1) I have to put my hives on asphalt, how can I keep them from falling over? 4:39 2) Do you have a photo of your extractor base? I'm looking to do this myself. 13:15 3) I have used Hive Alive for a few years now. Do they store it in honey frames? 17:27 4) Plants for bee water in a deep bucket or barrel. 19:53 5) What about wheels for the Long Langstroth like the chicken tractor? 27:13 6) How can we get seed sellers to lower their prices? 36:05
Hello Fred, I enjoyed the episode. It was cold and rainy at the beginning of the video, then I saw where later that week your area got a ton of snow. How are you keeping up with all that snow? The snow must have been as high as the landing board on your bees. Here in Apollo, PA, we have not received the snow you have. We got a dusting and that was it. But my bees are ready for winter, I got things wrapped up before the cold snap hit. Thank you for talking about my Hive Alive question. I am pleased to hear that the bees will not store the Hive Alive Fondant, just consume it for nutrition though the winter. So, all 8 of my hives have the fondant in for extra food if needed. I will have to check out your chicken site. We've had chickens for 20 years and I still enjoy watching them and learning more about them. Thank you for the time you put into researching all the topics you speak about. It is much appreciated. I also enjoy your witty comments; it is a joy watching and learning from you. I am looking forward to hearing you speak again; I will be attending the Western Pennsylvania Beekeeping Seminar in February.
Oh! I'm looking forward to seeing you again at the conference :) You're very welcome, I'm glad your bees are all set. We've received more than 50" of snow already, so yes the landing boards were right at snow level. I think we're fine. Today we have high winds and 15 deg. F. So, not nice to be outside. I'm so glad you're well stocked with fondant :)
Thank you so much Frederick for all your suggestions--I'm very grateful and learned a lot. I was able to get permission to put 14" ground anchors in so problem solved. Of course I'll need to pay someone to do this for me. Also, I did fail to mention that our new bees home is a lot of land, yet under 4" of earth, there is a platform of asphalt. Super grateful.
@@FrederickDunn You would have but it's without the g. The letter G is only in my email because its the initial of my middle name. It's pronounce Oli-Fant--Olipahant.
Great chat Fred. Looking forward to an above average presentation in Louisville!!!! As for books....Beekeeping for Dummies is still an easy read with some great basic info for beginners that I recommend to newbies. See you soon!!!
Yes! The honey bee expo is fast approaching :) It will be great to catch up! Beekeeping for Dummies remains a standard with many courses in beginner beekeeping. Thanks for sharing :)
Thank you for another informative video! And another beautiful opening sequence, so evocative and lovely. Book wise, there are so many helpful beekeeping books from “Beekeeping for Dummies” to all of Thomas Seeley’s books. The ones I go back to most often are “Swarm Essentials” by Stephen Repasky, “Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees” by Malcolm Sanford, “Honey Bee Hobbyist” by Norman Gary, “Bee-sentials” by Laurence John Connor, and two by Kim Flottum, “The Backyard Beekeeper” (4th edition) and “Common Sense Natural Beekeeping”. I enjoy the approachable style of Kim Flottum’s books, relatable to me as a backyard beekeeper, and need to check out the 5th edition of “The Backyard Beekeeper”. For fun, you can’t beat “Bee People” by Frank Mortimer and “Bees Make the Best Pets” by Jack Mingo.
Hives for Heroes paired me with a wonderful bee-newbie, and the most wonderful thing about their program is how the two of us work together in my apiary once to twice a week for a complete year. I've mentored a dozen new beekeepers from two local bee associations for a few weeks here and there - and it's always been a fun learning experience - but learning about beekeeping over four full seasons, well, there is nothing quite like that. We have time to discuss so much more than basic bee handling. We cover biology, behavior, bear fencing (we installed some together), local pollen & nectar plants, hive design, pest control, weather issues, situational troubleshooting... the list goes on and on. As for my favorite books, I most often recommend Tom Seeley's "Honey Bee Democracy" and Dewey Caron/Lawrence John Connor's "Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping." Although the latter only offers a passing reference to horizontal hives (a shame for so many reasons), I find that's not uncommon in books published in the US. It is still a beautiful book that is well illustrated and an interesting and easy read.
Hey Fred. Glad to have you back. Gwyn and I live in Pitman NJ. Our local library has a seed library. No, really. There you can deposit or withdraw seeds for free. If Gwyn grows anything native that performs well, she will save the seeds and deposit them. If she is looking for something specific or unusual. She always checks the seed library first. Great idea. Costs nothing.
Books I’ve read: my first beekeeping course used The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammataro & Alphonse Avitabile. I also used Beekeeping For Dummies. I’ve read Tom Seeley’s books including his new book Piping Hot Bees And Boisterous Buzz Runners. Keeping Bees With a Smile is a good book for use Layens hive keepers. And I just got Langstrouth’s Hive and the Honey-bee. I want to build an original Langstrouth hive.
Thank you for sharing! Our local Master Gardener Club also does a seed exchange, I hadn't thought about that. This is why the comment section is so valuable to me! I learn quite a lot from my viewers, and friends like you :)
Love the book reviews! The very first book I read regarding bees was "The Queen and I" by Edward Weiss and it is still my favorite. It might be out of print but I was able to find a used copy on eBay after I gifted my first copy to another beginning beekeeper. I still use the same brad driver to put my wooden frames together just as Edward described. That was over 15 years ago now. Keep up the great work, Fred!
