Beekeeping at FiveApple

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:

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

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

 

--

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:

 

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

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

--

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:

 

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

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

--

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:

 

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

A radio-reader episode of Kayla deJong's article in American Bee Journal March 2024 on the division of labor in a colony. It's fascinating to remember the many roles the bees move through in a lifetime! This is part one of two.

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 on this free page (details in episode) over on Patreon.

I appreciate each and every one of you patrons and listeners,

Leigh

--

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:

 

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

Ep 133 Queen Excluders: the good the bad etc--

A wonderful patron asked that I talk about the pros and cons of using queen excluders so that is the subject of today's episode.  Detailed show notes (all the resources I used to prepare today's episode) are available for patrons for further exploration of the MANY opinions on this piece of equipment. 

 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 and keep it 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Springtime greetings to you all!  Part one of today's episode is a chat on the evolution of how I keep records in my own apiary, in hopes there may be helpful ideas for your own. Then part two is a wonderful letter about experiences with Layens Hive beekeeping from listener William along with some of the great gadgets he has developed for working with them.

Today's patreon page is FREE and open to everyone so you can all see the photos he shared. Here's the link:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/ep-132-keeping-128457959

Thank you SO much William for taking the time to share your experience and the photos. Your observations are important for folks to consider who are thinking of going Layens. Plus, the gadgets you have problem-solved with are excellent!

Thank you to every Patron and listener who support the podcast! If there are topics you have been wondering about and would like me to explore, please reply on the Patreon post!  Hope you have 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 and keep it 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

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

This episodes concludes the series on splits, with the best saved for last: The Reverse Doolittle, aka The Cutdown. (Best for intermediate beekeepers. ) Also, a review of split dynamics for beginners.

Exclusive for patrons on the Patreon post are links for the how-to, drawing of the whole process, and the complete handout for the splits talk I gave to a few bee clubs on this topic: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ep-131-best-for-127402747

 

--

https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple

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:

 

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Talking today about the handy and easy Nuc (or Retirement Nuc) split; using a quiet box; making and using a Doolittle Box....with a printable PDFs on making a Nucleus Split and a Doolittle box exclusively for patrons on the Five Apple Patreon Post

--

https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple

 

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:

 

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

With some swarm prevention skills, you can better time your splits! Patrons, the printable of the notes/links on this episode can be downloaded on the Patreon post. Thank you all for your support! Leigh

--

https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple

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:

 

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Patron "Show Me Bees" from Missouri asked that I talk about the ins and outs of running all 8-frame mediums. So in today's episode I do. :-) 

--

https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple

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:

 

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Telling the recent story of how my apiary was saved by bee friends after a tree fell right over the middle of it. Ed and Jim, you saved the day. Plus a reminder to keep an eye on your hive's stores as we start getting more warm days.

Photos of the rescue (open to everyone) at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123119994

--

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:

 

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

A couple things the bees do with propolis I forgot to mention in the episode: embalming hive intruders, fencing in hive beetles! Bee caulk is amazing. Links collected over at Patreon on the post:

• The first video I watched on the unexpected winter losses among commercial beekeepers in the US by Dr Humberto Boncristiani of Inside the Hive TV.
• More on the losses from The Bee Supply channel.
• GA Master Craftsman Beekeeper Cindy Hodges' excellent presentation on Propolis.
• Dr. Marla Spivak's presentation on her research on propolis. An interview with her on propolis in general.
• Ian Steppler on selecting for high propolis bees.

Do you have any favorite uses for propolis?

Wishing you a wonderful week Patrons and Listeners! I sure appreciate all of you!

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

Tips and thoughts on starting with packages for the first time, or starting again after winter loss. Patron exclusive links over at patreon.com/fiveapple

• Kamon Reynolds showing both ways to install on YouTube. I thought this was an excellent overview.
• A non-video tutorial from NC extension -- showing the "shake them out" method...the one you will need to use if the weather is poor or chilly.
• Rusty Ballew showing the walk-out install method. Her site is always a reliable source of info!
• Dadant's How-to tutorial on installing.
• Michael Bush's list of installation mistakes to avoid. He recommends direct queen release..somewhat more risky, use at your own risk tho clearly many people do this.
• The synthetic comb I mentioned 

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

Ep 124 Better (than caging) Brood Breaks

Diving into why there are better options (imo) than caging a queen to create a brood break for mite reduction. Exclusive show notes and links to the things mentioned in this episode are available for patrons over at Patreon. 

--

----

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

 

Some reflection on the past year's bee season and things I'd like to continue with (and get better at) in the new season to come. Show notes for patrons with links for stuff mentioned in this episode are over in the  Patreon post for this episode: Layens hives, Queen Castles, Long Langs, fave beekeeper YouTubers.

 ----

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

A deeper dive into the why and how of the insulation setup I started using several years ago, the condensing-hive concept. For the patrons, find the links to everything mentioned in the show, and the video I made for you, over at Patreon.com/fiveapple  Thanks to all the listeners and wishing you a good overwintering of your bees! Leigh

 ----

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

The first portion is about bees and the ups and downs of Fall care. Then in a change of subject, I want to tell you about what happened in my little section of Western NC in the floods of Hurricane Helene...as well as try to help get you thinking about your own disaster preparedness. I'm grateful to all of you and want you to be prepared for the when-not-if of weather disasters in your region. 

 

And WELCOME new patrons Leslie and Robert! I appreciate you so much. 

 

Late Fall...and Large NC disaster (Ep 121)

 

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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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

Fall prep list (120) How can it be September already?!? In this episode I go through my own fall prep list and considerations.

WELCOME new patrons Sam, Phil, Taylor and Missy! Thank you so much for joining us and keeping this podcast free of advertising.

