Building an Old-fashioned Beehive - FHC Farm Bulletin #5
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- Опубліковано 13 жов 2024
- In this Farm Hand's Companion Farm Bulletin #005, an old-style way to build a beehive (or bee "gum" as they're called) is demonstrated, as Pa Mac builds and installs one at the Heritage House Museum's outdoor farm exhibit in Mt. Ida, Arkansas. (mountidamuseum...)
Be sure and subscribe to the Farm Hand's Companion channel and watch episodes of The Farm Hand's Companion Show as Pa Mac takes an undeveloped piece of property and turns it into a small subsistence farm.
Also visit www.farmhandsco... to find articles, posts, photographs, and encouragement for today's self-sufficient farm or homestead. (And be sure to check out the General Store for books (like Pa Mac's "Building an Old-fashioned Pole Barn") or DVD's by Pa Mac at www.farmhandsco...)
My class would like to see how to grow Jack-O'-Lanterns for the fall. Thank you.
It’s exciting to see you making new videos more frequently! Thank you!
Thank you for takin' time to watch, Ham Burger
This is false. I am actually way more excited than you.
Pa Mac, I loved the old wagon that my dad used for every thing when I was a kid. He used it for picking corn, toting logs out of the woods, and he had a hay frame for it. I would love anything on those old wagons.
I've got one that needs a little restoration, George. (We'll sure put that on the to-do list.)
A part 2 would be Par Mac bee wrangling - show me the honey! Great trip down memory lane. Where things were simpler and living off the land was a way of life. 🤩🤩
Somebody watches Mr edd in Louisiana
Handyman Pa Mac. No jobs too big, no jobs too small.
This is amazing! I would like to keep bees, but it's a little intimidating. Some day I'm going to make a horizontal hive and place it in my garden to invite local bees to live and work there . Its reassuring to see that old-fashioned methods actually work, meaning, you don't have to make things complicated. Thanks Pa Mac!☺️
Check with your local vocational school. Often times theyll have an evening class one day a week for a few weeks that's an introductory to beekeeping. It may help ease you into it and build your confidence.
I just went for it and learned a lot from books/YT before I did it, no teacher.....
it's friggin' easy other than mites. My bees were extremely not aggressive though
@@escapetherace1943 There are a few species of honey bees( italian comes to mind) that are non aggressive, but if a person has never been around them they can be intimidated. My thinking was that a hands on class would take her through the motions and see if its something that she really wants to do. At our vocational school it's just 3 hours every thursday for a month. It's like $75 and a newbie can learn alot,network,make new local friends,learn new resources. I think it's a great opportunity.
@@ciphercode2298 that is the best route for most people. Mine were italian/carniolan mutt bees.
Want to keep russian bees cause it's damn cold up here (-30)
@@ciphercode2298 yes! I checked and there is a local beekeeping group where I live, so I'm going to see about joining. I think they meet once a month. Thanks for the encouragement!☺️
That’s really cool.
Glad you’re still making these style of videos after breaking the silence lol.
I'll be makin' both styles (silent AND talkies) from now on, Brian. The Lord permitting.
Love your videos and to visit your store. I've kelp bees for 40 years.
Thanks for making these!
You bet, Douglas
Two old time necessities that I can think of readily would be a smoke house and a root cellar. while possibly not a necessity but certainly nice to have would be developing a spring and building a spring house. thanks!
This is interesting, Thank You! If the Museum decides to keep bees in the Bee Gum, I hope they will ask you to open the hive and film it so we can all see what it looks like inside... Keep up the Good Work!
There was an old country Dr. who was friends with my GGG-grandfather back in the 1850s-1870s who kept a journal and he wrote of my ancestor many times. One of his journal entries spoke of my ancestor keeping bees. This vid brings the story to life! Genius! Thanks very much!
I can see that working well , it's similar in shape to the old bee skep and the bonus is it's a stump , bees like a stump .
That was awesome Pa Mack. Thanks to you and the Museum for allowing you to film the video of How it was Made back then. Stay safe and keep up the great job on your videos. Fred.
WONDERFUL. Only thing missing is seeing bees inside. Future update please?
Unfortunately, LitoGeorge, this gum won't have bees in it in all likelihood. Unless special permission is granted, it's against Arkansas regulations to maintain a hive that does not lend itself to being inspected (i.e., removable frames).
@@farmhandscompanion I am not exaggerating when I say that my mouth fell open when I read your reply. I thought Arkansas was better than that. If I lived there, I'd make several of whatever kind I wanted, on my land. Thanks for letting me know.
@@LitoGeorge Yep. My mouth is open, too.
@@farmhandscompanion haha - for the same reason, or do you find my response distasteful?
@@LitoGeorge For the same reason, my friend. The same reason.
This reminds me of a podcast series about alternative, natural bee keeping. The Poor Proles Almanac - episodes 136 to 149.
These old fashioned hives are a lot like what the German researcher Torben Schiffer talks about.
Great video, cheers!
I really enjoyed this. Thank you!
