2009 Plans

[Markbee]

My plans for 2009!

Get my 4 hives though winter, then expand through AS spilts with the aim to sell on as many nuc/ hives as possible.

This year, starting with just 3 hives I managed expand to 10 and sold 6.

Honey is a minor secondary issue.

Some may view this as exploting the situation by selling, but there is a price on anything and the more people that get bees the better the chnace for the bees survival and public awarness.

Look at what HFW and Jamie Oliver have done for chickes! Just about everyone now wants chickens.

 

[VEG]

Me I want to get my 1 hive through the winter and want to expand to 5/6 hives next year.

 

[grizzly]

I think we will all be keeping our fingers crossed that our bees get through the winter, whenever winter decides to start that is. !!

Again i am the same, i want to increase my hive count, i have three full and two empty, i was quite surprised at how time consuming it is with just three, so dont think i will go over 6 in 2009. (no Admin i wont place a bet on that).

I want to learn about splitting, and do it well, so all the colonys grow strong and are in good health, Honey will be a bonus, but not essential.

Strong emphasis on learning through practical work for me.

 

[Markbee]

You are quite right sweetums I found 10 hives this year my limit, as I work full time.

Hence my reason for "spreading the joy" of beekeeping.

I met some great people who bought hives/nucs from me, and I am still in touch with them, so it can be that bad.

 

[Widdershins]

Sweetums, thats a very good attitude to have - we're hoping for the same in regards to practical learning.

Enzyme - blimey, 10 hives? How long did a 'typical' inspection take with all those? (...seeing as its a Hobby )

 

[Frisbee]

I would like to get my 3 hives safely through the winter, and then requeen 2 of them in the spring.

I have plans for setting up a couple of bait hives at farms that I visit or are local to me. I had a bait hive this year in my field hoping to catch any potential swarm of my own which I failed to spot in time, that fortunately didn't happen and the only thing I caught in the bait hive was after the roof blew off in a gale my chickens discovered it and started laying eggs in it

After that I hope to be organised enough to get some honey

I've learnt so much this past two years and would like to be able to apply it and gain some produce

I would also like to dig a plot for growing some vegetables. . . . but that's not much to do with honey and bees so I'll shut up

 

[Markbee]

.

Enzyme - blimey, 10 hives? How long did a 'typical' inspection take with all those? (...seeing as its a Hobby )

In the hight of the season I was spending approx 3 - 4 hrs per week on inspections.

I was counting down the days and hives until they went, it was hard work.

But it payed well

 

[trinderinc]

I was almost wiped out by winter 07/08 but managed to raise 3 nucs from my one surviving colony and have just put 4 strong well fed colonies to bed for the winter. Hopefully they will all get through the winter. My priority for 2009 is to make up at least 4 nucs to hold queens in reserve and to increase if possible - Oh and a honey surplus would be nice too.
Regards Mike
PS Newbee on this forum but have managed to keep my bees happy and productive for 29 years in 5 different counties in the UK and now in France.

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Trinderic welcome to the forum,its always nice to read that someone has managed to rebuild with ones own stock rather than having to buy in.

Did you breed your own queens for the nucs?

 

[Mosquito]

I only have room for 2 hives.
So next year I join them both together and split them later in the year.
I seem I get over 100lb of honey this way.

 

[BKF Admin]

I only have room for 2 hives.
So next year I join them both together and split them later in the year.
I seem I get over 100lb of honey this way.

So you use 2 brood boxes?
Do you have a good nectar source nearby?

 

[Mosquito]

So you use 2 brood boxes?
Do you have a good nectar source nearby?

No I have a commercial hives.
So cut them back down to 1 brood box.
It is also a good way or replacing the comb in 1 brood box every year.

I live in the middle of town, lots of garden around.
Also have some farms just over 2 miles away.

 

[Finman]

.
I have not much plans. Perhaps something but they will be changed according time's flow. Years go with routine.

I have too many hives and perhaps 3 are too aggressive. I kill the queens and join them to other hives. It is best way to eliminate their drones from genepool.

Those angry hives have Monticola blood. I see it from bees' color.

I am not sure what is my apiary genepool: swarming, disease sensitiveness ...

2 years have been so exceptional: rain, rain and rain.

.

 

[Markbee]

Thats a good plan mozzie.

No point starting off with 2 week hives when 1 strong hive will develop much faster.

 

[Polyanwood]

1. I want to have less vicious bees so we can use the garden and the neighbours don't hate us.

2. I want more honey... I am envious of you Mozzie!

3. I want to learn to clip queens and succeed at swarm control

And I had thought that I wanted more colonies... but writing down this list is good... makes me realise that if I can do 1. and 3. perhaps 2. is just a bonus.

 

[BKF Admin]

Polyanwood do you plan to replace Queens in the spring?

Hivemaker is the one to help us regards swarm control

 

[Polyanwood]

I would like to try to replace the queens again...have tried several times now... spent a lot of money on it.

Feel a bit squirmy about buying in foreign queens now....but on the other hand, i can't afford the garden to be sting city again this year. The irony is, that it is hardest to find the queen in the most stinging colonies.

I will try again to requeen the worst ones.

 

[BKF Admin]

Does anyone in the uk breed Queens that are suitable for Gardens though?

 

[Polyanwood]

Nobody so far has admitted to it if they do breed queens in the Uk suitable for gardens. Definitely a gap in the market. Maybe someone will PM me! I live in hope.

 

[BKF Admin]

I am looking to have a forum list of Queen breeders for uk and Europe if members want one,it would also be good to have a suppliers list for bees,hives equipment etc.

Maybe something that people could give good and bad comments as feedback without a username?