Never had colonys like it.

[Curly green finger's]

Morning I added a fifth super yesterday to give more space, I have never had colonys so big... Well there not even mine
Talk about hybrid vigar!
I have 9 colonys on the edge of hairy vetch 6 fields have been cut for winter forage and there are 2 left and they are being left for all flying insects on the regenerative organic estate.
I've already extracted 140kg and today I'm extracting again..
Ow... How I love my job!

Edit: I have put alot of work into this project and bee farming isn't easy it's a hell of a lot of work. But soooo... Rewarding.

I wanted to add colonys here were started from nucs and all foundation.

 

[The Poot]

Morning I added a fifth super yesterday to give more space, I have never had colonys so big... Well there not even mineView attachment 27368
Talk about hybrid vigar!
I have 9 colonys on the edge of hairy vetch 6 fields have been cut for winter forage and there are 2 left and they are being left for all flying insects on the regenerative organic estate.
I've already extracted 140kg and today I'm extracting again..
Ow... How I love my job!

Edit: I have put alot of work into this project and bee farming isn't easy it's a hell of a lot of work. But soooo... Rewarding.

I wanted to add colonys here were started from nucs and all foundation.

Good for you Curly
Three broods and five supers - proper old monster colony!
Im glad your efforts are being rewarded, well done.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Good for you Curly
Three broods and five supers - proper old monster colony!
Im glad your efforts are being rewarded, well done.

Thanks Mr Poot 5 day inspections, but not always going through colonys.
So quite intense, 26 colonys spread out over 2.500 acres and at 6 different apiarys.
The third brood is above the brood nest so a honey brood box and it was drawn out in 7 days.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The flow has been amazing countrywide, I think
It's great to have a good year after last year's miserable effort
I have a couple of colonies with potentially 200lbs of honey in one stack.....I say potentially
Nowhere near extraction though

 

[The Poot]

The flow has been amazing countrywide, I think
I have a couple of colonies with potentially 200lbs of honey in one stack.....I say potentially
Nowhere near extraction though

Such a difference to last year and after a delayed start this year. Funny old game isn't it?

 

[Curly green finger's]

The flow has been amazing countrywide, I think
I have a couple of colonies with potentially 200lbs of honey in one stack.....I say potentially
Nowhere near extraction though

It has been brilliant hasn't it so far, it makes up for last years wash out.
Even my own hives are producing on the Clee.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Such a difference to last year and after a delayed start this year. Funny old game isn't it?

Yeap indeed

 

[Erichalfbee]

Such a difference to last year and after a delayed start this year. Funny old game isn't it?

Well you know we don’t have a climate in the U.K. do we?

 

[Wilco]

Well you know we don’t have a climate in the U.K. do we?

Just weather!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yep

 

[Curly green finger's]

Talking of the weather its completely changed, didn't manage to extract all yesterday as I was jarring and extracting at the same time, extracting summer honey and jarring spring.... Dilemma! I'm supposed to be continuing extracting and inspections today but all are going to be in residence .
I think I'll be holding of.
Also I have virgins at home which emerged yesterday which need dealing with.
Thoughts?
The big colony in the photo had 90lbs in it loads still not capped.
Some of my demaree which are know reconfigured had 40lb+ in the brood boxes.
I have one colony on heath mynd which I was waiting to be mated.. Low and be hold she was under the hive and they had started to build comb and lay in it bugger!

 

[The Poot]

The MET Office reckon the hot weather will return in August, so you’ll be chasing your tail again then. You’ve certainly chosen a good year to start your new career.

 

[enrico]

Such a difference to last year and after a delayed start this year. Funny old game isn't it?

Last year was brilliant for me!this year may be even better if only they would cap the damn stuff!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Last year was brilliant for me!this year may be even better if only they would cap the damn stuff!

Have you tested any with your refractometer. I have some uncapped at 17%.

 

[oliver90owner]

Just weather!

At school, our geography teacher summed it up just about perfectly.

“We have a good climate, just lousy weather”

 

[Murox]

The MET Office reckon the hot weather will return in August, so you’ll be chasing your tail again then. You’ve certainly chosen a good year to start your new career.

Has your warm weather gone away then? still hot and very very dry here.

 

[The Poot]

Has your warm weather gone away then? still hot and very very dry here.

Yes - overcast but warm and very humid. Thunder and rain last night, much more forecast for tomorrow

 

[manek]

I'm clearly on a different planet. In this area, most beeks are struggling to find capped frames. I just put a second super on one (of three) colony because the first was filling with uncapped nectar, but I'd had a 20Kg harvest by end of May last year...

 

[BigAshW]

I'm clearly on a different planet. In this area, most beeks are struggling to find capped frames. I just put a second super on one (of three) colony because the first was filling with uncapped nectar, but I'd had a 20Kg harvest by end of May last year...

Not a huge amount in our hives either here in Essex. Put some extra supers on last week as they'd finally moved up into the bottom supers, will hope for a flow through August.

 

[Somerford]

Morning I added a fifth super yesterday to give more space, I have never had colonys so big... Well there not even mineView attachment 27368
Talk about hybrid vigar!
I have 9 colonys on the edge of hairy vetch 6 fields have been cut for winter forage and there are 2 left and they are being left for all flying insects on the regenerative organic estate.
I've already extracted 140kg and today I'm extracting again..
Ow... How I love my job!

Edit: I have put alot of work into this project and bee farming isn't easy it's a hell of a lot of work. But soooo... Rewarding.

I wanted to add colonys here were started from nucs and all foundation.

Do you have any photos of the Hairy Vetch in flower ? Where did the farmer source the seed from do you know ?

KR
S