A quiet week

Its has been a quiet week especially with the heat and the huge showers. I checked on the bees on Friday and after I checked the frames and sow everything was fine I got cocky and removed my veil and sat very close to the hive entrance when a bee came and was buzzing next to my right ear. I made some fast jerky moves and guess what it stung me, and it hurt and bled.

The problem with getting stung on the ear is that you can't remove the sting, you have to find someone to help. It took roughly 30 seconds to get to my wife who removed the sting and smoked my ear.

My ear swelled up and I look like I have a cauliflower ear. Its been 3 days and it is still swollen.

The bees seem happy but I still have not seen any eggs or lave I will be taking a magnifying glass next time. I hope that they do not swarm.

I haven't checked the trees properly, I'm afraid time has not been on my side. I hope to tomorrow on on Wednesday.

The horses have been moved further up the field and have eaten a great portion of the tall grasses. It is really good, I have also got a couple of horses in other parts of the orchard eating the grass. This may be something I should do on a regular basis.

Its ticking over

The horses on the land are munching through the grass. The bees have settled in are buzzing around. The trees are growing. Its been a good week.

I have checked the bees they are doing fine. I have see two Queen cups will they want to swarm? Not sure will be talking to some of the pro's in a day or so.

Busy Busy Bees and Horses

It been a busy couple of weeks. We have split the orchard into two, as the grass has gotten very long. The side with no trees has been turned into grazing land for a couple of horses that we have managed to loan. They are eating through the grass and are happy chasing and rolling around.

The owner of the horses is on site daily and they have plenty of water etc. They are show jumping horses and have won various awards for the owners and the riders.

The orchard itself is doing well, I have removed all the fruit, a small quantity of apples some plums and cherries and even some apricots.

This year we only want growth.


I have today managed to get the Bees and the hive set up and placed on the land. With help from Bernard Diaper and the Sutton Coldfield Bee Keepers. I still attend the classes and continue to learn and pick-up skills but from now on I can practise on my own hive.

The hive is in place on the land and surrounded by lots of new trees and small bushes. Some may take upto 40 years to start producing seeds. Most of the bushes and trees are bee friendly or produce fruit / nuts. The hive area is nice a large circle which could easily house upto five hives. I hope to have perhaps 3 in years to come. I had lots of help with this from my family. Selecting the plants, getting the land ready the digging planting and even the watering.

Wondering around

Its been a busy week. I havn't been on site at the orchard much this week. I checked the trees they are fine, and its a good thing I have put down the straw mulch around each tree.The grass is now getting very long, and thanks to the mulch the roots will be fine. The whole orchard is very pretty with thousands of yellow flowers.and walking through the field by wellies were covered in pollen.
I have built the beehive made a couple of mistakes, primarily on the supers but I have managed to get it fixed. I have been to various beehives this week. I've had a look around talked to people asked questions and learning practical skills. The hive still still not on site as I have not been given the bees that are being looked after by the apriary manager who is checking for diesase etc.
Later in the week we visited the Garden at the Garden Organic site in Coventry. I looked around the orchards, and they way they have set up and establised it. They are using losts more pest controls than me. Then have Grease bands, Lady bug nests, Phomone traps plenty of plants that will attract bees and other forms of wildlife. The pictures are from the Organic Garden Orchard.

2 weeks news its been pouring

Last week was a washout, It has rained daily and it has meant that I have not been on the land much.I checked the trees once, and sprayed a couple of trees that had large numbers of Aphids, these days very few trees have aphids. The natural predators are out and about.
I have ordered a number of books on Permaculture and am awaiting for delivery.
The books arrived on the 16th and I have started to read the first "Permaculture in a Nutshell".
This week has been better, I checked on the trees again and visited a number of large gardens to see how they have set up gardens and what they are growing.
I have also been to the bee course and attended the monthly meeting. I have been learning about bee diseases. I have ordered my hive and a jacket etc and await delivery.
I have also completed "Permaculture in a Nutshell" it was interesting and some of the ideas are interested however many of the ideas seem like common sense.

The trees are growing and look good to me.

Manure

I have checked the trees for aphids and caterpillars. I have also moved roughly 40 wheel barrows of horse manure on to the site. That was hard working. I did have help but it was hard. I now have access to as much horse manure as I could want, but if I ever want to move it I will be using a 4x4 dumper.

I have also had a couple of horses on the land eating some of the grass. The horses seems to love it they were running a rounding chasing each other and munching the grass. I must admit it was nice to watch them wonder around grazing and playing.

It looks like I am noting going to get any sheep at the moment. I will have to buy them from the auctions but I think I may have to wait until next year.

Aphids and Caterpillars 2nd May

I have found caterpillars and aphids on a number of trees. I discovered them on Monday the 27. I wasn't prepared to find them. I didn't know what to do, even though only a few weeks ago I had read a journal on pests and diseases for organic apple growing.

I knew that organic chemicals were available and that I should remove the aphids asap as they suck out the sap. So I collected in them in the only thing I had to hand an old crisps wrapper.

I dumped them in a bin, and started trawling the internet wikipedia and various organic websites. I also joined Organic Gardening and have received my membership card etc now.

I have also purchased an organic spray for the aphids its called Vitax 2 in 1 and have sprayed on the 29th April on any trees that I found aphids. I sprayed again on 2nd May again only on trees that I found aphids.

I am not worried as much by caterpillars, I know I should be worried about moths espcially this time of the year.

I have also show some friends and family around the orchard.