I have not written in this blog for several months. If you haven’t noticed……our world is changing…..FAST!!
Yes, I’m still Beekeeping. In fact, I’ve had a very good year with my bees. The increases of my apiary started in early March. March 12 to be exact. From there I attempted to keep hives from swarming and instead ended up with 3 splits, making the hive count in my apiary at 5 hives. Because I lost 2 hives during the winter, the 3 splits made up for my losses plus one.
Most beekeepers know that if you want to purchase bees, you must get your orders in, to those selling bees, in the early part of the year. Purchase lists become long with those just beginning beekeeping. There are only a few local beekeepers that I would consider buying bees from. Remember, my bees are Treatment Free.
I ordered a package and a Nuc in December – January. Not knowing that I would be doing splits from my remaining 2 hives, I needed to, not only replace the hives that I lost, but I wanted new genetics in my apiary.
When I received the bees that I had purchased, I had 7 hives. The most that I think I have ever had. One of the Nucs failed (which is not unusual) and a friend that I am mentoring bought one of my very strong Nucs. Where he had planned to purchase a Nuc, fell through. I just so happened to have one that I could sell. Five hives for me to maintain….is plenty!!
Which brings us to June, 2020!! CRAZY, CRAZY YEAR is an understatement!! Beekeeping and my gardens have brought me peace and calm with all the turmoil going on. Just watching them at the entrance is fascinating, let alone finding them gathering nectar and pollen on my many plants that have been planted for them.
It has been a very wet year so far, meaning that my honey harvest may again be rather light. I am not in this to steal all the honey from my bees. In many previous blogs, I have stated that you CANNOT take all their honey and not expect more losses of hives. That honey is THEIR food and if you deplete those store too much, you will lose hives to starvation!!
I have added many new plants to my apiary property. Some are planted and blooming and some are still too new to bloom and provide forage for the bees. Any trees added can take a few years to produce flowers, but when they do start blooming, the tree will give you more bang for your buck with abundant flowers for the bees to forage on.
I am writing this blog directly prior to the Summer Solstice. If you study astrology (like I do) you are aware that the configuration of the planets this year in 2020 are unlike any other year. On June 21, we not only have the Summer Solstice, but we also have a New Moon (new beginnings) AND a Solar Eclipse….along with 5 (FIVE) planets that are retrograde. NO wonder astrologers everywhere are saying that 2020 will be a year like no other!!
I will try my best to write a blog each month of the remaining of the year. Until then, I will leave you with some “eye candy” and the most beautiful sights that I know. My Honey Bees foraging on plants on my property.
Nameste’
