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Barnyard Buddies:  Bar Top Hive  |
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Heather B
True Blue Farmgirl
562 Posts
Heather
Longmont
Colorado
USA
562 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 25 2011 : 3:05:45 PM
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This weekend I installed my first bee's into thier new homes in the backyard. My husband and I each built one top bar hives. They are in residence in my garden and will hopefully help with pollinating my garden and everything in the neighborhood. I was amazed at how easy it was and the bee's really didnt want anything to do with me, they just want to get busy doing bee stuff. My son lended a helping hand when I put the first package in. I used a spray bottle with water and a smidge of sugar to help calm them and then after that I just moved slow and easy and it was all done before I knew it!
After installing them it was amazing to watch.....yes I sat and watched for an hour the bee's coming and going. amazing is all I have to say.
I have posted pictures on my blog, enjoy.
Heather
http://homesteadincity.blogspot.com/
http://littlehouseonthebumper.blogspot.com/ (My "glamper" page)
"Only your real friends tell you when your face is dirty"
Farm Girl Sister #662 |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4274 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4274 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2011 : 04:55:21 AM
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Enjoy your bees Heather. I installed mine a year ago, and it was such fun wathcing them. And amazing how fast they built comb. My have made it though winter, and are very strong. I hope to split the hive this year.
Michele |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1507 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1507 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2011 : 06:38:03 AM
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Congratulations Heather! Bees aren't really as bad as people who don't work with them make them out to be. I'll be curious to hear how you like the top bar hives. I've noticed they are becoming more available from suppliers this year.
I just hived two packages of bees last week myself and today I will be checking on the queens if the weather cooperates. I had a very strong hive last summer that was given to me by my beekeeping mentors but they didn't make it through the winter. So I decided to start out fresh on all new equipment this year.
Enjoy watching your bees...it is fascinating.
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Heather B
True Blue Farmgirl
562 Posts
Heather
Longmont
Colorado
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 06:27:03 AM
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I released the queen yesterday in the hive with the package bees. They are already building comb. So far I have found the top bar hive set up easy to use. Getting into the hive has been easy and the bees don't seem to swarm out as much as when I've seen the other type of hive used. I don't use smoke just a little water mist and sometimes not even that. Only time will tell on the ease of use when harvesting. The one feature I really like is the observation window I put in.
We made the 1st hive out of nothing but recycled/scrap lumber we already had and the second larger one cost only 50.00 complete to build! Easy and inexpensive to make. I got my free hive plans from this site, www.biobees.com , highly reccomend.
Heather
http://homesteadincity.blogspot.com/
http://littlehouseonthebumper.blogspot.com/ (My "glamper" page)
"Only your real friends tell you when your face is dirty"
Farm Girl Sister #662 |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1507 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1507 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 07:08:13 AM
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How cool that you've built your own hive from recycled lumber and were able to customize it with the viewing window. I would love to be able to build my own equipment but at this point in my life I don't have the time. For now I use pre-assembled 10-frame Langstroth hives. I also released my queens yesterday. The rest of the girls were busy building comb and packing in resources from the nearby field and the syrup feeder. I was surprised to see so many of them flying as the temperature was just barely over 50F. It is so fun to watch them working away. I chose Italian bees which I find seldom need to be sprayed because they are so mellow. When they do need to be calmed I also us a spray of plain water or sugar syrup with honey-b-healthy.
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Heather B
True Blue Farmgirl
562 Posts
Heather
Longmont
Colorado
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 07:29:46 AM
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I picked Italian Bee's as my chioce. They do seem to be all about getting thier job done not bothering people even when the people are invading thier space a bit!
The weather here has been strange. 70 one day and then snow and rain and then it all dries up and the sun is out again in the 50's. I wish it would make up it's mind. I like all the moisture, we'll need it this summer, but how about 65 and rain?
Thank you to everyone for their good wishes!
Heather
http://homesteadincity.blogspot.com/
http://littlehouseonthebumper.blogspot.com/ (My "glamper" page)
"Only your real friends tell you when your face is dirty"
Farm Girl Sister #662 |
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
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Caron
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
Caron
Orange
Texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2011 : 08:31:50 AM
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I went to a beekeeping class last night and while he was talking about the boxes and cost and everything to do with a more commercial business in beekeeping and honey I was thinking "this is too much for me" till he mentioned at the last about Bar Top hives. I knew that was what I was really looking for! He said he would hold a class just for Bar Top Hives if we were interested so I will sign up for that.
Thanks for the website link, I'm going to look all over it!
Caron
Happy Farmgirl Sister #254
"An Apron:Its strings gently tug at us, tenderly, softly calling us to turn back to the old ways".-Above Rubies Magazine |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2011 : 08:44:55 AM
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Top bars are perfect. I can't lift a super full of honey. But I can manage a bucket full of bars! You don't need an extractor either. The bee's wax gathered is always clean and pure. It is a win, win, win!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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Heather B
True Blue Farmgirl
562 Posts
Heather
Longmont
Colorado
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2011 : 09:43:07 AM
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Caron, I just love everything about the bar top hive. The cost and the noninvasive methods really made sense to me. Good luck to you!
Thank you all for encouragement and support!
Heather
http://homesteadincity.blogspot.com/
http://littlehouseonthebumper.blogspot.com/ (My "glamper" page)
"Only your real friends tell you when your face is dirty"
Farm Girl Sister #662 |
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Barnyard Buddies: Bar Top Hive |
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Bar Top Hive
