Beekeeping - Short and Sweet

In this week's Podcast: It's been an interesting week to say the least. We're in the middle of an Autumn Heatwave and I've had my trip to the heather moors to discover whether or not I have a crop of honey in return for all of my effort. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 274 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our...

In this week's Podcast: September arrives with a pleasant calming of the weather for us here. Warmer, drier days but the inevitably cooler nights as Summer gives way to Autumn. Colonies are now preparing for Winter and so, should we. Stay tuned for my latest update on our beekeeping journey. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 273 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact M...

In this week's Podcast:  It's been something of a frustrating week, we did manage to get bees moved but ran into truck mechanical issues that will need fixing, not a job I can attend to, so while the truck is being repaired my thoughts turn to colony preparations for the coming Autumn and Winter. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 272 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet....

In this week's Podcast: Although the main honey crops of the Summer are finished for us now I did find a little bonus nectar coming in this week. It's also time to start preparing colonies for the months ahead. The final days of the summer will slip away quickly now so don't delay. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 271 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Asian Hor...

In this week's Podcast:  The trip to the heather moors has finally happened and not without some struggles. Having had a chance to recover for a few days and with the chance to look back at the whole operation it does now seem quite comical, at the time it was anything but! Listen in for all the thrills and spills of this major event in my beekeeping calendar.  Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welc...

In this week's Podcast: Now that the Summer honey crop has been taken off my time has been spent extracting frame after frame of honey. This week I wanted to share how we have our honey room set up, what works well and what caused a slight hold up in the process. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 269 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Carl Fritz Honey Room Equipment Lega T...

In this week's Podcast: The Summer nectar flow dries up and we switch our focus to getting honey supers off the hives and back to base for extracting, exciting times as we see what our bees have produced. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 268 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Sample Trading Standards Labelling Advice So long and thanks for all the fish! Contact Me at The...

In this week's Podcast: As we draw towards the end of the Summer flow it's obvious that the wasps have had a good Summer too. They seem to have suddenly appeared and in large numbers around one or two of our apiaries. Time to batten down the hatches, get cleared up, and give our colonies as much protection as possible. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 267 of my podcast, Beek...

In this week's Podcast: It's been an interesting week, more sunshine and Showers, the nectar on the borage keeps flowing in but locally we're close to the Summer nectar flow shutting down, the tap is about to get turned off and the next phase of the season begins. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 266 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Check out the Lega Flamingo...

In this week's Podcast: During our last series of inspections I discovered a couple of colonies with higher varroa levels than I would have wished. We're going to try out a couple of techniques to help these colonies, you'll have guessed one by the title of this episode, but what's the other option? Listen to find out more. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 265 of m...

In this week's Podcast:  It's been a long, hard, working week. Some overnight sessions preparing colonies for the move to the borage and getting them there safely. But there's no complaints, the borage is looking great and we've had some much needed rain! Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 264 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey...

In this week's Podcast: As we prepare to move colonies to the Summer Borage pollination some final checks reveal a couple of hopelessly queenless colonies. Uniting these colonies with queenright colonies makes for a quick solution. Listen in for this simple technique that gives the queenless colonies a new home. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 263 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short...

In this week's Podcast:  With the preparatory work completed and the arrival of our new queens, timing is everything, and wouldn't you just know it, this season my timing is a little bit off, listen in to here how things went!   Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 262 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our Beekeeping Communit...

In this week's Podcast:  At long last it appears Summer has begun. Temperatures heading up and a drier outlook makes for some urgent beekeeping work to begin in time for the main nectar flow of the season and our planned move to the Borage. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 261 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our Beekeeping C...

In this week's Podcast:   I had a really interesting but brief conversation with a beginner beekeeper this week about the morality of knocking down queen cells. All beekeepers have a dilemma to face when colonies are trying to swarm, some think deeper and longer than others, here's what we discussed and my thoughts on the topic of knocking down queen cells. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and wel...

In this week's Podcast:   Finally, it's warm and sunny, The bees are getting busy, we're queen-rearing, attempting to prevent swarms and doping a little varroa control all at the same time! Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 259 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways: Early Rel...

In this week's Podcast:   Sometimes, just sometimes, you walk into an apiary, start inspecting, and as the inspections go from one hive to the next you just keep getting luckier and luckier, stay tuned to hear exactly what I'm talking about. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 258 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our Beekee...

In this week's Podcast:   Suddenly, we find ourselves moving from chilly wet days to warm Spring conditions and for some colonies it's a sure signal to swarm, we can deal with it easily enough, if only we can find the queen. Listen in for tips for finding your queen and what to do if you can't. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 257 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Swe...

In this week's Podcast:   I spent a very pleasant day inspecting some of our honeybee colonies this week, maybe our season is about to begin, It got me thinking about smoker fuel of all things! Listen in for tips and techniques to keep your smoker alight this season. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 256 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Co...

In this week's Podcast:   A chilly East wind continues to blow and it's disrupting my early inspections, we start, we stop, we start again, listen in to hear how this is affecting my early season.  Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 255 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:   Finally, April has produced some warmer weather, albeit, short bursts of sunshine in between chilly hail showers, but it's given me a chance to take a first peek inside some colonies, listen in to hear what I discovered. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 254 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company Join Our B...

In this week's Podcast:   This week something slightly different, today I'm joined by Stephen Barnes, Vice Chair of the British Beekeepers Association for a chat about all things BBKA! Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 253 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Website of the BBKA Here To submit photographs of Queens on Frames please use the email address below: photosand...

In this week's Podcast:   One of our early major nectar flows comes in the form of the Oilseed Rape crops sown widely by farmers across the UK. It brings with it a ready source of nectar and pollen for our bees, but also some challenges in terms of timing and extraction, here's my take on a love/hate relationship some beekeepers have with this early-season plant.  Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks...

In this week's Podcast:   With Spring inspections almost upon us it's a good time to think about how we might replace old queens and that means queen rearing, stay tuned, as I have a couple of new options to try. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 251 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. The Norwich and District Beekeepers Association Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Comp...

In this week's Podcast:   Another week and a change in the weather. Warmer conditions and a chance for our bees to break cluster, get out and forage, and with a little luck, begin to build their brood nest area. Hold tight though, it might still be too soon to inspect. Stay tuned for my reasons why. Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 250 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. C...