Category Archives: Smallholding

A swarm is announced

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

Or perhaps not. Lots of activity around my home bait hive, though I didn’t see (nor hear) them arrive. But when I went to move them in the evening, there was no sign of them. I think I need to … Continue reading →

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Let’s have a little jig

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

One the rain started this morning, I retired to the workshop for the day. I was casting around for things to do when I realised that I had sufficient bits to make two more fat dummies, so I got those … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 13th May 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

Rain, rain and more rain was the forecast for today, but I was able to get out early doors and finish spreading compost on the new flower bed and dump a couple of barrow loads on a veggie bed that … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 18th May 2023: Another one of those swarms

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

I was asked today if I could deal with a swarm that had turned up at a local church. Apparently it had been there a day or two and no-one had thought of me before. I got there and found … Continue reading →

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An empty apiary

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

With all the driving around I’ve done because of this bee swarm in the house, I thought I might as well drop off a bait hive at an apiary I had to empty a couple of weeks back. The water … Continue reading →

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Bee Invasion, part 2

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

I’m not sure how many parts there are going to bee (ho ho) to this. Hopefully not many. I went down to have a look at the swarm this morning and it’s not good. The hole the bees are using … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 17th May 2023: Frankenstein’s greenhouse

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

I have decided that the solar greenhouse shall henceforth be known as “Frankenstein’s greenhouse” because it has been stitched together from bits I’ve dug up from all over the place, many of which bear no relation to each other. I’ve … Continue reading →

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Bee Invasion!

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

As I was about to sit down to dinner on Saturday evening, the owner of a farm where I have some hives turned up to tell me that a swarm (possibly or possibly not from one of my hives; I … Continue reading →

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Bee Inspections, 11th May 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

Before heading off to the “Team Bees” apiary, I went through my hives at home. Nothing too exciting going on… One colony needed supers and another looks to be superseding. In another colony I found the queen, but most of … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 11th May 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

Thanks to my wife weeding yesterday I ended up with one more bed to spread compost on, alongside Frankenstein’s greenhouse. That didn’t take a huge amount however, so first I cleared the weeds from half of another bed and covered … Continue reading →

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