We have horse manure

The last two weeks have been slow. Last week was a wash out, it was raining and I bought a new wheelbarrow and a couple of additional forks and spades. Anyway the plan was to talk to the farmer next to me and agree that I could collect horse manure, of one of his fields. Problem was I didn't see him. He was at the Cheltenham cup weekend and he had gone to watch the horses. Not surprising him being into horses and horse jumping and show jumping.
Anyway I caught up with the farmer this week, and the farmer and his wife are pleased that I will collect the manure and compost it down. The plan is that on a weekly basis I collect a couple of wheel barrows of the manure, move it over to the orchard then mix it down with grass cutting and leaves, etc. Its hard work, but we both benefit. The horses don't want the manure in the paddock and I know what the horses are eating. Only hay and grass, no chemical feeds etc.

I have also added mushroom compost under another 20 trees, with the help of my brother.

I have also checked on the bees inside the brood box and they are fine, they have also started making brood and by the end of the week I will add a super, I think I am in for some honey this year we shall see.

I also found varroa mites on the varroa board, I wasn't expecting that, I will start with the Icing sugar this week. I am tired, it been very hard work.

The trees are doing well lots of buds getting bigger, lots are bugs like ladybirds and bumble bees around. I can also see a large nest being built, perhaps a black bird.

First sting of the year, Mushroom compost being spread

Its been a very busy day at the orchard. My brother has been cutting the grass, in areas, where it was still long. It looks beautiful now.We have purchased mushroom compost and started to spread it around the trees. We have spread mushroom compost around 20 trees, thats a start and we'll be continuing at that rate for a couple of weeks. We have to open the protection around each tree then remove the mulch etc and then loosen the ground apply the compost and then close everything up. I then put the mulch around each tree. It takes time to do all of this, roughly 10 minutes per tree. I haven't been using a wheelbarrow but will be from next week. Its heavy moving all this stuff around.The mushroom guy didn't give me a discount, on large orders, but will try again next week.We have cut all the grass, yeah, all the grass. Most of it has been shredded to around an inch in length and left on the ground to compost down. We had some problems on the banks where we found a house brick and some rocks. I even got stuck at one point and almost ran over my brothers foot, with the wheel not the cutting deck. It can take 30 minutes to clean the cutting deck. My brother has strained his back and had a lye down on the ground for a little while. I'm glad his helping though.A bee stung me today, my first sting of the year. I was holding the roof of the apiary while trying to take a picture of the bees, it was late and they were busy eating the sugar and I was clumsy and bang one stung me. I was quick to remove the sting and the poison it wasn't to bad.
My wife and kids were down and we had a picnic, and after a morning of hard work it was a welcome break, after all the work this weekend I was in pain, but a long hot bath and a drink helped.

Nice couple of weeks

A lot has happen over the past 2 weeks. Its been very cold some nights its been down to -8. We have also had lots and lots of rain.

I had my picture taken for an art project to do with bees. Its going to be on display at the British Bee Keepers Association spring convention in Stoneleigh and then around the country. The artist is a chap call Ed Swinden who's grandfather had an orchard and who's friend keeps bee's, he seemed nice and younger than I expected as his pictures seem the work of someone more mature in age. But I'm no art critic. The exhibition goes on display 16th April. www.beekeeperportraits.com.

I have cut the grass finally. The new mower is in use and its a good purchase. I have a mulching deck that spans 48 inches and a 17 horse power engine. Its hard work and for a couple of weeks I am going to cut the grass down to a low level then let it grow and have various paths etc around the trees. I will let the grass grow long around the field so as to attract animals and insects and to encourage flowers.



The bees are fine, though I haven't been inside the brood box. I still have a problem with mice, but they haven't managed to get into the hive. I will keep the mouse guard on for a while.

I have seen a buzzard on the land which was nice, it was huge, and beautiful and looked very powerful.

The willow ring has been attacked by rabbits I may be to get more willow and protect them with rabbit guards. Looks like I haven't learned a lesson. But it hasn't cost me dearly.

I have organised the spreading of mushroom compost. Its coming from Packington which is about 12 miles away. The plan is to collect the compost regularly and spread it around the trees. This starts this coming weekend. www.themushroombasket.com

The whole Orchard looks nice. I have been reading The Apple Grower by Michael Philips which is very good, lots of ideas and facts. It does seem that the more I learn the less I know and the more I have to deal with. It has raised lots of questions in my head, like have I chosen the right location, the right trees. Could I have done more prep before planting, would I have planted the same way if I had know what I know now. Part of me thinks I have started it and want to see it through, lets just put the work in. I can tackle any problems as they come.

