Allotment

[mystil]

Hello Guys
We are planning at the moment to put put 2 hives on our allotment plot (if we get premission).

What are peoples ideas on this?

Im assuming someone has done this before.

Cheers

 

[psafloyd]

Hello Guys
We are planning at the moment to put put 2 hives on our allotment plot (if we get premission).

What are peoples ideas on this?

Im assuming someone has done this before.

Cheers

I have mine on the allotment and so far, so good. One suspected sting of a neighbour and I will be putting up a little screening, but we'll see.
Want to create an apiary on a nearby allotment site, but that requires a little time and a lot of work with a brush cutter...

 

[Moggs]

Mystil. I have just installed a hive on our plot. Nothing but support from fellow allotmenteers. I have chosen to screen the hive(s) with a six feet larchlap fence as this will keep the bees up and away. I have kept the immediate neighbours informed of what they can expect. I have also double checked public liability insurance!

 

[psafloyd]

Mystil. I have just installed a hive on our plot. Nothing but support from fellow allotmenteers. I have chosen to screen the hive(s) with a six feet larchlap fence as this will keep the bees up and away. I have kept the immediate neighbours informed of what they can expect. I have also double checked public liability insurance!

If you are a BBKA member, you will have insurance, anyway. It is amazing how even though they can go anywhere they want without the screens, theyntend to head straight up an helicopter in when returning.

 

[tonybloke]

make sure you have an alternative site available if the bees turn aggressive.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i have just pulled out of a community teaching apiary set up on an allotment because i thought their set up was too risky,

http://alexandra.mycouncillor.org.uk/2011/04/20/haringey-teaching-apiary-buzzing-at-launch/ i am the one in the bee suit not the beekeeper with the beard

you had to walk infront of the hives to get to the training shed to put on your suit, the hives were south facing across the short side of the plot going over a path with a 3ft fence that threw the bees up into you neck ( or eyes of kids), allotment holders had to walk passed the hive to get water from a tank the bees used as awater sourcee

so look at the plot, look at paths, look at flight paths, look how they will get water, do you need a 6ft fence in front to throw them high ( wattle looks good but expensive)

i would put their flight path over the longest part of the plot with the back of the hive towards any path, you may get better honey if it faces south but often you need to compromise if on an allotment even to the extent of not opening up hives on weekend

and be prepare to kill them if they suddendly follow over long distances

 

[onriver]

Mystil - I had 3 hives on our allotment last year, with huge amounts of support from other allotmenteers and the neighbours which evaporated as soon as there were problems. We had a week of swarming and, I think, 1 person stung which resulted in a complaint to the allotment officer who, despite offers of support and good will, gave a 7 day notice to remove the bees. I'm still a little bitter as it seemed that all concerned were outwardly supportive but the moment things got difficult the shutters went down. Not helped, I think in retrospect by our wellmeaning requests to people to keep their distance as it created more anxiety.
If you can persuade your neighbours to deal with bees through the tricky bits as well as the good ones it could be a huge success but it might be worth remembering that any child chased by a wasp in future will now be your fault........

 

[MuswellMetro]

Mystil - but it might be worth remembering that any child chased by a wasp in future will now be your fault........

yes, i was asked to put a hive on an allotment and got a great deal of support but a few very negative rants

not having a colony to split that year i place an old hive blocked up on the plot which was prominent as it was painted white

two people got stung by bees from my empty hive, one was one of the objectors

why should i invest £500 in hive bees and sugar just to get abused

i embarrassed him by dressing up in full PPE and had the committe looking on at a distance to show how calm the bees were, then showed it was an empty hive, got in my car and never went back

 

[Brian Bush]

Hi. I have had 2 hives on the allotment for several years. Most people have been enthusiastic and supportive.
Last night, however, I moved them to my out apiary. I could no longer stand the incessant moaning of one person. I know of 2 other beekeepers in the vicinity, and have supspicions of another couple. There were 5 prime swarms in 3 days last week. I pointed out to everyone that I could not be responsible for them all as I only had the 2 hives, but I got the blame for all swarms. I have always done my best to limit this issue and I have put my hands up to 1 swarm, even after they were artificially swarmed the previous week. (cunning little devils!!). You can have the support of 99% of your neighbours but it only needs one 'rotten apple' to make life difficult. In some cases explanation and eduction cannot overcome blind predjudice.
I wish you the very best of luck

 

[mystil]

Thank you guys for your views. We are going to a meeting to try to get permission from the committee in the next few months. We have already said we will be putting them as far from other plots as we can with large screening (maybe a shed aswell).

