Beekeeping - Short and Sweet

In this week's Podcast: T oday I’m joined by Simon Mildren, Founder and CEO of Hivekeepers and his Micro Honey Harvester to find out more about this interesting piece of kit and how it might change the way you extract honey. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 340 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Find out more about Hivekeepers Micro Honey Harvester here Contact Me at The Nor...

In this week's Podcast: Well it’s turned cold and I’m looking almost hourly at the long-range forecast for a glimmer of warmer weather, it’s not far off and we have colonies in desperate need of some settled, warmer weather to be sure. I’m filling my time by considering our queen-rearing plans and the role of the Finisher Colony, listen in for my thoughts on that and other beekeeping challeng...

In this week's Podcast: Another warm week and the bees are out flying, it’s a delight to see. I’m still not carrying out inspections, it’s way too early, I am however, thinking about queen rearing and the process of cell production using the Cloake Board method. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 338 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Jo...

In this week's Podcast: It's warm and I’ve no doubt that bee hives are going to be inspected all over the UK in the coming days, I have a cautionary tale for you. Also, following on from last week, today I'm having a think about colonies used for queen cell development, particularly, the Cloake Board method, it's one I've used and had success with in the past. Hi, I’m Stew...

In this week's Podcast: We’re having a strangely warm week and our bees are taking advantage without any delay. It’s great to have an opportunity to watch them bringing early pollen and my thoughts are once again turning to the various methods of queen rearing we might employ this season. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks. Welcome to Episode 336 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Henry Alley&apo...

In this week's Podcast: The weather’s warming up, if only for a week or so, and I’m thinking about the various queens rearing methods we might use this year. Today, it’s the turn of the Nicot queen-rearing system, and I’ll do my best to explain how it all fits together! Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 335 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Co...

In this week's Podcast: It's cold, damp and February! A beekeeper could easily get a little down at the thought of there being no end to this Winter in sight, but not me! I'm already thinking about those warmer Spring days and my thoughts are turning towards replacing winter losses and basic queen rearing. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 334 of my podcast, Beekeeping Shor...

In this week's Podcast:  What do you do if you find your colony has died out over winter? Give up and start another hobby, or learn from the experience and become a better beekeeper? I’m all for the second option and hopefully, today’s podcast might help you understand why your colony has died out over the winter months. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 333 of my podcast, Beekeeping...

In this week's Podcast: It seems that Monday of this past week has been dubbed “Blue Monday”, not a day for swearing profusely, but rather an apparent nod to people feeling depressed after a Christmas and New Year of excess. Not so for us beekeepers, always optimistic we look forward to the promise that Spring is not far away and the start of another busy beekeeping season. Hi, I’m Stewart Sp...

In this week's Podcast: It's 2025, and the New Year begins with some funny old weather. I've been out completing Oxalic Acid Treatments, so stay tuned to hear how that went. With the new season somewhere on the distant horizon, I'm starting to finalise my plans for the new season. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks. Welcome to Episode 331 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact...

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined by Lynne Ingram, Master Beekeeper and holder of the National Diploma in Beekeeping to discuss the results of a sample of my honey that underwent metagenomic DNA testing. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 330 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Take a look at the MDA Website here To get the most from this podcast, take a look at my specif...

In this week's Podcast: It's a windy old start to the Winter period with yet another storm blowing across the British Isles, battering coastlines and blowing over trees. Hopefully, we've all done enough to keep ourselves and our hives safe and secure. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 329 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Glass Quilts for Beehives Contact Me at The...

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined by Bee Farmer, Paul Horton from Apidea Honey to discuss is incredible beekeeping season dubbed "The Perfect Storm". Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 328 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Apidea Honey Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways: Early Release & Additional Vi...

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined by James Knights, current chair of Asian Hornet Alert to talk about their approach to this invasive species. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 327 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Asian Hornet Alert website www.asianhornetalert.org.uk WhatsApp Group telephone number as discussed: 07565 775 020 Asian Hornet Watch Details National Bee U...

In this week's Podcast: As most of you will know, I’ve had a couple of weeks away from the podcast and videos to recuperate after my recent visit to the hospital. Today I wanted to give you a personal update and talk briefly about my beekeeping plans for the next few weeks. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks. Welcome to Episode 326 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Hone...

In this week's Podcast: It’s incredible to think that today, the 25th October 2024, the local temperature is hitting 19° Celsius, it all seems lovely right now but what are the implications for our honeybees as we head through the Winter, listen in for my thoughts. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 325 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Comp...

In this week's Podcast: The sun has been shining and we’ve experienced much warmer weather than we would normally expect at this time of the year. Our bees are out scouring their range in search of food and still bringing back plenty of pollen. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 324 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Thorne Beehives Soft Set Honey Equipment: Hand Held Creamer...

In this week's Podcast: It should have come as no real surprise, it is October after all. But this week I experienced my first frosty morning at home which means out in the apiaries it was probably a little colder. Later the same day our bees were out flying in warm Autumn sunshine, in other news, it’s also time to consider Oxalic Acid treatments, if you’re using them. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks...

In this week's Podcast: Ongoing Autumn checks are continuing to reveal, for the most part, some very healthy colonies that are well provisioned for the cold weeks that lay ahead, hefting confirms some weighty Langstroth brood boxes. It’s why I like them. I did however discover one colony that had failed and today I want to talk through how you too can spot the signs and prevent disease from s...

In this week's Podcast: It’s been rather cooler this past week, especially overnight. Not that I’ve seen any frost you understand but it feels like we’ve begun the long journey through to next Spring. Elsewhere, it’s been getting very hot in the honey room, too hot in fact, listen in to hear why! Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 321 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Cont...

In this week's Podcast: I recently used some Formic Pro to treat a colony showing severe signs of Varroa damage, so much so I think they may have been close to collapse. Well the results are in, stay tuned to hear if I managed to save them or if, sadly, I’m cleaning out another bee hive. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 320 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Formic Pro We...

In this week's Podcast:  Well, the colonies have finally come back from their trip to the heather moors and it’s been a surprising trip, in many ways, stay tuned for my thoughts on exactly what happened. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 319 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways: Early...

In this week's Podcast: I’ve been very lucky to be sent a National Uncapper by the team at Bee cooperative.org It’s a newly designed uncapper, and today I’m joined by the co-inventors Martin and Peter for a chat on how the idea started and how it works. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 318 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. The National Uncapper in all it's forms can...

In this week's Podcast: Now that we’ve brought the colonies back from the clover fields to their overwintering apiaries, it’s given me a chance to carry out a few checks and I discovered one colony was suffering from a heavy deformed Wing virus infection, this usually means Varroa issues, and that leaves me with a dilemma! Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 317 of my podcast, Beeke...

In this week's Podcast:  It’s been a good week, the nucs are growing very nicely and there are more drawn frames than foundation now, it’s looking really positive. Elsewhere, I’ve been preparing the honey room for the long awaited Summer honey extraction, and I thought you might like to hear about the equipment we have ready for this year’s task. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode...