Inventory - keeping track of stuff

[jd101k2000]

I am just coming up to my first year of keeping bees. I had bought plenty of equipment to cope with my colonies' wish to make increase, or so I thought. Bees are filling up hives and nuclei and supers and frames at a rate of knots. (I know, I should be thankful - I am.)

It has got to the stage where I do not know how much stuff I have. If it were all free, it would not be a problem, but it is expensive.

I have already fallen into the trap of having normal supers, DN1, DN4 and DN5 frames (well, their 14x12 equivalents)... and then having to get spacers for the DN1s. I could go on, but I already have!

Does anyone use a system (well-written spreadsheet or computer program or nicely printed sheets) to keep track of it all? Particularly with what to re-order.

 

[Cazza]

Nope, don't feel the need. It's either in the shed or in the apiary.
Every winter I check the number of unmade frames and wax sheets I have and order from there.
Cazza

 

[Swarm]

Nope, don't feel the need. It's either in the shed or in the apiary.
Every winter I check the number of unmade frames and wax sheets I have and order from there.
Cazza

 

[Worldsend]

Its amazing how quickly bee stuff grows and multiplies

Progressed from a shed to a garage and keep moving stuff,tidying up then having to move it again

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Keep your invoices in a file with your bee stuff. much simpler than having to transfer everything from one computer to another when the technology moves on or the computer breaks down.

 

[jd101k2000]

I've just built one new shed... was hoping to do things a bit more efficiently. Oh well!

 

[pargyle]

My problem (along with many others - people and problems !) is not counting it but hiding it .... if SWMBO thought I had so much that I had to have a spreadsheet to keep track of it the shoe and clothes industry share prices would go up like a rocket !!

In the garage at the weekend (it was raining - again) making frames up ... got in 'What have you been doing out there ?' 'Making frames up' ... 'I thought you only had one hive ... how MANY frames do you need ?' .... Stunned silence - Has she been reading my bee books ? Has she seen my bank statement ? Is there another beekeeper in her life ? Does she know more about bees than she's letting on ? Are there beekeeping magazines at the hairdressers ?

Worrying ....

 

[jd101k2000]

Pargyle - I have no problem with running two sets of books ;-)

Margaret Elisabeth - good idea.

 

[pargyle]

Pargyle - I have no problem with running two sets of books ;-)

Margaret Elisabeth - good idea.

Only safe place for my invoices would be inside the hive ... she'd never venture there !

 

[Heather]

I only log what I lend out. Helped a new lass with a swarm... she hadn't a second hive so had to shoot home for the necessary. BUT if I don't write that stuff down, I will forget what I lend.
But it does accumulate. Now have 2 sheds of stuff... and 'someone' keeps messing it up when searching for stuff!! Have to tidy each week.
Fortunately him indoors is very supportive... from a distance. I buy what I need with honey money. Broke even in 3rd year, and keep in profit now.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I buy what I need with honey money. Broke even in 3rd year, and keep in profit now.

For me the result was ... still broke, even in 3rd year.

Sometimes separate bank accounts are a good thing!

 

[Heather]

yes, separate account just for bees.. Like to see it grow. Keeps bouncing back to just £1000, bit of 2 forward -1 back.

 

[jd101k2000]

Well, last week I was the custodian of 2 colonies. Now I am the custodian of five.. and my second colony looks like it is just getting into swarm mode... I was just projecting what will happen to our finances if we keep them all. (Good in year 2)... and looking at all the equipment. Feels like 101 dalmations.

 

[REDWOOD]

What I intend doing this year is opening a separate bank account for bee stuff only see no evil speak no evil

 

[madasafish]

I have an annual beekeeping spend budget of £200.. and it is regularly underspent...

 

[jd101k2000]

That sounds like a sensible level. I think that, after this year, I should be able to keep it below £300, but will aim for £200 (not including honey pots).

 

[user 6228]

At the beggining of the AS season you need at least :

n*f*(1+e) sheets of brood foundation (AS procedures recommending a box of foundation)
n spare brood boxes (2*n total)(Most AS procedures need an extra brood box)
n*f available spare frames (new or recycled) (2*n*f total stock)


where :
n is the existing number of overwintered colonies
f is the number frames per brood box
e is the fraction of brood wax renewal you are doing (recommended at 0.33 by Dera) outside of AS then recombine.

 

[madasafish]

At the beggining of the AS season you need at least :

n*f*(1+e) sheets of brood foundation (AS procedures recommending a box of foundation)
n spare brood boxes (2*n total)(Most AS procedures need an extra brood box)
n*f available spare frames (new or recycled) (2*n*f total stock)


where :
n is the existing number of overwintered colonies
f is the number frames per brood box
e is the fraction of brood wax renewal you are doing (recommended at 0.33 by Dera) outside of AS then recombine.

Assuming you are not foundationless.

(A good scientist always states his assumptions

 

[user 6228]

Assuming you are not foundationless.

(A good scientist always states his assumptions

ok you got me on that one...
foundation or comb initiation/delineation items (wax strips, stirrer sticks etc..)

 

[busybee53]

I started off saving the same amount for my beekeeping as my other half spends on his fishing. Hives etc were birthday/Christmas presents. But honey can bring income (which his fishing does not) so I don't have to hide stuff. Simple to look at the stack of boxes to see what is there. The main principle seems to be that whatever you want is at the bottom of the pile.