New beekeeper here (second winter). This is not a book, but I took the Central Oklahoma Beekeeping Association's beginner beekeeping class. Two jam packed, fun filled days, plus one Saturday of bonus material. What was great about it? They provide THE printed material. All sectioned out, so I got some tabs and a three ring binder and have post-it notes all over the thing! I reference it frequently!
Ohhh, I like the idea of providing a 3-Ring Binder full of the necessary text and worksheets? Did it also have pockets for handouts? Also, does the Oklahoma Beekeeping Association provide free courses to members, or do they charge a fee? Thanks so much :)
@@FrederickDunn They provided the guts (handouts), I put it into a 3 ring binder. It also came with "First Lessons in Beekeeping" and a hive tool. I believe $70 for all, I must say they undercharge for the time (24 instructional hours) and materials that go into it.
I bought Story's book on beekeeping, and I also like Jason Chrisman's "Beekeeping Blueprint" which if you get the Kindle edition has links to some of his You Tube videos. I started with a book that is no longer being published. It was given to me by my mentor in 1992. I also printed out all the lessons from the Cornell master beekeeper course. It fills a 3inch 3 ring binder.
Wow, I did not even know that Jason C. published a book! Thanks so much for sharing! I'm so glad you took the time to print those texts out for future reference. I did that also and had them spiral bound with good quality paper, it cost me several hundred dollars to do that. Well worth it! Also valuable while doing the course work so you can hi-light text that gets your interest :) Did you graduate from the Cornell Program?
I still have to write the written exam this summer. I have completed the presentation; which I did on AFB, and I completed the practical hive inspection in the rain at the Dyce Lab. The examiner was impressed that I was able to remain calm with all those field bees I po'd, (upset). I thought I'd flunked it because I didn't speak enough about varroa, which as you know was worth a bunch of marks, but I passed.
Funny you say that extractors come balanced from the factory, ours was insanely wobbly for most loads, it was rare we ever got it to 100% speed before the first time we took it apart to thoroughly clean it and lubricate the ballbearing and everything, and I played a bit with the positioning of the top piece that holds the motor and the top of the cage to get it just right, and this year the only loads we had that were unbalanced actually WERE from half-full frames, we got about 90% of our spins up to 100%. I do like that base on wheels though, we might look at that once our honey house is done (it has walls and trusses!)
Fred, Winds can definitely test our hives. I know you have had them be blown over. I didn't realize it until the next morning, but the strong winds the other night blew one of my telescoping covers off a hive. Not sure how they will do, but at least the inner cover stayed in place. Not dead, but some wet bees for sure. 😢 Beekeeper error. I usually have a solid cement block on each but had moved it off and hadn't replaced it. Time to pull out the straps for winter.
Hi David! I find that bees can handle quite a lot when it comes to being blown down. I think the fact that your inner cover remained in place was a huge bonus. I'll bet they do just fine. Please keep us posted regarding how they do through winter. :) Thanks for sharing! I had a tall nucleus hive blow over during a winter storm, but it stayed pretty much together and made it just fine. :)
I tried to get one out before we left, but I just ran behind. Glad to be back on track. I hope the flooding isn't terrible. Thanks for watching and commenting.
So, you're saying that females should run the show, and all males should be dispensed with in the fall when cold weather arrives? (';')( ';')... let's see how that would go...
I've read so many beekeeping books, but I think my two favorites are Increase Essentials and Swarm Essentials. I have read them both many times & I always learn something new.
Bakers Creek Heirloom seeds is also a great supplier. They sell in small packages though. They are extremely helpful and very responsive to any questions you might pose to them.
Fred I’m working on building a base like yours after you mentioned it the other week so thanks for the videos of it. I bought 3” wheels for it. Just for Hillco E8 this fall so can’t wait to use it next year and not have to hand crank anymore!! Wondered why one video it showed a big block in the middle vs when 1st shown without- why was it added? Also do you lock the wheels when using it at all so it doesn’t roll away from buckets you are filling?? As always thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge!! Your videos are my Saturday morning with coffee habit which I look forward to!!
Ohhh, that block is what I put under the back wheel when I'm fully draining the extractor. It serves as a shim to tip it toward the gate. I only lock the wheels when I'm tilting the unit. Thanks for asking as others may have also been puzzled by that :)
@@FrederickDunn Ah ok thanks that makes sense - wasn't sure if it was a added weight thing or what. The new Hillco E8 has the honey gate that sits lower than the inside so hoping I won't have to tilt too much. My old China/Amazon one I started out with I had to tilt A LOT as there was a good 3/4" difference. Does your extractor move much at all when its absorbing the motion with the wheels? I got 3" wheels that says for 125lbs - so I'd think that would be be enough? I have a nice solid 1" plywood scrap board that I'm gonna cut to a triangle and add some blocks of scrap wood like you did to have more depth for beefier bolts. Also - another good place for wildflower seeds is OPN Seed here in Ohio - and we have also used Prairie Moon Nursery as well. BTW - I love the switch blade pellets I ordered from your club's fundraiser! Will look forward to ordering another bag when you guys start that up - please keep us updated!
Thanks for sharing! Do you modify your yard stick in any way to use it as a scraper, or are you just pushing the bees in rather than pulling them out? Lots of options for sure. The goal is just to keep it open for those valuable cleansing flights.