Thank you so much for listening, sharing and leaving a good review if you are enjoying the episodes. Leigh

 ----

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

In the second part of the interview, Troy talks about his late summer/fall management strategy as well as how he manages to overwinter nucs (a core part of his operation as it is to mine) in New Hampshire winters. He also gives me some great tips on how to make winter feeding of those nucs easier in my apiary. Troy also talks about the benefits of raising and selling overwintered nucs as a premium type of nuc due to colony cohesion, something I've noticed as well. 

If you are enjoying Beekeeping at Five Apple, please share the podcast with your bee friends, bee clubs and your online networks! I appreciate it so much. :-) Leigh

 ----

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging 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. 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today's episode is part one of a rambling bee chat I had with full-time beekeeper Troy Hall of New Hampshire back in the Spring. At Hall Apiaries he produces honey, queens and nucs in a creative, stationary operation of 700ish hives primarily managed without treatments. What a delightful and inspiring person and beekeeper! Hope you enjoy it.

Show Note Links:

Hall Apiaries Website

https://nhbeekeeper.com

I got to hear Troy's presentation in the 2024 Winter Conference of SBGMI. I love it that they offer their conferences online so that folks from everywhere can partake! If you join for $20 you can watch their past conferences. They also offer discounts on bee magazine subs and much more. Please check them out:

Sustainable Beekeepers Guild of Michigan

https://sbgmi.org/

 

If you are enjoying Beekeeping at Five Apple, please share the podcast with your bee friends, bee clubs and your online networks! I appreciate it so much. :-) Leigh

 ----

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:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging 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

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About Beekeeping at Five Apple:

Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips for keeping bees cool, Solstice Queens, Split Comparisons & Patron bonus bookmark (117) 

Part 1: Ways to cool off hives, benefits of post-solstice queens . 

Part 2: continues for patrons with bonus content on comparing the Runaway and the Cut-Down/Reverse Doolittle splits, more about post-solstice queens, detailed show notes with links to some helpful videos. 

 

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Please become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible! In addition to huge gratitude, you get:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging 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. 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bee-radio-reader episode with Tina Sebestyen's how to overview of a Reverse Doolittle Split which, spoiler alert, is the same as a Cut-Down Split! But Tina explains it so much better than I have! 

 

This episode released last week with detailed show notes for the Patreon supporters. Thank you patrons for keeping this podcast rolling! 

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Please become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible! In addition to huge gratitude, you get:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging allow 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. 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

 

 

 

Detailed show note (usually a Patreon exclusive but wanted everyone to get the links below):

There is hardly a split that is as easy and that yields the reliable results as the Runaway split we all have learned from Ang Roell and Sam Comfort. Remember it when you just need to get it done!

This is their description of the process from their SARE grant description:

"....Move the hive to a new position in the yard.  (It can be close to the original spot, i.e. on the same pallet, but with the entrance facing a new direction.)

• Set up a new, empty, similar box where it was.  

• Move back one NEWER comb of MOSTLY OPEN BROOD with adhering bees and one comb of food (nectar/pollen) with adhering bees.  If the queen is seen, leave her in the new position (or remove her for use elsewhere).  Replace the combs with foundation or empty bars.  Put the brood and food with bees in the new box (away from the entrance), place in foundation or empty bars, cover with a lid, and you’re done.  The field bees will join this queenless hive and help build a new brood nest.  

• Check the hive in 4 weeks for eggs, larvae, and the first capped brood from the new queen.  If no eggs are present, or if laying workers are laying multiple eggs per cell, the hive can be shaken out or combined with a different split at no loss.  

NOTE: You do not need to find the queen, but if you see her during the splitting process, she can be caged and used elsewhere, so that both sides raise a queen and experience a break in brood rearing.  Or she can remain in the moved portion to be split again later or the hive expanded for honey production.  (Note that continuous brood rearing also can build large populations of Varroa mites.)  (Source: https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/fne20-964/)

 

Leigh again here. You may notice the things I do different are:

1. Putting drawn comb in the new box at the original location so that the field force might collect honey while they are waiting for their larval queen to grow up and go on her mating flight. For three weeks they will have no brood to care for and the could spend that time collecting nectar if you have a flow. On the other hand, their method could yield a lot of nice new comb. I haven't tried it with all foundation.

2. I shake in some additional nurse bees to the hive bodies at the original site....just because I'm like that. Ha! I also put more garlic than called for in most any cooking recipe. ;-) Ang and Sam's recipe places the brood frame WITH clinging bees but I know some beginners would be nervous about moving the queen so I gave an alternative nurse bee transfer method. Either way is good as long as there are nurse bees in there. 

 

Finally, the link to their PDF handout is here and it has the conclusions of their study as well as the split instructions. The illustration is using the top bars and a Comfort hive but the process is the same no matter what kind of hive you use.

https://projects.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/ComparingQueenRearingMethods_FactSheet.pdf

 

Thank you all so much for listening and for all you do for the bees. 

Leigh

 

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Please become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible! In addition to huge gratitude, you get:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Commenting on posts or messaging allow 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. 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

 

 

(recorded the first few days of March 2024)

There was a tech glitch (what happens if you don't do updates regular on the old computer OS...ha) and I couldn't edit this one like usual so it's both late and rough cut, with an even rougher addendum pasted in! But wanted to put it up for everyone. Next episode starts my usual obsession with splits! 

Links mentioned in this episode… (new Patreon exclusive for supporters!) 

 

Please become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon and join the folks who make the podcasts possible! In addition to huge gratitude, you get:

 

• BONUS podcasts and early access episodes

• Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos

• Special Q&A posts to ask me questions about YOUR bees

• 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. 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 over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.