Great video. Beekeeping is hard and unpredictable. We can do everything for the bees and have nature kick us where it counts. Nature doesn't care about you or your bees! I'm in the Bay Area of California, it's been a tough year. Last year was an awful Queen year. I don't know what the problem was but virgins were returning poorly mated. The hives recovered but then the September heat wave hit. Temperatures over 100 every day for over a week with the high at my house being 115 degrees. Hives tried to re-queen in October and November, then the December rain. And it hasn't stopped since. None of the hives that re-queened survived the winter, I also lost 2 hives to a landslide. What a year! Glad I found your channel, will keep watching. Thank you.
Hang in there. I never been a part of something so hard yet so rewarding. I think our biggest problem way nice winter days. The bees flew and flew never finding anything only wearing out their wings. Thanks for your support. First truck is supposed to be loaded tonight. I'm dying inside waiting for word. What a year
Sorry for the trouble you been having, I have been beekeeping for about 10yrs, I've had highs and lows. One thing that I have learned, never underestimate the bee's, when you think you have them figured out, they will show you that we are not as smart as we thought. They are always a learning process. Please stay with it and never give up, they have so much to teach us. Randy Bohm
Thanks Randy, We intend to. Even as hard as it is we are still having fun and love every minute of it. Hopefully they will be more resilient than I am giving them credit for. I'll know soon enough.
It's just crazy me thinking about splitting 500 colonies into 1500. I am doing quick math on feeding that many colonies to grow them out. , I would have to feed 70,000 lbs of sugar or more, 1500 bags, which would cost about $ 38,000 in my neck of the woods. I would have to mortgage my house. Good luck this season.
Prepaid contracts for 2/3 the bees more than cover the buildup costs. We have a lot of comb in reserve so they wont have to draw it all out from scratch. No more mixing sugar, sucrose in totes. Dream big.
Good video Gary! Hopefully, someday you get to the point where you can be out here with your bees during almonds and not have to rely on your broker because it seems crazy things happen every year and unless you are your broker’s biggest beekeeper, you won’t hear from them at the frequency you want. This year the weather was unreal! I live about an hour north of where your bees are and that picture of them in the water I can believe because of all the rain we’ve had. Drainage is very slow because of the ton of water already soaked into the ground. I hope they all come back to you breathing and you are able to build back your operation with them and the bees you are buying.
Thanks for your well wishes and support. What a season. I can't wait to get the first truck back and see whats up. Last 3 years the bees looked awesome.
Nothing when we have overnight freezes, hoping to make splits soon and redeploy any comb. Paramoth and BT when its not freezing. We are studying up to get a noncommercial applicators license so we can start using fumitoxin in a storage container. I know a few builders
Very risky, wish we didn't have to do it. Back when we made the almond deal the colonies were much stronger and we had no reason to think they would crash so hard leading up to go time. I hoped to have 200-300 sitting home.
Great video. Beekeeping is hard and unpredictable. We can do everything for the bees and have nature kick us where it counts. Nature doesn't care about you or your bees! I'm in the Bay Area of California, it's been a tough year. Last year was an awful Queen year. I don't know what the problem was but virgins were returning poorly mated. The hives recovered but then the September heat wave hit. Temperatures over 100 every day for over a week with the high at my house being 115 degrees. Hives tried to re-queen in October and November, then the December rain. And it hasn't stopped since. None of the hives that re-queened survived the winter, I also lost 2 hives to a landslide. What a year! Glad I found your channel, will keep watching. Thank you.
Hang in there. I never been a part of something so hard yet so rewarding. I think our biggest problem way nice winter days. The bees flew and flew never finding anything only wearing out their wings. Thanks for your support. First truck is supposed to be loaded tonight. I'm dying inside waiting for word. What a year
That's cool, we can go on a cruise trip while our Bees go to spring training on your trucks!
Haha, I wish it was that simple. Maybe in the fall.
You’ve always been a beacon for us on how to grow and do things better. We’re all in this together!!!
Thanks Michelle. We will know soon enough.
I like your honesty in what works and what has not worked...........like your work and time you put into this
Thank you, I will keep trying to get more content out. Its harder now that the bees are back. So much to do.
Sorry for the trouble you been having, I have been beekeeping for about 10yrs, I've had highs and lows. One thing that I have learned, never underestimate the bee's, when you think you have them figured out, they will show you that we are not as smart as we thought. They are always a learning process. Please stay with it and never give up, they have so much to teach us. Randy Bohm
Thanks Randy, We intend to. Even as hard as it is we are still having fun and love every minute of it. Hopefully they will be more resilient than I am giving them credit for. I'll know soon enough.
Wishing you & your bees the best 🐝
Thank you! You too!
We appreciate everything you do for us
I look forward to getting down your way soon.
Man I hope your Bee’s return home safe. That has to be gut wrenching to see those photos.. good luck and keep the videos coming.
Thank you, I will. I will feel a little better once that first truck get on the road and we can inspect them.
Hope your almond bees come back well, thanks for sharing your journey!
I hope so too! Thanks for your support.
Hope all is safe with your Bee's, from us in California.
Thank you
I sure like those hot pink boxes!!!
They are for sale or trade.
It's just crazy me thinking about splitting 500 colonies into 1500. I am doing quick math on feeding that many colonies to grow them out. , I would have to feed 70,000 lbs of sugar or more, 1500 bags, which would cost about $ 38,000 in my neck of the woods. I would have to mortgage my house. Good luck this season.
Prepaid contracts for 2/3 the bees more than cover the buildup costs. We have a lot of comb in reserve so they wont have to draw it all out from scratch. No more mixing sugar, sucrose in totes. Dream big.
Good video Gary! Hopefully, someday you get to the point where you can be out here with your bees during almonds and not have to rely on your broker because it seems crazy things happen every year and unless you are your broker’s biggest beekeeper, you won’t hear from them at the frequency you want. This year the weather was unreal! I live about an hour north of where your bees are and that picture of them in the water I can believe because of all the rain we’ve had. Drainage is very slow because of the ton of water already soaked into the ground. I hope they all come back to you breathing and you are able to build back your operation with them and the bees you are buying.
Thanks for your well wishes and support. What a season. I can't wait to get the first truck back and see whats up. Last 3 years the bees looked awesome.
How do you keep wax moths out of pallets of comb during storage?
Do you have recommendation on building constructor?
Nothing when we have overnight freezes, hoping to make splits soon and redeploy any comb. Paramoth and BT when its not freezing. We are studying up to get a noncommercial applicators license so we can start using fumitoxin in a storage container.
I know a few builders
Almost all of your living colonies you sent to almonds?!? Risky bud…
Very risky, wish we didn't have to do it. Back when we made the almond deal the colonies were much stronger and we had no reason to think they would crash so hard leading up to go time. I hoped to have 200-300 sitting home.