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Talk, tips & how-to on sustainable beekeeping from the North Carolina mountains of Southern Appalachia.
Episodes
Thursday Jun 11, 2026
Thursday Jun 11, 2026
So you have a caged mated queen and a colony that needs requeening, how to make that happen (so that your special queen actually survives the process!) is what we cover today!
As a thank-you, Patrons got this episode a day early and also get a bonus portion covering the vertical requeening methods that Ryan mentioned last episode plus tips and resources on introducing virgin queens. Supporting patrons keep this show on the air and keep it advertisement free!
__________________________
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
Input on the podcast topics
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Beekeeping at Five Apple — talk, tips, and how-to on sustainable beekeeping from the Blue Ridge mountains of Southern Appalachia.
Host Leigh Wilkerson brings sixteen years of hands-on experience from her self-sustaining apiary since 2010. The podcast explores colony health, natural bee biology, IPM from organic to chemical-free approaches. Episodes go deep on seasonal management, swarm control, queen rearing, hive biology, nutrition, and sustainable genetics. Designed for beekeepers ready to go beyond the basics, with episodes for newer beekeepers too.
Leigh is also a popular Zoom presenter for bee clubs and associations. Topics include specialty splits so you never buy a package again; requeening approaches; simple frame-based queen rearing; alternative hives including Layens; building VSH genetics in your yard; and topics by request.
Thursday May 28, 2026
Thursday May 28, 2026
Something special today! This interview with Ryan Williamson of Sourwood Farm of Virginia has been the one where I learned the most. He is a full time beekeeper selling local nucs and honey, but who also specializes in offering VSH queens from tested breeders he raises himself.
We start off with how he got into the bee biz and just got to talking between beekeepers and ended up in full geek mode on tips and hacks for testing and introducing queens and much more. He is doing wonderful work and is a joy to get into conversation. Enjoy!
PS. Ryan is a frequent speaker at bee clubs and conferences. He is available by Zoom and in-person in some cases. I got a sneak preview of a couple of his talks and I'm going to be lobbying our club and state conference to book him as soon as possible. You can contact him at his website.
Find our more about Ryan, order queens, honey or this winter...hats (!) Ryan makes from the links below.
Home page: http://sourwoodfarm.com/
Buy Queens or Honey: https://sourwoodfarm.square.site/
Ryan's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SourwoodFarm
Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/sourwoodfarms
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In case you missed it:
Ep 155 Interview with Colorado beekeeper and writer Tina Sebestyen
Ep 153 Interview with James Lee of SBGMI
⬆️ available wherever you listen to podcasts
Patron Exclusives:
Patron exclusive show notes on Ep 155 which includes link to the split notes compendium.
---------------------------------
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen+ hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for sixteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday May 14, 2026
Thursday May 14, 2026
Ep157 More Springtime Tips: Keeping bees in the boxes, avoid the honey dome, get more comb drawn, know if your hive is queenright or queenless.
In case you missed it:
Ep 155 Interview with Colorado beekeeper and writer Tina Sebestyen
Ep 153 Interview with James Lee of SBGMI
⬆️ available wherever you listen to podcasts
Patron Exclusives:
Patron exclusive show notes on Ep 155 which includes link to the split notes compendium.
---------------------------------
Here's an extra tip for those who read show notes: If you see your hive swarm, and it was a large hive, there are probably enough swarm cells left in the original hive to cause afterswarms. It's wise to carefully go in the hive and look for swarm cells on frames.
I like to relocate a frame with swarm cells, a frame with open nectar and ideally some pollen, and a capped brood frame to a nuc box and add a few shakes of bees (remember to never shake a frame with a queen cell on it if you plan to keep that cell). This is your backup insurance.
In the main hive, go through each frame carefully and brush bees off brood frames with a feather or bee brush so you can see the swarm cells. Cut them down to one large swarm cell and replace in the original hive.
You have greatly reduced the chances of afterswarms. Plus, you have a backup nuc (or three!) that will also requeen. If your main hive fails to make a queen (check 3 weeks after you do this split to look for eggs from the new queen!) you have the nuc most likely with a new queen and you can combine the two. You now have a young robust queen to go into winter!
