Tag Archives: bee

The Longest Winter

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Bean

It’s been a long winter here in the mountains in the northwest corner of the lower 48 states. It started snowing the first week of December and has just recently stopped. We did have a 1 ½ week break where … Continue reading →

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Post-Winter Hive Check 2016

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Bean

We had some clear weather at the end of February, and I took advantage of it to check the hives.   For the record, Brookfield Farm Bees And Honey had a 13% loss of beehives from September to March. I’m … Continue reading →

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Storing Bee Hive Frames in Winter

Posted on November 21, 2015 by Bean

I search continuously for easy, efficient, nontoxic ways to deal with bee equipment. Storing frames for winter has been an evolving technique. I am pretty happy with my new set up: stacking frames in boxes set on their sides. When … Continue reading →

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Splitting and Supering Hives

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Bean

I’m a bit behind in my posts. About 3 weeks ago I went through all my hives, again. The intention was to either split or super the ones that were getting crowded to keep them from swarming. It quickly became … Continue reading →

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Spring Supers For Bee Hives

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Bean

Spring arrived early here this year. So I’ve supered the strong hives, many of which were packed with brood, and fed honey to those that had eaten nearly all their stores.   Bees On Brood   This is a spring … Continue reading →

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Making Essential Oil Bee Patties Making Essential Oil Bee Patties

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Bean

Twice a year my bees get some essential oils in their diets. The aim is for general health, to strengthen their immune systems and to combat varroa mites, from the inside. Before I go any further, let me say there … Continue reading →

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Cutting Grass in Bee Yards

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Bean

As spring moves into summer here in northwest Washington, the grass grows – with authority.  What looked like a tidy-ish bee yard one week can be a jungle two weeks later. So armed with my trusty power scythe, I headed … Continue reading →

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Preparing for Splits and Supers

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Bean

Spring is upon us.  Flowers are blooming, drones are flying, it is time to put supers on the hives and/or split some of the hives to create homes for the newest queens.  What follows are photographs of what I am … Continue reading →

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Spring Hive Check List

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Bean

It is spring here: periods of sun between bouts of rain.  I’ve taken the sunny days to do the spring hive assessment, which requires opening all of my hives (about 80) to check them, remove empty boxes, and give them … Continue reading →

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Bee Boxes And Frames : A Winter’s Tale

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Bean

I received a call once from a young lady who wanted to see if her husband could “experience a day as a beekeeper” – a birthday present.  Somehow I don’t think she meant: sit in a room in mid-winter with … Continue reading →

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