@@FrederickDunn I did not modify the yardstick. I push it in on the right side as far as it will go and scrape the dead bees out. I try to hold it as close 90 degrees relative to the bottom as possible and scrape the bees out by moving the yardstick in an arc toward the left side of the hive and then forward. I found that the tool you mentioned is too thin and it goes under many dead bees.
I bought the Australian beekeeping manual by Robert Owen. It’s nice to have a book where you don’t have to translate from northern to Southern Hemisphere. But the book I frequently revisit is creating a haven for native bees by Kit Prendergast, which wouldn’t be relevant to anyone outside Australia.
Hey Fred, I recall reading that the Lyson stands suggest 2X6 or 2x8 lumber depending how long of lumber used and how many hives you plan to set on it. I would use 2x6 up to 8 feet and 2x8 beyond 8 feet long. I think the heavy stands are too expensive to hold less than 4 hives.
Money definitely plays in deciding what stands to use. In the photo I posted, there are 2x6 planks on the left example. Definitely greatly reduced deflection in the span. I do like them for running nucleus hives in a series. T-Posts are inexpensive and very sturdy if you can drive them deep. The challenge here was that they are just put on pavement. 2x4s well angled would also be very stable. The Lyson stands are designed to receive 2x4s in their channels.
No need to freeze it. The Hive Alive will inhibit mold growth. Just store it in a cool place, like your basement and bring it out for your bees when early spring weather arrives :)
A favorite book of mine is "Simple Smart Beekeeping" by Kirsten S. Traynor and Michael J. Traynor. Unfortunately, out of print. Copies sometimes show up at conferences, but the seller never has more than one or two copies.
When you were talking about buying seeds an old memory jumped back. I grew up in rural west of Ireland, small farm and grow your food. I was about your supervisors age at the time. A Saturday afternoon in early spring. An older, (shall we say highly opinionated) aunt stopped by on her way to town and asked if there was anything she could pick up. Dad, busy digging in the garden with me and a bunch of friend in his way yelled back to his sister "Annie, can you get me 10 grams of carrot seed from Horkans, tell Paul to put it on my account and I'll sort it out when I'm in town again". Dad yelled Grams. Aunt heard pounds. Carrot seeds are light 10 pound of carrot seeds came in a sack as big as me at the time.
That's a great story! :) Time to share those seeds :) But that small town benefit of just saying "put it on my tab" is still part of my community here. Sounds like you grew up in a great place, thank you for sharing that memory.
There is something incredibly peaceful about the Fall rain. Speaking of Hive Alive Mr. Fred. I recently heard a speaker claim that Fall feeding 2 to 1 with Hive Alive in the syrup stimulates hives, producing more winter bee brood. Doesn't sound right, any thoughts? Thank you sir.
Hmmm... I would say that it would stimulate brood rearing in the same way that any heavy syrup may. But, without the plant proteins partnered up with that, can't say I'd have much faith in that particular benefit. Without pollen or pollen-like proteins, the resources just wouldn't be there for brood building. Having said that, IF they already have a lot of stored pollen/bee-bread, and they needed the carbs provided by heavy syrup, then it may help a tad with that? The studies related to fall feeding with pollen patties from the University of Florida, and others... have not demonstrated significant gains in brood rearing at the onset of winter.
A question please. When the bees enter the hive through the opening, is there a space under the frames for them to go into, or do the frames come down to the hive floor please? I am not a bee keeper so I do not know. Thank you. Nigel Moore, England.
Hi Nigel! Well, you're the first topic for next Friday's Q&A which may be LIVE. I highly recommend having the entrance below the frames/comb. Coming in just under the comb is how many feral colonies use their space. Much better to defend at that location rather than have fighting on the comb. I'll share more in my video response. Thanks!
@nigelmoore9657 Yes, in a standard Langstroth hive there is a gap between the bottoms of the frames and the floor/bottom board of the hive. It's plenty of space for bees to walk around under the frames.
Oh, awesome, Fred take me away, TGI Fred-day! Jeez Fred, I do like your extractor dolly, especially the stress dispersion aspect. I just lifted my first 5-gallon bucket of my bee's honey... pretty heavy. I have been using 2-gallon buckets...much lighter, good for smaller runs. My back likes the 2-gallon pails. Keep bringing us your angle at the conventions, many thanks. As for books, reading season is upon me, I stocked up with some Tom Seely books, and "The Mind of a Bee" for the dark months ahead. I started on my own with Layens hives, so I got Fedor Lazutin's "Keeping Bees with a Smile" and George de Layens " Keeping Bees in Horizontal Hives". I often go back and read sections in Tom Seeley's " The Lives of Bees". Can't say I will retain much, but I can just read it again. I recently read the late Kim Flottum's " The Backyard Beekeeper" and I like Kim's delivery. So many book, so little time.
Kim F. was the author of my first beginner beekeeping book and the information still stands as very useful. Thanks for mentioning him, we talked about chickens and bees, he was such a good natured man and will be missed. Definitely collect the honey in containers that are manageable. I put carry straps around mine, I don't use the wire handles as those are rated for water rather than the much heavier honey. Victor is spot on.
