Got our first measurable snowfall last night and this morning. A nice wet blanket of the stuff but I don't think it's going to stay around long. You can clearly see why I started putting upper entrances on all my hives now though. The snow was so wet it piled up and closed off all the bottom entrances. The hive on the right with the green bottom board actually has a small one bee sized entrance hidden under the top cover. On the small hives I use the Winter inner covers that are deep and have vent holes in them that are protected by the top.
I am not 100% positive the bees actually seal the hive up to where they are air tight but I know they try to. It doesn't take long before the entire inside of the hive will be covered in propolis and stuck together. The ones with removable bottom drawers I am sure are not air tight but I am not taking any chances so I make sure each hive has an escape hatch for heavy snow storms such of this one.
It also saves me from having to go brush the bottom entrances off after it snows too.
I was contacted by a lady who's husband died a few months ago and had left several trees down along her yard she wanted removed. Her son's don't live nearby and she asked if I wanted the wood. Sure!!! I went over to take a look this morning and she was out in her back yard shooting a little .380 of some kind. Apparently since her husband passed on her house and outbuildings have been getting raided and stuff stolen so she has armed herself and was practicing. Good for Her!!!
I gladly offered to get the half cut up trees out of her yard and noticed the power company had left several telephone poles laying on her property as well so I asked if I could cut em up and take em as well. She was over joyed I was willing to do that. I want them for gate posts and corner posts that will save me some serious money and/or time over buying or cutting them myself.
Then she asked me if I needed any nails or screws. I'm like "Mam I have a barn the size of a football field that was built 100 years ago I can use all the nails or screws you want to get rid of". Boy did she want to get rid of some!!!
All those boxes are filled with screws of all different sizes and flavors. Nails beyond count, washers, bolts, I couldn't even tell you how many. All together these boxes took up over a quarter of my truck bed. I would say there is easily a couple hundred bucks worth of screws, nails and fasteners there. She also gave me a heavy duty come-along jack, one of those big ones that take two hands to carry around.
This is going to save me some serious money over the next few years. I spend a lot on screws and nails around here not to mention those three containers at the top are filled to the brim with the galvanized nails I use for my bee hive construction. I will never have to buy nails for that again I'd wager and they were running almost 10 bucks a box last time I bought some. I'd bet there's 100 bucks or more in nails right in those three plastic tubs.
The downside is now I have to go thru it all and organize it. Ya I know such hardship :)
I get to officially enter the Freestuff Army with Jamby and Swampdog now.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
Congrats on scoring the free stuff - that's some serious booty, right there. :)
ReplyDeleteRP - YA I tell ya have seen the price of nails and screws lately it's crazy.
DeleteWhat a great haul!
ReplyDeleteTewshooz - Yep it is I am always running out of some kind of nail or screw fastener and needing more. There should be enough here to keep me going a long while. The hardware store is gonna be pissed.
DeleteYou deserve a haul like that for being willing to help her with the trees. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMarivene - I kinda looked at the trees as a plus for me too though. I am always looking for trees to cut up.
DeleteChristmas came early for you! Makes up for some of the stuff that you have had to replace.
ReplyDeleteSf - Ya I would say I am coming out on top int he long run so far with this haul.
Deleteyou will give her some pints of honey and propolis tincture , maybe for Christmas
ReplyDelete/
DH - Actually I already promised her a pint. I got maybe three left that are not earmarked for x-mas so yes she will get some.
DeleteSounds like the classic and much disbelieved Win/Win situation, you got wood and other things you need, and she got rid of some of what to her was clutter.
ReplyDeleteOdy - Ya she said she needed to get rid of a lot of stuff still and her son's don't want most of it either. I told her if she found an extra sal-saw I was int he market to buy one.
DeleteSCORE!!!
ReplyDeletethat is a serious number of screws and nails - YEARS WORTH!! high five and good job on the phone poles too!!
hey - sorting screws is what winter is for - ask k ;-) LOL!!
cheers!!
Jamby - Apparently her late husband was a contractor and did mostly renovation work so he has what a contractor would call small amounts of assorted types of nails and screws. To me it is like finding a chest full of GOLD. I am betting there is a decade worth of nails and screws there. Too bad there wasn't some roofing screws though I will need about a million of them next Spring.
Deletequestion:
ReplyDeleteIn the top picture you have pink insulation board at the sides....why not covering the top as well? I would think you lose more heat out the top than the sides.
Not a beekeeper, so I don't know. Just asking.
B - I have thought about putting a piece on the top more than a few times. What you are seeing as the top though is not really all that is between the bees balled up and the sky. Under that top is an inner cover that is solid except for about a 3 inch oblong diameter hole. So there is actually a mostly solid board then about 1/8th inch of dead space (filled somewhat with dry sugar) and then the solid top board with the metal sheet over that. My guess is that should provide a fair bit of insulation in itself. If I started noticing snow melting off the top before it was melting elsewhere though I would assume that heat is escaping that way.
DeleteReally though a piece on top wouldn't hurt anyway I just ran out of foam this year for the sides. The sides are just 1/2 inch thick pine so I wrap the brood area in hopes that offers them some protection.
PP,
ReplyDeleteNow that's one heck of a major score my friend!
You have wood, fence posts, screws, nails, and come-along jack. Plus, a friend who may call on you again for help or offer you more tools!!!!
Are you doing the happy dance??
That was a prime score there! Keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to ask about stuff and sometimes good things will just fall into you lap.
ReplyDelete