Author Topic: New Outyard (Read 7866 times)

LazyBkpr · « **on:** July 29, 2014, 07:15:43 pm »

I went out today to look at a location for an outyard.. Not sure how many acres is there, looks like around 80 to 100, surrounded by trees for about another two to three hundred acres.
The low area was dredged for a wetlands and duck habitat.. About two acres planted in sunflowers JUST now blooming, and lots of goldenrod, clover, Sainfoin and other flowering plants.. About three miles from my house.. Might be a good spot?

tefer2 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2014, 07:53:46 pm »

3 miles from home!
Your bee's probably fly there already!

iddee · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2014, 07:55:19 pm »

Is that a cell phone tower in the first pic? No wonder you use all mediums. Don't you know cell phone towers cause CCD?

CAN'T CARRY DEEPS!

tefer2 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2014, 08:05:49 pm »

Nice catch iddee, guess they didn't get your eye teeth!

Perry · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2014, 08:22:14 pm »

Summer time outyard for sure. Not winter friendly though, no windbreak.

apisbees · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2014, 09:08:18 pm »

close to the trees near the prevailing wind will provide the wind break. a wind / snow fence will also work. if your hives are flying the 3 miles to forage in this meadow they are using a lot of the nectar they are collecting to get their and the time involved per trip will be greatly reduced if the hives were here. looks like a good spot low wetlands for wildlife habitat. As long as they don't spray for mosquitoes or something.

tefer2 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2014, 09:30:18 pm »

ain't much forage in corn and bean country this time of year.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2014, 12:32:54 am »

Yes its a cell phone tower.. BRIGHT white flashing lights on it.. Someone or a few someones have shot the lights out of it multiple times but they dont seem to get the hint and keep putting new ones on it..
Causes CCD = Cant Carry deeps.. Whew, I thought it was because I was getting old!

In the top picture you can see some trees to the right. Around that corner about 75 yards is where I will place the hives.. Full morning sun, Full sun until about 6PM Summer 3PM winter. Creek about 80 yards to the south of the hive location as well as the man made wetlands for water.

I imagine some of them do go that far, just trying to spread them out a bit. Currently have 30 Plus hives at the house, so will be moving a few more of them to my dads place 2 miles west, and a few more three miles northeast to this location. I have nine on my fathers Hill, and despite the fact that they are only two miles away those hives are pulling in more nectar than the 30+ at my house, so the distance is making a difference. Hoping this distance will help as well, and still be close enough that I dont have to travel too far for inspections etc.. I have a couple hives 40 minutes away, and thats too far for me to check regularly.

lazy shooter · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2014, 11:29:06 am »

I am recovering from total knee replacement surgery, and boy howdy, does Can't Carry Deeps (CCD) ring true. This looks like a great out yard, and three miles is about as good as it can be. You can construct a 6-foot high wind break with three fence posts and four sheets of plywood. That's not a biggie. As a plus, all the natural prairie around you will not likely be sprayed with any chemicals. It looks good, you are a lucky man.

Woody Roberts · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2014, 05:42:51 pm »

I had CCD before it had been named.

barry42001 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2014, 05:50:03 pm »

Still waiting to catch CCD

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2014, 03:06:55 pm »

I hauled the trailer with the JD 300, the weed whacker etc, etc out to the new location today.. Whacked the weeds, then ran the JD over it half a dozen times.. Then I set up the stand and sprayed the area liberally with roundup.. Ready for hives!
Tomorrow will be moving day.. I have several hives to move around so this will be interesting.. I have in the past just picked up the hives after ratchet strapping them.. but my back is not up to the challenge of moving over a dozen hives about.. so I went up to the shop and welded up a hive carrier;

We will see how it works tomorrow...
I looked at the standard hive carrier, but it locks into the handle recesses.. I have hives with different types of handles, cleats, and even NO handles so decided to go this way.. It requires lifting the edge of the bottom board to slide the angle iron under it, but will definitely beat trying to pick up the hive by hand.
So.. off to round up ratchet straps and find my roll of screen so I can lock them in tonight...

barry42001 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2014, 03:31:26 pm »

Just use a hand truck?

iddee · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2014, 04:02:02 pm »

Now put 2 cross pieces on them, with wing nuts to hold them in place. Then put hive staples in the bottom board and bottom box.

Add 2 6 in. wheels on one end and you are ready to go.

Perry · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2014, 08:51:17 pm »

With the proper invite, enough time, and a little cash, I could be persuaded to handle the other end of that thing.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2014, 10:17:39 pm »

I thought about a wheel, and that may be in the future. Ratchet strap will hold them together until they arrive at the new destination. The "mover" just needs to get them from the stand to the trailer. Hand truck wont work because my hives are on blocks, unless I lifted the hive and set it down on the truck..
This allows me to pick them up complete right off the stands with a little help from my minion, and Perry, ANY time you want to come down I have a spare bed and a spare truck for you to run around in. Consider the invite proper.

Had my daughter come over to test it out, seems to work well, will know better with more weight on it.. One flaw I do see is if the hive beside it is too close it may be a bit harder to get into place.

tedh · « **Reply #16 on:** August 02, 2014, 01:41:30 pm »

Lazybkpr took me on a tour of his new out yard. IMHO, the description and pictures does NOT do it justice! As the scene opened up my first thought was MORE HIVES! Maybe that's my "way too much" nature. I don't know. But, I can say that it's a goldmine for bees! Sunflowers, partridge pea, bee balm, clover (red and white), iron weed, queen ann's lace, yellow cone flower, another sunflower type I think is Jerusalem artichoke, lot's of mullen, and that's not to mention the trees along the creek, maple and willow for sure. AND, these are just the plants I can recall! AND, the close water supply. And, this place is HUGE! Nice find Lazy! Ted

Jen · « **Reply #17 on:** August 02, 2014, 02:18:16 pm »

Doesn't surpise me one bit! Scott is one of the most ambitious men I know... on forum

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #18 on:** August 02, 2014, 07:04:08 pm »

Yep, we took a break from going through hives, as the bees were a little ticked still and went for a ride. Got out a few times and wandered around.. I did not think bees worked Queen Anns lace, but we did see bees on a few, and there is a LOT of that around here. If the location works out well I will put more hives down there, the one major downfall is that there is about 200 yards of "dirt" road to get there, which will translate to "MUD" road when it rains or the snow melts, so there may be times those hives get neglected between rains. Other than that, it is an outstanding spot with every other advantage imaginable.
The Sunflower plot is blooming with a lot of heads yet to start opening up, so I am hoping they will be a major source of nectar and pollen as we move deeper into the summer. Goldenrod should be starting to bloom in the next week or two, hoping for a "little" rain to give it some punch.. Bee Punch!

Jen · « **Reply #19 on:** August 02, 2014, 07:31:01 pm »

Good news on your side for sure. Our Yellow Star Thistle is in full swing, Tons of it! We've been in a loooong dearth here ~ BRING IT ON!!