Hey Fred, are you planning to do a product review of the new Varrosan OA strips? I bought some and installed in my hive and running my own test since I do not have the vaporizer...............A good book that I started bee keeping with is : "Backyard Beekeeping: Everything You Need to Know to Start Your First Hive" By Dave and Sheri Burns
I have commented on VarroxSan before, and I hope beekeepers will wait that one out for better evaluation. I've listened to several experts on the topic of extended release Oxalic Acid delivery, and many found that VarroxSan just the mites at currrent levels without significantly reducing their numbers in a hive. At $89.99 for a 60 strip pack, I'm going to wait that one out. I'm sure David will be very happy that you prefer his beginning book. What did you like, or find in that book that put it above other beginner beekeeping books? Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden by Kim Flottum has topped the charts for decades. Thanks for sharing :)
I have a Hillco 18 frame Ultramax, and was going to put it on casters, but I bought wheels with 2 different threaded mounting shafts and the first set was really too big and the second set was just slightly too big. Any sets that would have had threaded mounting shafts to fit the existing mounting holes in the extractor legs would have been too small for the extractor. I tried to drill the stainless steel leg bolt down holes, but Hillco uses really good stainless steel. No joy drilling, so I just lag bolted it to the floor and pay attention when I load the frames, and start with slow revs and increase the speed slowly over time. I was concerned with the extractor on wheels that it would walk away from the classifier tank it drains into. I always spin with the honey gate open. The 18 frame extractor, even when unbalanced, shakes less than an unbalanced 3 or 4 frame extractor.
The Wheels I use have the plate for four screws UP, and I ran a bolt down through the feet, you can recess the bolt up from the bottom and then the wheel plate covers that from underneath. I suppose there are many ways to make that work. Yes, mine is all stainless as well. But if you're plumbed into another component then your options are limited.
Regarding Amazon reviews- I’ve heard that if the bar chart that shows the 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 stars ratings has a “fish hook” shape, it’s a good indicator that the reviews are fake.
We have a small bldg with vendor windows my husband wanted to move my 5 hives into. I didn't think we could move the bees that distance...it is prob 30' away from my hives. Could we really possibly move them without messing them up when they take a cleansing flight? Will they find their way back to their hives? I'm in Ohio..zone 6. I am actually very interested in building something with a bee bed. Have you seen them on youtube? Valentia bee beds.
When winter settles in, it's actually a great time to move those hives. Yes, I'm familiar with Layens style Bee Saunas. Dr. Leo has one on his website and he uses them. I think he has 2 or 3 hives under the sauna section.
my apiary survived this week's Pacific coast 'Bomb Cyclone' on asphalt... I am one mile in from the pacific ocean on a river (Oregon), so the cyclone winds came right on in... 60+ mile per hour gusts. My hives are on asphalt mounted on one layer of cinder blocks with only heavy rocks on top (no tie straps). They did just fine. The cinder blocks did not allow any lift from underneath. The cinder blocks are arranged in just one layer laying flat so the hives sits only 8 inches off the ground, may not be good if you need to worry about skunks.
I am so glad your hives remained in place through that wind event! Maybe Brad will copy your method and see his hives through many a winter storm in the north east :)
1) I have to put my hives on asphalt, how can I keep them from falling over? 4:39
2) Do you have a photo of your extractor base? I'm looking to do this myself. 13:15
3) I have used Hive Alive for a few years now. Do they store it in honey frames? 17:27
4) Plants for bee water in a deep bucket or barrel. 19:53
5) What about wheels for the Long Langstroth like the chicken tractor? 27:13
6) How can we get seed sellers to lower their prices? 36:05
Thank you Adam.
Dziękujemy.
Wow, thank you so much! I really appreciate it :)
Thanks!
I'm a better beekeeper because of you!! Expressing my gratitude for you and you channel.
Have a good Thanksgiving
Fred, I look forward to the presentation page. Thanks for putting that together, and Thanks for teaching!
Mark
You are always very welcome :)
Hello Fred, I enjoyed the episode. It was cold and rainy at the beginning of the video, then I saw where later that week your area got a ton of snow. How are you keeping up with all that snow? The snow must have been as high as the landing board on your bees. Here in Apollo, PA, we have not received the snow you have. We got a dusting and that was it. But my bees are ready for winter, I got things wrapped up before the cold snap hit. Thank you for talking about my Hive Alive question. I am pleased to hear that the bees will not store the Hive Alive Fondant, just consume it for nutrition though the winter. So, all 8 of my hives have the fondant in for extra food if needed.
I will have to check out your chicken site. We've had chickens for 20 years and I still enjoy watching them and learning more about them.
Thank you for the time you put into researching all the topics you speak about. It is much appreciated. I also enjoy your witty comments; it is a joy watching and learning from you.
I am looking forward to hearing you speak again; I will be attending the Western Pennsylvania Beekeeping Seminar in February.
Oh! I'm looking forward to seeing you again at the conference :) You're very welcome, I'm glad your bees are all set. We've received more than 50" of snow already, so yes the landing boards were right at snow level. I think we're fine. Today we have high winds and 15 deg. F. So, not nice to be outside. I'm so glad you're well stocked with fondant :)
Thank you so much Frederick for all your suggestions--I'm very grateful and learned a lot.
I was able to get permission to put 14" ground anchors in so problem solved. Of course I'll need to pay someone to do this for me.
Also, I did fail to mention that our new bees home is a lot of land, yet under 4" of earth, there is a platform of asphalt.
Super grateful.
You're very welcome, Brad! Did I pronounce your last name correctly? :)
@@FrederickDunn You would have but it's without the g. The letter G is only in my email because its the initial of my middle name. It's pronounce Oli-Fant--Olipahant.
I liked the idea of the cement blocks. Thank you for sharing and am looking forward to the video on the NAHBE.
