A whole new chapter for me in my still newbie beekeeping life:
A new apiary! I have just moved my four hives there. Excellent outlook with good sunshine, and surrounded by much that is really promising. It's on the estate of a stately home with orchard, woods with many nectar bearing trees, meadows full of wild flowers, formal gardens which has been planted for pollinators for the last twenty years, even spring water feeding a wetland area. A dream I do believe for the bees, and certainly for me going there to manage them. Wow!
I hope to have increase from a couple of the colonies as I have another new apiary site available to me from September. This venue is in the surrounding grounds of a Victorian walled garden which is a high-end nursery business and restaurant. They are planting a wildflower meadow with ponds and have been looking out for a friendly beekeeper to complete the picture and supply them with their own honey to sell on-site.
Am I dreaming??
And more still! A friend of mine has a friend with a hill farm who is asking for bees for his heather come mid August …
All this is the best retirement gift ever. I will do my best to rise to these opportunities with the best beekeeping practice for the sake of the bees.
