Sold some honey at the School christmas Fete

Sold some honey at the local school fete. I don't sell much honey, but the Christmas fete is the busiest day for me in terms of selling honey.

The people that attend the Christmas fete are normally the parents and the children that attend the school. The hives themselves aren't to far and it really is local honey. Some of the bees will be in these peoples gardens.

Its nice for me to talk to customers and hear people talk about honey and how they use it. Some people have bought honey from me before and its nice to see them again. Some will tell me about how they found the honey and I have never had a complaint. However most of the honey that I sell is this years stock. I had a couple of jars from last year but not many. Its better than selling it via a middleman and not hearing what people think of the product.

People told me about how they mix honey with whisky and chilies flakes for colds, that seems very popular and it was new to me. I told people why the honeys are different colors and this differences between set and liquid honey and also the subtle taste differences.

I also feel if your selling direct to the public and to people that you know or who know you even in passing, you are putting yourself on the line. Its your reputation on the line also and though I am selling the honey I kind of what to say I'm not making a huge profit. It covers the costs, off the honey, and the jar and the time it takes. The profits just go back into buy medication and buying new equipment, very little actually goings into my pocket, if any. This to some will make me just a hobbyist, and I guess I am, but the benefits that the bees bring are huge. Its making these peoples gardens look better. Helping to pollinate the flowers and fruit in their gardens. It also give me a chance to highlight this point to them.

The Hive Bee Wilson

Over the past couple of weeks I have been reading The Hive by Bee Wilson. A very interesting read. I was amazed by the facts and information she has been able to compile into this one book.

As a beekeeper it was interesting to read about some of the early facts and myths around bees, honey, wax and beekeepers.

I really liked the book and have mentioned it to a couple of fellow beekeepers.

Its not a book on beekeeping for bee keepers but its none the less its an interesting book for bee keepers and the public in general.

More weeding more muck spreading

Some of the muck beneath the trees

Another week and more of the same. I have weeded beneath more trees and have spread more muck. I have a further 46 trees to go, so I reckon a good three weeks work remain. I managed less trees than last week, but the trees are towards the end of the orchard, and now I need to do the weeding myself. I was lucky previously the weather had been warmer and my parents had been down and done some of the weeding for me.

This weeding and muck spreading has stopped me doing some other work, which I had started a couple of weeks ago. That of cutting down the brambles. I need to finish off this work, and put the orchard to rest for the winter. I may have to cut the grass also, its long and makes pulling the trolley harder.

I haven't checked on the bees as the weather has been a lot colder lately, and I only want to go in when its an opportune time. I know that a couple of weeks ago they had plenty of food, and I have seen other bees collecting nectar from Ivy; which is in bloom at present.

More Than Honey the film by Markus Imhoof

I attended a screening of a film called  More than Honey it was a screening by friends of the Earth, in Sutton Coldfield.

It was interesting, It showed what professional beekeepers do in the states, and followed a family that have been beekeepers for many generations in Switzerland.

It was informative but for most beekeepers they would have been aware of the material tackled within the film. In one instance a beekeeper gassed his bee because they have European Foul Brood, a treatable illness, and at the end they saw the bees flying at night towards another galaxy. That was the most disappointing feature of the film.

It showed how a beekeeper was sticking to the native bee, even though his neighbours and moved to other breeds that were easy to manage. All interesting stuff.

They did show a drone swarms and a done mating with a queen. I hadn't seen these before. They also showed a queen emerging from a queen cell, which again was interesting. The film did highlight africanised bees and how though more aggressive they are manageable and show an american bee keeper who is a convert to africanised bees, and only keeps them.

Worth a watch.

Friends of the earth wanted us to sign a petition which will be sent to my local MP Andrew Mitchell.

Shoving trolley loads of the magic black smelly stuff

Been a tough weekend. Managed to get a trolley load off manure under 28 trees. It was tough work. I started at 10am and finished at 5pm. It was dark by the time I finished. I didn't really stop and take pictures this weekend just didn't have the time.

The weeds had been cleared under 17 trees by my parents during the week; this really helped. These 17 were the closest to the manure and the final 8 were at the furthest end of the orchard. That leaves the middle section of the orchard remaining for the next couple of weeks.

So under all the trees all the weeds and grass are removed. Then I piled under the manure and then spread it out evenly, then onto the next tree.

I was in pain and even a day on I feel like I had a good workout.

I have paid for the manure and given the farmer a jar of honey.

I found what looked like a maggots, turns out to be Leather jackets (Tipula paludosa)which will turn into daddy long legs. They aren't the prettiest insect.