---------------------------------
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for sixteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Today it's a ramble through things going on in the bee yard as Spring has taken over and the bees won't wait! Doing some quick splits to save the day, still aiming for more data-driven stock selection and whose swarm is this in my equipment?
In case you missed it:
Ep 155 Interview with Colorado beekeeper and writer Tina Sebestyen
Ep 153 Interview with James Lee of SBGMI
⬆️ both of these also available wherever you listen to podcasts
Patron Exclusives:
Patron exclusive show notes on Ep 155 which includes link to the split notes compendium.
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for sixteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Apr 16, 2026
Thursday Apr 16, 2026
I ask Tina about the Miller (graftless) method of Queen rearing and her recent articles in ABJ, then we wander into chat between bee friends of goings on in our apiaries, things we want to try this year and more. Enjoy!
-Leigh
Supporting Patrons, view your exclusive show notes here.
Patron exclusive detailed show notes include:
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What is the Miller Method?
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More info and how-to from Tina’s on the Miller method
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Article on the Miller Method with illustrations of the special comb cuts.
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Handy queen calculator where you fill in the date you graft (or remove the queen in a frame-based split) and it fills in the critical dates such as the cell being ripe and able to be moved to another hive (day 10), when to check back for eggs, etc
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Videos from Tina’s Four Corners Bee Association on splits and other topics
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Link to Tina’s ABJ article on the Demaree method of swarm management.
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(You will need an ABJ subscription to access that article. The subscription gets you access to years of archived issues so it’s a real reference resource!) Not an ABJ subscriber? Subscription info here: https://americanbeejournal.com/subscribers/orderrenew-subscription/
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Five Apple’s podcast on the Reverse Doolittle split on Patreon, with links to Tina’s how-to article as well as my own silly drawings of the process.
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Queen Breeders we mentioned in the show and their links:
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Cory Stevens (MO)
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Sourwood Farms (VA)
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Hall Apiaries (NH)
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for sixteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Apr 02, 2026
Thursday Apr 02, 2026
Today I share some great tips shared by Greg Rogers of Haw Creek Honey when he presented to our local club. Then we work through swarm prevention strategies (starts at 16:25) that are especially important when it's too early in the season to make splits due to drone availability.
Patrons, you will find your exclusive detailed show notes here.
Today's notes include:
- Greg's favorite YouTube channels
- links about the Demaree method (that AI gets so wrong!)
- image of how to tip a box up to look for swarm cells
- a how-to section on opening the broodnest (or spreading the brood as Greg calls it)
- a link to my master handout of favorite SPLITS METHODS that I give to bee clubs when I present on that topic
- ENJOY! And thank you so much for keeping this podcast going through your support.
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Mar 19, 2026
Thursday Mar 19, 2026
Today I interview James Lee, president of the Sustainable Beekeepers Guild of Michigan about the goals and offerings of this important virtual education hub for beekeepers interested in increasing the genetic work towards reducing the need for treatments in hives. We talk about his work in creating the Northern Queen Initiative to provide locally raised Northern adapted queens as well as his own apiary and management techniques which you can follow on his YouTube channel James Lee's Bees.
We mention the Harbo Assay, a well-documented but labor intensive way to 'grade' queens on their expression of varroa sensitive hygiene as a way to guide stock selection. SGBMI even offers a course you can take to learn to do it. Or you can read about it from this publication from Penn State.
I hope you enjoy this interview! Leigh
------------------------------
This episode is free and available to everyone....and your support really makes a difference. You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor and mite/disease resistance. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Mar 05, 2026
Thursday Mar 05, 2026
This is a hefty episode that reviews some of the many, many ways knowing bee biology will directly affect the decisions you have to make as a beekeeper in every season of beekeeping. It's long because it affects nearly everything and this is just a sampling! Beginners: take the details you need and just roll with the stuff that you haven't learned yet, but please note how important learning all that bee life cycle stuff turns out to be! Experienced beekeepers: I hope this will inspire you to emphasize bee biology to your mentees as the framework they can build their beekeeping upon.
