I saw my Dad on Saturday on the way home from bee camp. He has my awl for skep making all cut out! We are just waiting on the handles now.
When they are finished, I will post a picture of them. YEAH!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Back from Bee Camp!
I am home safely from Bee Camp. What an overwhelming week! I found how much I don't know about bees and beekeeping! I have a lot to learn. I forgot my camera, so I have no pictures to share. :( There wasn't much to take pictures of anyways.
I met some great people at the Conference and at my B&B. I'd like to say hi to Christy (fellow SCAdian and top-bar hive beekeeper), Landi, Margaret, Linda & Dave, Anne & Dave, and Dave! Lots of Dave's at the conference.
I also saw some famous bee people such as Kim Flottum, Dave Hackenberg, Ross Conrad, and Nicholas Calderone. It was like having a backstage pass to a concert. I heard all of them speak about their thoughts on beekeeping which was very exciting!
What did I actually learn there....updates on Colony Collapse Disorder, way too much about Varroa Destructor mites, and how to attempt to control them. I made some contacts for my CCD paper for school, so that is exciting!
I bought some great reference materials for beekeeping. Books on how to spot disease in the hive, a checklist of what to do and look for in the hive, and a flowers of North America book. You have to know what your bees are eating! I also got some cute bee stuff...a couple of bumper stickers, two tote bags, a pin, and some dish towels all with bees on them! I'm obsessed!
The conference is in North Carolina next year, but I have already decided that I'm going to Pennsic. I want to teach my skep class and Pennsic is one of the best places to do it. And I missed everyone terribly while I wasn't there!
I met some great people at the Conference and at my B&B. I'd like to say hi to Christy (fellow SCAdian and top-bar hive beekeeper), Landi, Margaret, Linda & Dave, Anne & Dave, and Dave! Lots of Dave's at the conference.
I also saw some famous bee people such as Kim Flottum, Dave Hackenberg, Ross Conrad, and Nicholas Calderone. It was like having a backstage pass to a concert. I heard all of them speak about their thoughts on beekeeping which was very exciting!
What did I actually learn there....updates on Colony Collapse Disorder, way too much about Varroa Destructor mites, and how to attempt to control them. I made some contacts for my CCD paper for school, so that is exciting!
I bought some great reference materials for beekeeping. Books on how to spot disease in the hive, a checklist of what to do and look for in the hive, and a flowers of North America book. You have to know what your bees are eating! I also got some cute bee stuff...a couple of bumper stickers, two tote bags, a pin, and some dish towels all with bees on them! I'm obsessed!
The conference is in North Carolina next year, but I have already decided that I'm going to Pennsic. I want to teach my skep class and Pennsic is one of the best places to do it. And I missed everyone terribly while I wasn't there!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
One day until Bee Camp!
Tomorrow I leave for Bee Camp! Yeah! I'm so excited. I hope the weather stays nice. It's been raining again.
I just bottled the honey. Fifteen pounds in all. Some for Their Majesties, some for Raven and some for work people. Who-hoo!
I just bottled the honey. Fifteen pounds in all. Some for Their Majesties, some for Raven and some for work people. Who-hoo!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Bee Camp - 10 days and counting
Well, it is ten days until Bee Camp....also known as the Eastern Apicultural Society Conference 2009. More information here: www.easternapiculture.org/programs/2009/
I'm very excited about going. I get to stay in a B&B with a pool and learn new things about beekeeping. There are classes and field work too.
However, I will be missing Pennsic. :( I am already missing Pennsic. :( I didn't think I would this much. But, I will be back next year. :) With my laptop, as my big school project is due 3 weeks after Pennsic!
More info on Bee Camp will be posted as I find out more. Happy and safe Pennsic and Bee Camp week to you all!
I'm very excited about going. I get to stay in a B&B with a pool and learn new things about beekeeping. There are classes and field work too.
However, I will be missing Pennsic. :( I am already missing Pennsic. :( I didn't think I would this much. But, I will be back next year. :) With my laptop, as my big school project is due 3 weeks after Pennsic!
More info on Bee Camp will be posted as I find out more. Happy and safe Pennsic and Bee Camp week to you all!
July 19 - Harvest!
We harvested 7 full frames of honey from the Lang super. I bought a hand crank extractor from our bee landlord and he loaned us his capping fork.