Massive pile of poo more brambles cut down and a buzzard

Buzzard flying off

More Brambles Cut down

I have managed to get more brambles cut down but still have a good couple of days worth of work, ahead to cut down the rest and burn it down.

The pictures this week arn't great but I started work about 9am and had to finish at 11am. The shots were taken just as I was locking up for the morning. 

Bovine manure

I also fed the bees and all three hives in the orchard were doing well. I have topped up the food and all seems, healthy. Lots of bees, the weather is too cold to do a proper inspection. When I arrived it was frosty, silent and the sun was out, with a beautiful blue sky. A great day to be out in the countryside, or just out and about.

The farmer Mr Wilson has finally dropped off the manure which is great news. It does mean more work for me but great news all the same. The next couple of weekends will be spent shifting that around the orchard and getting it under the trees.  I did go and see him, but he was busy on his farm and I didn't manage to track him down, will try again next week, I did promise his wife a jar of honey, which I will also deliver next weekend. Its strange but that couple of tons of bovine manure is so pleasing for me. Its nutrients for the trees, protection and it also encourages lots of insects. many of which will benefit me and the trees.

Over the past couple of years I have seen a family of Buzzards grow and visit the orchard and the surrounding areas. Normally as soon as I arrive they fly off and just as they were heading of I managed to get the picture. It was in the next field, but I was happy I managed to get the picture. Normally by the time I have got the camera out of the case they have flow away. Its just one, huge bird. with a wing span that could be a meter. It fast, massive and very elegant to my eyes.

BBKA Module 2 Exam taken today

I've been studying for the British Bee Keepers Association Module 2 exam. It be difficult to find the time to study and get the some of the assignments done. I have been part of my local study group meeting once a month to discuss various topics and putting ideas, facts and opinions, forward with all of us contributing, to complete work. Which we would then send to be assessed. To pass the module  we have to pass a exam. Which for me was held at the Lea Marston hotel, in Warwickshire. The results arrive in about 8 weeks.

I have to admit the study was enjoyable but hard. I had to learn facts about legal requirements for honey, as a product, packaging requirements, various bits on health and safety. 

Then the study on how bees make honey and how they gather the pollen and nectar, the types of plants and trees, at what time of the year, they collect resources to make honey. Learning about the various different types of honey, from floral, Ling and Honeydew.

How honey from abroad is different. How plants communicate to the insects, from the use of colors, aromas, and even honey guides.

Then subjects on how to process the honey and other products things like what temperature and for how long. Then the more social aspects of beekeeping like Honey shows and what they are for as well as what judges would look for when assessing. I also learned about making things like mead and candles, and methods of taking the venom out of the bees. 

All interesting stuff. A couple of days or no study and then onto the the next module. 

I still have all the study notes so if you want them let me know.

Scotland 2013

Stag on the Isle of Mull

I spent the half term holiday with the kids in Scotland. We visited various places, the stag we spotted almost at dusk on the Isle of Mull on/near the Maclean ancestral home not far from the Duart castle itself.

This time of the year though many of the castles are closed we checked out Culzean Castle gardens and the orchards.The leaves have changed color and when its dry its great, not surprisingly not loads of people about. The glass houses still had grapes in them. In the orchards lots of lichen on the trees. Lots of clean air then.

Grapes in Culzean

Orchard at Culzean

A couple of highlights of the trip included a art exhibition in Ayr which ends in a couple of days but the place it was at held Maclaurin was great for the paintings it had a great cafe, and gallery. The university of Dundee gardens were lovely however the weather was a little wet, so we ended up on Dundee Law  which is a hill at the top of Dundee eating Dundee cake. Magic views from the top. I will have to visit Dundee botanical gardens again, as the weather was so very wet. I did manage a chat with one of the experts that was around.

Dundee Botanic gardens

Cutting down brambles and looking out for beneficial insects.

Two ladybirds on an apple

Not many apples left in the orchard, but the ones that are remaining seem to be attracting lots of wildlife. I had some some apples low to the ground and they seem to have been gnawed by rabbits.The place is great even though it is getting colder the grass is still growing. The bees are out about when its warm, for example on Tuesday 15th October the bees were in and out. They even cleared the hive off some dead bees.Its getting cold at night and I think they are beginning to cluster. I do still have some apples and pears on the trees. Most of the pear are quite high up and i'll need a ladder to get to them.

Ladybird in an apple with a dimple

Over the last year I had let some of the brambles grow, not really intentionally, but I guess partially through  my own laziness. The picture below shows what the drive up to the orchard looked like before I started to remove the brambles. It was at least 2 meters thick in some places. It was full of brambles and nettles.

