| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| cab |
Bees? I could be persuaded either way...Turns out that there is a bloke on our allotments with bees, and that there IS wiggle room on that for allotment holders on our site...So, I'm tempted. I think bees are great, I love honey, but I'd have a lot to learn. I no longer have a near infinite supply of honey, as the local honey plant closed down and the bloke who used to stick a bucket under the machine for me as it was draining between batches now works elsewhere 
Do I do it? Or don't I? |
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| Chez |
Yes. Why are you even asking? 
But. Four hives will take up one afternoon a fortnight in the summer, on average. So, divide (or multiply) by your desired number. We are really pushed for the time to keep on top of ours at the moment. I am continuously waking up in the night in a cold sweat, picturing them swarming in to Mochyn's polytunnel 
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| cab |
Its the swarming thing that worries me you see. I'm nervous of going down to the plot and finding the octagenarian who has the next plot up, all covered in bees. | ||||||
| sally_in_wales |
Go for it. Why not consider something like top bar hives if you fancy a different sort of challenge with a slightly different end product. | ||||||
| mochyn |
You had to say that, didn't you? Now I won't sleep until winter. |
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| cab |
Hmmm... Clearly I'm going to have to re-read all of our beekeeping stuff here on Downsizer and think about all of this anew. When is the best time of year to start with bees? |
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| Chez |
Yes, I can see how that would be a disincentive.
If you manage them properly, you will probably avoid most swarming situations, though. Time is the thing - checking them regularly and all that stuff. Our Swarming Hell last year was simply because we didn't keep on top of them because of the Surprise Pregnancy Thing. Read this, too. And that will be all your swarming nightmares complete and you can concentrate on the positives  .
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| Chez |
Sorry  . Arvo's here on Wednesday. If we're not Somerset-bound, we'll come over.
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| hedgehogpie |
It's a no brainer. You already have access to someone on the alloment with bees, there's room, and you're an intelligent person who's perfectly capable of learning the ropes as you go along. Go for it! | ||||||
| mochyn |
And contact your local BKA. | ||||||
| mochyn |
I'll look forward to that. You can meet the new livestock. |
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| cab |
Dagnammit, you would appeal to my common sense and self interest in such a rational and sensible fashion. I really do have to look into it VERY closely now
I'll try to find the bloke who has bees ASAP, see what he has to say on the subject. A local contact like that would be essential, and the local beekeepers association are well thought of Mochyn, so I'll give them a tinkle when I've talked to the allotment committee (they're here, if anyone is interested: http://www.cbka.org.uk/ ) |
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| Chez |
Definitely, the local association thing. Go along and make friends even before you finally decide. | ||||||
| RichardW |
If you want to be put off them ask tim / VSS about his bees.
Richard |
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| mochyn |
Noooooooooo.......... |
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| dpack |
bees are stealing my sugar
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| judith |
Bees?
Nasty stingy things. They get stuck in your hair and then people smack you around the head for your own good. Don't do it 
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| dpack |
gentle critters who do good work
and the fun of a bee suit for parties |
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| Jamanda |
This the best advice. Go and get your hands on them, get stung. See all the different type of hives etc before splurging. Also you will be able to get a nuc (starter colony) from a reputable source. Swarms are all very well if you know where they've come from, but equally could be ridden with all sorts of nasties. I am just coming to the end of my beginner's course and will be getting my bees soon. They are sitting in the nursery at apiary waiting for me to bring them home. I have my hive in the shed and Sean is making a stand for it, so in a couple of weeks it will be all systems go. The course started in February BTW. This is what we have covered. http://www.northdevonbees.org/member_pages/training.htm |
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| Jonnyboy |
My better half is very keen on getting bees. Secretly I am too, but she's more keen on getting bees and me doing the work, than getting bees. | ||||||
| TAVASCAROW |
Definately, go for it.
Producing honey & being less dependant on refined sugar should be the aim of just about everyone here apart from those with a bee sting allergy IMO. Try this site for an alternative take on beekeeping. http://www.biobees.com/ Fascinating little creatures.
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| lottie |
Even really skillful beekeepers with 40 years experience still occasionally get swarms---and the honest ones admit it If you keep bees on an allotment you can't have long breaks in the swarming season and try to get bees from someone with a nice non"following" strain-----I had one of these and had to requeen---you just can't have them round people. Apart from that I'd go for it----honey for the plotholders round you should keep them sweet 
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| Chez |
One of ours was a rotten 'follower' last year. Not so bad, this, for some reason. |
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| cab |
The two offputting things are swarming and time.
I've really run out of free time. Theres not a lot left, with the plot, foraging, preserves, soap, wine, DIY, and a whole pile of non-downsizerish occupations. Something would have to give, and I don't know what. But dammit, bees are great. |
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| Chez |
I would say, don't do it, then, until you can. Based on our experience - we just have too much on to give them our best and although we are valiantly making time, it's not doing them justice.
But, perhaps, join the association and get the knowledge together ... and then you'll be ready to pounce if your circumstances change .
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| cab |
Theres sense in that, I'll get a good idea of the time input I'll need that way. |
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| Chez |
Yes, and you'll be more confident when you *do* get some - we spent a lot of last year faffing and having 'shall we shan't we' conversations with each other. This year we are more confident and doing much better. | ||||||
| Jamanda |
Doesn't require much time once you know what you are doing. You should visit them once a week in the Summer and go through the frames, which takes about 1/2 hour. In the Winter you leave them to their own devices. Just make sure they have food. This is my understanding. Someone else may think otherwise. One thing you soon learn is that there are as many ways of doing things as there are beekeepers. |
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
bees are addictive and wonderful and I think you'd enjoy the challenge Cab.
