A quiet week

Its been an nice week, I have managed to get to grips with the petrol strimmer I have now cleared the parts of the meadow the horses were on. The horses have left some large weeds untouched. I have cut them down. It does make the meadow nice and clear.

The bees also seem to be laying eggs. This is good news but the eggs are being layed at a 6pm angle I was expecting them to be laying at 9:15. I am still looking at getting an additional hive.
I will have to ask the other bees keepers if the angle of the bees is correct. I was also meant to sprinkle icing sugar on the bees but I left the sugar at home. The sugar is to help the bees tackle verroa mite. I really don't want to use harsh chemicals. I have not seen any verroa mites, but you don't want to take the risk.

I am also looking at getting a tool box, as I seem to be collecting lots of tools and bits and pieces like matches, for the smoker, magnifying glass, Hive tool, hammer, strimmer string etc.

A disappointing week

In truth its been a disappointing week I left the bees alone all week then on Sunday I checked to see if the queen has started to lay eggs. No sign of eggs or lavea which is disappointing. I then call Bernard the Apiary Manager at Sutton Park. He advised me to wait another week. So I shall wait another week. I have added more sugar syrup they don't seem to be taking much but the frames are becoming fuller and the brood is still expanding and filling frames.
I have checked the trees, and have seen signs of aphids, I have see lots of lady birds about so I will leave them for a couple of days and will see if the situation improves. I don't want to spray anything even if its organic.
The horses have eaten a significant portion of the grass however some of them have been sold by the farmer and the show jumpers are at a show. So on Sunday not a single horse was left on the land. The horses have left some weeds which have grown considerably, so on Sunday I took the petrol strimmer and started to cut them down. I did a good portion then after adding 2 stroke oil and petrol the machine didn't start. I wasted much of the afternoon on this. I will try and start it again this evening and finish the job
Not exactly sure what's wrong. So it has been a disappointing week, in some aspects.

Horses have snacked on a couple of trees

Its been an interesting week. The trees are growing fast and lots of spurts of growth. It not all good news, 2 trees have had leaves eaten by the horses that are munching through the grass. Its not that bad I write optimistically. On one tree the damage in minor and on the other it is noticeable as the tree is about 10 foot high and from about 4ft - 7ft it no longer has leaves.
The horses should in a 10 meter x 30 meter pen which is fenced in via a movable electric fence. I have informed Chris the chap who owns the horses. He is taking care of it. What had happened was that the horses had managed to get out of the penned area.

Checked on the bees a couple of days ago with a chap from the Warwickshire bee keepers group. Bob Gilbert, who has been looking after bees 20 years +. I called him in as I have not seen any eggs or lavea. He found a new queen which may be a virgin. He has advised me to wait for a week and a half before manipulating the bees again. Then check to see if the new queen is laying eggs. I hope she will be. If not other steps will need to be made.

I have also been contacted my the Midshire Orchard Group, my local orchard group I joined last year. They also supplied most of the trees. They have informed me about a European Conservation Action Network. A project to meet people or are managing traditional orchards in mainland Europe. This would be a great opportunity for me. It would be difficult with work etc but they understand. I have applied and wait see if I will be joining this years interns. This would be a good opportunity, lets wait and see what happens.

The picture this week is one of my daughter. It was her birthday on Sunday and she has just turned 5. She usually comes with me to help.