Category Archives: Smallholding

Memory Lane, 7th May 2023: “Team Bees”

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

On behalf of a local charity that has been set up to grow and cook food for people who are unable to provide themselves with hot meals, I have been setting up a new apiary. There’s very little money available, … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 10th May 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by james

I’m now completely out of space in the compost bins. Most of the grass was mowed yesterday and the “active” one ended up heaped as high as it would go. I need to use up some of the compost in … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 7th May 2023: Next stage of solar greenhouse

Posted on May 9, 2024 by james

To support the north-east wall of the solar greenhouse my plan was to build a wooden framed wall. The wall on this side isn’t going to have any glass, so that wasn’t a problem I had to deal with. In … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 9th May 2024

Posted on May 9, 2024 by james

I spent pretty much all day in the veg plot today. There’s so much to catch up on now the weather seems to be improving, at least until next week. I’ve had enough of weeding for the moment despite being … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 5th May 2023: Demaree boards

Posted on May 8, 2024 by james

I thought I’d try the Demaree method for swarm management this year, so I made up a couple of boards to help. They go above the supers, under the upper brood box, so the arrangement from bottom to top might … Continue reading →

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A new beekeeping toy

Posted on May 8, 2024 by james

For me, this makes a lot of sense rather than having to rely on gas heating or lugging a battery to all of my hives. I’ve wanted one for a while, but asked for contributions to the cost for my … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 8th May 2024: Weeding — the gift that keeps on giving

Posted on May 8, 2024 by james

I’m still at it. Another bed in the main veggie plot done today, plus most of the strawberry bed, one of the raspberry beds and the flower beds. It’s really getting a bit tedious now, but at least I’m over … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 3rd May 2023: That is quite disgusting

Posted on May 7, 2024 by james

Our digger started running oddly, dying when the throttle was opened, but idling quite happily. At first I couldn’t work it out, but decided that perhaps an air and fuel filter replacement might be a good start. The air filter … Continue reading →

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First swarm of the season

Posted on May 7, 2024 by james

Kind of… I received a message this afternoon saying that there was a large swarm by the road in our nearest town. I didn’t see the message immediately (I was fighting weeds at the time), but when I asked about … Continue reading →

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More bait hive painting

Posted on May 7, 2024 by james

I’ve almost completed painting my bait hive brood boxes now. At least, I thought I had: six of them. I was sorting through them in the apiary after the bees had gone to bed this evening and found at least … Continue reading →

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