Beekeeping - Short and Sweet

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 99 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. Someone recently predict that Spring had arrived, well, with snow showers today and cooler weather ahead Winter still feels to have a grip. That shouldn’t stop us looking ahead and getting our bees in tip-top condition for the new season. Catch up with the very latest podcast as they are released here Honey...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 98 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. This week saw the completion of the Top Bar Hive build, we’ve once again been battered by Winter storms, and excitedly, we started the Honey Paw Langstroth Hive project, so stay tuned for all the latest updates. Get the very latest podcast as it's released by visiting www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney Check...

Get the very latest podcast as it's released by visiting my beekeeping support website www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney What a week, we’ve had all four seasons in one day, rain, winds, sunshine, hail, snow and, not forgetting Storm Ciara for our bees to contend with, listen in to hear how my bees survived. Also to come, the latest workshop update and yet another storm to contend with. Blimey, wha...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 96 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. Another very busy week, we’ve been scorching boxes, feeding fondant and the Honey Paw Hives have arrived and that’s got me super excited for the coming season. Find your local stockist of Zukan Apipasta Fondant Bee Feeds Here Honey Paw Hives can be found in the UK at Happy Valley Honey  For Orders outside th...

Hi I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 95 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. This week, I’ve been back at the workshop getting stuck into the cleaning jobs, had a really interesting meeting with fellow bee farmers and today, suffered the torture of the dentist's chair, so stay tuned for more beekeeping chat followed by a few blood-curdling screams as the drill bites home! If you...

This week, we have a real treat as I’m speaking with Peter Nelson, Director of Photography for a fantastic Beekeeping documentary called The Pollinators, so stayed tuned to hear what it takes to produce a beekeeping movie and to find out how you can get to watch it. Check out the movie here: The Pollinators Movie Support the show

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 93 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Another busy week and I’ve been out checking up on the colonies we fed last week. I’ve also had a question about early season colony management so stay tuned for more chat about making a great start to the new season. Welcome back to the podcast, if you’ve only just found us, you are most welcome and if you...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 92 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Happy New Year, My first podcast of 2020 and a chance to update you on the top bar hive project, Winter feeding and an exciting new collaboration for the coming season. I know it’s a cliche but where oh where did that year go? And what on earth is happening to the quiet time over this Winter period! It seem...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 91 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Here it is, as promised, Well, I’ve finally started my Top Bar Hive Project by getting into the workshop and watching Pete do all the woodwork! This week I’m discussing what the Top Bar Hive is all about, why I’ve chosen to give them a try and how we’re getting on building our very first hive. So the Top Ba...

With not many more days left until Christmas is upon us, I thought I would tell you all about my letter to Santa detailing the potential gift ideas he may want to consider. Stay tuned for some very hopeful gift ideas from someone who thinks he’s been good all year. It has to be said our British weather is so changeable, I’m looking out at another sunny morning but the forecast for tomorrow is of m...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 89 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. With winter upon us, it’s time to talk oxalic acid treatments. So let’s look at what it is, how it works and the options available for beekeepers to take care of their bees this Winter. Links discussed in this week's podcast: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-medicines-directorate...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 88 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. It’s never too early to start planning for the new season so this week I’m starting to look at my plans for next year so stay tuned for some new hive plans and some thoughts on what we’ll be getting up to for 2020 Welcome to another podcast, and as I prepare this week’s update I’m looking at some very dull,...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 86 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. This week I’m taking a look back at how this season’s beekeeping has been for me personally and sharing my plans for next year as we head into the long Winter haul. Firstly, this week, I wanted to send my best wishes to all of the beekeepers around the globe currently dealing with the most unexpected and sh...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 86 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, The bees are settling down for the long Autumn and Winter haul but here at Beekeeping HQ there’s seems to be more than ever to sort. Stay tuned for the latest update on my beekeeping journey including Trucks, Trailers and Treatments. Finally, I’m back on my feet and moving around with some degree of ease, t...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 85 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, It’s the road to recovery for me and our regular monthly Questions and Answers session for everyone else! Firstly, Thank you, everyone, for your kind thoughts regarding my back problems, I’m hopeful that things are starting to settle down and normal service will soon be back. It’s been a frustrating period...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 84 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, This week I have a question for you, how big is your brood box? Having just taken ownership of my first 14 by 12 hives I thought I would take a look at how this brood box compares to the other hives I have, so stay tuned for some interesting results. Catch up with my latest podcasts here First up this week...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 82 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Following on from last week, today, I’m talking about Autumn preparations and looking at the sugar syrup I used to feed my bees through the Autumn to help the bees get through to next Spring. Catch up with the very latest podcasts here My Cycle Ride Challenge can be found here It’s been another busy week he...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 83 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, and this week I’m returning to the topic of Sugar Syrup and the various types available out there if you choose not to make your own and I’ve also been continuing the apiary clean up at the fishing lakes. The distractions continue and caused quite a disruption to my planned workload over the weekend. Late l...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 81 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. This week I’m looking at feeders for getting those all important stores into our colonies in time for the coming Autumn and Winter. Catch up with more of my beekeeping journey by checking out the continually growing content list on my Patreon page www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney Welcome back everyone to anothe...

Support the show

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 79 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. I’ve got lots happening this week, wasps robbing, starving bees, an emergency location system and it’s pizza night at the beekeeping group. I recently posted a 60-second video to my Patreon page showing some wasps raiding a very weak colony, so weak in fact that the bees could do nothing to prevent the robb...

This week I’m in the honey room preparing cut comb and chunk honey, cleaning up after extraction week and I’ve also been in the kitchen cooking up a fabulous Honey, Taleggio Cheese and Red Onion Tart so keep listening for the recipe. I’ve definitely seen a change in the activity within our colonies this last week, the local forage has all but disappeared and quite a number of our bees are now head...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 77 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Who’d have thought we’d be extracting honey so soon, the Summer season has flown by and I’m heading into the honey room to get set up to extract the Summer supers over the weekend? Listen on for a rundown of my extraction set up and how I extract from over sixty colonies in a room that measures just 3 metre...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 76 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. August has arrived and it’s time to start thinking about jobs that need to be completed in order to prepare the colonies for the colder months ahead. Another week and it’s been a period of changeable weather, a few more thundery showers mixed in with some bright, warm Summery days, fairly typical for the ti...

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 75 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. I’m sat in my office preparing this week’s podcast in 32 degrees heat which for us beekeepers here in Norfolk in the UK is somewhat uncomfortable but as I gradually melt my thoughts are turning to Late Summer Treatments in preparation for the coming Autumn and Winter months ahead. I’d like to share with you...