I like the idea of adding an empty hive to our plot to get people used to the "bees" being there. MuswellMetro, I would have loved to have been there to see their faces when you opened up the hive!

We have one person who has voiced objections on our allotment. My other halfs brother owns some land about 45mins away and is very happy to have bees on his plot. Unfortunately it is too far for us to travel every week but as an emergency apairy it would be ideal (with abit of work) so that is our back up plan if the allotment falls through, but we are also looking at other options aswell. Im sure there is land around us where we could find a permanently site through our local Assoc.

 

[Dishmop]

I bet if you put a hive in a shed on an allotment, nobody would know they were there... Hole in the roof or a tube like an observation hive.

I was at a place in Waltham Abbey (Gunpowder Mills) on Sunday and was watching bees going thro a broken window in an old wooden building ....Quite a steady stream of them so I assume there was a colony inside. Lots of people were standing nearby but because the window hole was quite high up, nobody noticed... If there had been a hive....they would probably have kept well clear......

 

[louiseww]

Hello Guys
We are planning at the moment to put put 2 hives on our allotment plot (if we get premission).

What are peoples ideas on this?

Im assuming someone has done this before.

Cheers

We have an allotment and it is the only livestock allowed - we have considered this and decided that screens/hedges etc are needed around the hive to screen from view and also ensure the bees come in high and down. Good luck and let us know how it goes
Louise

 

[oliver90owner]

I bet if you put a hive in a shed on an allotment, nobody would know

....until they swarm or similar.

The friend where I picked up the two casts this last week said he had a swarm arrive. Bees were actually in the wall, entering past his security cammera, and were swarming out. Obviously been there some time, but he noticed them eventually!

A shed with an apparent 'lawn mower revving up' inside it, on a warm, still, summer evening could be a give-away too, as could orientating bees unless the shed were surrounded by or backed onto trees or similar.

But I would agree most might miss seing them for some time before being found out.

RAB

 

[mexbigshow]

i have a hive on my allotment, didn't ask for permission and no one complains lol i bet if certain people knew they'd complain, you can't escape bees on an allotment i counted at least 30 bumbles on my raspberries yesterday, and last year i had the best apples n pears n tomatoes which was probably down to my bees

 

[RoseCottage]

Firstly, I wish you good luck whatever you choose to do

In my opinion, at some time or other our bees will cause issues. Maybe for just a few short weeks but they will.

If they lose their queen, if they supersede to a less friendly queen, if they swarm (although this is usually an issue of perception), or if they become slightly mote defensive at the end of a good forage period.

It is then that problems can begin. You will need to be able to spot their change, act fast, and have a plan to minimise their negative behaviour to be able to keep your neighbours onside.

If you can contain them, perhaps be able to temporarily move them until they are back to normal, then you should be fine.

Obviously many beekeepers keep bees on allotments but it depends on so much local influence - size of plots, positioning of hives, maturity and awareness of other allotment owners, nature of bees, beekeepers, etc.

Personally, I probably would default to avoidance as I prefer others not to be able to interfere in my hobby and its year plan. I had to move my hives because someone else felt they were a problem. I couldn't persuade them to a more rounded view and the move came at a difficult time for the bees. Their original problem persists and my bees had a poor winter as a result of the change but hopefully they are alright now.

Another approach could be to run some basic beekeeping sessions with other members of the allotment. Most people will be interested and this will give you the chance to create an empathy between your bees and your neighbours. It will also allow you, once they are enjoying their experience of bees, to explain their behaviours when requeening etc. You don't need to do more than go through the BB and get them to remove a frame or two, spot a hatching bee, spot the queen, etc and to tell them a few facts of bee life.

Early engagement can by a lot of goodwill which may give you time if the bees turn tetchy to test and refine your management plan.


