Single Hive Management Explained, a Canadian Beekeepers Blog A step by step walk through my commercial beekeeping season explaining what I do and why. www.stepplerfarms.com
Every bee keeper should watch this video ,and smash the like button. I cannot thank you enough for your time. Since I am not that far away its a really big help. I started this year new and though more boxes more bees, whell my first lesson learned, now rethinking my hives, this seams to be the way. Proof is in the results of honey you get. So next year I will do the best I can this way. My first year was a learning curve, now into year 2 and a plan thanks to you Ian. Again I thank you I watched a few time and will again and again cheers and best to you. Keep your stick on the ice
I am 72 now and was a commercial beekeeper in Idaho a lot of years back now. I love to watch all of your videos and have learned a lot from them! Thank you for taking the time to do the videos and sharing your journey with the rest of us! keep up the good work and let us come along for the ride. Thanks Ron Jones North Central Idaho.
Thanks for the video. I find it truly incredible that a commercial beekeeper has enough time to put out quality videos such as yours. It is very much appreciated. Keep up the great work!!
Thanks for this video it is a great help . I was a Bee keeper back in the 60’s an 70’s now getting back into it . Back then I had around 130 hives an now starting back up in it .I have been looking at all your videos an it has been a great help. Thanks Gene - ASHEBORO NC
As many others have commented this is a great video. Most sure see the work you put into the professional management of your business. Many that have never had any experience making good video have no idea how much work you just put into making a 43 minute video that flows as though was produced by a Hollywood production crew. It leaves me beyond words.
you probably dont give a shit but does anyone know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account?? I somehow forgot my password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me!
@Jaiden Ronin Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now. I see it takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Thank you for all the information you share. For someone like myself just starting out. I watch you and Kayman Reynolds a lot. Between the two of you I believe I should be able to keep my bees alive and healthy. Thank you.
I’ve seen dozens of videos on bee keeping and this is by far the most fascinating. I had to be completely focused as, in the spirit of the bees you keep, not a minute is wasted! So much great information. Thank you!
That is the best and most detailed explanation of a year in the life of a commercial BEEK. Thank you for the time and effort you put into making this video. HT
there aren't a lot commercial beekeepers that wants to share this kind of information, I hope to see you to whole the next year. We're living in France, a hotter climate, in the winter time we got just some weeks below 0. I have a dairy farm whit 500 acres and started whit bees since 2 years,I hope to scale up to 100 hive's this year so you're information is very helpfull ...thanks a lot!!!
Tabe Verheij the more we share, the stronger our industry is. I’m tired of beekeepers pointing fingers, when most of the time the finger should be pointed back at them ! 👍
As a newcomer to beekeeping all I can say is thank for your obvious love of beekeeping. I want your professionalship, (yah I know its not a word), to be an influence my success in beekeeping.
The passion you have for bees is quite amazing :D You strike me as someone who accepts all the different ways that people keep bees whether commercial or natural. Amazingly informative video.
Thanks for one of the best teaching video's I've seen on hive management. GREAT analysis, really makes the process understandable the way you present things.
Hello again from not so successful beekeeper from Oregon, US. You are my hero, because you are successful farmer and on top of that willing to share so much helpful information. Thank you very much. I was trying to expend my apiary from 60 to at least 120 for second year, but they keep crashing back to 60 in mid October. I just discovered Randy’s Varroa Model and now i see that i suck at keep varroa in check. But watching your video, i was intrigued by your winter frame sorting. Love it! Since now i have at least 100 hives full of empty/honey frames from my lost colonies, i need to sort them out as well. In your video you said couple of times how seriously you watch and monitor diseases. I understand that with farm like that you are very busy guy, but if you have time to make a video about that topic, how you spot and what exactly you are looking for any signs of diseases. If not, then maybe just point me in the right direction, where i can read or watch myself. Thank you very much again, really I appreciate what you are doing. And i'm sorry for poor grammar, English is not my first language.
see now....many do not like using the same frames for brood as for their honey.... That is not an issue for you from what I'm hearing from you. Thanks again. Always learning!
just want to say a big thank you for your vids. I am doing my homework for having my own personal beehive (before I start bee keeping) and you have answered a LOT of my questions in this one video. really impressed with your setup. I hope you are able to continue withyour fabulous work for many decades to come.
