What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jeff33]

What type of tractor do you have Jeff .
I hope it's a fergy.....

Not mine unfortunately, its the farmer's next door. It has been on my Xmas list for a few years but my other half has sensibly suggested that I should buy some land to have use of a tractor

 

[Curly green fingers]

...don't forget Harris.

Yep as I said Massey and Ferguson British and American combination

 

[Hivemaker.]

Canadian originally.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Canadian originally.

Well you learn something new every day .I've been meaning to get the books out on how they got together I'll ask my father for them .
Speak to you again HM .

 

[Hivemaker.]

You could read about it here....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massey_Ferguson


Massey-Harris Becomes Massey-Ferguson....https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/machines_05.html

 

[Stiffy]

Checked all hives and Nucs.
Couple of Nucs needing some fondant but all looking good, one hive was extremely busy, so I had a closer look. A 14x12 which had a super of stores is now stuffed full of bees. Queen obviously hasn't stopped laying and I will need to keep an eye on it early spring.
S

 

[For want of a better word]

Thinking of one of these.. to cope with all the honey expected from the imported bees now bursting the 14 x 12 boxes to the seams!

https://www.drivespark.com/four-wheelers/.../ferrari-tractors-escorts-india-004289.html

Nos da

 

[Anduril]

Thinking of one of these.. to cope with all the honey expected from the imported bees now bursting the 14 x 12 boxes to the seams!

https://www.drivespark.com/four-wheelers/.../ferrari-tractors-escorts-india-004289.html

Nos da

Your New Zealand bees must be very acclimatised by now.

 

[mbc]

Not really in the apiary but spent the morning popping pigeons on the osr fields the bees will be going to in a month or two, #keepingthefarmershappy

 

[Stedic]

Quick visit today after the strong winds yesterday. Didn't open the hives but wanted to check they were all upright and watertight before the expected sleet tomorrow afternoon. Everything seemed alright.

Need to move woodpecker netting and check fondant in the next few days, suspect a couple will need topping up. Quite a lot of catkins out and about. I reckon the hedges are starting to green up a little too. Might just be wishful thinking though!

 

[philipm]

Working in the shed today cutting side bars and top bars .

 

[Goran]

Losses are increasing around, and beeks already asking for colonies to buy.. Seems this season I will be able to sell some colonies.. One beek told me, couple beeks already were pulling his sleeve to ask is there someone to sell colonies.. What a difference than last season.. Old say: " One man's loss is another man's gain ".
I was already in mode of extreme swarm control rereading the books, talking with smarter than me ( Dzierzon, Demaree, modifications, combinations).
Now I feel relieved and will return back to my queens.. And continue practice as I always did, cause will have enough time..

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Cleared the snow from blocking the entrances.

 

[Goran]

Today made some fondants.. Tomorrow first fondants as stimulus more than necessity.. Or as some would say wake up call.. Talked with some beeks today again, they lost almost all they had.. If I have no money, at least bees are plenty.. I will look to help them in spring with bees..

The snow is gone, southern wind is terrorizing the whole day.. Expecting some rain, snow Sunday/Monday..

 

[Millet]

Had to fix a stock fence today..luckily it was still held together with barbed wire otherwise the four hives in this spot would have been destroyed by two thick horses..double barb on it now so that should stop them smashing through it in the future..

 

[oliver90owner]

Had to fix a stock fence today..luckily it was still held together with barbed wire otherwise the four hives in this spot would have been destroyed by two thick horses..double barb on it now so that should stop them smashing through it in the future..

One wonders why most places with horses would never ever use barbed wire around the paddocks. They obviously think about it and the possible outcomes of such fences. Others don’t think and/or don’t care.

 

[Hivemaker.]

One wonders why most places with horses would never ever use barbed wire around the paddocks. They obviously think about it and the possible outcomes of such fences. Others don’t think and/or don’t care.

Have hives in a few horse paddocks, the owners will only allow post and rail fences, no barbed wire at all.

 

[Eyeman]

Have hives in a few horse paddocks, the owners will only allow post and rail fences, no barbed wire at all.

Same here.
Some horse owners can get a bit twitchy when then know there's bees near by. Almost got some hives on an animal sanctuary until the move was vetoed by a horse owner who used a field for winter pasture.

 

[Millet]

One wonders why most places with horses would never ever use barbed wire around the paddocks. They obviously think about it and the possible outcomes of such fences. Others don’t think and/or don’t care.

On this particular spot 50% of the fencing is destroyed by the horses scratching there back end on the fences and snapping the rails and posts..the same damage is also caused by the horses leaning on the top rail for the grass/weeds on the other side resulting in more damage..a line of barb wire on the top rail to stop them scratching and a line of barb above to stop them leaning over would save the fencing..but then you get them saying the horses coats will get ripped on the barb..imo it is cheaper to stick a bit of duct tape over a hole in a coat than constantly having to repair 10 acres of fencing every year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Have hives in a few horse paddocks, the owners will only allow post and rail fences, no barbed wire at all.

Apart from my uncle who has barbed wire - but then again, his horses are so valuable they're not allowed out in the fields!!