In the Northern latitudes, a lot of thinking and planning. Reading. The beginning of a new year is a great, symbolic, time to think of the year ahead: set goals, make plans, get ready to go, start to right some wrongs from the previous year. Our hives are all wood and while it’s generally pretty durable, things do get damaged …
Goodbye, and good riddance, 2018!
Boy, it’s great to see the back-end of 2018! It’s been quiet around here for good reason: we’ve been trying to figure out if we wanted to continue in this business or just pack it in. It’s been that kind of year. Something that we’ve always been proud of is that we’re generally able to keep our losses in the same …
Black Beekeepers Are Transforming Detroit’s Vacant Lots Into Bee Farms
A wonderful story of hope and renewal arising from the ruins of Detroit’s inner city: “Work hard, stay bumble” is their nonprofit motto. Source: Black Beekeepers Are Transforming Detroit’s Vacant Lots Into Bee Farms
Elephants Are Very Scared of Bees. That Could Save Their Lives. – The New York Times
This is very cool. Who would have thought that an animal’s innate fear of another creature could be put to good use like this? Source: Elephants Are Very Scared of Bees. That Could Save Their Lives. – The New York Times
Checking in on the Russians
They’ve been in their new homes at Lemoine Point Farm for exactly a week, and boy have they ever moved in! In case you’re not aware, a nucleus hive (or nuc) is the preferred method for selling colonies in Ontario. It’s a box with four, normally deep, frames: 2 or three frames of brood and a frame of nectar or honey. …
The Russians are here!
We visited the bustling metropolis of Moose Creek, ON, this morning to pick up 6 nucs of Russian bees this morning. We’ve heard good things about them and Jurg Zurcher was able to confirm most of them and discounted and important one: yes, they build up quickly; they can be swarmy, but make sure they have space to build and …
“It is said that smoke calms honeybees”
We don’t use smoke when we tend our hives. We never have and I don’t see any reason to start now. It disrupts the hive and can mask all kinds of odours that a beekeeper can use to figure out what’s happening in a hive. It appears that part of our justification for being smoke-free is also inacurrate: “The perception …
What a fun day
I spent this morning talking bees with three Kindergarten classes at St Joseph Catholic School in Belleville. Both of my kids are teenagers and I had completely forgotten how much energy these tiny people have! 😉
First day of spring pollen in the home yard
What a glorious spring day today. The ladies were out and flying: carrying out the dead, taking cleansing flights and collecting light tan-coloured pollen. Here we go!