 13:44:07 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3676 [...] ofBee day May 16, 2010 By Tamar Leave a CommentFour months ago, we made the decision to get two hives of honeybees, and ordered all our equipment and the two packages of bees. Three months ago, the equipment came, [...] [...] ofBee day May 16, 2010 By Tamar Leave a CommentFour months ago, we made the decision to get two hives of honeybees, and ordered all our equipment and the two packages of bees. Three months ago, the equipment came, [...]

]]> By: Soapyhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3352 Soapy Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:49:07 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3352 Another great source fo r info and chat is<a href="http://www.beesource.com." target="_blank">www.beesource.com.</a> I use the forums for questions and research along with the "Build It Yourself" link for woodworking plans. You will also find lots of references and links to the Bush site. Good luck Another great source fo r info and chat ishttp://www.beesource.com. I use the forums for questions and research along with the "Build It Yourself" link for woodworking plans. You will also find lots of references and links to the Bush site. Good luck

]]> By: Soapyhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3351 Soapy Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:43:54 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3351 I am a third year beekeeper. One point, when you crush comb you are destroying a very valuable assset in the hive. Once extracted, the comb can be put back into the hive and the bees do not have to make new comb. Their energy can go towards making habitat for egg/larvae and honey cells. I only know this because I made did what you are proposing my first year and then understood the importance of drawn comb my second year. I am a third year beekeeper. One point, when you crush comb you are destroying a very valuable assset in the hive. Once extracted, the comb can be put back into the hive and the bees do not have to make new comb. Their energy can go towards making habitat for egg/larvae and honey cells. I only know this because I made did what you are proposing my first year and then understood the importance of drawn comb my second year.

]]> By: Rodneyhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3253 Rodney Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:19:38 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3253 Believe me I understand the frustration of sorting through all the opinions and Information. The best I can tell from everything I've read so far is that if you ask 5 different Beekeepers their opinion on a subject related to beekeeping expect to get 10 different answers, lol, and none of them is entirely right or wrong, just all different and each with usefull tidbits. With these little live critters there are a million and one variables, and ultimately it will be the buzzing ladies who decide the final direction. All we can do as "Beeks" is to lend them a hand in doing their job. Believe me I understand the frustration of sorting through all the opinions and Information. The best I can tell from everything I’ve read so far is that if you ask 5 different Beekeepers their opinion on a subject related to beekeeping expect to get 10 different answers, lol, and none of them is entirely right or wrong, just all different and each with usefull tidbits. With these little live critters there are a million and one variables, and ultimately it will be the buzzing ladies who decide the final direction. All we can do as “Beeks” is to lend them a hand in doing their job.

]]> By: Tamarhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3250 Tamar Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:57:20 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3250 Rodney -- Thanks for a great reference. I spent some time on the Bush Farms site, and I think he makes a compelling case for several things -- foundationless frames among them. Naturally, I'm reading all this as our completed hives sit outside awaiting our bees, so most of our decisions are already made, but there's always next hive. Good luck with your new hives. I hope you'll keep me posted on how you do.Bruce -- Thanks for yet another excellent reference. You gotta love Imirie. The trouble, though, is that there are so many different opinions out in the beekeeping world. Rodney sent me to read a guy who pumps for foundationless frames, and then I read Imirie, who uses plastic foundation. This is my first foray into bees, and I'm finding it very hard to sort through it all. Rodney — Thanks for a great reference. I spent some time on the Bush Farms site, and I think he makes a compelling case for several things — foundationless frames among them. Naturally, I’m reading all this as our completed hives sit outside awaiting our bees, so most of our decisions are already made, but there’s always next hive. Good luck with your new hives. I hope you’ll keep me posted on how you do.

Bruce — Thanks for yet another excellent reference. You gotta love Imirie. The trouble, though, is that there are so many different opinions out in the beekeeping world. Rodney sent me to read a guy who pumps for foundationless frames, and then I read Imirie, who uses plastic foundation. This is my first foray into bees, and I’m finding it very hard to sort through it all.

]]> By: Bruce Eickmeyerhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3248 Bruce Eickmeyer Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:47:20 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3248 Anyone interested in keeping bees should read the late, great George Imirie"s pink pages. Anyone interested in keeping bees should read the late, great George Imirie”s pink pages.