This episode is free and available to everyone....and your support really makes a difference. You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Feb 19, 2026
Thursday Feb 19, 2026
It's that time of year as beekeepers that we find out how we did — how we did all the way back to the summer before. Some years it can be a tough report-card to get! As all things in bees there are many ways to understand what happened. The good news even if it was a bad year is this: we can do better in the coming season. In this episode I encourage you to do just that, while also acknowledging its really really hard to lose any of our colonies. But there's no way to be a beekeeper without losing hives sooner or later. If we truly learn from the losses, it can turn into beekeeping skills that help keep more colonies alive.
Things mentioned in the episode:
Ep 150: Lifecycle of the Bees (and beekeeper) - a storytelling of the yearly cycle the bees circle through and how the beekeeper interacts. Please share with friends and family who want to understand what you and your bees are doing as well as with new beekeepers who need this grounding to start learning about bees.
Ep 149: Starting with a Nucleus Colony, for Newbees A guide with tips for someone starting for the first time (or starting again) with Nucleus colonies. Supporting Patrons have access to an 11 page PDF with more content and hints on how to give your nuc the best start. Note: you may need to log into Patreon so the PDF attachment will show at the bottom of the post.
The New Hampshire Dead Out Checklist: Even if you don't live in NH, this checklist is VERY thorough on the kind of info you can collect from your deadout. It's a great model imo for other clubs to track what their members are seeing in lost hives to see if there are patterns.
Maine Beekeepers share this article on things to look for in an autopsy.
Once you have gathered info from these checklists, it's a great time to discuss with your mentor or with an experienced and successful* beekeeper at your next club meeting.
*in this case, I mean successful at reliably keeping their bees alive over winter
Wishing you all the very best, no matter what you found or find in your bee yard coming out of winter. No matter what, if you love working with bees: Don't quit!! As a speaker told our group one time: FAIL stands for First Attempt in Learning. Hang in there!
A special thanks to all the supporting patrons who keep this podcast going!! And thanks to all of you who take the time to share the podcast with your beekeeping friends and associations. If you would like to support this podcast (as well as get bonus content) please join us at Patreon.com/fiveapple
kind regards, Leigh
Thursday Feb 05, 2026
Thursday Feb 05, 2026
Ep 150: Lifecycle of the Bees (and the beekeeper) for Newbees
So this is a version of the talk I'm giving at my local club's bee school this year, telling the story of the bees' yearly cycle. There's nothing else more important to learn as a basis for beekeeping imo. Because whenever we enter the hive, it only makes sense if we understand what the bees are already doing in that season of their cycle. We match our actions to their pattern. Give it a listen and let me know what you think!
kind regards,
Leigh
PS: Supporting patrons, the thick PDF I made you all last week with tips and suggestions for starting with Nucs is posted at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/149455905 Download and feel free to share with your bee club or newbees who buy your nucs.
Thursday Jan 22, 2026
Thursday Jan 22, 2026
A full overview for beginners of starting with your first nucleus colony. Things to know, things to learn, things to watch out for. Experienced beekeepers: I've asked for your help in creating a TIP SHEET to share with the patrons of this show on starting with nucs. Send me your best tips and I'll include them on the pdf I'm creating for new beekeepers. It will be available *next week* on the patreon post for this episode to assist new beekeepers and to be available for experienced beekeepers to share with their mentees.
Want to add your advice to the TIP SHEET? Email me at fiveapple [dot] bees [at] gmail [dot] com or send me a DM here on Patreon anytime! Please tell me where you are writing from too.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Leigh
--
You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Jan 08, 2026
Thursday Jan 08, 2026
But of course there's beekeeping stuff you can do in winter! :-) Listen in to get ideas about what tasks need doing (check in on your bees food stores!) as well as thought on how to get ahead for the upcoming bee season. Along the way: an idea for setting up a 'learning nuc' and thoughts on record keeping, bee school and more.