Excellent presentation on commercial bee keeping on a grand scale... keeping bees housed inside for 5mths! Really demonstrates what an amazing insect the humble Bee is and the skill to manage them
Ian, hello from Siberia! Thank you for sharing your experience. I wish you health and success to you, your relatives and your bees, of course! Good luck !!
Amazing video. I learned an incredible amount watching it. I was most amazed by how much the entire process changes when done on a commercial scale as opposed to hobby beekeeping! In areas I never would have imagined, like straggler bees left in the box when it's brought into the hot room, wow! I personally am not a beekeeper but my brother recently became involved and as I'm a woodworker, I've been making the hive boxes for him. I watched a couple videos on hive building, and I've just been drawn in and intrigued by what I am learning is the "art" of beekeeping.
Very Good Ian. I, surely appreciate your time sharing SBB management. .. You are 1 of 3 of my "on-line-mentors" as concerning bee keeping. Looking forward to learning more from you for sure.
FINALLY! An excellent explanation of the single deep system. Thank you so much. I've watched it once and will be watching the video a few more times in the next week to get a grasp of everything. I'm in Pennsylvania so I would have to run a calendar to adjust the timing of the system. I've been looking to change over to a more manageable system and will take some of my colonies and work on it this season. Also, thank you for saying 'it's one man's opinion on beekeeping'. So many say this is the best way or it's only way.
Bob, I agree with you - It gets old hearing people say their way is the only way. Nonsense. I appreciate this man's way of full hive management and the rationale and philosophy of his method, but others may have a different way of doing things. There's more than one way to do nearly everything in life. Whether each method is successful is truth. Canadian Beekeeper has success, so he's on to something. Just my thoughts.
@@chasehamm4467 I ended up keeping them in double deeps for winter. I find it easier for my bees to build up for winter and store food. However, with my age I'm beginning to look at the Layen's hive. Easier on the back
That was a very impressive video, it blew me away with the amount of detail you put into it. Very informative, Thanks a lot. From an Ontario Backyard Beek.
Ian, again a fantastic video! I am going to watch it several times and take notes about the management. Beekeeping in the north for sure challenge but your results are amazing. I am amazed here in the US the winter loss being 30 % and not such a harsh climates as yours. Please keep making videos and educate all of us. Thank You!
I've been debating how serious I want to get about bee keeping, your videos have really given me hope that I could build a real future in the bee business. BTW I live near Edmonton AB, and we have similar weather as you. I'm amazed at your breeding and winter programs. I think I could do what you do. On a much smaller scale. Over 1000 hives seems a little nuts to me. Anyways thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
thanks heaps for this video and I know the work it takes just to make such a video - this is the second time iv watched this video,, as I exspand my knowlage and understanding of bees I find im picking up more and more of why beekeepers do certain things when they do.. thanks heaps
Thanks for sharing your invaluable knowledge, I enjoyed and more importantly learned from your videos(s). Cheers and best wishes for a successful honey season!!
This is very inspiring thanks for sharing. I live in Italy, different climate, different blooming but definitely there's a lot to learn from your video. The double / single box management (sort of, I converted all the apiaries to the medium only instead of the most used modified dadant we have down here, therefore my hives are managed as 3 mediums pushed down to 2 or 2 mediums pushed down to one for very very early blooming) is something that I started using last year and I'm very happy with it. Really lot to learn here, thanks again.
Hi Massimiliano, you're using a Dadant-like medium box as brood chamber? What's your experience with the queen's laying pattern? Dadant's idea was to give the queen an as large as possible continuous square area of comb to lay eggs in. Does she use the lower height combs effectively?
