Heather 2021

[Curly green finger's]

The proper agitating machines are expensive.You would need a lot of hives on heather annually to justify cost unless you have money and space spare.Try scraping back to foundation and pressing.It works well.If you're dealing with too much heather honey annually then invest in better equipment

The plan is to take colonys to Heather every season most are static untill that point, this is the first real season I'm concentrating on the Heather.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can I ask what temp would be good for the extracting room. Hive temp 38c?

How long do you think a beekeeper would last working in a room at that temperature?!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Heather honey.
Colonys have capped three quarters of some supers since the 2nd of August.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Some frames almost there.

 

[Curly green finger's]

took these today.
The flow was good today, after reading and talking to folk the flow could last for a few weeks or days.. Ive also been reading a very good book recommended by @elainemary, brother Adams was saying in their that ling will produce nectar while young and at very low temperatures. And mainly southwards first... Interesting the flow has started on the south side of the hill.
Finding out some lovely things from this book, from some proper old school beekeepers.
Thanks Elaine what a book!!!!!!

Apologies I've split my post.
Another thing I took some honey of colonys near heath and I now know it is mixed bell, spring and summer honey dark and redish colour.
We had honey like it last year..you live and learn.
I know this because the children have had samples under the microscope.

 

[elainemary]

View attachment 27881took these today.
The flow was good today, after reading and talking to folk the flow could last for a few weeks or days.. Ive also been reading a very good book recommended by @elainemary, brother Adams was saying in their that ling will produce nectar while young and at very low temperatures. And mainly southwards first... Interesting the flow has started on the south side of the hill. View attachment 27882View attachment 27883View attachment 27884
Finding out some lovely things from this book, from some proper old school beekeepers.
Thanks Elaine what a book!!!!!!

Apologies I've split my post.
Another thing I took some honey of colonys near heath and I now know it is mixed bell, spring and summer honey dark and redish colour.
We had honey like it last year..you live and learn.
I know this because the children have had samples under the microscope.

In the first photo the hill in the distance has Heather but its English heritage.

I had a Nuc last year that I put a super extension on, bless them they brought in 2 frames of red bell Heather

 

[elainemary]

View attachment 27827
Heather honey.
Colonys have capped three quarters of some supers since the 2nd of August.

Just love the pure white cappings from Heather honey. Save them and make into show wax - it’ll win you prizes which you can add to your credentials as a bee farmer!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Heather flow on Friday last week

 

[Worker bee]

I see the pics and I'm thinking I'm getting a really good crop off this heather mine isn't as far along yet and they are piling it in. What a flow this year. My first heather harvest this year. Can't wait. It makes up for the crappy May I had. Rained for the whole month, probably why the heather is doing so well. All the bees got off the rape was pollen

 

[Bryang]

These photos are to show how the heather has grown back after the area was devastated by fires 3/4 years ago. My hives are within 1 km of it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

These photos are to show how the heather has grown back after the area was devastated by fires 3/4 years ago. My hives are within 1 km of it.

Beautiful.

 

[Curly green finger's]

These photos are to show how the heather has grown back after the area was devastated by fires 3/4 years ago. My hives are within 1 km of it.

The rosebay is looking good to

 

[Erichalfbee]

The rosebay is looking good to

It's not called fireweed for nothing

 

[Swarm]

What a transformation, last time I saw that mountain side it was devastated.

 

[Curly green finger's]

What a transformation, last time I saw that mountain side it was devastated.

Just goes to show Steve how Heather can regovanate and come back.
Im having the debate on a few heather sites about controlled burning but the plan is to graze instead.
Dedate what's best if the area was mowable I would suggest that instead. @jenkinsbrynmair do you know any more details about the heather that got cut and baled near you, I would be interested to find out more about it pls.
Or if anyone has any info I would be much appreciated.

 

[Curly green finger's]

It's not called fireweed for nothing

Done well this year I think?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Drove across the North Yorks moors on the A169 today on the way to a funeral. It made me smile to see a couple of apiaries sitting in the middle of perfect purple heather.

 

[Foxylad]

Just goes to show Steve how Heather can regovanate and come back.
Im having the debate on a few heather sites about controlled burning but the plan is to graze instead.
Dedate what's best if the area was mowable I would suggest that instead. @jenkinsbrynmair do you know any more details about the heather that got cut and baled near you, I would be interested to find out more about it pls.
Or if anyone has any info I would be much appreciated.

Most sites are grazed, low impact sheep and cattle. Should graze the grass in between helping the heather it reestablish in the gaps. To much grazing and the trample and eat the heather.

You can mow heather, but it’s difficult to mow close to the ground. Heather sites are full of stones and uneven ground. Leaving a woody mat, that doesn’t grow back with the vigour that burning achieves.

Cutting and bailing heather is used to regenerate heather in other places. Roll out the bail, wait for it to grow.

Burning heather has been done for centuries. Young heather grows more vigorous after a burn. It’s highly regulated in when, how much and where. I won’t go to much into the law. But the best heather sites are on grouse moors.

 

[Ian123]

There’s a small area near me that’s regularly cut. It comes back and flowers every year, in fact it looks really good. The regular cutting obviously keeps the invasive plants out.

 

[AndyTh]

Drove around some heather sites today, Blaenafon is is looking very disappointing.

Steve, not great at my heather site near Blaenavon either due, I think, to low rainfall in the critical month of July, which parched the heather that grows over the old spoil heaps. That leaves just the heather on undisturbed peat, which didn't look too bad around July 25th. But not expecting a great result this year.