This is the video I mention:
https://youtu.be/BEqikrm9PRY?si=ag51ZJt2fVJsYfMU
THANK YOU PATRONS
for keeping this podcast going and keeping it commercial free!
kind regards,
Leigh
Not a Patron yet and want to keep this podcast going commercial-free with a few bucks a month? Please join us by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Friday Dec 26, 2025
Friday Dec 26, 2025
The gifts we get from spending time with the bees, learning about the bees and learning from other beekeepers are so amazing. This episode is a reflection on just some of the beauties and realizations that come with beekeeping in good years and even in not so good beekeeping years. I'd love to hear what gifts you got from your bees this year.
It's the last episode of 2025 and already I look forward to meeting you back here in 2026! I'm sending a shout out and a big appreciative hug to each and ever Patron for making this podcast a reality and for each and every listener who is the reason it exists. I thank you all. kind regards, Leigh
If you are not yet a supporting patron, you are warmly invited to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/c/fiveapple/membership
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
What makes a perfect winter home for 60,000 bees? This episode explores Dr. James Tew's look at the architecture of the winter bee nest. You'll discover what scout bees look for when house hunting, what propolis really does, and why the entire colony functions as a single super-organism.
A Radio-reader edition of The Honey Bee's Winter Nest" by Dr. James E. Tew, Bee Culture magazine, October 2023. Read with permission of Bee Culture Magazine. Get a subscription to have access to years of archives as well as a new magazine monthly. Subscribe at: https://beeculture.com/
kind regards, Leigh
--
You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Ep145 Organic? Treatment-Free? Chemical-Free? Natural Beekeeping Terms Explained in this ABJ article
Ever get confused by all the "natural beekeeping" terms floating around? In this episode I'm discussing an article (Oct 2023 ABJ) that breaks down three approaches that sound similar but are actually pretty different: organic beekeeping, treatment-free beekeeping, and chemical-free beekeeping. They're NOT interchangeable, and understanding the differences might change how you think about managing your hives.
Whether you're curious about going more natural with your bees or you just want to know what other beekeepers are talking about when they describe their approach. Handy for new beekeepers trying to figure out their philosophy and seasoned beeks who want to geek out on the fine print of management styles.
Article used with permission of American Bee Journal. Want to say thanks to ABJ for allowing these episodes from their archives? Grab a subscription and get access to years and years of bee magazines! One year digital only, with archive access: 21.00. One year print (with access to the archives)
Links I mentioned I'd share with everyone—It's Thanksgiving after all!
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If for any reason these links don't work in your podcast app, you can view them in your web browser here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/144457183
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Certified Naturally Grown apiary standards in handbook form : Whether or not you get certified, this is a top notch collection of 'best practices' imo.
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Ran across this just today! "Get 40% off a year long subscription to BEE CULTURE MAGAZINE" (limited time offer; this is their fine print below)
Valid on online orders only through https://simplecirc.com/subscribe/bee-culture Once on this page, click the 1-Year Print Only Option. Then click the 'Apply Promo Code' (BLUE line of text on the right hand side of screen.) Next, enter code SOC40 and click 'Apply code'. Valid 6PM EST November 26 through 11:59PM December 1, 2025. For U.S. subscriptions only. New subscriptions will begin with the February 2026 issue.
If you want to get links like those every time I release an episode, join as a patron!
You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
-
Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
-
Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
-
Occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
-
Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
-
Input on the podcast topics
-
Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Some surprise late autumn deadouts in the yard, something I've never experienced before in summer or fall. I break down the likely reasons and what I plan to do different next year. Also, happier seasonal updates around the bee yard about the other hives going into winter.
kind regards to you all!
Leigh
Patrons: if you are listening here on the public channel, remember to check out the detailed show notes, links and occasional videos that are a small thank you for supporting this podcast. Today's episode link is: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143437965
---
Not a supporting patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
• occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
• Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
• Input on the podcast topics
• Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at FiveApple:
Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
Today's episode is an overview and discussion of prepping hives for winter. For supporting Patrons, I've also made a checklist (and printable PDF) as well as compiled several links for more info on the issues and the methods. Not a supporting patron yet? Please join us below!
kind regards, Leigh
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https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Not a supporting patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments
• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos
• occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes
• Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions
• Input on the podcast topics
• Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!
