Greetings from Canada

[B_north]

I guess I should introduce myself as I have posted a comment.

I am a new beekeeper who has been keeping bees for 2 years in Central Canada, in a very cold zone which is very different from most on this forum. But there are many bee practices and methods that are transferable around the globe. I currently have one Langstroth and 2 Ukrainian hives and of the two the Ukrainian are the easiest and most fun to work.

I joined simply because, IMO, discussing and learning from those who do things differently from me, and have new ways of looking at the same problem is both entertaining and challenges my grey matter.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Welcome B_north. It's great to hear of other's beekeeping. It really is extreme beekeeping. What sort of productive window do you have and what forage do your bees use mostly?
I don't know of Ukrainian hives....perhaps you can tell us more?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I found this

 

[Murox]

Hello and welcome to this forum. Do your hives have the narrower deeper frames shown in the video posted by Erichalfbee ?

 

[enrico]

Welcome. Hope you stay with us

 

[pargyle]

Yes Welcome - we are a pretty international forum these days ... not that many members outside the UK but enough to bring some interesting dimensions to the various discussions. As you say there is much synergy between beekeeping practices across the globe and some ideas and experiences in your location are often valuable food for thought elsewhere.

 

[B_north]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Our season is short but with that said once it starts there is almost continuous forage. I am nestled right up against the Boreal Forest in Central Saskatchewan, so although it is cattle and grain farming, it is also lakes and solid forest as far as the eye can see north of me. Copious dandelions and willow start the spring and the bush is full of wild raspberries, saskatoon berries, choke cherries, pin cherries hazelnuts, blue berries, strawberries etc.not to mention local sour cherry and plum U-pick farms. So forage is plentiful in spring and by early July the canola starts, followed by alfalfa and carries us thru till the fall flowers in mid August and the alfalfa blooms once again before frost. In our short season we don't get a second cut for our alfalfa hay, so the repeat blooming later in August is welcome forage for the bees.

The Ukrainian hive is as the above video suggests, although my frames are 330mmX460mm, takes 16 frames and it was made to accept Langstroth supers. The deep brood frames mean that once the supers are removed in fall the winter nest is on deep frames and remains intact when I need to treat for mites, or do other manipulations.

I am new, so my comments or methods are not something that others should follow, and with my type of weather the ability for bees to succumb in spring is high, so IMO my learning curve will be very long yet.

In beekeeping we do what works in our particular area, but I am finding out that sometimes the fact that it works does not mean that it is the only method. It is amazing how much I have learned from sites such as BIBBA, Michael Palmer, Ian Stepplar, Etienne Tardif, or the University of Guelph.

I am not sure I will have much to add to this forum, but I am sure there will be much to learn.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I am not sure I will have much to add to this forum, but I am sure there will be much to learn.

I hope you’ll have the opportunity for both. You have already had people hunting the internet for Ukrainian hives.
Your forage sounds remarkably great for your bees and for honey. What sort of bees do you keep?

 

[Swarm]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Our season is short but with that said once it starts there is almost continuous forage. I am nestled right up against the Boreal Forest in Central Saskatchewan, so although it is cattle and grain farming, it is also lakes and solid forest as far as the eye can see north of me. Copious dandelions and willow start the spring and the bush is full of wild raspberries, saskatoon berries, choke cherries, pin cherries hazelnuts, blue berries, strawberries etc.not to mention local sour cherry and plum U-pick farms. So forage is plentiful in spring and by early July the canola starts, followed by alfalfa and carries us thru till the fall flowers in mid August and the alfalfa blooms once again before frost. In our short season we don't get a second cut for our alfalfa hay, so the repeat blooming later in August is welcome forage for the bees.

The Ukrainian hive is as the above video suggests, although my frames are 330mmX460mm, takes 16 frames and it was made to accept Langstroth supers. The deep brood frames mean that once the supers are removed in fall the winter nest is on deep frames and remains intact when I need to treat for mites, or do other manipulations.

I am new, so my comments or methods are not something that others should follow, and with my type of weather the ability for bees to succumb in spring is high, so IMO my learning curve will be very long yet.

In beekeeping we do what works in our particular area, but I am finding out that sometimes the fact that it works does not mean that it is the only method. It is amazing how much I have learned from sites such as BIBBA, Michael Palmer, Ian Stepplar, Etienne Tardif, or the University of Guelph.

I am not sure I will have much to add to this forum, but I am sure there will be much to learn.

Been to B.C and Alberta, vast, open space is the lasting memory, way too many people here.
Make sure to keep us up to date as your season progresses.

 

[user 819]

B.north your contributions will impart some aspects of beekeeping that we may not know about unless finnie pipes up as having been there done that.
Being about 120 years old he tends to be use to teach the sucking of eggs expertly.