Brambles reaching on to the drive

I started to clear it down by finding the root of the bramble cutting it and then pulling it out, it was hard work arms and legs scratched nothing massive. It was very satisfying work mind. Some of the brambles were longer than 2 meters, some were thicker than my thumb.

Brambles removed, by hand

Below is the pile of the brambles that I cut down. I will burn them in a couple of weeks, nearer to bonfire night, that weekend.The plan is to is to have a family bonfire that weekend in the orchard. Burn the brambles and cook a couple of hot potatoes in the fire. I've never done that before, I hope the kids enjoy it.

The pile of brambles

I also cut back some of the hawthorn tree that was close to the entrance of the orchard. This should allow the farmer to deliver the bovine manure. I hope he delivers it soon.

Picking Damsons Apples and giving the bees suguar fondant

Kids and me picking and eating fruit from the orchard

Me having just put in 12.5 Kgs of sugar fondant into the hive

This week I was down at the orchard and gave each of the hives a 12.5Kg block of sugar fondant they have lots of food but as they go into winter I want to be sure that they have enough to get them through the cold months and into the spring.

I will monitor the blocks and if they beginning to disappear I shall ensure that they have more fondant or a sugar syrup solution.

my son riding an imaginary horse through the orchard

We are still picking apples and they are good. On Monday we had a apple and black current crumble with custard, which contained honey. The Apples, Blackcurrants and Honey used to make the crumble are all  from the orchard, it was lovely, although I think I when a little over board with the honey and custard.

We have started to pick the Damsons and will be looking for a recipe to make a jam or chutney for the end of the week.

I went to the local dairy farm as I was expecting the bovine manure which hadn't arrived, the farmer was a little worried about this tractor hitting some of the hawthorn trees and I have agreed to cut them back so that his tractor can get through. That will have to be done next weekend. It looks like I will have a couple of busy weekends then.

2nd dose of Api guard

Hemish in bee suit

 My son and I checked on the Bees today and applied the second and final dose of Api Guard.

Bees still taking fondant down into the brood box

It started so well, both of us suited up and then I realized, I only had 1 pair of gloves I gave them to him and checked on the bees, he is only 5. I didn't really want to put my bare hands in the hive this time of year. In the spring on summer I find that the bees are more tranquil and don't sting as much. I'm happy then to put my hands in into the hive. This time of the year, when they have stored all the food for the winter months they can be more temperamental. Two of the hives were fine, I believe they would have let me put my hands into the hive and apply the second dose of apiguard with ease. The third can be more aggressive and would sting given half the chance. If I'm not careful and upset them they will follow me around the orchard until they are bored.

Hemish talking to a horse

Anyway my son was happy after having seen inside the hives and I got him away from the hives, after visiting the horses and collecting more apples, and trying a couple of plums I went back with the gloves and applied the api guard.

More fruit to pick

The grass is growing again and will need a further cut. Not sure when. Still no sign of manure wither bovine or horse. Once it arrives then I need to get it under trees before the weather turn and becomes more unsettled.

Still Harvest time

Still collecting apples of the trees this week I collected a couple of kilos of apples various variety's. I am ever so please with this years harvest. Some of the plums aren't doing at well this year. They have maggots in some of them and the wasps are in possession of some of the trees. Its the sugar in the plums that is attracting them. They seem to only like the ripe fruit and sucking out the sugar from the fruit. You can still find some very tasty fruit but you do have to pick them carefully and ensure that its good maggot free. In some cases I have bitten into and only after the second bite realized that a maggot is nesting with the plum.

I'm not sure how to deal with the maggots in the plums, they seems to burrow down to the stone and then eat around it and contaminate the fruit. I have to do some research into this.

I have started the apiguard treatment for the bees, the weather was nice and they didn't seem to mind me going into the hives. I had over the previous weeks seen that they had put lots of honey around the super areas of the hives and they have started to bring it down into the brood boxes.

I had to make some space and placed the apiguard treatment into the hive. I actually bought it from John Madgwick at the Birmingham honey show. I normally use Api Life Var and had changed the product for two reasons. 1st because John didn't have enough Api Life Var and 2nd a slight change to the treatment so that the varroa mites don't get accustom to the treatment.

Lots of mushrooms around on the grass.

The orchard is looking great to me. The place is now looking more like a traditional orchard.

The guys who own a livery are still practicing in the orchard. I have spoken to Chris and he has promised me that if its rained he won't bring any horses into the orchard. His daughter recently had a tournament in abroad which was on grass and they wanted to practice on grass. They are meant to deliver a pile of well rotted manure in the next couple of weeks.