I'm so glad. :) I'm really looking forward to creating that NAHBE Featurette :)
I love your idea of a hive house. I bet you'd have lots of visitors.
Thank you, built for people and the bees, it's a win win :) And of course, I can start my plants in it as well.
I am from TX and I do watch you all the time, and I would love to meet you some day
Oh man, you should have come to Austin :) Sounds like I may be coming back to Texas to give some courses in beekeeping. I'll keep you posted :)
@@FrederickDunn Courses? What courses? Yes, please give us the info when you can! That would be fantastic!
Great chat Fred. Looking forward to an above average presentation in Louisville!!!! As for books....Beekeeping for Dummies is still an easy read with some great basic info for beginners that I recommend to newbies. See you soon!!!
Yes! The honey bee expo is fast approaching :) It will be great to catch up! Beekeeping for Dummies remains a standard with many courses in beginner beekeeping. Thanks for sharing :)
I just got to say it, everybody needs to be homeschooling even if you send your kid to school!
Ohhhh, I like that line of thought :) and I definitely agree.
Thank you for another informative video! And another beautiful opening sequence, so evocative and lovely.
Book wise, there are so many helpful beekeeping books from “Beekeeping for Dummies” to all of Thomas Seeley’s books. The ones I go back to most often are “Swarm Essentials” by Stephen Repasky, “Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees” by Malcolm Sanford, “Honey Bee Hobbyist” by Norman Gary, “Bee-sentials” by Laurence John Connor, and two by Kim Flottum, “The Backyard Beekeeper” (4th edition) and “Common Sense Natural Beekeeping”. I enjoy the approachable style of Kim Flottum’s books, relatable to me as a backyard beekeeper, and need to check out the 5th edition of “The Backyard Beekeeper”.
For fun, you can’t beat “Bee People” by Frank Mortimer and “Bees Make the Best Pets” by Jack Mingo.
Wow, all great choices! :) It was so nice to visit with you at the conference! :)
Hives for Heroes paired me with a wonderful bee-newbie, and the most wonderful thing about their program is how the two of us work together in my apiary once to twice a week for a complete year. I've mentored a dozen new beekeepers from two local bee associations for a few weeks here and there - and it's always been a fun learning experience - but learning about beekeeping over four full seasons, well, there is nothing quite like that. We have time to discuss so much more than basic bee handling. We cover biology, behavior, bear fencing (we installed some together), local pollen & nectar plants, hive design, pest control, weather issues, situational troubleshooting... the list goes on and on.
As for my favorite books, I most often recommend Tom Seeley's "Honey Bee Democracy" and Dewey Caron/Lawrence John Connor's "Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping." Although the latter only offers a passing reference to horizontal hives (a shame for so many reasons), I find that's not uncommon in books published in the US. It is still a beautiful book that is well illustrated and an interesting and easy read.
Wow, all great information, and I'm so glald your experience with Hives for Heroes has been a good one and that you're paying it forward :)
Hey Fred. Glad to have you back. Gwyn and I live in Pitman NJ. Our local library has a seed library. No, really. There you can deposit or withdraw seeds for free. If Gwyn grows anything native that performs well, she will save the seeds and deposit them. If she is looking for something specific or unusual. She always checks the seed library first. Great idea. Costs nothing.
Books I’ve read: my first beekeeping course used The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammataro & Alphonse Avitabile. I also used Beekeeping For Dummies. I’ve read Tom Seeley’s books including his new book Piping Hot Bees And Boisterous Buzz Runners. Keeping Bees With a Smile is a good book for use Layens hive keepers. And I just got Langstrouth’s Hive and the Honey-bee. I want to build an original Langstrouth hive.
Thank you for sharing! Our local Master Gardener Club also does a seed exchange, I hadn't thought about that. This is why the comment section is so valuable to me! I learn quite a lot from my viewers, and friends like you :)
Beekeeping for Dummies seems to pop up more than any other title. Thanks for that!
Love the book reviews! The very first book I read regarding bees was "The Queen and I" by Edward Weiss and it is still my favorite. It might be out of print but I was able to find a used copy on eBay after I gifted my first copy to another beginning beekeeper. I still use the same brad driver to put my wooden frames together just as Edward described. That was over 15 years ago now. Keep up the great work, Fred!
Thank you for sharing! That was nice of you to give away your favorite book :) I'm glad your brad-driver has lasted 15 years! Thanks, Laurie :)
Nice fall day here,winter just knocking at the door 😊
We were supposed to get snow, but the rain is what we have... :)
New beekeeper here (second winter). This is not a book, but I took the Central Oklahoma Beekeeping Association's beginner beekeeping class. Two jam packed, fun filled days, plus one Saturday of bonus material. What was great about it? They provide THE printed material. All sectioned out, so I got some tabs and a three ring binder and have post-it notes all over the thing! I reference it frequently!
Ohhh, I like the idea of providing a 3-Ring Binder full of the necessary text and worksheets? Did it also have pockets for handouts? Also, does the Oklahoma Beekeeping Association provide free courses to members, or do they charge a fee? Thanks so much :)
@@FrederickDunn They provided the guts (handouts), I put it into a 3 ring binder. It also came with "First Lessons in Beekeeping" and a hive tool. I believe $70 for all, I must say they undercharge for the time (24 instructional hours) and materials that go into it.
@@Ambees_Honey Thank you for that additional information. Sounds like you really have a great Association there :)
Fred you always have the best gear recommendations. I need that spaghetti measuring , hive entrance cleaning Swiss army tool.