My Ingroup Idol Did Nothing Wrong hi there I found she doesn't care about the gaps between the frames and lays equally. I find the modified dadant too small for most of the queens but going on 12 frames doesnt change the fact that most of the colonies I have tend to develop vertically, therefore the 3 boxes. The hive i prefer the most and that are wintering quite well now are made by 3 six frames modules, no heat loss, very tight and strong. If well managed those colonies have the same amount of brood of a 10 frames regular db hive. I have nothing against db frames i still have those to produce nucs for selling but the operations i can perform with a divisible hive, considering I still have a day time job, are way more and more effective within my way of beekeeping.
Great Video. Glad you use Randy Oliver as a reference. The Timing of the curves may change depending on Latitude nonetheless they are the same. Bee's just like a Plants first budding will vary. The timing moves South to North. Harvest time works the same. You punch that Summer harvest just right in Canada.
Thanks for this very useful info, I've been keeping bees now for 6 years. I started overwintering with a single plus a super of food but this causes problems in the spring with queen laying in my supers, so I went to double brood system but this causes too may bees late in the season and problems with starvation over winter due to difficulty in management and hive too big. Neither seems right so I agree with your approach. As in the UK we don't have a proper winter, I'm going to try overwintering on a single plus sugar boards Regards Chris
Every bee keeper should watch this video ,and smash the like button. I cannot thank you enough for your time. Since I am not that far away its a really big help. I started this year new and though more boxes more bees, whell my first lesson learned, now rethinking my hives, this seams to be the way. Proof is in the results of honey you get. So next year I will do the best I can this way. My first year was a learning curve, now into year 2 and a plan thanks to you Ian. Again I thank you I watched a few time and will again and again cheers and best to you. Keep your stick on the ice
Ian you're exceptional. You reveal things that most beekeeper would hold back from sharing. Excellent work. Thank you so much.
Tony appreciate the feedback
Still, you will need to read between the lines here, there is a tonne of details not explained ;)
I am 72 now and was a commercial beekeeper in Idaho a lot of years back now. I love to watch all of your videos and have learned a lot from them! Thank you for taking the time to do the videos and sharing your journey with the rest of us! keep up the good work and let us come along for the ride. Thanks Ron Jones North Central Idaho.
I watch this every year around this time. Trying to make sure I have my ducks in a row for the upcoming year. Thanks for all the great info.
thats a TOP #1 vid,,THATS A LOT OF GREAT INFO for us in the snow zones,,YOU'RE AN EXCELLENT TEACHER MAN!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the video. I find it truly incredible that a commercial beekeeper has enough time to put out quality videos such as yours. It is very much appreciated. Keep up the great work!!
Excellent tutorial Ian, folks like yourself are a true and an important resource for new-bees keepers.
Wow four years have gone by, still backyard keeping , I am going to have to get my bleep together! Thanks for all your content👍
Thanks for this video it is a great help . I was a Bee keeper back in the 60’s an 70’s now getting back into it . Back then I had around 130 hives an now starting back up in it .I have been looking at all your videos an it has been a great help. Thanks Gene - ASHEBORO NC
I have probably watched this video 10 times and learn something i can use every time. Thanks for taking the time to make these.
As many others have commented this is a great video. Most sure see the work you put into the professional management of your business. Many that have never had any experience making good video have no idea how much work you just put into making a 43 minute video that flows as though was produced by a Hollywood production crew. It leaves me beyond words.
you probably dont give a shit but does anyone know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account??
I somehow forgot my password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me!
@Cayden Decker Instablaster :)
@Jaiden Ronin Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Jaiden Ronin It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thanks so much, you really help me out !
@Cayden Decker no problem :D
Thank you for all the information you share. For someone like myself just starting out. I watch you and Kayman Reynolds a lot. Between the two of you I believe I should be able to keep my bees alive and healthy. Thank you.
I’ve seen dozens of videos on bee keeping and this is by far the most fascinating. I had to be completely focused as, in the spirit of the bees you keep, not a minute is wasted! So much great information. Thank you!