Birmingham Honey Show 2013

Honey trophies to be won

Mead can't touch or drink

I visited the Birmingham honey show last week. It was held at Martineau Gardens in Edgbaston as usual. It was the sunny of the two day event and I took the kids. They aren't that impressed with Honey shows if you visited some of the smaller ones they are all pretty much the same. A collection of different colored honey, various wax candles, meads, honey cakes all of which you can't try or touch then some interesting pictures, photos or beekeeping articles.



You can talk with various beekeepers and people making products from arty items like rolled candles. You can buy products like lip balm, make up. perhaps soap and candles. Then you have a go at spotting the queen in an observation hive.

Honey Cakes

The one thing that Birmingham Bee keepers do that is interesting is they invite people and organizations that are from differing pursuits into the honey show so that they can advertise and promote other products also. As always they had people from Martineau Gardens who were giving walks and talks about the gardens and wildlife that can be found in the gardens. They have orchards, allotments, a small wood, a coffee shop etc. They had people in a yurt selling books, and telling stories, people selling jam's and the like with produce from the gardens. People selling home made cakes etc.

All in all it was nice, and lots of lovely people, not just the bee keeping fraternity.

More Honey 

Still gathering fruit and have cut the grass.

The weather over the past couple of days has been nice and warm, however looking forward its going to be wet, so I managed to borrow my brother's transit van and have cut about 90 % of the grass. It took 6 hours and my pedometer says I has walked 21 Kilometers. The last 10 % I will leave and can see lots of insects have made the orchard their home. This will give them shelter.

Orchard after having cut the grass

The grass is looking lovely, now. 

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had a young girl and her friends practicing horse jumping in the orchard. The girl was at the European championships recently and needed to practice on grass. 

She did well and looks forward to competing again in Europe.

The later crops of plums in the orchard are coming into bloom at present. Mainly the green gages I have found that a number of the plums have small holes and when you open them up you can find a small maggot. Not all the plums are infected, but its not good. I may have to harvest some of the plums early and let them ripen at home. I will leave the infected ones on the trees. The wasps are also enjoying the plums.

This morning after I had cut the grass the weather turned and we have a severe down pour, good thing I got the grass cut. Still waiting on the delivery of manure.

Everyone is enjoying the Harvest

Ladybird in an Apple

Over the past couple of weeks I have been enjoying this years harvest from the orchard. We have enjoyed various fruit dishes and a number of desserts. Including Plum crumble, Apple crumble and Eve's Pudding.

All have been lovely, that's thanks to my wife who has been hard at work in the kitchen  as well as helping to pick and collect the fruit. We have given away some of fruit. With lots of favorable reviews.

We have lost some fruit to the insects and birds which for us is acceptable. We seem to have lost more plums the green gages and any other fruit and at the moment is seems to be being consumed by wasps. The bees are doing well and I have made the entrances much smaller.

Visit to Garden Organics

The family and I visited Garden Organics in Ryton, we took our niece so she could also enjoy the gardens and orchards, it also gives me a chance to look over the fence and see more professional orchardists in action and see and compare results. 

My Son Climbing the sculpture in the orchards

As always Ryton gardens is an inspiration. Not just the orchards but the gardens and the flowers. We wondered around looked the had a nice family day out. 

Apple fallen to the grown

The Apples have started to fallen onto the orchard floor, at my orchard I think I still a couple of weeks before they start to fall like this. Ryton gardens prevously used to us all its own produce in the cafe, however doesn't seem to do that any longer. The cafe and some other parts have been outsourced to external companies.

Flowers in Bloom at Ryton

It was late August and plenty of flowers in bloom and insects out and about. Its nice to see them, I know not everyone welcomes the insects but they are busy getting and living just as we humans do.

A bumblee Bee and a wasp gather pollen from an Alium

Cherries in the fruit trees

 All my dessert cherries are gone and either have been eaten by the birds are by use as a family. This is a late variety and one that will have given Ryton a good harvest.

Wild meadow flowers in one of the gardens

RHS Wisley

One of the apple orchards at Wisley

I visited RHS Wisley this week with the family. The weather was great and we had lots of things to see.

Lillie's in one of the ponds

The kids as Wisley

It was a bit of a mare getting in, but the gardens were lovely as you'd expect and the orchards were fabulous. We wondered around the acres of fruit trees some of which some must have been planted 30+ years ago. Loads of fruit and all the trees have been beautifully pruned.

