Heather flow

[Trigger]

Is it right that HEATHER yields best at 900 to 1000ft above
see leval, is that right.

Trigger

 

[BKF Admin]

I have never asked her...

Sorry Heather

 

[Poly Hive]

You need young heather and that is on managed moors, ie grouse moors where the heather is burnt.

PH

 

[billy]

I have never asked her...

Sorry Heather

good one Admin.lol..:

 

[Trigger]

Heather at 1000ft

poly hive do you go to the heather with bees.

Trigger

 

[Poly Hive]

Not now but did for many years.

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

I was flicking through Simms "60 years with bee's" last night,he used to travel from Kent/Devon to Northumberland with his daughter for many years with hives for a heather crop.

 

[Poly Hive]

He did yes.

My problem is this. Time. Finding a good heather site is time consuming.

Fro good site here you are. First find a good well managed heather moor, then find an accessible, note that wee point carefully, and sheltered site, shelter is best notified by bracken and ferns. This preferably behind a locked gate.

Then find the owner and get permission and a deal set up. this is not, any of it a five minute affair.

Having achieved that then there is the matter of having suitable hives for the heather. They should ideally be full of brood, full of bees and as strong as you can make them with in the constraints of the hive type. there is a massive death rate on the heather, think spiders and go up in a dawn sometime to see the webs which on some moors virtually cover it!

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

I was not pointing out that you could travel to the moors PH.

You run a busy Hotel while Simms was a circuit judge who picked when he would work.

I was just shocked at the distance.

Is there something deeper than bee fever called "Heather fever" ?

 

[Poly Hive]

In my not so humble opinion I opine that Heather is the real test of beekeeping and heather comb honey the very finest item of all.

PH

 

[JCBrum]

.. heather comb honey the very finest item of all.
PH

It's very nice, true,

My personal favourite though is medium blossom or clover honey from the prior year, and which has set.

JC.

 

[Poly Hive]

You are missing the point though, its not the flavour per see, though I find heather far superior to blossom but the difficulty of getting it.

PH

 

[sherwood]

Depending where you are there are sites available. For instance the New forest in hampshire owned by the Forestry commission have numerous sites within their borders these are managed for them by the Hampshire BBKA contact them if you want to site bees there. The sites are all aproachable via locked and gated vehicular tracks. Had my bees down there last summer and managed to collect a crop.

 

[RoofTops]

The other problem with heather is some years are better than others, at least round here. 2007 and 2009 were useless on Dartmoor but 2008 was good. Guess which year I didn't take my bees there? In the useless years the colonies come back lighter than when they went and of course the timing is not ideal for using Apiguard as they don't return until about the first week of September.

 

[BKF Admin]

Are you having a go this year Rooftops ?

I am still not sure yet if I will, I have a permit for 2 hives in the New Forest.

I have one hive on a brood and a half that would do well as its full of young bees.

 

[Trigger]

Heather at 1000ft

Adam, is the new forest a 1000ft above see lavel.
i have hard that if you are not at best you will at best only get a feed, but if you are 900 to 1000ft it yields bast.
i what to no if that is right.

Hivemaker must no the answer.

Trigger.

 

[Loubee]

Heather advice

I'm 350 metres above sea level and half a mile from plentiful moorland heather. Our winter starts about 3 weeks before the rest of the county and lasts around 3 weeks longer. Is there any advice, specific to my sort of location, that I need to know - county bka and information books aren't really much help in my micro climate!!

 

[Poly Hive]

Well the first thing is where are you and have you read the rest of the thread re managed moor? Non grouse moor is pretty useless to be honest.

PH

 

[Loubee]

groused

Non-grouse moor I'm afraid!

 

[Poly Hive]

ah..........There is only one way to find out and that is let them have a go.

PH