Produce > Kept Animals
Beekeeping
Robert_Brenchley:
It's not annoying at all. That's what I mean - if you get a couple of nucs, you won't need much gear the first year, but if you knock up extra over the winter you can move everything one frame at a time and avoid the heavy lifting. It's obviously slower, but with only a few hives you'll be OK. It's the old queen which goes with the first swarm. Some (undesirable) strains throw a series of swarms with later ones obviously headed by newly mated queens or virgins.
blight:
@#1
--- Quote ---I can't help with oilseed rape; I've no experience of the stuff. I believe people cope with it by cutting out comb and melting it.
--- End quote ---
what was the question to this answer please and where would i find it?
moonbells:
--- Quote from: blight on January 09, 2006, 11:48:45 ---@#1
--- Quote ---I can't help with oilseed rape; I've no experience of the stuff. I believe people cope with it by cutting out comb and melting it.
--- End quote ---
what was the question to this answer please and where would i find it?
--- End quote ---
Ah - it was in the Well done Dan thread - here quoted for clarity.
--- Quote from: moonbells on January 06, 2006, 23:00:41 ---
--- Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on January 06, 2006, 22:30:56 ---This should be an interesting addition; thanks, Dan. I've been planning to post pics of the bees through the season, but at the moment they're warmly clustered in the depths of the hives and there's nothing to show.
--- End quote ---
I'd love to keep bees, but it doesn't seem terribly straight forward any more with varroa. I don't suppose there will ever again be such as thing as organic honey thanks to the varroacides: the mesh method of getting rid of the things doesn't seem to be 100% effective. Poor bees.
(It's a very frightening thought that without the capability to make these pesticides, honey bees in Europe may well die out and then there would be a complete and utter farming disaster. )
Sadly I can't have them on the lottie and the house has a restrictive covenant against all forms of livestock so despite the house opposite (different builder) having chickens, we never can... (That and we're absolutely *surrounded* with oilseed rape, and I can do without needing a road drill to get at the honey! ;D)
I guess if you want to reply to me then we ought to start a proper thread! :)
moonbells
--- End quote ---
Oilseed rape tends to produce a honey with the texture of concrete if you're not careful and leave it too long in the combs. I'd read this on various beekeeping websites.
moonbells
blight:
and i don´t think it is very good to eat. it smells of cabbage too.
Toadspawn:
Actually oilseed rape honey does not smell of cabbage. It is very pale and has quite a bland taste which a lot of people like. It does set very hard very quickly but with careful warming can be softened or melted back to liquid.
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