bertiefox
gardener
There's always tomorrow!
Posts: 236
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Bees
Jan 26, 2011 5:04:48 GMT -5
Post by bertiefox on Jan 26, 2011 5:04:48 GMT -5
We had up to a dozen hives in the UK and mainly because of weather and lack of forage, we never got much more than a couple of hundred pounds of honey. Most of that came from oil seed rape which is a tasteless honey and goes solid in the combs. Since we came to France we have found getting honey is so easy in comparison. Although there's a lot of mono culture agriculture, at least they grow sunflowers every third year in the rotation and we are lucky to be on the edge of a forest that has lots of sweet chestnut, bramble and so on. Location and hot sunny weather is the real key to success as long as you can keep your hives strong and not let them swarm.
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Bees
Jan 26, 2011 11:03:34 GMT -5
Post by robertb on Jan 26, 2011 11:03:34 GMT -5
THAT, is the problem. My husband is going blind. He can see well enough to do basic maintenance and collect honey, but he can't see the individual bees. My sons haven't yet learned enough to differentiate. It's a work in progress though! That doesn't help. I have terrible eyesight myself, and had to get a new pair of glasses when I started, as I couldn't see bee eggs. It can be got round though. You could learn to handle them yourself! Alternatively, take an empty box, and put a comb of brood into it. Fill it up with foundation or pulled comb, whatever you have. Shake every bee in the broodbox down into it, put the original box back on top, above an excluder, and 24 hours later you have your bees ready for splitting, with the queen in the bottom box!
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Bees
Jan 27, 2011 21:27:14 GMT -5
Post by steev on Jan 27, 2011 21:27:14 GMT -5
Is the nectar shortage a climate thing? Here in Northern California we don't get a lot of ice/snow, so the non-blooming season isn't too long. I've left my fruit-tree rows weedy and un-tilled so as to encourage bumblebees and other ground-dwelling native bees; I throw my sunflower stalks in there, too, for the ones that like pithy tubes.
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Bees
Jan 27, 2011 23:42:32 GMT -5
Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jan 27, 2011 23:42:32 GMT -5
We have ice/snow for 5 months of the year. The bees stay inside during that time and eat their reserves. We leave enough honey and pollen in the boxes to carry them through. Bees kept in suburban environments can suffer from lack of nectar due to mowing, and due to herbicide use on lawns, woodlots, and streets, which kills many nectar producing plants: Dandelions and clover are very popular with our bees. We grow a profusion of both. Out here in the desert honey flow tends to be highest in the late spring, and for a few days after summer thunderstorms.
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Bees
Jan 28, 2011 3:58:43 GMT -5
Post by mnjrutherford on Jan 28, 2011 3:58:43 GMT -5
You are correct Robert, I could learn to tend the bees myself... however, pigs are not yet flying! I'm WAY to chicken to try my hand at that. ;D That's a skill the boys will have to develop. Fortunately, they are very interested and working on learning what they can already. Good thing to because there are very few young people even interested in beekeeping around here.
Steev, you make an interesting point regarding climate. Joseph, I'm would be with you on the suburban deal except that when we lived in the Silicon Valley, we had 10 hives placed throughout Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Santa Clara, and San Jose. We would have and could have had more but we couldn't take care of more. Our hives were "hosted" by people and we would go monthly to check the hives, make sure they were functioning properly, in good repair, etc. Twice a year we collected frames of honey. We gave the hosts as much honey as they wanted, usually no more than a quart. The rest we kept. We left California with a 6 gallon bucket of honey.
This was at the time that Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) was first observed. Mike belonged to a group of about 10 keepers who all kept hives around the area like we did. The first hive that got lost was up in Los Altos Hills. That was way up in the hills too. It was one of the least densely populated areas we had hives in. There were 2 other hives right next to it, they were fine and dandy. We found a new swarm and installed it as soon as we could. I can't remember for certain, but I think the new swarm did well.
Clearly there is something going on with the vegetation. There are charts showing what trees and "herbs" are blooming at what season around here. Red Maple is just starting to bloom as a matter of fact. But even though we are no living in an area that is far more country than city compared to where we were in California, there just isn't as much nectar for the bees.
Also, I don't see anyone actively interested in getting more bee friendly plants growing. That blows me away completely. We are trying to get lavender inter cropped with our little orchard. Lavender is a great small, specialty crop with good commercial potential and hugely attractive to bees. It's a manageable plant without a lot of pest issues. It's attractive, it smells great. Nobody grows it. Why? Beebalm? Nobody interested. That makes a fabulous tonic tea. Again, attractive, easily managed, pest resistant. I guess it's all a work in progress for us here.
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Bees
Jan 28, 2011 11:14:55 GMT -5
Post by robertb on Jan 28, 2011 11:14:55 GMT -5
What sort of agriculture have you got locally? In Britain, it tends to be the urban beekeepers who do better these days.
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Bees
Jan 28, 2011 14:22:11 GMT -5
Post by mnjrutherford on Jan 28, 2011 14:22:11 GMT -5
My property is a rectangle and on long side is bordered by a lovely rented farm where they grow ::dripping sarcasm:: the loveliest Round Up Ready corn and soy beans you ever saw! ::sarcasm ends::
There is also wheat, tobacco, and pigs within the 2 mile radius. Lots of really great super weeds thanks to the Round Up.