Apart from all the good words from the others upthread about local association etc I think the first thing you should do is go and speak to this person on your site with bees. Just get talking and watching; he may have a spare suit so you could look in a hive together so that you get a feel for the hobby before splashing out. Having someone experienced close at hand is something we have missed in our first year. Our bees haven't in any ways suffered but our knowledge and confidence have shot up 10 fold since getting to know Steve on our plot in the last month. bees - you know you want to..
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| Chez |
Pretty much. My Ma says once a fortnight - think that is based on the 16-days-to-make-a-queen thing. But also, she is a bit of a guerilla bee-keeper and hasn't quite caught up with the post-varroa world. |
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
you clearly look better in a bee suit than me dpack put it this way I'm unlikely to pull...
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| Chez |
They add an air of mystery to one's pulling power, I think. But obviously if one DOES pull, it all becomes much more complicated .
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| TAVASCAROW |
Depends whether you are a zip or a velcro person.
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| Jamanda |
I've got zips and velcro 
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| Chez |
Whoo-hooo! Go Jamanda
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| lottie |
Oddly enough I've just got back from the slimming club where I innocently said I can just about zip my beesuit up now without a struggle----to much laughter and innuendo and me going red--some people have odd minds 
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| lottie |
p.s.The safe time between checking in the summer to avoid swarms is
a maximum of 10 days according to most of the experts---unless you have a very big colony in a langstroth and you manage to miss a queen cell inspite of checking weekly
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| Jamanda |
Did you manage to catch them? |
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| Jamanda |
To go back to Cab's post a while ago. What is it about swarms that bothers you? The worst thing that can happen is you lose some bees and the honey they take with them. The new Queen will stay in the hive and they will build up again eventually. It's a set back, not a disaster. | ||||||
| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
very true but I guess that outside the bee world it can seem like the be all and end all of beekeeping? |
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| Jamanda |
That's because it's most exciting thing they do - (other than making honey). I loved watching that swarm walk into their hive the other week. |
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| Rosemary Judy |
I did our local course, and very good it was too, but I can't commit the time necessary, at the right time intervals, so I have an empty hive in my shed, wax foundation under the dining room table, and I am not going to be getting any bees for a year or two
What I am hoping, is that one of the retired chaps will keep bees in the space I have for them, as an out apiary and I can get my honey this way. And learn all the practical stuff, now I know the theory. |
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| TAVASCAROW |
But to the uneducated members of the public its a mass of vengeful vindictive alien creatures determined to kill as many innocent passers by before someone nukes them with a healthy dose of DDT!!
Got to be honest though I still wear a veil when I catch them.
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| hedgehogpie |
Ok, final suggestion. Find that bloke on the allotment with the hives and have a chat with him. Ask if he'd mind showing you the ropes when you're both about up there, then you can get a proper feel for the process without committing time you may not have.
Then contact/join local Beekeeper Association and get totally hooked. Go on, you know you want to...... |
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| Chez |
It's also a positive - because it leaves you with a nice young queen. |
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| lottie |
Yes they are pulling out foundation like MAD---it was my best hive that I wanted to split anyway---so they've done it for me We took a swarm yesterday that a neighbour came and told me were my bees--they weren't----too dark---anyway I'll treat them feed them and see.
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| TAVASCAROW |
This link will calm your nerves Cab.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7482609.stm
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| Jonnyboy |
Well, I've just e-mailed my local bee keepers association. Sensible plan seems to be go to a few meetings, get advice and training then aim for a hive next spring | ||||||
| lottie |
That's the best way---happy future beekeeping
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
well done Jonnyboy! As Lottie said- happy beekeeping!! | ||||||
| Jonnyboy |
Thanks both! I will get the wife to attend as well. | ||||||
| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
we both went on our course. It helped; what one forgot the other had probably picked up. It was nice to start a hobby together from scratch |
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| lottie |
I only went with my husband on a course some years ago to keep him company on a saturday on the understanding I never had to handle the bees he'd do it all as I was terrified---it was so interesting I got completely hooked instead and it's a great shared interest----although "discussions" on hive management or the best way to take a swarm can be enlivening
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| hamster |
I've been thinking about bees too. I don't have anywhere to put them at the moment, but I'm going to go along to the local Beekeepers' Association and try and learn more about it in preparation. | ||||||
| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
often in our assoc newsletter there will be an advert for someone who's willing to have a hive in their garden but who aren't beekeepers themselves. So somewhere may come up |
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| Jamanda |
I was going to go to the apiary this afternoon, but there doesn't seem like much sense in this weather
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| Jonnyboy |
Got a great reply. Details of one day beginners courses that are going on next week,some recommended reading and an invite to a experienced members house near me to see his heather apiary. | ||||||
| jocorless |
That sounds fantastic Jonnyboy - Hope you enjoy yourself as much as I did - although it tends to lead you to some strange places - I'm sitting my BBKA Basic Beekeepers exam tomorrow and I'm carping myself - Trying to remember everything is seriously scary | ||||||
| Jamanda |
Good luck Jo. I'm sure you'll do well - you sounded very authoritative at the skills share weekend. | ||||||
| Jonnyboy |
The big day has arrived. I'm off to meet the local association at 2.30pm and hopefully see some hives in action. | ||||||
| cassy |
How did you get on? | ||||||
| Tristan |
I'm thinking about bees and one of the best websites i've found is
www.dave-cushman.net. Loads of info. |
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| Jonnyboy |
Rained off.  Got details of their next meeting on the 18th though.
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