The Season Hits with a Vengeance

Other than a short break for a mate’s 50th party, it’s been manic here again. If my working day was any longer, on my way back to the house, I would meet myself going out the next morning.

I was going to explain why it’s been so busy, but perhaps I’ll just update you all with what I’ve been up to, which includes a visit from world famous Permaculturalist, and author, Patrick Whitefield.

Another Swarm

Hi all

Today my strongest hive swarmed. It took two attempts to get it into a warre hive. The first time, the entrance was too small, and the bees all climbed up the front of the hive. I had to change the floor, and entrance, and then scoop a few bees into the entrance. It took a little while for them all top go away.

New Swarm Put into Warre Hive

Today was a good day.

I manage bees for a local company, who own a biodynamic farm over the road from me. The bees are managed without opening the hives, which means that I check them every day during the swarming season, in order to try and take any swarms after they emerge from the hive.We also have bait hives out. They show when a swarm is looking for a new home, and can be occupied by a swarm. I had two swarms fly into bait hives last year.

A couple of days ago I warned them that I thought that the hives were close to swarming, and that we should check them twice a day for the next few days. My reasons were simple. Both hives were very busy, had lots of drones flying, we had kept them to two national brood boxes to restrict the space in the hive, and the cold snap was likely to have held them back from swarming, with the weather due to improve over the weekend, it just seemed likely. Not concrete proof, but a bit of educated intuition.

Bamboo starting to Grow

The bamboo that I collected last Autumn has been showing signs of activity. Here are a few pictures.

No time to Spare here on the Smallholding

Today I had a call from Lincolnshire Pride Magazine, asking me to do a feature on Natural Beekeeping, but had to decline, as I haven’t time to spare. Everything needs doing yesterday, and after a weekend away with my son, I’m already behind.

Jobs that are behind include the start of my scything season, the cutting of comfrey and nettles for liquid feed, soaking bean seeds, potting on of trees, shrubs, and vegetables, putting out additional bait hives, planting Eucalyptus, and of course keeping up with posts on the blog.