I wish you good luck,
Sam

 

[hedgerow pete]

i have bees at my allotment and have done for years.
to stop all the agro i installled to bright white wbc hives in full view for a summer. and when i recieved eight complant from one guy via the council and i showed the council girl they were empty and he was an ***** he shut up and stopped barking at me.

i did ask the other holders if it was ok, all 97 of them and they loved it.
always have a bolt hole you can transfer bees to quickly for a few days before moving them else where, i can take mine home and then to some where else,

the down side is that i am now responsible for every single flying and crawling insect for the whole of the middlands. i was TOLD by one new plot holder to come to his plot and remove MY SWARM or the council will be called immediatly, i duly went to said plot to him a collection of 5 bumble bees on his buddlia bush.

just because you can," DO NOT EVER THINK THAT ANYONE KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WASP, BUMBLE BEE, HORNET, FLY, GNAT OR HONEY BEE" you will be blamed for all of them 10 times over

but apart from that my experience is 90% positive

 

[Polyanwood]

I think it is a mistake to put your bees on an allotment if you are a novice beekeeper, because you will struggle to prevent swarms and also there is more risk that you won't be aware to spot early signs of the bees' temperament worsening. Then if the plot holders get fed up, and you will have blown it for yourself and anyone else who wants to keep bees on that site.

If you do go for it, it is good to try to keep the other plot holders sweet. I give plot holders small jars of honey in the Autumn. I give the ones that give me veg big jars of honey. I have had to explain about the bees taking water when they water and I show anyone interested through the hives. Although they say that their crops, especailly their fruit crops are better since the bees have been there, I get the feeling that a few plot holders would be glad to see the back of me.

 

[Gardenbees]

It's nice having bees in both allotments and gardens if you can get away with it. However, if you want to install large, honey-productive colonies then in a season like this it will be a challenge to avoid swarms, and cast (secondary) swarms as well. If you keep the swarms, then there's the issue of potentially stroppy new queens as well, and either temporary or permanently bad-tempered bees. Whilst they're preparing to swarm they may be defensive and irritable - when very overcrowded my normally-excellent bees were quite out of character and chased me away for a couple of days, then settled down perfectly well. But they sometimes develop chasing and following habits on a more permanent basis, which is very hard to deal with if other people are about. In my experience people's goodwill towards trouble-free bees is approx. one thousand times as much as their goodwill towards difficult ones! So you would need a Plan B.

If you have a choice of sites, why not try a halfway house approach and get some bee experience elsewhere first, then use the allotment (assuming it's reasonably secure from theft and vandalism) for keeping nucs? The smaller colonies are MOSTLY gentler, easier to inspect and much easier to move. Plus, having an extra place away from the main apiary is useful if you have several colonies that need splitting up in spring. Just a thought.

 

[BeeNice]

Hi everyone, I think I am lucky I have a hive on my allotment, I'm lucky because all our allotments have hedges all around each one. I have also hidden them (sort of) with pallets. I also put a screen in front of the hives so that when I'm moving around the 'guards' are not bothered. Everyone has been supportive and when I've had visiting swarms from other hives from the surrounding area, I just get a call and everyone is interested in whats going on in the hives. Educate your fellow allotment holders and I have found they repond in like. But people and what they are and no matter what you do someone will moan, I'm planning to grow just dandielions all over the allotment next year, lets see how that goes down!!!! (joke).
regards
Steven

 

[fredbloggs]

I fully support the cautious approach. You will hear tales of success and woe but the bottom line is the circumstances that apply to you and your allotment site.

Bee-keeping is supposed to be a relaxing, stress-free pastime (yes Yes I know, I know )

Having your fellow allotmenters railing against you would be tough enough if you were a fully experienced Beek. There are occasions where Bees kept at home have caused a domestic dispute such that it can put you off your hobby. You should consider that should it all go wrong, you might sour your allotmenting as well as your bee-keeping. Not a good double?

When you have a couple of seasons experience, I would consider it again but make sure that you have the support of the allotment land-owner (council if it is a public one) and a written agreement. You might have a council sponser this year but that person leaves next year to be replaced by an "anti". One clause you could put in the agreement would be an evacuation plan. You should not be called upon to clear out in 7 days just because someone(emphasis on the one) made a complaint of an unattributed sting.

I think Polyandwoods advice is spot on. You need a lot more groundwork before you dive in in order to make the exercise a longer term proposition.

I would like to keep bees on my site but somebody has already beaten me to it and very successful he is too!

Regards

FB