There IS Life After Bee-keeping Series Part 2 of 8

Hi - Hunter Lee Atkins, and doing these blogs aren't really my thing at all. I'm not a computer guy like older brother Garrett, but I do enjoy a brief computer game every once in a while. I am beginning my freshman year sometime this fall, and will soon be 15. I have been keeping my own bee hives for 2 full seasons now - 10 hives. Planning to increase to 20 hives next spring. My favorite part of beekeeping is WINTER when the bees are all clustered (or frozen) inside of their hives!!!!!

 Ultimate Frisbee is my favorite backyard game along with tennis, football, roller blading, and swimming. I also still enjoy Legos, have been playing piano for 7 years, and last fall finally lived up to my name of Hunter. We are getting ready to put up tree stands soon and looking forward to what the Lord might bless us with this year. Daddy is even planning to hunt for the first time this year as well (he never wanted to hunt before, but after our adventures last year, he now wants to get in on it).

 This actually in my front yard during the flooding back in late May - we made sure to make the most of it the 24 hours it lasted.

 Seriously, THIS is my favorite part of beekeeping, although I don't get to operate it as much as I'd like. Dad wants it saved for work and not goofing off.

 If I look like I'm not working, it's because I'm on vacation in Nashville, TN and we are visiting a Civil War era fort there.

 Me inside of the Opryland Resort Hotel (no, we stayed at the La Quinta and just VISITED Opryland Hotel)  :(

There IS Life After Bee-keeping Series Part 1 of 8

We will be using this series to spotlight each of the 8 children the Lord has blessed our family with.

Garrett Evan Atkins : Today is my 17th Birthday, and I am beginning my senior year homeschooling - Being the eldest of 8 children, one of my favorite things to do is have fun with my younger siblings  - this is me with my sweety, Geneva. Why does she have a watermelon? Because we just had a treasure hunt for part of my b-day celebration, and she found the last ticket - under the watermelon!

 Sometimes you just have to make your own fun - here I am playing marbles with Stewart and Victoria (can you guess who is winning)?


Hunter and me with my newest sister,  1 year old, Caledonia

 I enjoy many other hobbies, duties, and passions. These deer hides are from mine and Hunter's first whitetails back in the fall - our first hunt! Mine's bigger, but Bro got the Buck!
 Guns and other weaponry, and at one time knife and tomahawk throwing, provide for much interesting "play" between us older fellows. I really won't say I am too old for Legos, because, well, they still are my favorite toy (hey, they're educational, aren't they)?

 Here I am packing up almonds in the bulk-food store, The Homeplace Pantry, we used to have in our home (it is closed now). This is where we first became interested in beekeeping - we desired a way to provide honey year-round for the store.

 Me looking all handsome in my favorite color green

 I never got to participate in any historical reenactments, but that was a dream of my early teen years - I have most of a Civil War Union outfit (replica), and my little friend - a 36 Caliber colt navy.

My William Wallace Sword replica - it is one of my emblems along with the name: "Saber Truth" on some internet networks. I have always been fascinated by history, especially the time period, nation, and virtues that Wallace stood for.  My own name "Garrett" means "mighty with a spear", but an actual 'garret' is also defined as a high tower in a fortress of defense. The name "Evan" means "young warrior". Maybe I will never live up to the name in any physical description, but a couple of the scripture verses my parents took these names from reads: "Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My Goodness, and my Fortress; my High Tower, and my Deliverer; my Shield, and He in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me."-Psalms 144:1-2
Other activities that I have spent time in since my earlier years (7 years old to be exact), are piano playing, reading (mostly history), out-loud reading to our family in the winter, and Scripture memory - my parents have encouraged and challenged me for a decade to commit 1 verse of the Bible to memory every day, and then to keep at it until I can say full portions in one sitting - the Lord has enabled me to be able to quote James, Philipians, Psalm 119, 1st,2nd, 3rd John, and currently 1 Timothy.

House Guests

Wouldn't you love it if unexpected, uninvited guests arrived at your house and planned on moving in to live with you?  Well, if you don't care for a couple showing up unannounced, then how about when 30,000 show up?  :)

Hey - look on the bright side - they bring their own sweetener for breakfast and tea time!!!!

