Fencing for bees
[12-Feb-2012] Removed the fence from two sides of Rons yard yesterday. Moved it to my house and set 3 terminal posts. Waiting on gate measurement to set the last terminal post and the line posts.

Work at home

[06-Feb-2012] Painted the screened bottom board for the 2nd hive. This board is from Kelly who makes an integrated hive stand/bottom board that I like much better than the one from Rossmans. The 2nd hive is stapled now. Attached the entrance screens and painted the entrance reducers. Built and painted a stand for the cooler that will be the water source for the bees. Now just need a solar powered pump to go in the rain barrel to make it work. Cleaned up the gravel on the left side of the garden. This was the only part I didnt do back in 2010. Its all stacked in the middle. Im going to rotate the left side beds to be inline with the other beds as soon as I pull the onions. Spent a long time just sitting in the yard watching the birds. There were Eastern Bluebirds, Sparrows, Woodpeckers, and Mockingbirds in the trees by the fence line for hours. Tried to take photos but I need a longer lens.

Cold work days

[15-Jan-2012] Mostly put in about 150 feet of irrigation for the new Pineapple Guavas and Mayhaw. Finally sited and leveled the beehive location. Prune the apple trees. Burned some stuff. Came home tonight and there were 3 cop cars blocking the drive way. Apparently some guy got dropped off, and went for a walk around everyones backyards. So they had K9 units out, and cops all over the place. No idea what the end result was they just left.

Frames finished

[29-Dec-2011] Finished putting together all the frames last night. The plastic foundation ones from Rossman go together so much quicker than the wax ones from Kelly. Its the wiring and embedding that really slows the Kelly ones down. All the hive bodies are already together. Got a second coat of paint on the Rossman hive boxes last night. The outside of everything is now painted white. I plan on painting one of the deeps with a bend and handing over the medium supers to some 4 year olds for decoration.

Frame wiring device
[11-Dec-2011] After seeing some stuff at the trade show built a frame wiring device. Its a flat board with a holder for the spool of wire and a another board the size and shape of the inside of a frame to sit it on. Wire first, then insert the foundation then embbed the wire without breaking the wax. Ill post pictures or something later.

Frame wiring device
[11-Dec-2011] After seeing some stuff at the trade show built a frame wiring device. Its a flat board with a holder for the spool of wire and a another board the size and shape of the inside of a frame to sit it on. Wire first, then insert the foundation then embbed the wire without breaking the wax. Ill post pictures or something later.

Beekeeping trade show

[10-Dec-2011] Not so much a trade show as a continuation of the class with some hands on time. There were only 2 vendors, Rossman and Millie bee. We had 3 sessions one one frame building which was ok, he did show us a electric wax embedder and I realized I need to put wire in my frames despite them having vertical wire already. Elmers frame demo sounded better however (it was behind us). We had a session on pests and diseases, and a session outside where they opened a hive. I held one of the frame for a few minutes since no one else would take it. Then drove back from Chipley. Ordered the bees from Mille bees while I was there. They will be available as 2 nucs in March. They said to bring my hive bodies, good and sealed up (screws) and we would just move the frames over.

Build a Frame Assembly Jig!

[03-Dec-2011] Put together a frame last night (and forgot to glue it) it took forever. Went looking for another away and came across a frame jig. A simple box that the frame pieces fit in to fit in to hold them while they are put together. Built one this morning and built 9 frames in the time it took to build 1 last night. Started with plans from Robos World who also has some good videos. Modified it so it was easier to build. Used 2x6s and 2x4s with out cutting them down and used some plywood so I didn't have to notch the 2x6s. Borrowed Rons nail gun and will get nails tomorrow to finish the rest of the frames I have now. Planted onions from the sampler. They are mixed so who knows what kinds will come up where. After planting 162 (9 per cell, 18 cells) I have a lot left over.

Hive and Apiary

[02-Dec-2011] The hive i ordered arrived sometime after 8 last night. i waited around for it and despite the tracking saying it was out for delivery gave up at 8pm but it was there when i came back at midnight. i think i have finally decided how to lay out the fence around the apiary. 3x 8 foot lengths of wooden wind break on the north, a fourth on the east and then 3x 16 foot cattle fence making an irregular 4 sided area between the wildflowers and the sugar can.

Hives ordered

[29-Nov-2011] Mom ordered the first hive and the basic tools for me for Christmas and I ordered the second hive and a few other things I need yesterday. Classes are fine. There is a trade show in Chipley on the 10th that is part of the class. Started planning out where the bees really go, I need to look at it more and decide what kind of fence to put up around them. They say 10 foot in front and enough behind to work on the hives for distance.

Beekeeping classes
[16-Nov-2011] Signed up for on Mondays through Jan 30 (with time off for holidays). Leon County Extension Office

The Beekeepers Handbook 3rd ed.
[05-Nov-2010] by Diana Sammataro Science: 190 pages This is one of the definative beekeeping books. Im a little put off by the number of times they suggest requeening, and the look for mites got a little old. It had step by step instructions on everything you might need to do, with several variations. Rating: 6 (out of 8)

Gett Started in Beekeeping
[03-Nov-2010] Gett Started in Beekeeping by Adrian Waring. Non-Fiction: 222 pages. Volume 0 in the series 2nd War between the States. A little UK centric but good. Easy to read. Made it sound a little more involved than the local people did, at least in the spring/summer swarming time. Rating: 4 (out of 8)

Beekeeping

[24-Oct-2010] A lot of the farms into area were open today for tours. Went out to Caney Farms to listen to beekeeping. Learned a lot. Seems like it might be viable, they only suggest 2 hive and there are lots of people even in town with them so space isnt an issue. There is an all day class Feb 27 on it I may go to. Its $20 and also gets you membership in the Apalache Beekeeping association for a year. They get most the stuff from Rossman Apiary in Georgia. They guy said in all you could start beekeeping for about $500. Ive spent more on other stupid stuff. On the way back passed over the St. Marks river at Tram road. Its got water under both sides the bridge but looks like just a pool. It didnt seem to be flowing out have outlets in either direction. Extended the blackberry trellis and planted 2 new blackberrys.

Bees
[26-Sep-2010] Went out in the yard this morning and you can year a faint buzz at all times. There are bees everywhere harvesting the small flowers on the grass in the back yard. The fly off westward.