Animals
This is an exciting time of year for us. We are presently taking a bee keeping course to increase our knowledge and ready ourselves for full time beekeeping. Our brother-in-law Mike has up to this point been the beekeeper with help from us for special tasks like honey harvest, winterizing, etc. This Spring Mike will be handing over the smoker and I will be taking the full time beekeeper position as my own. To our already established 5 hives, I am adding an additional 5 hives.
Today I am ordering the hive bodies and supers. I am seriously considering using a smaller hive which will be easier for me to lift. It is called an English Garden Hive and it is an 8 frame medium hive. It is also adorable, with its copper roof. This picture is not mine....but it shows what it will look like.
- Beekeeping 101
I have spent the better part of this year preparing to become our full time beekeeper. I have attended several seminars and webinars, also. What I have learned is this....for as many beekeepers as there are, there are just as many opinions on how best...
- Adventures In Beekeeping
Imagine this....you are driving down the interstate in your Honda Element with at least 100 loose bees buzzing around the inside of the vehicle. Scary? Not really. Yesterday I drove about an hour and a half to an apiary. After attending a seminar on Sustainable...
- Hive Inspection
Yesterday was a beautiful, warm, sunny day....a perfect day to work the bees. In the late afternoon, I suited up, put fuel in the smoker and set off to inspect my 5 older hives. Opening the lids and removing the top boards I was happy to see my colonies...
- Honey Snacks
It has been a long cold winter here in PA. Jack and I have spent the past several weeks taking an evening beekeeping class at our local community college. We have learned a lot and I feel confident that I am ready to take over as beekeeper. Yesterday...
- Honey Harvest...the Process
Mike and Bev....ready to go to work on the hives. The proper attire is a must for this job. Thanks to these great suits we handled several hives (and hundreds of thousands of bees) with no stings! Mike getting ready to "smoke" the bees. The smoke has...
Animals
Looking Forward to Spring
This is an exciting time of year for us. We are presently taking a bee keeping course to increase our knowledge and ready ourselves for full time beekeeping. Our brother-in-law Mike has up to this point been the beekeeper with help from us for special tasks like honey harvest, winterizing, etc. This Spring Mike will be handing over the smoker and I will be taking the full time beekeeper position as my own. To our already established 5 hives, I am adding an additional 5 hives.
Today I am ordering the hive bodies and supers. I am seriously considering using a smaller hive which will be easier for me to lift. It is called an English Garden Hive and it is an 8 frame medium hive. It is also adorable, with its copper roof. This picture is not mine....but it shows what it will look like.
I ordered 5 Nucs from Bjorn Apiaries. These are already established colonies with their own queen that come with 5 frames of brood....so this type of colony grows quickly and can produce honey its' first season.
Now we have to keep our fingers crossed that the weather conditions for the summer cooperate with us for optimal honey production.
- Beekeeping 101
I have spent the better part of this year preparing to become our full time beekeeper. I have attended several seminars and webinars, also. What I have learned is this....for as many beekeepers as there are, there are just as many opinions on how best...
- Adventures In Beekeeping
Imagine this....you are driving down the interstate in your Honda Element with at least 100 loose bees buzzing around the inside of the vehicle. Scary? Not really. Yesterday I drove about an hour and a half to an apiary. After attending a seminar on Sustainable...
- Hive Inspection
Yesterday was a beautiful, warm, sunny day....a perfect day to work the bees. In the late afternoon, I suited up, put fuel in the smoker and set off to inspect my 5 older hives. Opening the lids and removing the top boards I was happy to see my colonies...
- Honey Snacks
It has been a long cold winter here in PA. Jack and I have spent the past several weeks taking an evening beekeeping class at our local community college. We have learned a lot and I feel confident that I am ready to take over as beekeeper. Yesterday...
- Honey Harvest...the Process
Mike and Bev....ready to go to work on the hives. The proper attire is a must for this job. Thanks to these great suits we handled several hives (and hundreds of thousands of bees) with no stings! Mike getting ready to "smoke" the bees. The smoke has...