Ladybirds and Rabbit holes

The past two weeks have been quiet; the trees seem fine, however it has been cold and very wet and at night freezing.

I have found mice droppings on the varroa board at the bottom of the hive so we have gradually moved the entire hive up 2 inches a week. It has now been moved up 4 inches in total. I will check for droppings this weekend and see if the hive needs to be moved up another 2 inches. I’m hoping this is enough. The mouse or mice haven’t got into the hive but they have eaten some of the bees by grabbing them through the mesh floor. My wife has been helping me move the hives higher, this is the first time she has had anything to do with the bees. We had a couple of fraught moments.

My wife and kids have also been to the orchard they walked around the trees with me and examined the trees the buds the soil etc. I have showed them where ladybirds like to hide and my daughter ran around trying to find them. She and my wife were competing to see who could fine the most.

I have also shown my daughter some of the rabbit burrows around the orchard. I have also noted, that recently they seem to be digging more holes nearer the trees.

The lawnmower hasn't been used yet, as its been way to wet, but as it starts to dry out I need to get on top of it. I can see lots of new green shoots, on the ground, mostly grass. I would like to get at least 1 cut done asap, then again repeat the process on a weekly basis.

I have also found a supplier of mushroom compost, which I will be spreading around the trees on a weekly basis. The last supplier has disappeared, can't get in touch with them, they are not answering the phone etc.

Valentines Day - Ring of willow

Today we have placed 9 willow Pollarded branches and created a ring of willow. Its large and could last if successful a couple of hundred years.

I can imagine it. A nice circle of large willow trees that you could sit around and chill under in the summer months. They have been planted where we get a lots of water buildup. Hopefully they will suck-up much of the water.

I do hope it will be successful, and in a couple of years I could put some additional logs etc in the circle for people especially the kids to sit around and play, even have a barbecue, play music, hide from some of the elements.

My wife wasn't as impressed, a valentines day gift "A ring made from willow". It didn't cost much, just some time. The willow was from a park nearby. I spoke to the warden and he was happy for me to take what I wanted.

The bees will also like the willow as it grows and matures.

Still wet and and Im helping the bees

Its been a quiet week, some parts of the orchard are still water logged, but its getting better. I have checked the bee hive, not for brood just for additional stores of food. I have also cleared the dead bees that were at the entrance and behind the mouse guard. The bees actually came out today which is a good sign, they also dropped very small amounts of bee feces much smaller than some of the bees at the Sutton park apiary.

The trees look the same and though we checked the trees I can not claim that the buds are getting bigger. I have seen some new holes in the ground which I think have been made by rabbits as next to the holes I can see rabbit feces. I can also see that mole hills are back and as far as I am concerned they are welcome. I have never seen a mole but I presume that they are nocturnal creatures, so may not for a while.

This is the first weekend that the whole family has been down this year, its was nice to have the company. I am this week looking at additional bee hives and thinking of putting down some willow trees and making a den for the kids. The new hives; lots of options wbc, national and a variety of raw materials.

The den for the kids may be from pollarded willow. Start on one and see how it goes, if the first one is successful then may put one or two around the place and they could be shelters for other animals and perhaps for sheep later. This may take a couple of years, so stay tuned.

Buds, Buds, Bees and Acid

Its been a busy week. I have checked on the trees, lots and lots of buds getting bigger and bigger. Its nice to see, but its doesn't mean everything is rosy. I've got to wait and see how the buds are developing in a month or two and then see what the blossom is like.

Its been cold and some parts of the orchard are water logged, which is even more worrying. I have also noticed that some of the trees have lots of moss on them. I'm not sure if its a good or bad thing.

I have been to my monthly bee lecture. This month it was on food regulation, interesting, but not fascinating. I also checked on my own bees and have left some additional food for them hope they will be OK, its has been cold over the past couple of days, and I do want to check on them again. I did see a number of dead bees at the entrance of the hive. I checked with the Apiary manager at Sutton park and he reckons it should be fine and I should clear the dead bees.

On Sunday I attended a demonstration on how to apply oxalic acid to bees, as a method of reducing the number of Varroa mites. It was good I learn't alot, I also got some acid, not 100% certain I'm going to apply it though.