Most beekeepers suffer from failures and many TH-cam presenters only show their successes. Your transparency speaks to the average beekeeper who wants to know if their failures make them a failure. In an era when beekeeping is getting harder, colony loss is on the rise, and social civility is in decline, we need these presentations that help us feel better about our practice. I’m grateful for you and this presentation.
I’m in an area that has lots of sourwood (Cumberland Plateau between Knoxville & Nashville). We’ve had a poor year of only 30-40#/hive for the entire season. 10 1/2” rain in May and then a drought for sourwood! In my experience sourwood only hits big above one season out of four. Next year will hopefully be better. Keep up the good videos and best of luck.
Ashby, you're not alone. Although I'm just a backyard beekeeper my 10 hives did not produce a honey crop this year either. My area in west central Arkansas had an awesome bloom of privet, but during that three week period we received lots of rain and when not raining we had lots of wind.
It's interesting to hear you mention uncovering all the hives to prevent robbing. You rarely hear that. I've done that for 35 years and it works! I originally read that in a Gleanings in Bee Culture magazine article by the late Richard Taylor or in one of his books.
Man tough break sorry to hear that about the sourwood. Looks like tons of immature goldenrod growing there everywhere all around those hives? I'd be inclined to leave them there see what they can get done on the fall flow in that yard.
I had the same thing, I had more hives and made 1/2 the sourwood as last year. My wildflower here at home was the same. We had rain almost every day this spring and when I took them to the mountains it stopped raining and it was completely dry. You just don't ever know. (It's farming)
I am sorry about the honey. I do not know how it works but the weather plays a big roll in any flow u could check in with Bob Binnie he does the sour wood as well and I know u watch him because real beekeepers do it in the rain. I enjoyed your video. hope every thing gets better for you. Have a Blessed week
bummer, I would consider the direction that the slop faces. Is it North or South? I would think sunny slopes may likely produce more. A small colony on a weak flow will consume all of the incoming nectar to produce brood. The brood nest should have been stuffed with syrup and all comb on top to make any honey on a weak flow. The foundations will kill your flow. 64 is gambling big. Grass in the entrance and shade from trees will cut the bees flying time significantly on a small colony, they don't feel the heat of the sun on the box, so they don't forage as many hours in the day. I would leave the nucs at home next year. A growing population isn't going to give you a bumper crop. The colony should be past its peak population on such a difficult crop to harvest. A box of brood and two boxes of bees will collect if there is anything out there to get.
I think you were just too late. When you set out your colonies, my sourwood was already in bloom, and I am at your high elevation. The sourwood was early, the mimosa stayed late. I don't think it was a great year for those trees either, a few of mine had dead branches as opposed to blossoms.
You must have missed the honey flow for that area or there wasn't enough source for that many hives. Bees don't just take a season off. But I have only had bees for 50 years so take my 2 cents worth with a grain of salt. Good Luck
We were there June 10th 3 weeks before the flow. The mimosa finished up strong, but due to weather, the sourwood trees didn’t produce this season. Some years ya get them and some you don’t. Stay tuned for the next video!
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Most beekeepers suffer from failures and many TH-cam presenters only show their successes. Your transparency speaks to the average beekeeper who wants to know if their failures make them a failure. In an era when beekeeping is getting harder, colony loss is on the rise, and social civility is in decline, we need these presentations that help us feel better about our practice. I’m grateful for you and this presentation.
Thanks for the encouragement!
I’m in an area that has lots of sourwood (Cumberland Plateau between Knoxville & Nashville). We’ve had a poor year of only 30-40#/hive for the entire season. 10 1/2” rain in May and then a drought for sourwood! In my experience sourwood only hits big above one season out of four. Next
year will hopefully be better. Keep up the good videos and best of luck.
Yep! Ya don’t always get it. Stay tuned for the next video!
That's just beekeeping. You roll the dice and hope for the best.
Hey Hope! Hope you’re doing well. That’s Especially true w Sourwood!
Thanks for all the videos for us new bee keepers.
Hope it helps!
Ashby, you're not alone. Although I'm just a backyard beekeeper my 10 hives did not produce a honey crop this year either. My area in west central Arkansas had an awesome bloom of privet, but during that three week period we received lots of rain and when not raining we had lots of wind.
