Got a hive of Italian coming in March.

[Alan]

Just got off the phone with the local bee guy earlier, he is going to be bringing over a hive of Italians at the end of March to help show me how to take care of bees and to use them for pollination, I'm getting them free, sans his harvest of honey!

Anyhow, in time I think I would like to switch over to Russians due to CFF's suggestions and strong support of them, but this will at least give me a start and an idea of what to expect and is definetly needed on the farm for pollination.

[plantsnobin]

That's terrific. Do you subscribe to the ARS thingy? Just this weeks post was about research on honeybee health. Truth is, I don't think we can believe govt research anymore, as the big corps seem to be able to get things to slant their way, but I do like to see what they are up to, same as subscribing to the Seed week evilness. I doubt that they would admit that genetic engineering could have anything to do with colony collapse disorder. I'm not saying I think it is Bt corn that is doing it, just that it is not possible to get the truth anymore. Anyway, it's great that you are getting bees. So, when it comes time to harvest the honey will you be out there in short sleeves and a smile on your face like CFF?

[downinmyback]

ALAN will now be a SUGARDADDY er HONETDADDY. Kim lol.

[Alan]

Haven't checked out the ARS thing Karen, do you have a link?

I'm glad you subscribe to the seed week thing, it helps keep me up to date on all the evil involved. I was going to ask you, if you don't mind, could you forward me those e-mails as you get them so I can check them out for research materials for future papers and articles Karen?

Hahah, Kim's my sugar moma, for I never have any money, but I do give her the good loving! LOL

[downinmyback]

That makes you a PLAYER Alan ain't that what they call them.

[plantsnobin]

Alan, I forwarded you some emails yesterday. The link is www.ars.usda.gov There is some info in the site about colony collapse disorder. Never fear, the government is on it. They have mapped the bees genome, so it is only a matter of time til they create the perfect bee. I wonder what you get if you cross a bee and an elephant, or croc. Maybe they can cross a bee with a chicken, a pig and wheat. You could have a bacon, egg, pancake, honey combo thingy for breakfast. What could possibly go wrong?

[durandal]

I just recently ordered 4 nucs of mutts from a small place in central Ohio.

I also have a cut out lined up.

All five colonies are Ohio and have over-wintered at least one season.

Can't wait.

I'll let folks know how it goes if others are interested.

[Alan]

I too will keep notes of my experiment here with the bees and will be sure to document it here and over at the blog. I am really excited about getting the bees and they will be much needed, particularly in the pollination of all of the new melons, cucumbers, and squash being grown on the farm this year, particularly thoses which are going to be grown in the mass cross experiments.

Thanks Karen, I check ARS GRIN quite often, particularly for requesting rare germplasm, as they like to call it. I thought maybe they had a specific "bee program" of some sort. Of course the USDA and the GRIN system have a solution for everything, just genetically modify it with something particularly dangerous to the environment or humans and all will be ok! LOL

I haven't got the seed week e-mails that you forwarded me, I checke my spam too, but they weren't there.

-Alan

[sandbar]

durandal said:

I just recently ordered 4 nucs of mutts from a small place in central Ohio.

From the Simpsons?

[cff]

Congratulations Alan:

Somehow I missed this post, but I'm glad you have an order in for a hive of bees. If you decide to teach them to speak Russian I'll ship you a queen. About six weeks and she'll have em all speaking a foreign language.

[cff]

I was working in the yard this afternoon and stopped to watch the bees; they have been really active lately. The Dandelions are blooming and the bees are gathering bright yellow pollen by the boat loads. Some are so heavy loaded with pollen they miss the landing and fall on the ground about six inches short of the hive.

I also saw the first drone bee of the season today; spring can't be too far off for the Carolina's ;D ;D ;D

[Alan]

I saw a few flying around here the other day with the unseasonably warm weather we were having, however today the temp. was down to twenty five degrees and I'm sure they are all hiding for cover.

In time I plan on getting those bees talking russian friend

[durandal]

sandbar said:

durandal said:

I just recently ordered 4 nucs of mutts from a small place in central Ohio.

From the Simpsons?

Sandbar

Sorry I missed this. I do not seem to have my account set up to notify me of a reply and this is the first time I have been on.

I've been really busy so...

The bees I ordered are from Jim Agsten at Ohio Homestead Gardens & Apiaries. He is part of the Ohio Queen breeding program, but not a huge apiary to the best of my knowledge. I asked around before purchasing and no one knew much about him or had anything bad to say. He has a solid refund program and accepts just about any type of payment via Google.

I just received an update from him during the last warm spell we had. He says the queens are laying brood and at the time that it sounds like they are on schedule.

We'll see how they do after this last bout of ice and snow.

I also have a cut out planned at a grain elevator on the Ohio River, probably around the end of March if things are looking good. The colony is in the side wall of a wheat gluten storage facility and could be a dud or absolutely huge...or anywhere in between. One thing, with all the protein source they have the brood population at the time of cut-out should be huge.

I'll post some updates on how all this works out since there seems to be a healthy population of Ohio and Indiana folks here.