Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Beekeeping with my buddy


I nipped over to my friend Eugene's today to drop off a chain (don't ask) and some Guinness, and while I was there, we went to inspect his beehives.

The man knows how to light a smoker!


Eugene uses deep boxes for his honey supers. A deep full of honey can weigh 100 lbs or more! Needless to say, I used shallows, which are more in the 30 - 35-lb range.


Like me, Eugene has three hives.



Here he is removing the inner cover of one of the hives.



Eugene removing one of the top honey supers.
 

A view of Eu's fields over the top of the hive!


The girls are putting nectar in this frame but aren't too far along yet.



 The girls on the right look like they're having a little chat on the top bars of the hive frames. 
"Let's sting the old guy! Leave the girl alone!"
Actually the bees were very good today and didn't bother either of us.





Eugene has a nice fenced-in set-up that keeps skunks and other annoyances out. Sorry, Eugene, the fence didn't keep ME out. Opposable thumbs!



Guess who?
Eugene has a good work table near his hives, with some nice shady trees.


Tools of a beekeeper!
I had a very nice visit with Eugene, and afterwards he enjoyed his Guinness. I'm planning on taking honey off my own hives in August.




10 comments:

  1. Well now, aren't you a good friend to bring the man a Guinness. I'm looking forward to watching you obtain and bottle your own honey in August. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x4

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  2. EUgene had never tried Guinness before, so I took him a can. I took him some BOddington's too. :) He gave me an antique typographer's drawer!

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  3. someone asked me on our open day if they could put a hive on the field
    of course I said yes!!!

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  4. Can I pre-order some honey now? Your honey was delish!

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  5. What Ronna said, please keep me on as a permanent customer.

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  6. Looks like a good day, especially with Guinness and Boddy's to end it!

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  7. Anonymous12:39 pm

    Fascinating!

    I always plant annuals for the bees, but we don't have hives. Does that make me a honey? :)

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  8. John, they better give you some honey for that!! :)

    Ronna and Fran, I will put you down for some sweet stuff.

    Jams, Eugene always amuses the hell out of me!

    Marylee, I have always thought of you as a honey!

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  9. Very interesting.

    In the photo of you, you look like you're wearing a monocle!

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  10. Ha ha, you're right! A curly hair monocle!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!