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Good afternoon, Dear Reader. I trust you are well and that you are ready and prepared for the beekeeping season ahead of us. As I write, a third AH queen has been found - this time in Lancashire of all places. Who knows if it overwintered, or was an 'immigrant' having hitched a lift in with a...

Well, who;d have thought it ?! Ireland out - gutsy performance but not enough in the tank - Sexton looked an old man in the final 15 mins he should have been subbed France out - wow what a game but the depth of strength on the SA bench is awe inspiring. England through - against a tough Fijian...

Well, dear reader, it's been another interesting season thus far... A cold winter led to much additional fondant feeding in the early spring, leading to a strong spring flow on the oilseed, there followed 9 weeks of poor weather in June and July that really held back the development of the many...

Anyone (BFA members obviously) heading north to Berwick on Tweed tomorrow for the AGM and visit to Chain Bridge Honey Farm on Wednesday ? Say hello if you are - I’ll be at the meal tomorrow night

Just to inform all members of the forum that we have taken the decision to cancel the Somerford Bee Auction on Monday 1st May. After receiving a very low number of lots it seems extremely risky to proceed with it this time and not knowing how many could turn up on the day we have decided to...

So after a bit of deliberation myself and a bee buddy are looking to run a Bee & Equipment Auction on Monday 1st May 2023. We are in the final stages of setting up and a Facebook page will be available soon. Location : The Show Field Great Somerford Nr...

FYI Maisemore have a 2 day sale online only this weekend - probably to counter the Bee Show at Stoneleigh which they aren't at...some healthy discounts Best buy Poly now as a little bird tells me that Poly prices are going up in March....! KR S

Good morning Dear Reader, Blink and you'd miss it. January has come and gone in a flash. After a cold start, it then turned wet in these parts with a lot of flooding locally, and now cold but largely dry days on the horizon for the next two weeks or so. Temperatures around average for the time...

Just putting feelers out there would there be any interest in nearly new 14x12 cedar brood chambers and new boxes of 14x12 frames in packs of 10 (first quality) ? PM me or reply below

For various reasons the GBKA auction will not be going ahead in May 2023

Well, Dear Reader, It's been an interesting year hasn't it ? I've actually paused proceedings in the world of beekeeping for a few weeks while I celebrate Christmas and New Year with my boys here, which involves eating a lot of popcorn, fajitas, visits to Ten Pin Bowling and, who could resist...

Anyone else heading to Thornes Stockbridge for their annual bunfight, sorry, calm organised sale ?

Good morrow Dear Reader. I hope the sun has risen with you and your hay rick is rat free, your cow is managing to keep producing milk from her one remaining udder from the dried straw you've been feeding her over the 'driest summer since '76' and your well hasn't run dry just yet. Why the...

I often have the radio on when labelling but today had the tv on in the background and enjoyed watching a few episodes of Tales of the Unexpected in Sky Arts….amazing to think these are over 40 years old yet the suspense is as fresh as when it was first written. I was allowed to watch some of...

Dear reader This blog entry comes with a READERS WARNING that it might turn your stomach ever so slightly. It discusses items of a health nature. If you wish, turn back now. So it seems I'm fast becoming a liability. Two years ago it was a broken hand that put paid to 8 weeks of beekeeping...

Well Dear Reader, It's almost the longest day and all downhill from there on in as the earth spins on it's axis, wobbles, sneezes, and tips the northern hemisphere into the long slog to Autumn. I often wonder what it's like keeping bees in warmer climes where they have 8-9 months of flows, and...

It's interesting to find that even multiple weather forecasts can get it wrong these days. Rain was forecast for tomorrow, much of the day before a heatwave begins on Thursday...however I woke to a drizzly misty start and it's only now just beginning to dry up. Still, the Purple Tansy and...

So a summary of the GBKA auction on Sat 7th May 2022 at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Glos The 2nd time I've been to the auction at this location (it used to be at the Cheltenham Racecourse) and this time in a different hall and outside lots too. I think I'll begin with a moan...

Well dear reader, A long story but I am currently signed off work for the time being. A lot going on which has brought on work related stress of the kind I would never believed I would ever have suffered from in the past. Luckily I have a good GP who I managed to see face to face and hopefully...

A shame the Meon Valley Bee auction clashes with the GBKA auction on the 7th May….they don’t usually chose the same weekend ! KR S