What did you do in the Apiary today?

[The Poot]

Many many years ago I swapped out an lpg boiler for a glass door coke fired parkray room heater. I had a calor bulk tank which was on a regular topup visit. Money was worth more in those days and I had a decent income but over four years the tank rental had doubled and the price of liquid gas trebled. The parkray required "driving" but it provided heat 24/7 and had a much reduced running cost supplemented with wood from various sources.
A few houses and years later I installed an oil (kerosene) fired boiler to replace a solid fuel unit. This was a really beneficial move as it permitted seasonal purchasing. (I worked for the local Shell distributor heating department at the time). It was fully controllable and comfortable to live with. Despite often hearing people describe oil boilers as smelly I can assure everyone a correctly installed and maintained oil boiler definitely is not. Currently I have a heat pump which was installed by others when my oil boiler finally gave up the ghost and my fitness levels had faded. It works but it's not a patch on the oil boiler in terms of household satisfaction. Given a free hand and a clean sheet I'd have no hesitation in opting for a kerosene fuelled heating system with a large tank for living in a remote spot. Add a small standby generator to power the boiler and circulation pump plus the house lights and have an emergency camping stove with a few gas cartridges and extended power outages fade to become a minor irritation.

I live in a rural village with no gas. The property has a 14.4kWh electric boiler on its own phase. It’s old but works well, but is unaffordable. I looked into replacing it with kerosene, but apparently, as I have electric heating, I’m not allowed to change to oil, as it would utterly destroy the environment.

 

[enrico]

Naught but a pup, do you not miss the hills ?

Miss the views and the house and garden which were both amazing but ...... You have to find a time when you are still young enough and fit enough to move and head has to overtake the heart.pity but the levels are amazing too, surrounded by hills and never far from the coast.

 

[JamezF]

the levels are amazing too, surrounded by hills and never far from the coast.

And quite often rather nearer to the coast than is entirely comfortable

James

 

[Parsonage Bees]

hearing people describe oil boilers as smelly

Wish I lived without neighbours. I have a problem with a really bad smell when wind from south and south west. I think my neighbours have installed a new heating system this year.
Living in part of an old rectory with leaky windows I can't escape the smell. I suspect some sort of waste oil or diesel heater. Or we have a budding Walter White whose cooking up something. Smell is that (breaking) bad.
Suggestions?

 

[Penninetrader]

Many many years ago I swapped out an lpg boiler for a glass door coke fired parkray room heater. I had a calor bulk tank which was on a regular topup visit. Money was worth more in those days and I had a decent income but over four years the tank rental had doubled and the price of liquid gas trebled. The parkray required "driving" but it provided heat 24/7 and had a much reduced running cost supplemented with wood from various sources.
A few houses and years later I installed an oil (kerosene) fired boiler to replace a solid fuel unit. This was a really beneficial move as it permitted seasonal purchasing. (I worked for the local Shell distributor heating department at the time). It was fully controllable and comfortable to live with. Despite often hearing people describe oil boilers as smelly I can assure everyone a correctly installed and maintained oil boiler definitely is not. Currently I have a heat pump which was installed by others when my oil boiler finally gave up the ghost and my fitness levels had faded. It works but it's not a patch on the oil boiler in terms of household satisfaction. Given a free hand and a clean sheet I'd have no hesitation in opting for a kerosene fuelled heating system with a large tank for living in a remote spot. Add a small standby generator to power the boiler and circulation pump plus the house lights and have an emergency camping stove with a few gas cartridges and extended power outages fade to become a minor irritation.

You demonstrate through experience that an all or nothing approach is not the way to go. When you are dealing with supply, agenda and taxation issues that pervert rational thinking one needs flexibility. I know many do not have that capacity but if you do then plan to survive in spite of them. The Parkray burner, had one in the 70's, back boiler etc.ours was a quite attractive Blue and kept us cosy in our 2 bed terrace. Had another in the late 80's but burning allsorts regularly broke one of the strips of glass, did the job. I have an 80yr old Romesse stove in my workshop and should I ever find the time will have it heat a copper back boiler tank to tap into our home heating. It is a constant battle that should not be so. As for the LPG, the current pricing is OK and many boilers, cookers can be easily converted to run on it plus plenty of late model used boilers available cheap or free.

 

[Penninetrader]

Miss the views and the house and garden which were both amazing but ...... You have to find a time when you are still young enough and fit enough to move and head has to overtake the heart.pity but the levels are amazing too, surrounded by hills and never far from the coast.

If you can see the hills and close to the sea that'll do the job.

 

[Penninetrader]

Wish I lived without neighbours. I have a problem with a really bad smell when wind from south and south west. I think my neighbours have installed a new heating system this year.
Living in part of an old rectory with leaky windows I can't escape the smell. I suspect some sort of waste oil or diesel heater. Or we have a budding Walter White whose cooking up something. Smell is that (breaking) bad.
Suggestions?

Possibly chipboard, I have a neighbour who burns it, not pleasant and fills the air for some distance

 

[Macbear]

I keep commenting that this mist or fog lasting more than 2 days is quite unusual and it appears north to south. Being genteel I gently remove the bereaved into my hands then give give them a post mortem, with pics. Those vehicles, what is the 24 yr old ? Do you do the repairs ?

24 year old is a Renault Megane. Local independent garage are outstanding so no need for me to do any work. The car does not owe me anything.
A PM on deceased bees is a good idea. At this time of year it is to be expected that there is a reduction in colonies. If there were more than one bee, investigation is desirable.

 

[Penninetrader]

24 year old is a Renault Megane. Local independent garage are outstanding so no need for me to do any work. The car does not owe me anything.
A PM on deceased bees is a good idea. At this time of year it is to be expected that there is a reduction in colonies. If there were more than one bee, investigation is desirable.

Can not be a Megane, they do not last that long.......clever people say

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A PM on deceased bees is a good idea.

why? hundreds plus die daily in the summer, you'd expect quite a few in the winter as well - you sometimes get piles being thrown out on warmer days when the mortuary bees are more active

 

[Nannysbees]

it was a bit misty when I let out the chickens this morning but a few hours in the fresh was needed so I stuck to plan A and ventured up into the fog to the range to vape the bees, a few trees at the range are still leaning further over the track so having the chainsaw in the truck will be a must until they lean even closer to the horizontal for me to clear them. All hives nice and heavy and bees sound alive in all of them - a few colonies venturing out to see what was going on.View attachment 41819View attachment 41820

What a beautiful looking apiary

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What a beautiful looking apiary

miles from anywhere, but you can drive right up to the hives, the track (now totally overgrown) leads on to another open area quarter of a mile further up which would hold another couple of dozen hives, sat in over 40 acres of fallow wildflower land, totally secure and only I have access. It's a real oasis of peace and usually my Sunday chillout apiary