I finally managed to finish banging together the four new bottoms and tops for this Summer's hopeful expansion. I used a landing board off of a hive stand I bought a couple years ago for the last bottom since I wasn't gonna use it otherwise. It doesn't go clear to the bottom of the 2x4's but I doubt the bees will mind.
This will give me seven full hives going into swarm season once I get those last three painted. That should be enough to give me plenty of breathing space for getting the garden in and other stuff done before I need to pump out a few more.
The barn cat or should I say the Barn Tyrant as she has run all other cats out of the barn and claimed it for herself came up to help supervise me as I was painting the first bottom and top this afternoon.
My direct supervisor and this cat do not get along period... but all the other animals run when I am using power tools (prolly smart of em) except Penelope (My direct supervisor) and she was sleeping on the shelf int he shop so she didn't notice the territorial incursion from the barn tyrant.
I see a turf war brewing.
I went and scoped out the new bee yard area. The guy who owns the place has about 150 or so Peach trees, a huge flock of chickens, Black berry bushes and assorted other stuff all over his place so the girls should have plenty to work in the immediate area. While I was standing there talking to him some lady drove up and bought 10 dozen fresh eggs out of a little refrigerator he keeps out for that purpose. The old guy has a barn and a couple of out buildings like I do and from all the retreating tails I saw I would say the same problem with stray cats showing up and moving in as well. He did say none of the cats ever bother his chickens so that is encouraging.
He also told me that he grew about 90% of his Peach trees straight from the pits. He cultivates them in his garden and then transplants them the next year and says they are producing within three years. No grafting just straight growth. I think I am going to try and get some of these magical pits from him this year. I really thought you had to graft fruit trees to get a decent fruit but maybe it isn't as much an issue with Peaches and it is with Apples.
Anyway he was a neat and knowledgeable gentleman and I hope to learn a few tricks from him while supplying him with bees and free pollination services. Definitely should be a mutually beneficial situation.
I have a question for any of my genius readers (and I know there are several). Why is it the stupid wind blows at 40 MPH all day when I want to get work done but then once night hits it goes away? I think it would be so much better if we could reverse that process....
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
The sun's heat agitates the atmosphere, just like setting a pan of water on the stove & turning up the heat. That's at least one way.
ReplyDeleteRP - I am sure the sun has a lot to do with it but take this evening for example. All day the wind has been blowing so hard it almost blew the bottom boards over a couple of times. I just now went out to put the painted board away, the sun has been down for less than an hour and almost no wind at all. No sun yes but it can't be all that far over the horizon yet so it should still be causing a wind. Right now it is more pleasant out than it has been all day and I am not chasing my hat across the hay field :)
DeleteYou have probably displeased Aeolus I would watch that:)
ReplyDeleteAs long as I don't displease any Areola's :)
DeleteWanna keep them happy :)
You just pissed off Mother Nature so she was doing payback. Glad things are working out so far with the old guy.
ReplyDeleteRob - Well damn she should be happy with me caring for her children and all. Some women I swear :)
DeleteIt's Bush's fault
ReplyDeleteHeh :)
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteThat's mother natures way of telling you to slow down, lol
I'm really not sure why this happens but it happens a lot with the wind.
I would keep an eye on Penelope, the Tyrant my cause havoc.
Sandy - The tyrant is a big meaniehead too. Down right nasty mean to all the other cats and dog although she has learned to give the sheep a wide berth.
DeleteGet a couple of geese, they keep everyone in line at my place.
Deletethe sun heats the land which makes the air rise and generate wind. at night the land cools and doesn't do anything. it just lays there!
ReplyDeletedennis - But then shouldn't the wind begin blowing at night when things cool down as well if that were the only reason? The cooler air should be falling back to Earth now and stirring stuff up.
DeleteIt's an evil conspiracy to make my daylight hours miserable. I really hate working outside in high winds....Unless it's really hot :)
Probably because there's no rest for the wicked :-)
ReplyDeleteI supposed the sun, earth's magnetic field and rotation might have something to do with typical March wind :-)
GM - It is evil.... I wouldn't be convinced it was a conspiracy if the wind didn't stop when I go into the house. It just waits and decides since I am inside it doesn't need to gust anymore. I know it's personal :)
DeleteQuestion for you. What do you want to see in a yard when someone approaches you about putting one or more of your hives in their yard?
ReplyDeleteI've been debating contacting the local beekeeping club about arranging to have someone put a hive in my yard (ok, actually I've been looking at putting in a hive myself, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that). I'd love to get more polinators in my garden, and I doubt my gardening neighbors would object too....
Ruth - I look for an open area that gets good sun light at least most of the day where I can have the hives East or South facing. A good nearby water source is a big bonus but not essential as you can give them a bird bath with rocks in it to use for water.
Deletehe most important things are however what I hope isn't there. A neighbors pool nearby could be bad. A wide open area with lots of kids playing nearby could be bad. If the hives can be seen easily with easy access from a busy road that could be bad as well. A number of houses within sight could be bad as well if you get a swarm and it takes up residence in a house. It doesn't even have to be your swarm but if a neighbor gets bees in his or her soffit guess who they will blame?
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DeleteHm, wide open area with sun all day is easy, water source can be provided (though depending on the definition of close there IS one on the edge of the property)....It could go behind the house such that its not especially visible from the road, and I'll bet the one set of neighbors who'd see it regardless could be bribed with honey.....
DeleteIs it the pool itself thats the problem? Or the people potentially using the pool? We have a pool ourselves, but my Husband is the only one who uses it.
We have kids across the street, but they aren't welcome on the property so we're talking at least a few hundred feet (possibly a good hundred yards) from where-ever the hive would be set up. I know bees will go that far sure, but the kids wouldn't be close to the hives at least....
Hmmm, I'll have to think on it further. Thanks!
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ReplyDelete