The Almond Bloom is INCREDIBLE!

My 'orchard buddy' sent this to me.  My Bees are working this bloom now.  Nice and warm - in the low 70's and sunny!

Beautiful Bloom!

Tool Kit Box for The Yards...

 "Just where did my hive tool go?"

Have you ever wondered this?  I DO all the TIME!  

New Tool kit with New Smoker!

Here was my response.  I built a tool kit box.  

Here is a short video that shows you more about it!

I'm having a blast making cool tools to make life in the Yards easier!

How we build frames

We have been busy this winter making deep, medium and shallow frames   These shallows will be used for making cut comb frames.  We ALWAYS glue our frames before 'shooting them'

Attaching the bottom board on the frame

These setup fast

This is a little trick that I learned many years ago.  Shoot in a 'side staple' on the edge like this to make the frame more robust and less likely to come apart later.

Side shot

Building up our inventory Spring!

Improving Plastic Foundation Acceptance

For many years I have had some challenges getting the bees to accept this type of foundation.  Sometimes it works just fine, others not so much.

What I have found that improves this - is to rub fresh beeswax on the plastic.  We've also melted some wax and brushed it on as well.  

I came up with an idea using old toilet paper rolls, plugging the bottom of the roll and pouring the wax in.  I let them cool and they become essentially a type of  'big crayon' for wax application.

The first step is to melt the wax.  I use a crock pot that I picked up at a yard sale for a buck.

I use an old crock pot

Then, I use my molds and do a two stage pour.  I pour a little bit at first letting it cool for an hour or so.

Later, I will top them off so they look like this.

Set to cool

Next, I open them up and peel back some of the cardboard tube.

Ready to peel back

Ready to apply to new foundation

Just rub on a little or a lot

Cheap and easy to make!  

First Post of 2021!

Sorry for my tardiness this year as we have been really busy with more students (more work for me) and the whole Covid-19 "joy"

Latest news...

I took the bees down in November of last year to my good friend in California.  He has about 37 acres of almonds and uses my bees for the pollination.  The bees benefit from the warm gentle winter and come out pretty strong in the Spring.  Here's what it looks like now:

Beautiful January Weather!

Feeders on!

The new trailer!

The drive down was uneventful and much better than last year!  

Beautiful scenes from the countryside - on the way there and where I hunted and fished as a young man.  Great to be back a few times each year.

Oak Trees along HWY 132

SHOP NEWS!

In the shop, back home, we've been making frames, boxes and and a new 'invention' for my smoker.

A tidy box for my tools

The shop is nice and warm with the fire!

Speaking of Boxes...   

Here is a video of my box machine 'in action'.  Note:  I respect this machine quite a bit! You pay attention while running it.

BUILDING CUSTOMER BOXES AND FRAMES:

This is one I built for a customer.  THANK YOU!

8 Frame Langstroth

It's an 'all-hands' evolution here.  Its fun to build these in the winter.

I will be heading down next month to start new Queens and Nucs.  Its going to be a great year!  I will post more then.

Thanks !

Will Olson