2013....the cycle starts anew

2013...we learned at lot!

In the spring of 2013 we set up our new hives....3 in all. Soon after the bees arrived...all the way from NewZealand. It was quite the experience getting them settled in their new homes.

Most of the woodenware was built by Ryan O'Neill and Jen Rurak...a considerable savings all round. Initially the hives were a screened bottom board, single 10 frame deep with foundation and foundationless frames, a hive top feeder, a notched inner cover and a telescoping lid...all set upon a levelled hive stand. 

Shortly thereafter we set up two more hives. We really enjoyed working with them and soon increased our numbers to fifteen hives using local nucleus colonies! Now we had at least two strains of bees...local and New Zealand hygienic Carniolans.

It wasn't long before the bees multiplied and we added on another deep brood box. We had been warned about swarming but in our ignorant bliss were not even aware it was happening...at least we saw no evidence of a single swarm.

In June the when second boxes filled, we pulled off the hive top feeders and put on the first honey super...a somewhat shallower box (I could not lift full deep boxes). When the bees drew out wax comb on the foundation, filled the comb with nectar and capped the honey we would add another honey box. Some of the hives produced better than others...anywhere from one honey super to four of them!

When food sources dwindle in July we had a sharp learning curve regarding bees and honey robbing. Ryan soon produced several robber screens in hopes of keeping the honey in the hives!

In August the honey supers were removed and the hives were treated for Varroa mites using naturally occurring acid fumes...it was amazing how many mites there were in some hives whereas there was very little evidence of them in other hives. 

We extracted some of the honey and bottled it for family and friends to try. It was simply delicious:) The first drops out of the extractor looked like liquid gold.

In the fall the bees are offered sugar syrup to help them put up adequate stores for the long winter.

In November the bees are put to bed for the winter. They are given sugar blocks to munch on, warm shavings quilts for insulation and moisture wicking and insulation under the lid. The more exposed hives then had tarps draped over them.

In January when there is no active brood we did another mite treatment. After that they snoozed until the cheery blossom trees put on their display mid April.

Now the hives awake and the cycle starts a new. Their winter covers are removed and the hives are cleaned for spring.

Our plan was to grow our micro apiary by growing young Queens from our current stock and importing some Buckfast Queens from Fergussen Apiaries back east.

We also hoped to try some other hive configurations in hopes of better understanding the ways of bees.

EquiFlora Honey Farm...a micro apiary ...was now a reality.