Honey Bees… Homesteading in Northern Maine
June update on the Homesteading project…Honey Bees!!! Placing a nuc in the bee box. Missed my NJ honey bees and just thrilled to find a nuc to start my bee…
9 Responses to Honey Bees… Homesteading in Northern Maine
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ok great when it is time that would be awesome.I appreciate that so much!
maineroses
May 20, 2013 at 9:52 pm
It would be my pleasure…I would love to show you…They are so easy to care for. My Hubby makes all my Bee hives for me. Currently we are working on a prototype..Can’t wait to put it to the test in the Spring. IMHO I think everyone should be a Honey Bee Hobbyist, esp if they have gardens!.
NewDaysOldWays1
May 20, 2013 at 10:32 pm
oh you must teach me about bees i am so nervious around them but want to learn how to do this…..
maineroses
May 20, 2013 at 11:12 pm
OMgosh – -that’s nuts to kill off the bees every year!!!! I mean, each replacement nuc or package costs $100 a pop — so why is that practical for him to kill the hives off every year? I’ve heard of people re-queening (I figure the bees will do that themselves when they need to), but the whole hive? Nuts. What a goldmine you are getting with those free bees though! At least you profit from his stupidity. ; )
Michigansnowpony
May 20, 2013 at 11:56 pm
I will try. We just moved to Maine and we’re in the process of building our new home.BUSY! I found a bee keeper up here who KILLS OFF around 20 hives each yr and starts with new bee packages every spring. HOW CRAZY IS THAT? I’ve convinced him to give me all his bee’s in Sept. I’ve always collecting goldenrod from the Grandparents Farm in Pa. Now that we’re in Maine I hope I’ll find as much goldenrod. Dandelions seem to be the rulers up here…which is a major favorite food for the bees.
NewDaysOldWays1
May 21, 2013 at 12:02 am
Oh! I hope you will consider doing a video on how to collect goldenrod pollen and make your patties. We have a ton of that plant around our beehives (just starting to bloom in fact) and I’d love to try doing that myself. I’m only in my 3rd year of bee keeping and so far, haven’t had to resort to using any pharmaceticals. I do use a smoker, as well as a spray bottle of sugar water with Honey B Healthy in it which has lemon grass oil in it and smells wonderful — the bees seem to love it.
Michigansnowpony
May 21, 2013 at 12:45 am
I make pollen patties in the fall with all the goldenrod I collect and freeze them, then place them inside the hive starting around the end of Feb. BUT the one thing I do not do is rob them of all their honey in the fall! So many Bee Keepers are greedy and take to much from them. The only time I use sugar water is when I want to open the hive. I don’t like using the smoker because that upsets them and you can hear and see the way they react! Also, my greenhouse was bordered with dandelions!
NewDaysOldWays1
May 21, 2013 at 1:34 am
What do you use instead of sugar water to feed your bees in the Spring?
Michigansnowpony
May 21, 2013 at 2:21 am
Thanks…I just love being in the Honey Bees. It’s very calming and peaceful.
NewDaysOldWays1
May 21, 2013 at 2:44 am