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Bees
Jan 28, 2011 17:54:45 GMT -5
Post by steev on Jan 28, 2011 17:54:45 GMT -5
Pigs don't give much nectar and I believe a couple years ago swine flu. The two most popular things with the bees on the farm, aside from domestic crops, are star thistle and purslane; I really could do without the thistle, although the valley's bee-keeper relies on it.
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Bees
Jan 28, 2011 20:25:35 GMT -5
Post by mnjrutherford on Jan 28, 2011 20:25:35 GMT -5
Pigs don't give much nectar! LOL How true!
We live in an area that is "country" turning suburban. Tons of housing going in. I think NC rated 5th or so for farmland lost to development in the last 10 years. When California and Florida homes were dropping value like crazy, our county dropped 3%. Our house has actually appreciated and is worth quite a bit more than what we paid. But that give you an idea of what is happening to the vegetation in these parts.
But now, you've said something interesting, that suburban beekeepers seem to be doing better these days. I'm wondering if that has anything to do with plant diversity? That perhaps homeowners end up planting more different things that might provide more year round nectar sources?
Still, how would that make up for the quantity loss?
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Bees
Jan 29, 2011 0:09:15 GMT -5
Post by synergy on Jan 29, 2011 0:09:15 GMT -5
I am wondering if it might have something to do with the rising GMO tree and grain crops and heaven knows what else that has been introduced intentionally or otherwise, rampant toxins and petrochemicals employed in agricultural production . At least in small holdings like my own little suburban farm, there are no big agricultural enterprises around, maybe it is such places where we can best ensure some safeguarding of our pollinators. I honestly seem to see the small individual gardeners having the opportunity to be leaders in preserving our own future. i don't exactly know why but the more I learn the more I feel the individual people like the ones here on this forum are the Davids standing up to Goliath . Preserving bees and pockets of their habitat , heirloom seeds, whatever, i almost feel that gardeners are becoming warriors fighting to save lives where industries seek profit above all else.
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Bees
Jan 29, 2011 11:33:15 GMT -5
Post by mnjrutherford on Jan 29, 2011 11:33:15 GMT -5
In my opinion Synergy, you analogy of "David versus Goliath" spot on. Another interesting point on that story, one that I don't think has been given enough emphasis, is that not only was David MUCH smaller than Goliath, David was much smaller and younger than all the other Israelites. In other words, just as Goliath was the largest of the large, David was the smallest of the small.
OH, and for those of us that get sick and tired of hearing, "You CAN'T whatever whatever"... David got that same sack of crap from his family and friends as well. Every success I meet with proves them wrong wrong wrong. Still, it hurts like crazy when the people I love and respect tell me that I'm crazy stupid for going after my dreams.
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Bees
Jan 30, 2011 21:01:40 GMT -5
Post by steev on Jan 30, 2011 21:01:40 GMT -5
Agribusiness has had a horrendous effect on undomesticated bees, what with habitat destruction and pesticides. It's also starting to trash domesticated bees. Here in California, where almonds are a very profitable crop, hives of honeybees are vital for their pollination, especially since wild bees are less numerous than they once were. As the huge almond orchards are coming into bloom, hives of honeybees are trucked from place to place. I think the rent of a hive used to be ~$80, but between growing demand and hive collapse, I think that's gone to ~$160! So now hives are shipped in from all over the world to serve the almond orchards. Spreading disease? Maybe. Stressing the bees? maybe. Farmers and beekeepers on a treadmill in the extractive agriculture paradigm? Damned straight!
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Bees
Jan 31, 2011 2:51:16 GMT -5
Post by sandbar on Jan 31, 2011 2:51:16 GMT -5
Lav, did you ever start a hive? If you are thinking seriously about it this year, now is the time to start planning. Just received an email from my local beekeepers group. They had an interesting link in the email. www.busybeesapiaries.net/New_Beekeeper_Special-METAL_Support_Pins.htmlFor $175 you get a filled deep (queen, brood, workers, drones), top cover and bottom board. That's not a bad price. You will need a second deep, a queen excluder, and at least one honey super. The bonus of their offer is that this is an established hive that is actively laying eggs and raising brood. They have honey and pollen already and are ready to expand into a second deep (brood) immediately. If you get it established soon enough, they might even make some honey for you this year! BTW, if you get started, you'll get hooked. Nothing like eating your own sweet, local, honey (helps your allergies!) and ... well ... bees are just plain fascinating ... even if you are deathly allergic to them ... like me.
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Bees
Jan 31, 2011 2:53:56 GMT -5
Post by sandbar on Jan 31, 2011 2:53:56 GMT -5
BTW, if the hive location is anywhere near where you work/play/garden, you need to put up a piece of fence or a barrier of some sort to lift their flight pattern "up" off the ground. Once a bee takes off, it tends to fly at the same altitude unless something (people, plants, buildings) obstructs their way. So, plant corn next to the hives to force them to fly UP before OUT. That'll help keep them from agitating you and the family.
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Bees
Jan 31, 2011 7:30:15 GMT -5
Post by robertb on Jan 31, 2011 7:30:15 GMT -5
My property is a rectangle and on long side is bordered by a lovely rented farm where they grow ::dripping sarcasm:: the loveliest Round Up Ready corn and soy beans you ever saw! ::sarcasm ends:: There is also wheat, tobacco, and pigs within the 2 mile radius. Lots of really great super weeds thanks to the Round Up. This will be why you don't get much honey. Regardless of issues around GM, the pattern with agribusiness is that apart from crops like oilseed rape and field beans, which produce honey over short periods, it provides nothing for the bees.
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