Ginkotree
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Hive safely arrivedI am delighted to say that there are bees buzzing in the bee garden in the orchard. The hive arrived on friday and we had a meeting here on sunday with 15 people all togged up to watch as the hive was inspected. Happily these bees seem to be very quiet and happy to be looked at.
I cannot tell you the thrill to see it all happening here with everyone sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm.
There have been quiet a few Hives stolen from fields around here as they have gone so expensive, one of the members have given me some geese so they can be in the orchard to act as guards.
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Mrs Baggins
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Fabulous news! I hope you enjoy them! I have been thinking of putting my geese in the orchard with my bees too. Sounds like a good plan!
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Jamanda
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Wow! Bees and geese all in one day! (I don't like geese very much - they chase me )
So what's your queen called?
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Ginkotree
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The geese took a dislike to the girls boyfriend so she gave them to me,she would rather have her new love than the geese(the new love is lovely and they make a great couple so she has made the right choice), but they let me stroke them so thats ok.
I have not named the queen, the hive belongs to the association but I do feel very precious about them...we marked her with a red dot so we can spot her easily again so I could call her Ruby.
I have taken to having my coffee breaks over there just to sit and watch....
Amazing.
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Mrs Baggins
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Yeah it seems that geese take a liking or dislike to ppl. Mine are starting to go for my son (hence their removal to the orchard) and if my husband goes within 10m of them - they scream like girls and race in the opposite direction.
Naming your queen... hmmm... might call ours lucky since we thought we'd squashed her in the the queen trap when we split them. I could hardly breathe I was so flustered. Turned out she was playing possum... phew... so Lucky it is!
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Ginkotree
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Had a sheep called Lucky once,a good name for your queen...It is breath taking , I found myself holding my breath when we were checking them..as if I would breath on in through the mesh
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Frewen Feltmaker
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Congrats on your hive - I am not a beekeeper but I can tell you're thrilled
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Jamanda
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I like Ruby. More regal than Lucky.
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Ginkotree
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| Frewen wrote: | Congrats on your hive - I am not a beekeeper but I can tell you're thrilled  |
Thanks,It is something I have wanted to do forever but having had so many ops since I came here I never thought I would get to have a hive here, it does not matter that is it not Mine, I am happy to wait and learn and see how I go.
Its a privaledge to give the association hive a safe home after they were vandalised so often at the local museum last year.
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Tavascarow
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Cool!
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Cathryn
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| Jamanda wrote: | I like Ruby. More regal than Lucky.  |
You cannot call your queen Ruby, you are bad enough with the name as it is.
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goosey
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coo, how exciting! Bees at last Tell us how they do won't you.
I don't think it's going to work out for me this year now, so I have to enjoy the forum hives.
May I suggest a low fence of some kind to keep the geese from the actual hives. They might peck, tug, etc otherwise. And certainly my ganders run at anything in spring. Attacking horses, wheelbarrow, watering can, even their own reflections in the car. I feel sorry for them, they are victims of their own hormones.
For what it's worth, I like 'Ruby'
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Tavascarow
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I would call her Mel?
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Ginkotree
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| Tavascarow wrote: | I would call her Mel?
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Mel...isnt that french for honey or is that Miel..Meil.. .Im sure someone knows
Ruby is quite royal, I like that.
Have already fenced off around the hive to stop the sheep using the hives to scratch on. We had a brilliant work party day in the pouring rain earlier in the year with the association. They now refer to it as "The Bee Garden"in the orchard...,lovely, with its home made wooden gate
Since having the farm as a base where everyone has had a chance to join in and take part in getting the hive ready, making frames, getting a shed for association equiptment to live in ;the group has grown really strong.We have lots of new members so I am making new friends from all of this as well..Its all Good.
They even help wash up the tea things!
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gil
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Mel is Latin for honey; the French is miel
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EmsE
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I think Ruby is a lovely name. That's what we've called one of our chickens (funnily enough, she's the top hen)and I'm sure it'll do well for a Queen bee as well
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