Exactly! 3 years later, almost 1 a.m. and I'm focused on this video.... :)
Thank you very much. I only have one hive and am still learning. The knowledge you have is phenomenal and I appreciate your generosity with your time.
That is the best and most detailed explanation of a year in the life of a commercial BEEK. Thank you for the time and effort you put into making this video. HT
Great video Ian, very nicely explained, its no wonder your successful, great job.
there aren't a lot commercial beekeepers that wants to share this kind of information, I hope to see you to whole the next year. We're living in France, a hotter climate, in the winter time we got just some weeks below 0. I have a dairy farm whit 500 acres and started whit bees since 2 years,I hope to scale up to 100 hive's this year so you're information is very helpfull ...thanks a lot!!!
Tabe Verheij the more we share, the stronger our industry is. I’m tired of beekeepers pointing fingers, when most of the time the finger should be pointed back at them ! 👍
have got 100 hives?
This may be the best beekeeping video I've ever watched. Bravo Ian.
As a newcomer to beekeeping all I can say is thank for your obvious love of beekeeping. I want your professionalship, (yah I know its not a word), to be an influence my success in beekeeping.
Thank you! I’m a hobby beekeeper in Hawaii; I have learned so much from your vlogs.
Thank you for this informative, well-explained video. I appreciate the important detail you give, explained slowly and clearly.
The passion you have for bees is quite amazing :D You strike me as someone who accepts all the different ways that people keep bees whether commercial or natural. Amazingly informative video.
Awesome video. I appreciate the time you took to share your bee keeping experience.
Thanks for one of the best teaching video's I've seen on hive management. GREAT analysis, really makes the process understandable the way you present things.
Best beekeeping channel on youtube! Thank you for this very informative video!
I appreciate the time you dedicated to make this detailed video to help others.
There is SO much information in this video. I may have to watch it a few times...
Hello again from not so successful beekeeper from Oregon, US. You are my hero, because you are successful farmer and on top of that willing to share so much helpful information. Thank you very much.
I was trying to expend my apiary from 60 to at least 120 for second year, but they keep crashing back to 60 in mid October. I just discovered Randy’s Varroa Model and now i see that i suck at keep varroa in check.
But watching your video, i was intrigued by your winter frame sorting. Love it! Since now i have at least 100 hives full of empty/honey frames from my lost colonies, i need to sort them out as well. In your video you said couple of times how seriously you watch and monitor diseases. I understand that with farm like that you are very busy guy, but if you have time to make a video about that topic, how you spot and what exactly you are looking for any signs of diseases. If not, then maybe just point me in the right direction, where i can read or watch myself.
Thank you very much again, really I appreciate what you are doing. And i'm sorry for poor grammar, English is not my first language.
Wow that's a lot of work!
Thanks for the detailed explanation.
see now....many do not like using the same frames for brood as for their honey.... That is not an issue for you from what I'm hearing from you. Thanks again. Always learning!
just want to say a big thank you for your vids. I am doing my homework for having my own personal beehive (before I start bee keeping) and you have answered a LOT of my questions in this one video. really impressed with your setup. I hope you are able to continue withyour fabulous work for many decades to come.
Excellent presentation on commercial bee keeping on a grand scale... keeping bees housed inside for 5mths! Really demonstrates what an amazing insect the humble Bee is and the skill to manage them
Ian, hello from Siberia! Thank you for sharing your experience. I wish you health and success to you, your relatives and your bees, of course! Good luck !!
This has to be the single most helpful video I've watched on beekeeping. Thank you very much Ian!
Wow, awesome video, lots of good info, Thanks Ian!!
Greetings from Serbian beekeeper> I am amazed by work you do!
Thanks for this ever so comprehensive video Ian. As always there is a plethora of information to be gleaned from it. Cheers!
Great presentation! Thank you for taking the time to put this together!
Your my favorite person for everything bees!
Thank you for all your hard work!
Thanks so much for sharing your information. I learned more from you than reading books or going to my local bee keepers meetings. I love your videos.
What a great job explaining your operation. Learned a lot.....THANKS.
This is the most informative video I ever have seen on any subject. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge!