Dang that sucks!!!! It’s farming at the end of the day
Great video Ashby. It can’t always be unicorns and rainbows. I’m learning a couple hard lessons this year as well. Keep the videos coming!
No kidding bud!
It's interesting to hear you mention uncovering all the hives to prevent robbing. You rarely hear that. I've done that for 35 years and it works! I originally read that in a Gleanings in Bee Culture magazine article by the late Richard Taylor or in one of his books.
Works well doesn’t it?
I love sourwood honey. It's interesting to see the production. My Daddy told me that his Daddy always said "never cut down a sourwood tree"!
That is interesting! Never heard people say that
Good video
Thanks
Man tough break sorry to hear that about the sourwood. Looks like tons of immature goldenrod growing there everywhere all around those hives? I'd be inclined to leave them there see what they can get done on the fall flow in that yard.
It’s all stick weed. Not ideal at all. Brought them home and feeding them now!
Bo Binnnie has said that unfortunately a hit or miss effected by weather and other factors. I like all your vids.
Thanks Douglas!
I’ve never had sourwood honey. I’ve heard it’s amazing. Our best honey here in South Texas is mesquite.
Call me 336.693.4392 and I can ship ya some!
Sorry didn't work out. My son is in Tennessee and I've enjoyed the sourwood that he has given me
Stay tuned for the next video!
Good day.
Yep!
I had the same thing, I had more hives and made 1/2 the sourwood as last year. My wildflower here at home was the same. We had rain almost every day this spring and when I took them to the mountains it stopped raining and it was completely dry. You just don't ever know. (It's farming)
That’s right Ron! At the end of the day it’s farming!
Sourwood! Cool!
Yep!
Feeling your pain on a mu h smaller basis haha. Chasing the purple, moving by hand and zilch, nada, nothing 😅
Man that purple is as elusive as sourwood this season!
We live to fight another day
So it goes!
There’s always next year!
That’s right! Better to risk it than have my bees home wondering what if
i hope they make more sourwood honey for you next year. have a great day Ashby Farms
Stay tuned for the next video!
I am sorry about the honey. I do not know how it works but the weather plays a big roll in any flow u could check in with Bob Binnie he does the sour wood as well and I know u watch him because real beekeepers do it in the rain. I enjoyed your video. hope every thing gets better for you. Have a Blessed week
Thanks for watching. Stay tuned for the next video!!!
Sometimes it just doesn’t work as planned
That’s farming for ya!
Sorry to hear about the tiny harvest. But maybe that's why it's not called sweetwood.
It happens. Stay tuned for the next video!
bummer, I would consider the direction that the slop faces. Is it North or South? I would think sunny slopes may likely produce more. A small colony on a weak flow will consume all of the incoming nectar to produce brood. The brood nest should have been stuffed with syrup and all comb on top to make any honey on a weak flow. The foundations will kill your flow. 64 is gambling big. Grass in the entrance and shade from trees will cut the bees flying time significantly on a small colony, they don't feel the heat of the sun on the box, so they don't forage as many hours in the day. I would leave the nucs at home next year. A growing population isn't going to give you a bumper crop. The colony should be past its peak population on such a difficult crop to harvest. A box of brood and two boxes of bees will collect if there is anything out there to get.
Yep. All good factors
The joys of beekeeping 😂
Tell me about it!
Do you think tho's big tall weeds had anything to do with it?
Nah. It’s stick weed and it was cleared out before we got started.
How many colonies did you run this year please?
We have ~500 in our outfit. 190 for Sourwood
I think you were just too late. When you set out your colonies, my sourwood was already in bloom, and I am at your high elevation. The sourwood was early, the mimosa stayed late. I don't think it was a great year for those trees either, a few of mine had dead branches as opposed to blossoms.
We were early to the bloom here June 10. I saw the trees before and after. Just bad luck is all.
You must have missed the honey flow for that area or there wasn't enough source for that many hives. Bees don't just take a season off. But I have only had bees for 50 years so take my 2 cents worth with a grain of salt. Good Luck
We were there June 10th 3 weeks before the flow. The mimosa finished up strong, but due to weather, the sourwood trees didn’t produce this season. Some years ya get them and some you don’t. Stay tuned for the next video!
Bees don’t take the season off, the trees do.
Lame! Carrying capacity is legit. I do have some bees that eat nectar as fast as it comes in tho....maybe dem bees was hungary!
Very possible! At least they got fed!