New Apiary

[RoofTops]

Spent a little time this morning strimming a space for a hive stand in a new apiary in a little orchard. I know you are not supposed to be able to tell how good a site is until you put bees on it but I will be surprised if this is not a good place. It is a few hundred yards above the Avon valley in South Devon, facing east so gets the sun in the morning. There is a lot of Himalayean Balsam by the river and a great variety of trees in the woods. Lots of brambles too, one small field a few yards away is almost totally overgrown with brambles plus all the rest in the hedges.

Access is good, there is track just behind the stone wall against which the hive stand has been placed and a gate the other side of the holly tree.

I put up the hive stand on the most level bit of ground but needed a few rocks to level it - which seems to be the only real drawback with the site - most of it is steeply sloping but I suppose this also means it is not a frost pocket.

Will take some more piccys later when the colonies are installed later this week.

 

[nottingham]

The new apiary site looks really nice. A big part of beekeeping to me, is finding a lovely place not just for the bees but for the keeper too. It looks like you are going to enjoy yourself there. If it were me keeping bee on that site the wife wouldn't see much of me lol.
I keep my bees in an apple orchard and they seem to love it.

 

[drstitson]

have you whipped out your dowsing rods to check that the exact placement is correct?

 

[johnandyrob]

Sounds like a good location. Nice hive stand do make or have them made for you or are they commercially available
Regards J.A.R

 

[grizzly]

A big part of beekeeping to me, is finding a lovely place not just for the bees but for the keeper too.

I agree entirely. A little bit of extra thought and sometimes luck can make all the difference.

Hope it turns out to be as you expect Rooftops, it certainly looks nice.

 

[RoofTops]

have you whipped out your dowsing rods to check that the exact placement is correct?

Drat, I'll probably have to move the hive stand now - but it is next to a Holly tree - I am sure that is significant!

 

[RoofTops]

Nice hive stand do make or have them made for you or are they commercially available
Regards J.A.R

This stand was originally made for sale but the legs were expensive. I may need to learn to weld and make them myself. Any one know if half inch round steel can be welded with a cheap MIG welder?

 

[fredbloggs]

How did you cut the railway line?

 

[Mike a]

This stand was originally made for sale but the legs were expensive. I may need to learn to weld and make them myself. Any one know if half inch round steel can be welded with a cheap MIG welder?

John are you going to use that stand for your poly's or use two more cross beams to support all the legs, or just have the hives back to back?

 

[psafloyd]

This stand was originally made for sale but the legs were expensive. I may need to learn to weld and make them myself. Any one know if half inch round steel can be welded with a cheap MIG welder?

You should be able weld it as long as it isn't stainless. What's the design?

 

[drstitson]

"but it is next to a Holly tree - I am sure that is significant!"

sorry can't help there - have read and passed on the forum copy of John Harding book!!!!

 

[RoofTops]

How did you cut the railway line?

Beeching had already taken away the line. It used to run down the Avon valley to Kingsbridge - it was called the Primrose Line although the South Devon Steam railway at Buckfastleigh have now stolen the name! There is some good walking along parts of it although it gets a bit popular and muddy in parts.

John are you going to use that stand for your poly's or use two more cross beams to support all the legs, or just have the hives back to back?

Back to back, with entrances facing away from other. But one of the new colonies will probably be in a nuc - which needs a couple of short bits of 3 * 1 to support them.

You should be able weld it as long as it isn't stainless. What's the design?

They are just half inch round bar made into a shape a bit like Rugby goal posts but with 2 horizontal bars. You can get MIG sets for doing repairs on cars but I am not sure if they have the power to do round bars as they are meant for thin sheet.

"but it is next to a Holly tree - I am sure that is significant!"

sorry can't help there - have read and passed on the forum copy of John Harding book!!!!

A wise move.

 

[PaleoPerson]

They are just half inch round bar made into a shape a bit like Rugby goal posts but with 2 horizontal bars. You can get MIG sets for doing repairs on cars but I am not sure if they have the power to do round bars as they are meant for thin sheet.

.

Should be ok to weld if the ends are cut square as this will give a big gap between the end of the bar and the round that you are welding to.

 

[Poly Hive]

I keep a very cheap compass in the car for checking prospective sites.

PH

 

[RoofTops]

Rooftops,

Just a bit concerned that with all the information you've given, supported by photos of the prospective site, that you could be making your hives an easy target for thieves.

Always a risk but I think I am OK. Can't give any more details as I don't want to pin point the site too much but there are other factors which should ensure the hives are secure. They are not in the middle of nowhere, despite my description.

 

[peterbees]

Looks good to me. If there's sycamore in the woods you should get some early honey, and the apple trees will certainly benefit from bees nearby.

 

[RoofTops]

I have been a bit slow getting the two colonies out to this new apiary, but they were installed this morning. One is full sized the other an overwintered nuc. Both have standard Langstroth frames but I am doing a Baily frame change on both to get them onto Dadant Shallow frames, which is the way all my colonies are going this year. The nuc will probably go into a full sized hive soon although I might add another super first to build them up. Just a question of seeing how they get on.

 

[Mike a]

Very nice RT. Hope its a great site for you and them.