New beekeeping pal

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Somerford

Queen Bee
***
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Messages
2,018
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571
Location
Wiltshire, Somerset, S Glos & S Oxfordshire
Hive Type
National
I thought I would share this...

...after talking to a beek at the recent glos auction, I gathered he lived with 5 miles of me and listening carefully to roughly where he said he was, I set out to find his house one evening and say hello.

I am always keen to make new beek pals as you can never have too much info, and there is always plenty to talk about. Also, it is nice to just keep en eye on how many hives there are in the vicinity in case of disease/sprays etc

(actually, within 3 miles of my own apiary, I estimate there to be 30 colonies and these are ones I know about!)

Anyway, back to the story..

He was pleased to see me and we had a good hour or so chatting about his bees, what he did and how he did it. He had over 15 colonies (a mix of commercials and nationals and 4 nucs) in his very overgrown garden and it was great to see them all busy coming and going in amongst the trees and wild weeds/flowers.

The upshot to all this is that he is getting on and talked about his struggle lifting etc after recent illness so I said I'd help out when I could, which was gratefully accepted. We also got onto queen rearing and he was keen to do some if I was (he has jenter and apideas) so a plan was formed ! :hurray:

All in all, it's not what you know but who you know and I look forward to a great beekeeping friendship.

Even though I am not a newbeek, it is great to share ideas and we can all be a little introspective at times.

regards

S
 
Well, to update - we did 4 hive inspections this afternoon - 3 Commercials (one of which was on a double BC) and 1 national. One hive queenless so popped a QC in from another hive on a frame in the hope they accept it, along with some day old eggs.

Amazing variation - one golden hive, so so prolific and each hive had about 1 super full already, compared with mine that have barely half just 2 miles away.

I managed not to get stung, although we did get some followers form the queenless hive. my pal Nigel got stung about 6 times on the hand through some rubber inspection gloves.

(He didn't seem to mind much)

All in all a great afternoon's beekeeping


oh......and the morning was spent at final interview and I have been offered the job !!

What a great day !!

S
 
Good News Somerford, Congratulations.

Happy Days
 
you are full of good news somerford

good luck with your new job. :0
 
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