We brought it all home and I began harvesting. First, you scrape the capping's off one side with the capping fork. Then you put two frames in the extractor, decapped side out. Then you put the lid and hold on for dear life as you spin the crank. The honey spits out to the sides and falls to the bottom of the extractor. Then you turn around the frames and start over again. What fun! Then, you drain the honey into the bottling bucket. Chris helped too as it gets tiring cranking that extractor. I also poked myself with the capping knife. I decided to get a tetanus shot because of it. (That hurt more than poking myself!)
All in all, we harvested about 18 pounds of honey. And darn it all.....it is the best tasting honey I have ever had.....raw honey is the best. But I'm biased....ask for a tasting and see for yourself.
I am donating 3.5 pounds to Their Majesties of Æthelemearc for Their various baskets. We are bartering with Raven for some hoods for Chris. We will sell the rest, which isn't much, but there will be more in about 6 weeks. I am waiting on the jugs to put the 3 pounds in and we have jars for the rest. I also gave .5 pounds as a prize for a class I taught too.
Chris returned the empty frames to the super and the bees only need to fill up the combs instead of making and filling the combs. Woohoo! The beauty of the Langstroth Hive.
The Top-bar Hive is coming along slower than last year. I think we will get another 5 pounds off that hive though in the fall. I have faith in the girls!
I love beekeeping!
We brought it all home and I began harvesting. First, you scrape the capping's off one side with the capping fork. Then you put two frames in the extractor, decapped side out. Then you put the lid and hold on for dear life as you spin the crank. The honey spits out to the sides and falls to the bottom of the extractor. Then you turn around the frames and start over again. What fun! Then, you drain the honey into the bottling bucket. Chris helped too as it gets tiring cranking that extractor. I also poked myself with the capping knife. I decided to get a tetanus shot because of it. (That hurt more than poking myself!)
All in all, we harvested about 18 pounds of honey. And darn it all.....it is the best tasting honey I have ever had.....raw honey is the best. But I'm biased....ask for a tasting and see for yourself.
I am donating 3.5 pounds to Their Majesties of Æthelemearc for Their various baskets. We are bartering with Raven for some hoods for Chris. We will sell the rest, which isn't much, but there will be more in about 6 weeks. I am waiting on the jugs to put the 3 pounds in and we have jars for the rest. I also gave .5 pounds as a prize for a class I taught too.
Chris returned the empty frames to the super and the bees only need to fill up the combs instead of making and filling the combs. Woohoo! The beauty of the Langstroth Hive.
The Top-bar Hive is coming along slower than last year. I think we will get another 5 pounds off that hive though in the fall. I have faith in the girls!
I love beekeeping!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
July 13 - 5th Inspection
Finally got out to the hives today.
The top bar is moving along slower than last year. I believe this is due to the rain. Put a grease patty in to feed them. A grease patty is 1:1 sugar and crisco. It feeds the bees and makes it harder for mites to stick to the bees. We also put a grease patty in the Lang.
We checked the super on the Lang. WOW! We have 8 full frames of honey. That is about 40 pounds. We are so excited!
We have to buy Bee-Go and a fume pad to get the bees out of the super. The bees don't like the smell of the Bee-Go. They leave the super and then you pull it off the hive for harvest. The Bee-Go doesn't hurt the honey. We also need to buy some 3lb bottles.
We are giving Their Majesties a 3lb bottle, plus an 8 oz jar for the Pennsic gift baskets. We are bartering another bit for some hoods for Chris. We will sell the rest.
I feel like a real beekeeper now. Harvesting is going to be fun!
The top bar is moving along slower than last year. I believe this is due to the rain. Put a grease patty in to feed them. A grease patty is 1:1 sugar and crisco. It feeds the bees and makes it harder for mites to stick to the bees. We also put a grease patty in the Lang.
We checked the super on the Lang. WOW! We have 8 full frames of honey. That is about 40 pounds. We are so excited!
We have to buy Bee-Go and a fume pad to get the bees out of the super. The bees don't like the smell of the Bee-Go. They leave the super and then you pull it off the hive for harvest. The Bee-Go doesn't hurt the honey. We also need to buy some 3lb bottles.
We are giving Their Majesties a 3lb bottle, plus an 8 oz jar for the Pennsic gift baskets. We are bartering another bit for some hoods for Chris. We will sell the rest.
I feel like a real beekeeper now. Harvesting is going to be fun!
Rain, Rain, go away...
Haven't been out to the hives since May 30 due to timing and rain.
It's been raining a lot and I am worried about the bees....are they getting enough nectar and pollen to survive? Let's hope so....
It's been raining a lot and I am worried about the bees....are they getting enough nectar and pollen to survive? Let's hope so....
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