You bet, Southern Gardener
Hey Pa Mac, would you consider some clips with commonly encountered maintenance and “old ways” covering the sustainment of many of your previous build video’s...just a guy that rarely gets it right the first time. Thanks and IMHO this is an archive of truly living history.
Do you mean old ways of maintaining the farm buildings? If so, that's a good idea, Hugh
@@farmhandscompanion I just remember relatives (just a couple of generations ago) having the most interesting stories of how they “had to” “make do” with re-straightened nails or re-making mortice and tenon type repairs on the standing structures. In a time before duct tape and super glue.
Can you cover food preservation? Thanks for all of your hard work making these great videos.
Thank YOU homesteadengineer!
I always love your videos Pa Mac!
Thank you, Little Country Cabin
That’s very good to know! Please show us the harvest when the time comes❤️🤗🐝
Good video 😁
Keeping bees in Bee gums is actually illegal in Tennessee. I think it because of American Foul Brood (AFB) and you can’t inspect the frames for diseases.
Very neat build. I'd like to see a video on harvesting the honey from it.
This is a neat old project! It’s unfortunate that hives like this a illegal in many places because of brood disease and varroa.. I always thought skeps were neat too.
So good to see a video! You seem pretty busy at the store. It's neat seeing how so many folks come to offer instructions on the old, old ways of homesteading on the store grounds. Is your home an empty nest now, and do they help out at the store, so you have more time? Do you still help out your pastor and his sermons? We'll drive from California to my Dad's in Siloam the end of May, but don't have time to just wander and explore your beautiful state. My husband, 66, is still building full-time, and my garden will be out-of-control by the time I get back to tend it. Regards from far north Redding, California
This is awesome! 🐝🐝🐝
Thank you, Partees!
Future show idea: make haystacks, show how to protect them during the summer, and how to feed them in the winter.
Sneak preview, redfletching: I've got a homemade hay with hand tools series coming up here in a few weeks. Though haystacks will be covered (I think), I didn't have enough harvestable grass around here to build one properly (it takes a WHOLE lot).
I would like to see the steps to building a shave horse, hay racks, and a wooden hay fork.
Awesome 👍
Awesome! Now, how do you set up a colony? Is it like the Field of Dreams? If you build it, they will come?
The chances for a swarm to make it their home on their own would be pretty low. Baiting it with certain scents or comb might increase those chances, but traditionally a wild swarm would have been caught and "put" into a gum like this (along with their queen). This gum, however, won't have bees in it in all likelihood. Unfortunately, unless special permission is granted, it's against Arkansas regulations to maintain a hive that does not lend itself to being inspected (i.e., removable frames).
@@farmhandscompanion nonetheless, I appreciate your input, and your constant classes of the days of old.
@@PullStartStables Thank you so much for watchin', Pullstart Stables
@@farmhandscompanion where else would I learn so much?
One of these days I’m going to make one just for historical/novelty sake. I’ll pull the honey off of my other hives.
You can replace mine at the museum in a few years.
Wonderful. Did you hollow out the stumps? In Joy
No, Vivian, the stump was already hollow. Sweet gum trees tend to have the heart rot out at the bottom as they grow older.
Might be worth putting a pinned comment to explain about the lack of bees and how bees would traditionally have been introduced to the hive.
♥️
How do the bees know to come to it ? Does just a random bee passing by decide to setup housekeeping ?
There are ways to attract bee swarms. A swarm sends its scouts out ahead of time to find an adequate new home. Bait the Gum Hive with Lemon grass or anything else that attracts bees… then sit back and cross your fingers.
The chances for a swarm to make it their home would probably be the same as if I had put up a mailbox and left the lid cracked. Baiting it would increase those chances, but traditionally a wild swarm would have been caught and "put" into a gum like this (along with their queen). This gum, however, won't have bees in it in all likelihood. Unfortunately, unless special permission is granted, it's against Arkansas regulations to maintain a hive that does not lend itself to being inspected (i.e., removable frames).
@@farmhandscompanion wow, don't you just love the Gubmint control into your bee keeping bidness?
That is really cool. They said my great grandpa kept bees in gums like this. Always wanted to make one if I ever found a holler tree big enough!! Great video as usual!
Thank you, Fluty Lick Homestead! Hope you all are doin' well
@@farmhandscompanion we’re finer than frog hair. Hope y’all are as well
I think those were black gums or Tupelos
Hiya
Hey there, William.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🥃🥃🥃☕️☕️👀👀👀👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Where did the name ‘gum’ come from? Is it made from eucalyptus trees such as those found in Australia and elsewhere around the world? I ask because we refer to eucalyptus trees as gum trees. Does this ‘gum’ wood have special properties that bees love? I’m curious. 🇦🇺🦘🦘🇦🇺
Hey Mitzi, they're called sweet gum trees here in the southern United States because when the bark is damaged, they ooze a sticky sap that eventually hardens on the side of the tree and can be chewed like gum. This was the poor kids' chewing gum in the old days. It has a unique, sweet flavor that rivals any modern factory-made chewing gum. I think bees often made their natural hives in sweet gum trees simply because the older, large gum trees had the tendency to hollow out when the heartwood rots.