Author Topic: You ready for spring?  (Read 14494 times)

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Offline LazyBkpr

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You ready for spring?
« on: December 21, 2013, 07:16:44 pm »

   I have sixteen hives built.. built two for Daughters boyfriends father for Christmas..  he expressed interest in bees to her, and has asked her several times if I wanted to put hives over there, and if I was interested in helping him get started.. so hes getting the hives and beekeeping for Dummies with my number written in the cover.. will see how that goes!!!
   Cut and assembled about 150 frames today...   Over the next few weeks I'll probably build enough components for about ten more hives JUST in case.. with 16 ready I should be well set for splits and swarms/cutouts but doesnt leave any for the spring panic when ppl want to buy them.. always better to have TOO MANY ready than not enough..  Need to build about a dozen Nuc's as well..   Got my Pollen Sub ready..  Hopguard, new suits..  just have to wait for thaw to set new stands..  Nuc's and queens ordered..
   5 of my current hives will get split and the new queens put in. May try to pull a few nuc's out of the other hives and let them make their own queens.. all depends on what I have that survives the winter..
   Swarm boxes built.. swam lure bought.. need to order Lemongrass Oil...    and WAIT until spring has sprung....  is it here yet??? >:(
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Offline Crofter

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2013, 08:01:12 pm »
I have to make up 10 medium supers. I bought 10 deeps from Mann Lake a few weeks ago and have to put them together and assemble wax and wired frames for them. I am sitting at 8 hives now and really want to keep it there or a few less but I dont want to be caught flat footed if they all survive and some need splitting. No heat in the shop so I am just mentally building bee equipment. I could work in the mud room but then I would have to finish bottling up the honey and such that never really happened since I extracted. It takes so little to keep me busy I tell you its simply amazing!
Frank

Offline Perry

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2013, 08:06:51 pm »
I've got lumber milled to build 60 deeps and 60 mediums. Just have to cut to length, cut rabbets, and put them together.
Need to order frames and foundation for them as well. When you sell nucs, you don't notice right away, but suddenly you're short of frames!  :o
I need to cull some old boxes, I'm short of honey supers (mediums) and folks want to buy boxes when they buy nucs.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2013, 08:46:55 pm »
It takes so little to keep me busy I tell you its simply amazing!

   I tried that excuse but the wife doesnt believe it for a moment!!!   She is of the oppinion that I should be capable of completing her entire to do list in about an hour and a half!!   I tried to explain that MY to do list had priority... but I am sure you know how THAT went....

   Perry.. you Paint up those old boxes and sell them as Seasoned Hives!!  hehe.. I can only imagine how fast you go through frames in the spring!!

   I was hoping to head to the big chain store tomorrow.. will see how much SNOW we get tonight.. I may end up back int he shop (heated!!!!  I'm so spoiled!) building more frames/boxes/inner covers/bottom boards/ tele covers/ Nuc's/swarm traps/stand for my table saw/table for the decapping tank/running wires for the extractor/  etc etc etc etc etc etc...  It doesnt take much to keep me busy, but the list is so LONG.. and thats MY list.. you dont want to see HERS!!
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Offline iddee

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2013, 09:01:27 pm »
Perry, about Feb.15, contact lazy's wife. Tell her you clean garages for gas money only. She will be happy to give you gas money there and back.   ;D ;D ;D
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Offline Jen

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2013, 12:06:51 am »
No! I'm not ready for spring! I would rather be out in the heated garage making hives and frames.... but nooo! I have to contend with the holidays! Not much longer tho! Then I'm brushing up on splitting my one and only hive, 2 deeps tall, per Glenn's instructions of which I have printed off and ready to go. My first split, I'm excited!
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline blueblood

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2013, 12:13:01 am »
Heck no, I need to get busy though.  The wife has been using my workshop to hide birthday and Christmas gifts.  I will get on it as soon as Christmas is over.  I am considering making some frames for the first time.  It sure would save a bunch of money.