Love the video many thanks from novice beekeeper West cork Ireland. Best of luck to you and your family.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.
Amazing video. I learned an incredible amount watching it. I was most amazed by how much the entire process changes when done on a commercial scale as opposed to hobby beekeeping! In areas I never would have imagined, like straggler bees left in the box when it's brought into the hot room, wow! I personally am not a beekeeper but my brother recently became involved and as I'm a woodworker, I've been making the hive boxes for him. I watched a couple videos on hive building, and I've just been drawn in and intrigued by what I am learning is the "art" of beekeeping.
Wow that's a lot to take in .... I'll have to watch that one a few times ... great stuff thank you
Right?! I'm going to watch this video more than a few times.
This is really incredibly valuable info. Thanks so much.
This is a great video... the kind a guy has to watch over and over. Thank you your work and your dedication to teaching.
Hi I have to say you are a legend. Man thats a really nice way to manage the season. You gave me heaps of new inspirations for my own Business.
Excellent video! You explained so well. I am beekeeping in traditional Slovenian AZ hive, but will use your advice and information this year.
Thanks, for giving your precious time to do this. I appreciate your knowledge sharing. You are helping other beekeepers and thus the bees
One of the best bee vids ive seen yet👍well done sir.
Very Good Ian. I, surely appreciate your time sharing SBB management. .. You are 1 of 3 of my "on-line-mentors" as concerning bee keeping. Looking forward to learning more from you for sure.
FINALLY! An excellent explanation of the single deep system. Thank you so much. I've watched it once and will be watching the video a few more times in the next week to get a grasp of everything. I'm in Pennsylvania so I would have to run a calendar to adjust the timing of the system. I've been looking to change over to a more manageable system and will take some of my colonies and work on it this season. Also, thank you for saying 'it's one man's opinion on beekeeping'. So many say this is the best way or it's only way.
Bob, I agree with you - It gets old hearing people say their way is the only way. Nonsense. I appreciate this man's way of full hive management and the rationale and philosophy of his method, but others may have a different way of doing things. There's more than one way to do nearly everything in life. Whether each method is successful is truth. Canadian Beekeeper has success, so he's on to something. Just my thoughts.
Have you figured out a calendar? For single deep.
@@chasehamm4467 I ended up keeping them in double deeps for winter. I find it easier for my bees to build up for winter and store food. However, with my age I'm beginning to look at the Layen's hive. Easier on the back
@@chasehamm4467 I'd love a PA calander. Post if you figure or find one. I'd love to try this method.
That was a very impressive video, it blew me away with the amount of detail you put into it. Very informative, Thanks a lot.
From an Ontario Backyard Beek.
Best video on beekeeping Period. Thank you so much.
Best video I ever saw, managing more than 10 hives :-). Greetings from Germany - Keep up the good work.
Thanks as a new bee keeper this is very helpful to me.
Excellent info! Thank you so much! I just bought 6 hives.
what's the price of a beehive like in America?
Looking forward to your videos moving into the Spring and up to your honey flow!
when you care about what you do,it shows ,in one way or another ...thanks, good job ,from south east Connecticut 06384
Thank you. Your video answers a lot of questions.
please don't take this lightly. I really appreciate the time you spent on this video. it appears that you are very thoughtful.
Ian, again a fantastic video! I am going to watch it several times and take notes about the management. Beekeeping in the north for sure challenge but your results are amazing. I am amazed here in the US the winter loss being 30 % and not such a harsh climates as yours.
Please keep making videos and educate all of us.
Thank You!
Lol I was taking written notes as soon as he started, I know this is important and proven successful info.. thanks ian
Simply great job!!
Thanx for sharing
Thank you for your reply. I understand that there's lot more detail, but your explanation is much more detailed than others.
Tony 👍 glad it was useful
Message if you need any feedback
Unbeleavable management system. I will take a lot from this video for next year and no doubt refer back to it.
Well done 👏🏻
Great video thank you. I will be watching this video numerous times. A lot of great information
Wow! This was so helpful and interesting! Thank you !
