Sustainable beekeeping, chickens, and cake
This Christmas is going to be a strange one for many, although less so for me as I usually spend Christmas Day on my own or with my children, and actually I find it blissfully relaxing! My older two have moved away so now it's just Rosie and me, and this year we have our … Continue reading Bee Courses for Christmas
Most beehives only need to be moved occasionally, and when they do, it is a question of blocking them in at night, moving them to their new location early the next morning, and letting them orient to their new spot. As long as they are at leasts 3 miles away from their previous location, there … Continue reading Moving a WBC
Today, Paul and I took a trip to check on the West Rise Junior School Apiary on Langney Marsh. Breezy but warm, we took the scenic (but buffalo-free) route to the bees, taking in the swans flying overhead, a female kestrel hunting, and some young moorhens preening on a raft of pondweed. We passed what … Continue reading Autumn Check on the Marsh
Just a brief visit to the hive this time as I knew the small one was queenless, and the other hive needed its empty super taken off now they've cleaned it up. It was a beautiful day and the bees were very calm. They have a lot of Varroa so I need to perform a … Continue reading Thermosolar hive check
Lockdown restrictions and social distancing have made it a bit challenging to visit the bees at West Rise Junior School's Bee Sanctuary. Normally at this time of year we would be in the throes of BeeFest, the annual celebration of not just bees, but simply being outdoors and appreciating nature - a mandate which the … Continue reading High Summer at the School Apiary
I braved the heat this morning to go and visit the Thermosolar bees at Berwick. The original colony was its usual feisty self, so I removed the top box containing the tubs of cappings, which they had duty sculpted in to new comb. They were not at all pleased to see me, and it was … Continue reading DLQ at the Thermosolar Hive
I was called out to a swarm at Pevensey Bay, which is right on the beach here in East Sussex. It was in someone's garden, and they had no idea where it had come from, and didn't know of any beekeepers locally. I do know of one nearby, but hers had not swarmed. The bees … Continue reading Black Bees
Thankfully, it is perfectly possible to continue to care for honey bees while still respecting the social distancing/essential travel restrictions, and this hot weather and abundance of flowering trees has meant all the bees have been extremely busy. I have combined all my contractual visits in to one 'Bee Tour', hence the sudden crop of … Continue reading Thermosolar update
With the current COVID-19 situation continuing to play out, I am unlikely to be able to offer workshops and courses despite this being the start of the beekeeping year. Thankfully the weather has started to improve here in the UK, and my remaining colonies are now collecting masses of willow pollen, and flying well when … Continue reading Upcoming courses and workshops
The second half of the conference started with a panel discussion and questions from delegates. Topics included: Carbon offsetting in the UK. Of course this doesn't address the issues at source, but for those activities that are not easily adapted such as essential flights or car use, at least having projects in the UK would … Continue reading Landscape Innovation Conference (Part II)