- Joined
- Aug 4, 2011
- Messages
- 2,597
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Levenshulme, Manchester UK
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 2 - and steward of 8 others.
I blame the Forum, of course.
Interfering do-gooders, dispensing "good" advice without thought of the consequences.
So I decide to keep bees in my garden. To spend the odd hour in my declining years. Fine. Happy with that decision.
Then some of you on the Forum start a long thread about how undesirable that is.
"What if it goes wrong?" they say. "What if they get feisty or the neighbours complain? You have to have an 'out apiary' prepared," they say. (Sigh) "Ok", says I; "I'll look for one".
Happens to coincide with a trip round unvisited parts of the Cathedral, where I'm licensed. Including the roof.... High up, massive size, totally secure, away from everyone, lots of city gardens, parks, canal and railway verges...... "Hmmm," says I, "Might be ok in an emergency..."
So I email the Dean; he takes it to the Chapter (the committee that runs the Cathedral). They approve of it. They more than approve of it. They decide the Cathedral really must have it's own apiary. And guess who's got to organise it? So, a week later, I'm on the Cathedral roof with a working party of 8, including the Cathedral architect and his mate, the Volunteer Coordinator, the Head Verger, manager of the cathedral shop - and, crucially for me, the apiary manager from the BKA who promised to baby-sit this newbie - drawing up a feasibility study. Will the hive damage the roof? You can't alter the fabric (such as drilling holes in pillars for strapping, because you'd need a Faculty (don't ask, just don't). Let's put up a webcam. What if volunteers look over the parapets? Etc. etc. etc. Which you-know-who has to write up, together with a risk assessment (you know the sort of thing: any danger to low flying angels; bees being affected by incense from below...)
I hand the report to Chapter. The Chapter is ecstatic - lots of good theology and civic brownie points here. The Dean more so - honey for his daily porridge. They approve enthusiastically! They can find some funding........ but ......
"You must have it up and running in 8 weeks (before a major festival/campaign about the greening of the city)" "And, it will be a developing project, using Cathedral Volunteers, training them up in beekeeping."
Aaaarrrrgggghhh!!!!
Ok. Let's not panic.
Get a good price for a bespoke hive from Peak Hives - but it's a 6 week delay!
Get a promise of a very docile nuc. from a top rated supplier - in 6 weeks or so!
Contact Sherriff's bee wear - to see if they have and 'seconds' they'll sell cheaply. The answer: "Not really......but we have some gear - suit, jackets, smokers and a load of other stuff - which we will donate to you."
Incredible! How utterly generous! Thanks, Sherriff! Angela - you're an angel!
Get together all that list if stuff you need.... and wait, and wait.......
The hive is ready - only just in time - despite Nic at Peak Hives having to manage a domestic crisis at the same time. (Thanks a million, Nic. Brilliant service, as always)
A volunteer does the old linseed oil/beeswax job whilst I'm away on hols.
The Apiary Manager gets and hosts the nuc whilst I'm away.
All going well, then.
Have you ever tried to get a beehive, a garden storage container and loads of gear, up a narrow, dark, spiral stone staircase? No? Well, you should try it.
Those damned things got up there (thanks, heroic vergers) - but they ain't coming down again - not in my time they're not!
Anyhow, that's how, yesterday, the BKA apiary manager and I, were up on Manchester Cathedral roof, in the rain, installing a nuc. into a lovely new hive! (Thanks a million, Lena. Can't do it without your enthusiastic support.)
All I need to do now, is spend the rest of my life developing an Apiary, high up on the roof of a Cathedral, train volunteers, learn how to process honey on a minor commercial way, fund-raise for 3 more hives........
And my declining years, meant to be spent enjoying myself, given over to beekeeping.
One hive. That's all it was meant to be. One hive in my garden.
Then you lot had to step in with your well-meaning advice.
Thanks a lot, buddies!
(Acually, thanks a lot, buddies.)
Dusty.
Canon Apiarist.
Interfering do-gooders, dispensing "good" advice without thought of the consequences.
So I decide to keep bees in my garden. To spend the odd hour in my declining years. Fine. Happy with that decision.
Then some of you on the Forum start a long thread about how undesirable that is.
"What if it goes wrong?" they say. "What if they get feisty or the neighbours complain? You have to have an 'out apiary' prepared," they say. (Sigh) "Ok", says I; "I'll look for one".
Happens to coincide with a trip round unvisited parts of the Cathedral, where I'm licensed. Including the roof.... High up, massive size, totally secure, away from everyone, lots of city gardens, parks, canal and railway verges...... "Hmmm," says I, "Might be ok in an emergency..."
So I email the Dean; he takes it to the Chapter (the committee that runs the Cathedral). They approve of it. They more than approve of it. They decide the Cathedral really must have it's own apiary. And guess who's got to organise it? So, a week later, I'm on the Cathedral roof with a working party of 8, including the Cathedral architect and his mate, the Volunteer Coordinator, the Head Verger, manager of the cathedral shop - and, crucially for me, the apiary manager from the BKA who promised to baby-sit this newbie - drawing up a feasibility study. Will the hive damage the roof? You can't alter the fabric (such as drilling holes in pillars for strapping, because you'd need a Faculty (don't ask, just don't). Let's put up a webcam. What if volunteers look over the parapets? Etc. etc. etc. Which you-know-who has to write up, together with a risk assessment (you know the sort of thing: any danger to low flying angels; bees being affected by incense from below...)
I hand the report to Chapter. The Chapter is ecstatic - lots of good theology and civic brownie points here. The Dean more so - honey for his daily porridge. They approve enthusiastically! They can find some funding........ but ......
"You must have it up and running in 8 weeks (before a major festival/campaign about the greening of the city)" "And, it will be a developing project, using Cathedral Volunteers, training them up in beekeeping."
Aaaarrrrgggghhh!!!!
Ok. Let's not panic.
Get a good price for a bespoke hive from Peak Hives - but it's a 6 week delay!
Get a promise of a very docile nuc. from a top rated supplier - in 6 weeks or so!
Contact Sherriff's bee wear - to see if they have and 'seconds' they'll sell cheaply. The answer: "Not really......but we have some gear - suit, jackets, smokers and a load of other stuff - which we will donate to you."
Incredible! How utterly generous! Thanks, Sherriff! Angela - you're an angel!
Get together all that list if stuff you need.... and wait, and wait.......
The hive is ready - only just in time - despite Nic at Peak Hives having to manage a domestic crisis at the same time. (Thanks a million, Nic. Brilliant service, as always)
A volunteer does the old linseed oil/beeswax job whilst I'm away on hols.
The Apiary Manager gets and hosts the nuc whilst I'm away.
All going well, then.
Have you ever tried to get a beehive, a garden storage container and loads of gear, up a narrow, dark, spiral stone staircase? No? Well, you should try it.
Those damned things got up there (thanks, heroic vergers) - but they ain't coming down again - not in my time they're not!
Anyhow, that's how, yesterday, the BKA apiary manager and I, were up on Manchester Cathedral roof, in the rain, installing a nuc. into a lovely new hive! (Thanks a million, Lena. Can't do it without your enthusiastic support.)
All I need to do now, is spend the rest of my life developing an Apiary, high up on the roof of a Cathedral, train volunteers, learn how to process honey on a minor commercial way, fund-raise for 3 more hives........
And my declining years, meant to be spent enjoying myself, given over to beekeeping.
One hive. That's all it was meant to be. One hive in my garden.
Then you lot had to step in with your well-meaning advice.
Thanks a lot, buddies!
(Acually, thanks a lot, buddies.)
Dusty.
Canon Apiarist.
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