Saturday, April 20, 2013

I'm a Bee, I'm a Bee, I'ma I'ma I'ma Bee.

Oh blimey!
This is my Grandad in around 1970 ish I guess. He was an avid
beekeeper with hives in his orchard in Norfolk.
So...bees!
Well, in all honesty, you'd think I'd be an expert, after all, I have been one for the last 14 years!
However, what a lot there is to learn.
Most beekeepers you speak to, tell you it is easy once you learn and understand the life cycle of the three bee types, so that is my homework.
Fortunately, I don't feel as anxious as I did prior to attending my course this weekend. The instructor was amazingly knowledgeable and I feel a little more secure knowing he lives less than 7 miles from me and would come and help me if I needed to send out the distress signal.


I'm sure I'm making more out of this than I need to and in a couple of years I'll read back on this and wonder what on earth I was worrying about. For now though, I feel comforted in the fact that I AM feeling a little nervous that I might mess up because hopefully it'll make me more vigilant and a better beekeeper.

This year's tasks before we get our nucs next Spring are to plant more wildflowers around the periphery of the orchard, join the beekeeping association for our local area and paint our hives and set up the equipment we might need so that we're good to go next year.





This tickled me: Bee quilting from what is effectively and old cool bag!



It's exciting though! Thornhill House eggs, honey AND furniture polish eh?


1 comment:

Emma Bliss said...

Imma B is my name in Kiwi!

Very exciting. I did a bee course too, before BB! I would love some bees, not this week though. Looking d=forward to hearing all about it when you get some