Skep Making

I attended a Skep making class over the weekend, it was good. The chap showing us was a man called Martin Buckle you can find his website on http://www.martinatnewton.com/

I have previously attended one of his lectures on wax modelling and making candles and even that was good; very enjoyable. Martin is very enthusiastic, and was a bee keeper and is still a honey judge, he also makes skeps and baskets. He was telling us how he was commissioned to make some baskets for a new Robin Hood movie, and he will be making skeps at the National Honey show this year.

He started us off and then we were of. After 6 hours I am halfway through making mine and will have to finish it over the coming weeks. It was painful on the hands, but nice and therapeutic work. I knew many of the others attending the class and so it was a nice relax atmosphere, people talking etc. Its been a couple of days and I had a look at the half finished Skep today it looks scruffy but its nice, can wait to finish it. I would describe the process but much of it is on Martin's website and its probably best done with videos, and by Martin. I did wonder where one could get suitable straw, and he suggested finding in a thatcher. Lots of different types of straw and cane can be used.

Down at the orchard the birds have munched many of the ripe cherries, some are half eaten and remind me a a Trappist monks. With a Bowl hair cut.

The plums are doing well I may have to thin them out so they don't damage the trees. The apples are growing and look nice. The bees have been very temperamental recently, I checked on them yesterday and got stung several times. They were not happy at all. As I normally don't wear gloves, it was painful, my hands are slightly swollen today. It could be because of the weather and also the foliage seems to be less abundant, brambles etc are in bloom but not much else in the countryside. Many of the farmers near me have planted wheat and rape seed. The rape seed is green and well no pollen/nectar from wheat. The bees at home are more friendly, lots of peoples have planted vegetables and flowers, they are doing better and in a couple of weeks the lime tress etc will be in full flow.