What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Curly green finger's]

Those are NT wicks from 4candles. I'll double check but think the tests resulted in broadly similar results although I ended up using the NT27 (or 29) for regular foundation and NT20 for the cut comb variant. NT17 worked fine too. Maisemore foundation.

Thanks for sharing the info

 

[almostBees]

Two other reflections...
We did the same event last year and only had about 5 people wanting to pay cash, the big majority still in credit card mode. This year it was probably 50% people paying with cash from their wallet/purse (and taking cash change) so quite a big change in peoples attitude.

We used to have taster jars - and as an association we would have as many as eight jars lined up for people to taste (white plastic coffee stirrers that we could wash and re-use next event - but no double-dipping), we didnt have the idea of having a supermarket jar. That came to a grinding halt with the pandemic, and we're thinking about whether we should go back to it - though where the stirrers are is anyone's guess.

 

[Beegarden]

Two other reflections...
We did the same event last year and only had about 5 people wanting to pay cash, the big majority still in credit card mode. This year it was probably 50% people paying with cash from their wallet/purse (and taking cash change) so quite a big change in peoples attitude.

We used to have taster jars - and as an association we would have as many as eight jars lined up for people to taste (white plastic coffee stirrers that we could wash and re-use next event - but no double-dipping), we didnt have the idea of having a supermarket jar. That came to a grinding halt with the pandemic, and we're thinking about whether we should go back to it - though where the stirrers are is anyone's guess.

I am always amazed at the reaction of people when they taste non-supermarket honey. They can't believe the depth of flavour. I was helping a couple of friends at a Christmas market over the weekend (mine is gone) and people were buying three jars at a discounted price. (£7.50 for 12 oz or 3 for £20). This also creates interest and people 'lurk' longer at the stall. It also gave us a chance to give leaflets re the AS and show specimens in acrylic.

 

[Aneebe]

Spent a lovely few days playing with candle moulds and jarring up a small remaining bucket of OSR honey which the good folk of Co Antrim have been asking for. It does sell out very quickly and the requests keep coming so good to know should we get a repeat crop next year. Candle wise the abelo tree is popular as is the little owl which from memory was an Internet cheapie. Yes, I know it's fiddly and time consuming but great fun with an audio book on the go. I STILL want to know what the "honey scent" is that was added to the big basket of skep candles on sale in a local garden centre. It actually smelt of honey! Could anyone enlighten me please?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Could anyone enlighten me please?

You can buy honey scent in a bottle.

 

[pargyle]

Spent a lovely few days playing with candle moulds and jarring up a small remaining bucket of OSR honey which the good folk of Co Antrim have been asking for. It does sell out very quickly and the requests keep coming so good to know should we get a repeat crop next year. Candle wise the abelo tree is popular as is the little owl which from memory was an Internet cheapie. Yes, I know it's fiddly and time consuming but great fun with an audio book on the go. I STILL want to know what the "honey scent" is that was added to the big basket of skep candles on sale in a local garden centre. It actually smelt of honey! Could anyone enlighten me please?

https://craftovator.co.uk/products/honey-fragrance-oil

 

[Aneebe]

You can buy honey scent in a bottle.

But the ones I've tried were far from "honey". Really bizarrely not like what I expected. Is there a specific brand that meets anyone's approval here please?

 

[pargyle]

But the ones I've tried were far from "honey". Really bizarrely not like what I expected. Is there a specific brand that meets anyone's approval here please?

For £1.95 for a 10ml tester you can try it out and see ....

 

[Aneebe]

For £1.95 for a 10ml tester you can try it out and see ....

Aye well agreed, it's often not the actual oil price which grant you is small but the often crazy posting charges to N Ireland post-Brexit. Just thought I'd see if anyone had a fav then I WOULD suck up the postage.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The idea of having to add a synthetic honey fragrance to a beeswax candle seems absurd

 

[Aneebe]

The idea of having to add a synthetic honey fragrance to a beeswax candle seems absurd

I actually have never made any but.... the smell from the garden centre ones WAS lovely so thst would be my one concession maybe. I'm getting a few people wanting some sort of scent for gift candles. Thus far I've resisted - as the recent discussion went, the silicone gets tainted it seems. I've got a second skep mould "up my sleeve' which could be kept separate so we'll see. Thanks to all for the imput

 

[Skinfaxi]

Not apiary but did a Christmas craft fayre, my first ever market stall. Was a bit chilly but three layers of wool and a puffer jacket, plus cardboard to sit on, kept most of the cold away! Pretty much everything was handmade by me, except the honey which the bees did!

View attachment 38285

Often regular stall holders will trade produce with each other. You just need to work out what the local barter rates are with each other.. this way even if sales are bad you can get some value from the day eg meat vedge dairy etc

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Just back from a quick trip to the hives and a look at the monitoring boards. I didn't take the car into the field. The grass is very wet.

So I walked, and had a little time to myself.

We are constantly challenged to provide the best nest conditions for our bees – within the limits of our knowledge and experience. Some beekeepers become so focussed on this goal that they end up taking it to its logical conclusion – which is to set your bees free. Torben Schiffer, who spoke at the National Honey Show last year, told the story of his ten years of beekeeping which ended up with his bees in log-style hives that he had manufactured. He realised that he could not achieve the natural state he wanted for his bees in conventional hives, so he burnt them. He states that, because we cannot begin to meet the worldwide demand for honey, we should stop trying. Honey is a non-essential food.

Schiffer is now content with his beekeeping. He never opens any hive, never treats for disease, never controls swarming, and never takes a honey harvest – except from his colonies that die. And he rejoices in now being able to go on holiday.

Soon he won't have any bees.

I find this position completely understandable. Unless you accept that you are keeping bees as livestock, and for the food they provide, then you have to concede that you are keeping them for, well, fun. This is why we have pets. But bees are never fully domesticated, and some of us find that we are uneasy with keeping wild animals for human amusement.

Despite how often we hear the phrase ‘greedy beekeepers’, for some of us, it’s the honey that makes beekeeping right.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

He never opens any hive, never treats for disease, never controls swarming, and never takes a honey harvest

pretty pointless existence then

 

[drex]

As BKP describes it, he still thinks of them as "his" bees. As JBM says, I don't understand it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

He never opens any hive, never treats for disease, never controls swarming, and never takes a honey harvest

Just like most of the U.K. population I guess

 

[Antipodes]

You know you're having a pretty ordinary day in the apiary when you find a queen 6 feet up a tree trunk after having gone through a bunch of hives. Braula Christmas decorated and all. Anyhow, better than finding her crawling up the vehicle window on the way home I guess.

 

[Rob H]

You know you're having a pretty ordinary day in the apiary when you find a queen 6 feet up a tree trunk after having gone through a bunch of hives. Braula Christmas decorated and all. Anyhow, better than finding her crawling up the vehicle window on the way home I guess.

Is that a couple of varroa mites on her?

 

[Anduril]

Is that a couple of varroa mites on her?

Braula

 

[Erichalfbee]

You know you're having a pretty ordinary day in the apiary when you find a queen 6 feet up a tree trunk after having gone through a bunch of hives. Braula Christmas decorated and all. Anyhow, better than finding her crawling up the vehicle window on the way home I guess.

Great picture of a Braula