Wildflower meadows at Wisley

Seeing them makes you want to crack into action. The way that the trees had been pruned at Wisley was inspirational. I know the theory and I have done the work on other peoples trees and orchards but pruning your own trees is a lot harder. I don't want to to mess it up and harm the trees, and then losing the growth over the past couple of years.

Its great wondering around these gardens as they give you ideas and inspiration. You also meet people who have common interests and may have advice and knowledge to share. It was nice meeting people and talking to them and telling what I've been upto. The gardens at Wisley are wonderful and I look forward to visiting them again.

Brogdale August 2013

Apple orchards planted about 4 years ago

This week I was in Kent I visited the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale farm. I had a guided tour with a chap called Paul Yashpon. We wondered around the Pear collection the Apples orchards and then onto the plum and cherry orchards.

Me and Paul

We had a fun time and a good conversation wondering around the orchards trying different fruit and talking about Brogdale and orchards different techniques of doing things and beekeeping. We had slices of pear apples and cherries. They still have cherries in Brogdale where as most of mine have finished, bar the morello variety. We also talking about the weather and how the fruit this season is behind schedule. My kids were well behaved but a little bored by the end of it. I could have stayed longer, done more wandering and talking. It was an nice afternoon for me.

Paul also has an orchard in Yorkshire and was a bee keeper until recently, and works as a volunteer at Brogdale a couple of times a year.

Chasing butterflies and grass hoppers

Beautiful Butterfly

The orchard is doing well. I cut down 80% of the grass, its still long more than a couple of inches. But most of the grass seed is now on the floor. Its funny, the grass hasn't been that short since the start of the year. Some of the in local animals were clearly surprised, I saw a rabbit dash in front of me and surprised by the lack of cover shot of and disappear into the under growth. Also I have found lots of new rabbit holes in the long grass.

Grass cutting going well

Still loads of cherries in some of the trees mainly on the morrello cherry trees. Lots of apples and plums. This is going to be the best year for fruit so far.

We saw lots of butterfly's and in the areas where we have seen lots of them or areas they had congregate we have left the ground untouched.

Lots of grass hoppers around, and catching them seemed easier that it did when I was a child. The kids loved listening out and trying to spot them. My son was keen on holding them not so for my daughter.

We had a couple of heavy showers and I managed to get the grass cut. My pedometer on my phone said I walked 25 Km's.

I attempted to a perform a bailey comb change on the hives, it didn't go well. I got stung

Lots of butterflies gathered together in the orchard

a couple of times and didn't find the queen. I got stings in the fore head in the arm and shoulders and even on my legs. When I get stung like that I do wonder if its worth keeping bees. I will attempt the bailey comb change again later in the week.I need to spend more time in the orchard, I seem to find it hard to get things done. I am still studying for the next module for the next bee keeping exam. The warm nights are also making it difficult to sleep. Over the past couple of weeks I haven't kept up to date with the blog but I put that right I have taken more pics etc.

I just haven't had time to update the blog. The grass was very long and I can see that much of the local wildlife has benefited from it.

Before the Grass was cut

From the picture you can see roughly how long the grass was. The paths that I had cut are a lovely green, however the grass has matured and seeded and was ready for a trim. We still have lots of weeds and varying plants in the undergrowth.

Over the next couple of weeks I have will be getting the ground ready to plant several lines of Borage, it will be beneficial for the bees and its an edible plant that we can use also use in salads etc. The idea is to I have started a smaller compost heap in which I will be able to rot down some materials to use as a mulch or layer the lines I intend to plant. I hope to plant a couple of lines of perennial crops over the next couple of years this will add both biodiversity to the orchard and make it more productive. I kind off want a patchwork of crops and colors that everyone can enjoy. 

Yellow and black Caterpilliars and Berries

Wondered around the orchard and noted a couple of things firstly these tiger like stripped caterpillars.  They are on all the ragwort. The caterpillars are Cinnabar moth caterpillars which will develop into Cinnabar moths.

They seems to like the ragwort. which is poisonous to horses and can also make honey toxic. So to some extent they are eating it up and doing me a favor. Most farmers and people who own horses are always digging it up and burning it. I may also need to do the same thing. I'll wait and see if the caterpillars are really bringing it down. I will also have to read more on these moths and and caterpillars
.
The kids seems to like them in the sense they want to collect them and bring them home and let them develop, to what they believe will be butterflies.

On a more positive note I have picked more morello cherries I collected a kilo of them, piped them and my wife made a lovely cherry tart.

We also found the black currents have gave them to the kids. They weren't impressed until we told them that its the fruit that's in ribbena. Then they were interested.