:) so so many uses :)
Thanks Mr. Dunn. Now I know what to ask Santa for.
You're very welcome, Robin :)
I bought Story's book on beekeeping, and I also like Jason Chrisman's "Beekeeping Blueprint" which if you get the Kindle edition has links to some of his You Tube videos.
I started with a book that is no longer being published. It was given to me by my mentor in 1992.
I also printed out all the lessons from the Cornell master beekeeper course. It fills a 3inch 3 ring binder.
Wow, I did not even know that Jason C. published a book! Thanks so much for sharing! I'm so glad you took the time to print those texts out for future reference. I did that also and had them spiral bound with good quality paper, it cost me several hundred dollars to do that. Well worth it! Also valuable while doing the course work so you can hi-light text that gets your interest :) Did you graduate from the Cornell Program?
I still have to write the written exam this summer. I have completed the presentation; which I did on AFB, and I completed the practical hive inspection in the rain at the Dyce Lab. The examiner was impressed that I was able to remain calm with all those field bees I po'd, (upset). I thought I'd flunked it because I didn't speak enough about varroa, which as you know was worth a bunch of marks, but I passed.
Funny you say that extractors come balanced from the factory, ours was insanely wobbly for most loads, it was rare we ever got it to 100% speed before the first time we took it apart to thoroughly clean it and lubricate the ballbearing and everything, and I played a bit with the positioning of the top piece that holds the motor and the top of the cage to get it just right, and this year the only loads we had that were unbalanced actually WERE from half-full frames, we got about 90% of our spins up to 100%. I do like that base on wheels though, we might look at that once our honey house is done (it has walls and trusses!)
I'm so glad you liked the wheeled base, I hope your unit is indeed well balanced. 90% balanced loads doesn't sound bad to me :)
Thanks for mentioning Hives for Heroes. I am a mentor in Tijeras N. M
Thank you so much for being a mentor! We need more people like you in the world. :)
Fred, Winds can definitely test our hives. I know you have had them be blown over. I didn't realize it until the next morning, but the strong winds the other night blew one of my telescoping covers off a hive. Not sure how they will do, but at least the inner cover stayed in place. Not dead, but some wet bees for sure. 😢 Beekeeper error. I usually have a solid cement block on each but had moved it off and hadn't replaced it. Time to pull out the straps for winter.
Hi David! I find that bees can handle quite a lot when it comes to being blown down. I think the fact that your inner cover remained in place was a huge bonus. I'll bet they do just fine. Please keep us posted regarding how they do through winter. :) Thanks for sharing! I had a tall nucleus hive blow over during a winter storm, but it stayed pretty much together and made it just fine. :)
yeah, I was looking for you last week. Hope you had a good time in TX. We just got a flood advisory thru 9pm PST tonight.
I tried to get one out before we left, but I just ran behind. Glad to be back on track. I hope the flooding isn't terrible. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hi Fred, Honey Bee Democracy I've been reading and think all politicians should read.
So, you're saying that females should run the show, and all males should be dispensed with in the fall when cold weather arrives? (';')( ';')... let's see how that would go...
So far piping hot bees is a great book ty
Yes, Dr. Seeley landed another great book there. Thanks, Peter!
Thankful for this Fred🫶
I needed a “feel good Friday” video and this hit the spot.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much, Happy Thanksgiving to you also :)
I've read so many beekeeping books, but I think my two favorites are Increase Essentials and Swarm Essentials. I have read them both many times & I always learn something new.
Wow, two great choices. Steve Repasky is a great guy! So is Lawrence Connor! Thanks for sharing :)
Bakers Creek Heirloom seeds is also a great supplier. They sell in small packages though. They are extremely helpful and very responsive to any questions you might pose to them.
2 good books Beekeepers handbook & Bee keeping for dummies
wish i could be that the louisville one. its so dang expensive. maybe next year.
Question about Hive Alive fondant. How do you get the bees out of an empty package to install a new package when it's cold out.
I just pull it out with them and shake them out on the landing board if I can... they just scoot in.
Fred I’m working on building a base like yours after you mentioned it the other week so thanks for the videos of it. I bought 3” wheels for it. Just for Hillco E8 this fall so can’t wait to use it next year and not have to hand crank anymore!! Wondered why one video it showed a big block in the middle vs when 1st shown without- why was it added? Also do you lock the wheels when using it at all so it doesn’t roll away from buckets you are filling?? As always thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge!! Your videos are my Saturday morning with coffee habit which I look forward to!!
Ohhh, that block is what I put under the back wheel when I'm fully draining the extractor. It serves as a shim to tip it toward the gate. I only lock the wheels when I'm tilting the unit. Thanks for asking as others may have also been puzzled by that :)
@@FrederickDunn Ah ok thanks that makes sense - wasn't sure if it was a added weight thing or what. The new Hillco E8 has the honey gate that sits lower than the inside so hoping I won't have to tilt too much. My old China/Amazon one I started out with I had to tilt A LOT as there was a good 3/4" difference. Does your extractor move much at all when its absorbing the motion with the wheels? I got 3" wheels that says for 125lbs - so I'd think that would be be enough? I have a nice solid 1" plywood scrap board that I'm gonna cut to a triangle and add some blocks of scrap wood like you did to have more depth for beefier bolts. Also - another good place for wildflower seeds is OPN Seed here in Ohio - and we have also used Prairie Moon Nursery as well. BTW - I love the switch blade pellets I ordered from your club's fundraiser! Will look forward to ordering another bag when you guys start that up - please keep us updated!