A great explanation. Thank You for sharing!
Wow this was a great video, you gave a lot of great info and great insight.
Loved this video! Excellent detailed explanation!
Thank you for video! Best spring greetings from Ukrainian beekeepers to beekeepers in Canada!
this video is great. Thanks for the time you spent for them. Best wishes from Ankara Turkey.
I really learned a lot watching your video. Thanks so much.
Thanks. That's a lot of great info.. keep up the great work.
That was an awesome video. Best I have ever seen. Thank you for that education.
I've been debating how serious I want to get about bee keeping, your videos have really given me hope that I could build a real future in the bee business.
BTW I live near Edmonton AB, and we have similar weather as you. I'm amazed at your breeding and winter programs. I think I could do what you do. On a much smaller scale. Over 1000 hives seems a little nuts to me.
Anyways thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Excellent video, very informative and educational! Thank so much Ian!
Thanks for the oversight of hives for the year
Interesting, I definitely need to try this down here in Connecticut. Great videos keep them coming!
thanks heaps for this video and I know the work it takes just to make such a video - this is the second time iv watched this video,, as I exspand my knowlage and understanding of bees I find im picking up more and more of why beekeepers do certain things when they do.. thanks heaps
Thanks for sharing your invaluable knowledge, I enjoyed and more importantly learned from your videos(s). Cheers and best wishes for a successful honey season!!
This is very inspiring thanks for sharing. I live in Italy, different climate, different blooming but definitely there's a lot to learn from your video. The double / single box management (sort of, I converted all the apiaries to the medium only instead of the most used modified dadant we have down here, therefore my hives are managed as 3 mediums pushed down to 2 or 2 mediums pushed down to one for very very early blooming) is something that I started using last year and I'm very happy with it. Really lot to learn here, thanks again.
Hi Massimiliano, you're using a Dadant-like medium box as brood chamber? What's your experience with the queen's laying pattern? Dadant's idea was to give the queen an as large as possible continuous square area of comb to lay eggs in. Does she use the lower height combs effectively?
My Ingroup Idol Did Nothing Wrong hi there I found she doesn't care about the gaps between the frames and lays equally. I find the modified dadant too small for most of the queens but going on 12 frames doesnt change the fact that most of the colonies I have tend to develop vertically, therefore the 3 boxes. The hive i prefer the most and that are wintering quite well now are made by 3 six frames modules, no heat loss, very tight and strong. If well managed those colonies have the same amount of brood of a 10 frames regular db hive. I have nothing against db frames i still have those to produce nucs for selling but the operations i can perform with a divisible hive, considering I still have a day time job, are way more and more effective within my way of beekeeping.
Wow. That’s amazing what you do brother. Great job and love all the knowledge. Aloha.
very informative! thanks for sharing your knowledge with us
Great video, thank you for the eductional sharing.
Thanks Ian, very interesting and helpful.
Fantastic video!
Awesome information- thank you 👏🇨🇦
Thanks for sharing the knowledge and system. Great!
Starting out with 2 boxes next year always wanted to so why not now I am semi retired cheers thanks for posting the video
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience.
Great video! Much appreciated
Best explanation I ever heard.
This is pure art
thanks for the video! I am trying some single brood chamber hives this spring. Appreciate your video! thanks!
Great Video. Glad you use Randy Oliver as a reference. The Timing of the curves may change depending on Latitude nonetheless they are the same.
Bee's just like a Plants first budding will vary. The timing moves South to North. Harvest time works the same. You punch that Summer harvest just right in Canada.
Incredible! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much. Very informative.
Thanks for this very useful info, I've been keeping bees now for 6 years. I started overwintering with a single plus a super of food but this causes problems in the spring with queen laying in my supers, so I went to double brood system but this causes too may bees late in the season and problems with starvation over winter due to difficulty in management and hive too big. Neither seems right so I agree with your approach. As in the UK we don't have a proper winter, I'm going to try overwintering on a single plus sugar boards Regards Chris