More Rabbit guards up

This weekend I have put up more rabbit guards. I'm getting quicker but I still have lots of trees to go. Its was quiet with no distractions. No company this weekend, just me and my radio, I started later than usual and worked till dusk. It was nice and peaceful, and couple of hours few bye. I have applied the final Varroa treatment to the bees in the orchard they are all doing well.

By contrast a hive at my parents isn't doing well. The bee numbers are down significantly, they are down to 1-2 frames so about 2000 bees maybe. I have given them lots of food etc and will check on them next week to see if I can do more. I may integrate them with another hive.

Though the weather is cooler now I was happy in jeans and tshirt down at the orchard getting the guards in place. I will need more bamboo canes, next weekend, and progress is smooth. I will still need a couple more weekends, not sure how many. I have kids birthdays and other social things that will mean I can't spend a great many hours on the weekends.

I have noticed that the ground is starting to get harder as the temperature gets cooler. We are not even into autumn properly as most of the trees still have leaves on the trees, but the ground and the soil is changing.

I also visited the Sutton Coldfield Bee Keepers annual honey show, this year held at the friendship hall in Sutton Coldfield. I saw lots of the exhibits and and reckon I should enter something next year. I know lots of the winners and it more a friendly competition  that anything more serious. 

I also visited the Birmingham Honey show in Edgbaston which was very different to the Sutton Coldfield one. The Birmingham one had lots more visitors and it was set in Martinea Gardens within a couple of Marques. The branch bee-keepers were selling honey, candles,  answering questions, lots of practically things for people to do, like look at a hive floor board with a large magnifying glass, make candles, which my daughter did for £1.75. Others were selling cakes and tea and coffee, preserves and as a result it was a lot more family friendly, and as its in a park we all went and wondered through the allotments checked on the orchards, lots of small apples still on the tress. I even sow a couple of mulberry trees with juicy mulberries falling to the floor and not being collected. It is a was lovely place. They have a small woodland trail, and a play area for children. Even the lord Mayor of Birmingham attended and was given a guided tour.  

On the whole this was much more of a community affair.