Bee project!

[NH Homesteader]

It's finally the year of the bee! DH kept bees before we were married , and we finally are ready to get back into it. He's decided to do a top bar hive, which he will be building this winter.

I just ordered the plans, I'll update this thread as the project progresses!

This is where I ordered plans from

https://backyardhive.com/collections/the-cathedral-hive-plans

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yes, during the year when there's no pollen you can feed sugar water. Be careful down there, you guys have Africanized bees and they're nasty! They can't survive up here (yet, they're moving further north over time).

I saw that also, I have seeds for a pollinator garden but I want to plant sunflowers also!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yes we do have those nasty Africanized bees. A lady that runs one of the hometown pick your own farms got attacked some years back and nearly died. Only about 10 miles from me. The bees I've been dealing with obviously aren't the bad guys. I had to shoo them out of my way to scoop feed tonight. One landed on my arm and I thought...yikes...but no problem. It was a very nice bee!

 

[CrealCritter]

I know honey bees cover up my sweet corn tassles for a week or so during the pollination stage. When I say cover up I mean it, it's a loud hum out there and I stay out of the garden during this time. I've grown to count on them and count forward to determine peak milk in the kernles for a good solid estimate for harvesting. I have no idea where the hive is buy be must be big based on the number of honey bees.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Interesting. If you hadn't said they couldn't extract it, I'd have thought they were novices, and not used to real honey. If you're planting sunflowers for pollen to feed the bees, choose your varieties wisely. Many of the newer cultivars are "pollen free". Those plants may be fine for a florist. But totally useless "on the farm".

 

[NH Homesteader]

Well our plans finally arrived! Took a long time to get here but we are very impressed with how thorough and easy to understand they are! Well, easy for DH the builder. I just go, ooh pretty pictures (kidding, kind of, lol)

DH is going to see an old employer today who is friends with an old school beekeeper who sells locally raised bees. So he's going to reconnect with him. Most people here get their bees from down south. Not good for NH weather!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Will be following with much interest. I have a lot of white clover in my lawn, and there is a hive about 1/4 mi. from me. So, when their hive does well, my lawn is COVERED with bees. So much so that crossing the lawn can sometimes be treacherous.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

WooHoo! That sounds like fun! Hope it goes well and ya get a sweet reward.

 

[sumi]

Awesome! I spotted an article on FB earlier today about sunflower pollen being very good for bees and their honey... Make notes!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

The honeybees around here are hungry! I find them in the feed tubs if I don't get a lid on tight. Yesterday I threw out some old cornmeal that was past its prime and this morning there were honeybees all over it. Wonder if it would be ok to put out some saucers of sugar water for them....need to go Google that I guess. Don't want to do anything detrimental, but would sure like to help them out!