where to put hives

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wightbees

Queen Bee
Beekeeping Sponsor
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
2,738
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Location
Isle Of Wight
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
How long is a piece of string
Being new to this and in the planing stage, what is the best way to go about finding somewhere to put the hives.
I was thinking along the lines of asking a few farmers . Would this be my best option?
My back garden is not really suitable due to chickens kids and dog theres not alot of room left.
 
Thats what i did when trying to find my first site, googled local farms, and then drove around and spoke to some, even if they are not keen to have bees they could well know of somebody who is.

Google earth was also a good way of seeing whats around where you live, your local association could help you too.
 
Thanks i will have a chat with some, theres loads where i live.
 
keep em out of the wind if you can, makes a big difference imho
 
Hi
I live in Newport
 
The local council may know of a 'green ' group who have an area of land that they try to keep 'natural' . Give them a bell. There are such things in Sussex and they were delighted to help and offer an area.
 
Thanks heather
I will start asking around and see what i can come up with.
 
Just be careful and ask as I have kept bees on a farm and two weeks later , practicaly no bees with the spray he used in the field next door !!
And no livestock using the hive as a rubbing post but only the once that happened the sheep soon learnt MY FAULT !!.
Grub
 
Looks like it is going to be harder than i thought to find somewhere to keep some bees.
Also having no experence will not help as them will fill unsure about me.
My partner has made it clear, there is to be NO bees in the garden.
I tried to bribe her but if i had all the money in the world she would still say no.
 
Ok, i have emailed the local council to see if they have anything that would suit me. This will prob take a few days plus before i get a answer. Worth a go though.
I have also put a add on the local blog to see if anyone has a corner of a field i could use.
If this fails my last option is to start phoning a few farms .
 
Emailing and phoning is frankly not the way to go. Way too easy for the other party to say no.

What is reqwuired is to go scouting, find a place you like, taking in to consideration the minor matters of access, forage and shelter + orientation, then go and ASK.

In person. "I keep bees. ( a far better opening than it used to be believe me) I would like your permission to put x hives there. In return I will GIVE YOU a pound of honey per colony." The worst that can happen? N0.



PH
 
I'm with PH, find the site and then find the landowner. This is not always as easy as you might think. Many of the pretty farmhouses around here are now sold off and the original farmer is living in a bungalow somewhere. You also find the landowner living in quiet retirement somewhere else with the land being worked by a contractor. In this event you will need to liaise with both. I have only once been turned away and that was because of a recent bereavement and they had other things on their mind.

I find it best to put a few jars of honey in the car and ask around. I got a good lead to the land owner for one apiary from a campsite owner next door. Likewise local pubs and shops may know who owns a particular field.

You might also try the Foresty Commission but I have no direct experience of this but have heard of a case where it went very wrong following a change of local ranger/forester and the new one knew nothing of the hives so had them taken away. Lesson on this tale is to have ownership of the hives marked on the outside.
 
I will ask some farmers but thats a few weeks away befor i see them.
I have 4 farms that are my customers and i am hoping that at least one of them will agree to at least a couple of hives.

but i thought i would try some other ways first but it's looking like you maybe right and the direct approach is the best approach.
 
I would advise keeping clear of bodies such as the Forestry Commission and National Trusts.

Much easier to deal with an individual.


PH
 
I did nearlly phone the forest com today.
I am going to look at someones hives this weekend which i am pleased about.
Give me a few tips and ideas on how to go about building my first hive:)
If the rain keeps up here on the island i might go and aproach a few farms as i have nothing eles todo.
 
I'm surrounded by them - AONB, Natural England and National Trust.

I asked one and they left-shouldered me to the next who suggested I might get in touch with the next!

I gave up.
 
LOL i won't bother asking them then.
 
A big tip Wightbees,If you can its best to have an idea of an area/corner that looks like it would be good.

The farmer will 9 times out of ten say they have no idea what area would be ok,if you then point out an area/corner you have already spotted it helps no end to get a yes.

Farmers dont like to think to much unless it earns them money so help them out by being in control of what you want.
 
i found my site by asking a local house owner who owned the field next to her house, i then asked the farmer if i could put a few hives in her land if i pollant the rape and give them a few jars of honey she said yes, and i have not looked back,18 onths later ive got 3000 acres with 3 sites on and ive been told there's more site if i want them.

When you go just looked presentable and, without saying, be respectable


On the spraying front, i asked for a contact number, in my case the farm manager, and asked him to let me know when he is spraying
 
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