Offline Zookeep

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2013, 05:55:07 am »
I have way too much work to do before spring:[ the 1 thing I have learned about beekeeping for sure is if you think you need 10 boxes with frames you actually needed 25 and should have bought 30
Springs a week
Falls a Rumor
Winters 2 weeks
the rest is all Summer

[size=150] BeachBum Beekeeper Division[/size]

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2013, 08:38:18 am »
Last year I only stayed one step ahead of the bees.  I quickly assembled boxes and frames, painted and set up just days before I actually needed the wooden ware.  I guess my New Year's resolution will be to anticipate my(the colonies') needs and  get ahead and be ready for splits and packages. :P

Offline G3farms

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2013, 01:51:09 pm »
never ready,
I bring swarms home in card board boxes and have to scramble to find something to put them in.

Building frames on the spur of the moment.

never ends, that's what makes it exciting!
Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2013, 01:53:14 pm »
I may be able to go to the shop next week, i'm already walking without the walker, I cut several things out before the surgery and all i have to do is put them together and paint them. As for those honey do list, i'm planning on playing this knee surgery thing clear into fall,i'm practicing making a painful face and rubbing my knee at the same time now, and it seems to be working great. All my wife well let me do is, walk to the table, bathroom, and bedroom, Life Is Good. Jack

Offline G3farms

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #11 on: December 22, 2013, 01:55:43 pm »
"Jack if you can get her to put boxes and frames together................just saying! ::)"

 ;D LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL  ;D
« Last Edit: December 22, 2013, 03:37:30 pm by Perry »
Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline Slowmodem

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #12 on: December 22, 2013, 06:22:33 pm »
I've got a "to do" list made up.  I have two weeks off after Christmas, and hopefully I can get some of my stuff done then
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #13 on: December 22, 2013, 06:37:59 pm »

     LOL!!!   I like it!!

  I thought about that comment G.. then I thought about what those boxes etc would LOOK like when she finished them....

   Moan loudly..  Limp a lot, whine that spring is SO CLOSE and I NEED those boxes!!   Ohhh.. what EVER will I do?????

   Yes.. it would work...  my wife would put them together.. out of square, not enough glue, too many nails.. WITH splits in every one..  corners uneven.. oooh LORD that would be a mess!!!  And Even the LORD himself couldnt save me if I complained about the job that she did!!!!

   
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Offline Jen

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #14 on: December 22, 2013, 09:52:35 pm »
Lazy... And the bees would just square it up themselves, propolis over the sloppy glue, propolis the exposed nail ends, propolis the  splits wide as a pencil. How did they ever make it for 40 years in the neighbors unused chimney, one will never know...  ;)
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #15 on: December 23, 2013, 08:12:12 am »
Lazy... And the bees would just square it up themselves, propolis over the sloppy glue, propolis the exposed nail ends, propolis the  splits wide as a pencil. How did they ever make it for 40 years in the neighbors unused chimney, one will never know...  ;)

   OH NOESSS!!!!   ITS MY WIFE IN DISGUISE!       :D   


 
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Offline riverbee

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #16 on: December 23, 2013, 11:29:02 am »
LOL lazy!!!!

i keep wild things in a box..........™
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Offline Jen

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #17 on: December 23, 2013, 02:54:52 pm »
Crackin Me Up! Rolling Eyes!
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Offline Finally Home

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #18 on: December 24, 2013, 10:44:22 am »
I got two more swarm boxes ready for the spring.  I live right in the middle of many, many blueberry farms.  Hope to get some free bees this spring.  Got one free swarm last year.  This is my first year of bee keeping.  Have a honey farm about 45 minutes away.  They suggested I put out swarm boxes since its mostly their bees at the blueberry farms.  They have been a great help. 
www.abhoneyfarm.com 

Offline Jen

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Re: You ready for spring?
« Reply #19 on: December 24, 2013, 12:30:11 pm »
Hello there Finally Home! Mind if I call you Fin? Ooo Ooo Ooo how I would love living in blueberry country...
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