Dear Reader
Well I must be chastised - over a month since I last posted...but my excuse is the bees and for those who have more than 10 hives (and I know some of you have many many more) then you know how time seems to just slip through your hands when the bees start their summer build up.
Since I last wrote, I've extracted well over 25 supers of (mostly) OSR - melting about 10 supers worth in the Api Melter as it had solidified. A good yield from the hives I expected to do well as they were full colonies heading into the winter of 2016.
Not that any were right next to OSR - most had to travel a fair bit but I didn't have the time to move them to alongside the crops (where I suspect the yields would have been even larger).
In anticipation of further hive expansion, I asked around a few areas and have a couple of new Apiary sites near Malmesbury - just in the area I wanted some. Between them they will hold up to 30 colonies in 2018, and are surrounded by unimproved grassland with plenty of hedgerows and white clover.
Having checked around half of my colonies last week they are clearly finding nectar nearby which suggests the much-lauded June Gap is not as marked and in previous years - bramble is out in force, as is white clover and one new apiary is beside a stand of around 40 Lime trees. Having never taken lime honey before it will be interesting to see if they find these and also if the Lime yields as it can be a bit hit and miss according to writings I have seen,
I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when a skip full of heavy weight timber was being filled by Network Rail...it was all destined for recycling and I was given free reign to help myself. A few trips later and I was able to acquire some very thick larch posts that are 120cm by 15cm - ideal for some hive stands I am making.
Honey orders have been strong with a single order of 200 coming in last week along with a few from regulars.
This weekend will see a visit to Maisemore to collect 5 wbc hives destined for a local garden to be managed by me (and paid for by them) so happy days all around. However I have opted for 14x12 brood chambers as I've seen more swarming preparation from the small wbc brood chambers than in any other.
Hope the bees are doing well where you are and the nectar is yielding strongly
KR
Somerford
Well I must be chastised - over a month since I last posted...but my excuse is the bees and for those who have more than 10 hives (and I know some of you have many many more) then you know how time seems to just slip through your hands when the bees start their summer build up.
Since I last wrote, I've extracted well over 25 supers of (mostly) OSR - melting about 10 supers worth in the Api Melter as it had solidified. A good yield from the hives I expected to do well as they were full colonies heading into the winter of 2016.
Not that any were right next to OSR - most had to travel a fair bit but I didn't have the time to move them to alongside the crops (where I suspect the yields would have been even larger).
In anticipation of further hive expansion, I asked around a few areas and have a couple of new Apiary sites near Malmesbury - just in the area I wanted some. Between them they will hold up to 30 colonies in 2018, and are surrounded by unimproved grassland with plenty of hedgerows and white clover.
Having checked around half of my colonies last week they are clearly finding nectar nearby which suggests the much-lauded June Gap is not as marked and in previous years - bramble is out in force, as is white clover and one new apiary is beside a stand of around 40 Lime trees. Having never taken lime honey before it will be interesting to see if they find these and also if the Lime yields as it can be a bit hit and miss according to writings I have seen,
I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when a skip full of heavy weight timber was being filled by Network Rail...it was all destined for recycling and I was given free reign to help myself. A few trips later and I was able to acquire some very thick larch posts that are 120cm by 15cm - ideal for some hive stands I am making.
Honey orders have been strong with a single order of 200 coming in last week along with a few from regulars.
This weekend will see a visit to Maisemore to collect 5 wbc hives destined for a local garden to be managed by me (and paid for by them) so happy days all around. However I have opted for 14x12 brood chambers as I've seen more swarming preparation from the small wbc brood chambers than in any other.
Hope the bees are doing well where you are and the nectar is yielding strongly
KR
Somerford