If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
About Beekeeping at Five Apple:
Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for fifteen years. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.
Thursday Oct 16, 2025
Thursday Oct 16, 2025
Some days you just need some amazement and that's what I found in learning about what researcher Karl von Frisch demonstrated in the first half of the 1900s about how bees see, how they navigate (!) , and what they are telling each other (!!) with the dances they do. Equally fascinating is how he managed to design experiments to confirm and prove it all! Hope you enjoy as much as I do!
Patrons: Detailed show notes with links to more information on all the topics will be available to you this weekend—a way to say thank you to the group of you who support this podcast to keep it on the air and advertisement free! Just check out this link on Sunday afternoon and I will have your links added:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/141368230
kind regards,
Leigh
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https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Today's episode starts with a rambling overview of how things are around here in the beeyard from hive beetles to one year mark from the WNC floods. Then a discussion of a YouTube interview with the legendary Vermont beekeeper for 50 years, Michael Palmer who says being "near row crops" is seriously hurting his beekeeping in a severe new way. Then a related article I happened to find on how neonics make varroa destructor much more destructive. I encourage you to listen to the two part video interview presented by Inside The Hive TV, a YouTube channel with some very interesting interviews.
Links to the material discussed:
Part One of the YouTube featured on the Inside the Hive TV channel. Part Two is here. Part Three is just a short about Palmer talking about the book he is still trying to write. And OH I hope he does!
Here's the article I quote from in Entomology Today.
Keep heart dear beekeepers. Keep on keeping on.
–Leigh
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https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
In today's podcast, how a backyard experiment led me to find a bunch of research to back up that Vit C added to bee syrup can make a difference for bee health! Plus what's up in the bee yard, wonderful email from listeners, and the usual wandering tangents that somehow all relate to bees! kind regards, Leigh
PS. Patrons: watch for your exclusive post this weekend with extensive links on the research and other fascinating info I've found on feeding of late.
--
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Hope you enjoy this podcast geek out on pollen and its uses in the hive and how critical it is to the colony's success.
Patrons: If you have any portions you would enjoy knowing more about, just let me know and I'll share the links to the sites and presentations I used to research this episode!
Wishing you all a beautiful Fall season, a generous fall nectar and pollen flow in your area, and fat bees being raised for winter!
kind regards, Leigh
--
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Saturday Aug 23, 2025
Today I'll tell you the unfortunate bear story and how the hives are doing...then, the full episode continues on Patreon with the bonus audio I've promised patrons: an explainer on how the age distribution in a colony (the topic of the last ABJ article I read to you) impacts your beekeeping and the health of the hive, including some important August tasks in the bee yard as a result. It's a way I say thank you to the Patrons, whose support keeps this podcast going!
--
https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple
Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible, who keep the archives available and who keep it all advertising-free.
In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Friday Aug 08, 2025
Friday Aug 08, 2025
It's my least favorite month of beekeeping, August, aka Grumpy Bee Month. Here are some tips to help you and the bees get through it the best we all can. Kind regards to you all and patrons, you keep this all going: Thank you! --Leigh
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Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Thursday Jul 17, 2025
Ep 136 Post-conference ramble
A few thoughts after a day of the NC State Beekeepers Association summer conference day last Saturday / Back Care Tips / Details of the why and how of feeding in summer-dearth or to get comb drawn out / and general bee ramblings!
Are you looking for the notes on the presentation I gave at the conference on "Smart Splitting?" If so please email me! Email is fiveapple [dot] bees [at] gmail.com
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Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:
Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Part 2 of a radio-reader episode of Kayla deJong's March 2024 article on the division of labor in a colony. It's fascinating to remember the many roles the bees move through in a lifetime!
If you are a subscriber to American Bee Journal you can read the article in the digital archives : https://americanbeejournal.com/
If you are not a subscriber then here's your chance! Enter you special number in the comments on this Patreon post (details in the episode. :-) Free and open to everyone, not just patrons.
I appreciate each and every one of you patrons and listeners,
Leigh
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Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get: