Swales Honey - Spring honey crop!

Taking the early honey crop off the hives.
Not a very large crop due to poor weather and a lack of oilseed rape flowers. Just glad of anything!

[@honeybeesforsale]

Simply the best UK bee keeper channel.

[@swaleshoney]

Wow! Thank you for such a kind comment, I appreciate it.

[@user-pe1fd4id2m]

You shouldn't be ashamed or uncertain of your accomplishments. Over the years, everyone develops their own work system that suits them best. This is the experience. Thank you for sharing it with your audience.🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🤝🤝🤝🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🐝🐝🐝✌✌✌

[@swaleshoney]

Thank you Ivan. Kind and wise words as always. I think the lack of real control we have with the bees can lead us all to feeling a bit hopeless at times. Perhaps that’s what keeps it interesting. 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦👍🐝🤞🤝🤝🤝🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@user-pm5ih3pu9x]

Good Video, I`m picking up a lot of short cuts, thanks again

[@swaleshoney]

Thank you , I’m glad you’re finding them of interest.

[@AntennaBee]

Hi Trevor
Great to see different ways of removing bees from the stacks great work keep it up 👍

[@swaleshoney]

Thanks Colin. I’ll do my best. 🐝

[@Devonhoneyandcandles]

That's a great spring crop you have there 😮

[@swaleshoney]

We’ve now finished extracting the spring honey and the yield is well down on the last few years. One site did well, some were so so and others a complete write off.
The total crop is perhaps about a third of what we’ve been taking in recent years but I am hearing that some areas have no crop at all. Others no doubt will have done well. Seasons like this you have to be glad of what you can get. 🤞👍

[@Devonhoneyandcandles]

@@swaleshoney i have 3 apiaries ( about 35 production hives) and only pulled 6 supers, its been a terrible spring flow for me in Devon, some of that is that i'm still a bit green, the rest is the weather. You clearly know what you're doing👍

[@swaleshoney]

@@Devonhoneyandcandles No! Seriously, believe me I don’t really know what I’m doing and I do think that some better weather came at the right time for us in the North East.
We are now seeing some more cool and unsettled conditions and bees close to starvation.
It’s a proper roller coaster this bee job!

[@mr_wildgoose]

Like your idea about putting the full sized brood box on the top, then covering with a baffled crown board.

[@swaleshoney]

Yes it makes handling the boxes and combs easier. As in all things “bee wise” however it doesn’t always work as planned.

[@jimydee]

Thanks a mill for the education. Jimy D

[@swaleshoney]

Thanks Jimy. Good luck with it all.

[@HoneyMarketingBoard]

Great Video as allways Trev.

[@swaleshoney]

Thank you. That’s very kind of you.👍

[@WellesbourneHoneyCo]

We had that weather in the Midlands on Monday. Was a lot better Today.

[@swaleshoney]

The blustery cold days continue here.
On and off showers today. I finished extracting today but I needed a coat on when I left the shed. 🥶

[@NeuravnoveRS]

Hi Trevor, i watched your equipment video but I still don't understand your equipment dimensions, they look like 11frame langstroth brood boxes with 150mm (dadant) honey supers on 9/11 spacing?

[@swaleshoney]

The 11 frame hives are Smiths, only found in the UK. The supers contain 8 frames with extra wide Manley end bars.
I also run 10 frame Langstroths and their supers contain 8 frames, again with the wide end bars.
Hope that‘s helped , thanks.

[@m1nfy]

at 21:09 is that a cheeky queen cup in the middle between some capped brood?

[@swaleshoney]

Very observant, thank you.Yes I see what you mean. It looks to be a cup rather than a queen cell. As the split was done 10 days earlier I’m looking for sealed cells. Any cups will be empty.
Having said that, I do sometimes find open queen cells at this stage, suggesting the bees move eggs up from the bottom box.