I find that a yard stick works better to clean out dead bees compared to the plastic toll yet mention.
Thanks for sharing! Do you modify your yard stick in any way to use it as a scraper, or are you just pushing the bees in rather than pulling them out? Lots of options for sure. The goal is just to keep it open for those valuable cleansing flights.
@@FrederickDunn I did not modify the yardstick. I push it in on the right side as far as it will go and scrape the dead bees out. I try to hold it as close 90 degrees relative to the bottom as possible and scrape the bees out by moving the yardstick in an arc toward the left side of the hive and then forward. I found that the tool you mentioned is too thin and it goes under many dead bees.
@@slava790 Thanks for those details, with my entrance reducers the yard stick just wouldn't get the bees out.
I bought the Australian beekeeping manual by Robert Owen. It’s nice to have a book where you don’t have to translate from northern to Southern Hemisphere. But the book I frequently revisit is creating a haven for native bees by Kit Prendergast, which wouldn’t be relevant to anyone outside Australia.
I'm definitely a fan of regional books that deal with the specifics of a particular climate. Thanks for sharing.
A book with pictures hive tour
Mine was keeping honey bees. Malcom t. Sanford
Nice, I have not heard of that one and will have to look it up. Thanks for sharing :)
Hey Fred, I recall reading that the Lyson stands suggest 2X6 or 2x8 lumber depending how long of lumber used and how many hives you plan to set on it. I would use 2x6 up to 8 feet and 2x8 beyond 8 feet long. I think the heavy stands are too expensive to hold less than 4 hives.
Money definitely plays in deciding what stands to use. In the photo I posted, there are 2x6 planks on the left example. Definitely greatly reduced deflection in the span. I do like them for running nucleus hives in a series. T-Posts are inexpensive and very sturdy if you can drive them deep. The challenge here was that they are just put on pavement. 2x4s well angled would also be very stable. The Lyson stands are designed to receive 2x4s in their channels.
Re your extractor base: do you place the bucket on the floor? If so, does the extractor tend to wander away from the bucket?
Yes, I put the bucket on the floor, and haven't had it wander away yet... but I can keep the gate closed while I have an unbalanced load on.
outside of my dummies guide for beekeepers and courses i have gone through, i dont have any others as of right now.
Beekeeping for Dummies seems to be a very popular beginner book. Thanks for sharing.
I have some extra 2 to 1 syrup with hive alive in it. Is is ok to freeze this and feed in spring?
No need to freeze it. The Hive Alive will inhibit mold growth. Just store it in a cool place, like your basement and bring it out for your bees when early spring weather arrives :)
A favorite book of mine is "Simple Smart Beekeeping" by Kirsten S. Traynor and Michael J. Traynor. Unfortunately, out of print. Copies sometimes show up at conferences, but the seller never has more than one or two copies.
$33.00 paper back edition is available on Amazon. Thanks for sharing, Maureen :) It's received 41 ratings, not bad at all :)
I contacted Amazon in 2023 to see if they could get multiple copies for my class. They could not. Hoping for an update and reprint some day.
@@maureenjais-mick8114 I would skip over Amazon and reach out directly to the Author for a bulk deal :)
When you were talking about buying seeds an old memory jumped back. I grew up in rural west of Ireland, small farm and grow your food. I was about your supervisors age at the time. A Saturday afternoon in early spring. An older, (shall we say highly opinionated) aunt stopped by on her way to town and asked if there was anything she could pick up. Dad, busy digging in the garden with me and a bunch of friend in his way yelled back to his sister "Annie, can you get me 10 grams of carrot seed from Horkans, tell Paul to put it on my account and I'll sort it out when I'm in town again".
Dad yelled Grams.
Aunt heard pounds.
Carrot seeds are light
10 pound of carrot seeds came in a sack as big as me at the time.
That's a great story! :) Time to share those seeds :) But that small town benefit of just saying "put it on my tab" is still part of my community here. Sounds like you grew up in a great place, thank you for sharing that memory.
Are the bee smart design hive stands solid plastic or hollow? If hollow, you could put a hole in it and fill with water then cap it.
Great point! They are hollow and could be filled with water or sand. Thanks for pointing that out :)
freezing in winter could be an issue
@@lambbrookfarm4528So the sand sounds like a better option
@@e.l.1303 indeed, if you experience freezing temps, for sure use sand.
There is something incredibly peaceful about the Fall rain. Speaking of Hive Alive Mr. Fred. I recently heard a speaker claim that Fall feeding 2 to 1 with Hive Alive in the syrup stimulates hives, producing more winter bee brood. Doesn't sound right, any thoughts? Thank you sir.
Hmmm... I would say that it would stimulate brood rearing in the same way that any heavy syrup may. But, without the plant proteins partnered up with that, can't say I'd have much faith in that particular benefit. Without pollen or pollen-like proteins, the resources just wouldn't be there for brood building. Having said that, IF they already have a lot of stored pollen/bee-bread, and they needed the carbs provided by heavy syrup, then it may help a tad with that? The studies related to fall feeding with pollen patties from the University of Florida, and others... have not demonstrated significant gains in brood rearing at the onset of winter.
A question please. When the bees enter the hive through the opening, is there a space under the frames for them to go into, or do the frames come down to the hive floor please? I am not a bee keeper so I do not know. Thank you. Nigel Moore, England.