]]> By: Rodneyhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3243 Rodney Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:16:07 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3243 Hi, my name is Rodney, I too am starting beekeeping this year. One resource that I have spent days and days reading over is a little website by a fellow in Eastern Nebraska named Michael Bush. I'm not sure of the exact time frame but Michael has been a beekeeper for over 30 years. Initially he spent a lot of time and money worrying about what most beekeepers worry about, the moths, the mites,the mice, the diseases etc. However over the years he began to do "less" work with the bees, and allowed the bees to do more for themselves. He also did a lot of observing (he suggests investing in or building an observation hive early on) On his site at http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm he describes a lot of what he has seen and how he manages bees. I won't go into it all but a few things that are notable and that i'm going to try this year are top entrances and natural bee cell size through foundationless frames. In his experience he says that these things have reduced and at times removed most of his beekeeping problems including the mites, the mice, the moths etc. Just thought i'd share this at the very least you may enjoy the reading as much as I have.Rodney Hi, my name is Rodney, I too am starting beekeeping this year. One resource that I have spent days and days reading over is a little website by a fellow in Eastern Nebraska named Michael Bush. I’m not sure of the exact time frame but Michael has been a beekeeper for over 30 years. Initially he spent a lot of time and money worrying about what most beekeepers worry about, the moths, the mites,the mice, the diseases etc. However over the years he began to do “less” work with the bees, and allowed the bees to do more for themselves. He also did a lot of observing (he suggests investing in or building an observation hive early on) On his site at http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm he describes a lot of what he has seen and how he manages bees. I won’t go into it all but a few things that are notable and that i’m going to try this year are top entrances and natural bee cell size through foundationless frames. In his experience he says that these things have reduced and at times removed most of his beekeeping problems including the mites, the mice, the moths etc. Just thought i’d share this at the very least you may enjoy the reading as much as I have.

Rodney

]]> By: Tamarhttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3222 Tamar Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:53:55 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3222 Greg -- I'm glad you told me about your experience with Apiguard. Varroa mites seem to be the bane of beekeepers everywhere. We do have screened bottom boards -- I think they're becoming the industry standard -- but I know we're still going to have to be vigilant. As for the protective garb, I'm sure your right. The people who don't use it are the people who don't worry about getting stung, not the people who don't believe they're going to be stung. Thanks for the references and the enthusiasm! Greg — I’m glad you told me about your experience with Apiguard. Varroa mites seem to be the bane of beekeepers everywhere. We do have screened bottom boards — I think they’re becoming the industry standard — but I know we’re still going to have to be vigilant. As for the protective garb, I’m sure your right. The people who don’t use it are the people who don’t worry about getting stung, not the people who don’t believe they’re going to be stung. Thanks for the references and the enthusiasm!

]]> By: Greghttp://www.starvingofftheland.com/2010/01/20/to-bee/comment-page-1/#comment-3219 Greg Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:00:09 +0000 http://www.starvingofftheland.com/?p=2422#comment-3219 Hi Tamar, I would like to mention another book I found recently from Dadant & Sons. As Ormond & Harry's books are probably hard to come by since they have passed away. It is "Natural Beekeeping Organic Approaches to Modern beekeeping" by Ross Conrad who lives in Vermont. This book is also an wealth of knowledge with an Organic approach. Which is much needed these days in my opinion. Also I have recently started a new hive (last May) & have had good results with treating for Varroa Mites with "Apiguard" a essential-oil-based treatment of Thymol gel. In addition to using SCREENED bottom boards which Ross Conrad explains in his book. Here is a link to the web site of University of Florida which has allot of good information about mites & how to treat for them on video's. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/honeybee/extension/index.shtmlP.S. Bees can be worked without veil, gloves & bee suits & without being stung. Believe it or not. I learned how from Ormond & Harry Aebi. I have been doing it for 40 years. But I cannot say I have never been stung. And I would recommend a beginner us them.Best wishes to you, Greg Hi Tamar,
I would like to mention another book I found recently from Dadant & Sons. As Ormond & Harry’s books are probably hard to come by since they have passed away. It is “Natural Beekeeping Organic Approaches to Modern beekeeping” by Ross Conrad who lives in Vermont.
This book is also an wealth of knowledge with an Organic approach. Which is much needed these days in my opinion. Also I have recently started a new hive (last May) & have had good results with treating for Varroa Mites with “Apiguard” a essential-oil-based treatment of Thymol gel. In addition to using SCREENED bottom boards which Ross Conrad explains in his book.
Here is a link to the web site of University of Florida which has allot of good information about mites & how to treat for them on video’s.
http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/honeybee/extension/index.shtml

P.S. Bees can be worked without veil, gloves & bee suits & without being stung. Believe it or not.
I learned how from Ormond & Harry Aebi. I have been doing it for 40 years. But I cannot say I have never been stung. And I would recommend a beginner us them.

Best wishes to you, Greg

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