Hi Nigel! Well, you're the first topic for next Friday's Q&A which may be LIVE. I highly recommend having the entrance below the frames/comb. Coming in just under the comb is how many feral colonies use their space. Much better to defend at that location rather than have fighting on the comb. I'll share more in my video response. Thanks!
Thank you for your answer!! I understand a bit more now!!! Nigel Moore. England.
@nigelmoore9657 Yes, in a standard Langstroth hive there is a gap between the bottoms of the frames and the floor/bottom board of the hive. It's plenty of space for bees to walk around under the frames.
@@e.l.1303 Thank you very much for your reply. Nigel Moore. England.
Oh, awesome, Fred take me away, TGI Fred-day! Jeez Fred, I do like your extractor dolly, especially the stress dispersion aspect. I just lifted my first 5-gallon bucket of my bee's honey... pretty heavy. I have been using 2-gallon buckets...much lighter, good for smaller runs. My back likes the 2-gallon pails. Keep bringing us your angle at the conventions, many thanks. As for books, reading season is upon me, I stocked up with some Tom Seely books, and "The Mind of a Bee" for the dark months ahead. I started on my own with Layens hives, so I got Fedor Lazutin's "Keeping Bees with a Smile" and George de Layens " Keeping Bees in Horizontal Hives". I often go back and read sections in Tom Seeley's " The Lives of Bees". Can't say I will retain much, but I can just read it again. I recently read the late Kim Flottum's " The Backyard Beekeeper" and I like Kim's delivery. So many book, so little time.
Bee VERY CAREFUL with handles on full 5 gallon buckets of honey they have been known to BREAK and make a HEARTBREAKIN BIG MESS don't ask me how I kno
Kim F. was the author of my first beginner beekeeping book and the information still stands as very useful. Thanks for mentioning him, we talked about chickens and bees, he was such a good natured man and will be missed. Definitely collect the honey in containers that are manageable. I put carry straps around mine, I don't use the wire handles as those are rated for water rather than the much heavier honey. Victor is spot on.
Hey Fred, are you planning to do a product review of the new Varrosan OA strips? I bought some and installed in my hive and running my own test since I do not have the vaporizer...............A good book that I started bee keeping with is : "Backyard Beekeeping: Everything You Need to Know to Start Your First Hive" By Dave and Sheri Burns
I have commented on VarroxSan before, and I hope beekeepers will wait that one out for better evaluation. I've listened to several experts on the topic of extended release Oxalic Acid delivery, and many found that VarroxSan just the mites at currrent levels without significantly reducing their numbers in a hive. At $89.99 for a 60 strip pack, I'm going to wait that one out. I'm sure David will be very happy that you prefer his beginning book. What did you like, or find in that book that put it above other beginner beekeeping books? Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden by Kim Flottum has topped the charts for decades. Thanks for sharing :)
I have a Hillco 18 frame Ultramax, and was going to put it on casters, but I bought wheels with 2 different threaded mounting shafts and the first set was really too big and the second set was just slightly too big. Any sets that would have had threaded mounting shafts to fit the existing mounting holes in the extractor legs would have been too small for the extractor. I tried to drill the stainless steel leg bolt down holes, but Hillco uses really good stainless steel. No joy drilling, so I just lag bolted it to the floor and pay attention when I load the frames, and start with slow revs and increase the speed slowly over time.
I was concerned with the extractor on wheels that it would walk away from the classifier tank it drains into. I always spin with the honey gate open.
The 18 frame extractor, even when unbalanced, shakes less than an unbalanced 3 or 4 frame extractor.
The Wheels I use have the plate for four screws UP, and I ran a bolt down through the feet, you can recess the bolt up from the bottom and then the wheel plate covers that from underneath. I suppose there are many ways to make that work. Yes, mine is all stainless as well. But if you're plumbed into another component then your options are limited.
Regarding Amazon reviews- I’ve heard that if the bar chart that shows the 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 stars ratings has a “fish hook” shape, it’s a good indicator that the reviews are fake.
Learning to discern the valid reviews is certainly very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
We have a small bldg with vendor windows my husband wanted to move my 5 hives into. I didn't think we could move the bees that distance...it is prob 30' away from my hives. Could we really possibly move them without messing them up when they take a cleansing flight? Will they find their way back to their hives? I'm in Ohio..zone 6. I am actually very interested in building something with a bee bed. Have you seen them on youtube? Valentia bee beds.
When winter settles in, it's actually a great time to move those hives. Yes, I'm familiar with Layens style Bee Saunas. Dr. Leo has one on his website and he uses them. I think he has 2 or 3 hives under the sauna section.
Any book by Dr. Thomas Seeley!!!
Definitely the master of keen observation. When Dr. Seeley publishes a book I just order it right away. Thanks for sharing.
my apiary survived this week's Pacific coast 'Bomb Cyclone' on asphalt... I am one mile in from the pacific ocean on a river (Oregon), so the cyclone winds came right on in... 60+ mile per hour gusts. My hives are on asphalt mounted on one layer of cinder blocks with only heavy rocks on top (no tie straps).
They did just fine. The cinder blocks did not allow any lift from underneath.
The cinder blocks are arranged in just one layer laying flat so the hives sits only 8 inches off the ground, may not be good if you need to worry about skunks.
I am so glad your hives remained in place through that wind event! Maybe Brad will copy your method and see his hives through many a winter storm in the north east :)
Thanks!
Wow, thank you for your generosity! :)
Thanks!