Meet your new roommates - 

"The Swarm"

 Swarming is the natural process by which beehives reproduce themselves.  When they start to feel crowded in their current home, they start thinking about and making plans for swarming.  They will first try to raise a new queen by starting many queen cells.  Once the bees have a new queen (the first to emerge from the queen cells kills the other competitors), the old queen will leave the hive with a large portion of the bees.  Before she can fly away, the old queen's attendants put her on a diet, to thin her down.

Once outside the hive, they will land at a temporary spot and send out scout bees to look for a permanent home.  I think this swarm thought they found their permanent home.  See the hole above the window?  Good thing I arrived before the queen moved in there! Then the homeowner would have needed an EXTERMINATOR rather than a beekeeper!

For this swarm, I used my bee brush to knock the bulk of the bees into a hive body I had already prepared in advance.  Hunter and I hoped the queen was in the center of the large cluster that had just been brushed into the box.  I passed the box down the ladder to Hunter on the ground and put a lid on it for a few minutes, while waiting on the bees flying around to attempt to recluster themselves.

Next, Hunter used a cardboard box to gather more bees from the wall and I dumped them into the hive on the ground.  If I had already been positive I had captured the queen the first time, then this step would not have been necessary.  If the queen was indeed the hive, the bees would begin to 'fan' her scent at the entrance, which would draw the remaining bees to the hive.

When we felt sure the queen was not on the wall, we left the hive on the ground until the next night to allow the bees time to move into the hive.  We arrived after dark 24 hours later to remove the hive to its new location. 

Since then, the hive is doing well and the queen is busy building up the bee numbers.  This hive will not produce any surplus honey this year, since it was caught so late in the season.   What I can expect from it is that they will draw a box of new comb.  When a swarm arrives at its new home, the bees can draw new comb at an amazing speed, because they have spent quite awhile gorging themselves on honey for the move! 

The picture below is the result of a swarm not finding a proper location to build their new home (for Ohio's climate anyway) and no one noticing until they had put a lot of work into their comb.  We were called to remove it by the property owner before the hard winter set in, which would have finished them off  This was our first year of beekeeping and sadly for the bees this new beekeeper did not know what he was doing.  I think I crushed the queen between the combs, and the hive did not make it. :(  This picture does not do justice to the exquisite work they had performed on that natural hive.

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good:  and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul:  when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. Proverbs 24: 13,14

What? No hive air conditioners! What kind of beekeeper am I?

Heat wave strikes!  Temps over 100 degree F.

People run to their houses or cars to stay cool.

Bees?  Well, let's just say they "Hang Out".

They also spend a great deal of time around the pond.  Not cooling off like we do, but gathering much needed water for the hive.

Geneva, our 3-year old sweetheart girl, noticed some of the bees ended up in the water.  At dinner she wanted to pray, and prayed that the Lord would "help the bees in the water."

The pictures above are from the few hives I keep in the back yard. (Note to all beekeepers:  if you place hives in the back yard of your home, make sure the hives and all supers are painted nicely.  This will save your wife the trouble of informing you they are not!)

In my bee yards I have placed water tubs.  I am attempting to give the bees a source of water close to the hives to preserve their wings from unneeded flight time.  This also helps to keep the bees out of neighboring ponds, pools, bird baths, etc. 

Of Grubs and Miniature Beekeepers

Our little lady, Geneva Hope, has been our "farm's" mascot (pictured on our main page in the bee costume) for 2 years. It is time now to pass the costume down to baby sister, who has just turned a year old.
But that is just fine with 3 year old Geneva, for she proudly announces that she isn't a honeybee at all!
"Me a Gwub now," is what she proclaims when it is her turn to help on the 3 hives we keep by our backyard pond. 

A bee starts off as an egg, then larva, followed by pupa (which Geneva calls a grub) and ends up as an adult worker, field bee, drone, etc, but Geneva is doing it the other way around - giving up her bee costume for a "gwub one" - she does indeed look very like a little squished up larvae in her white bee suit, gloves, veil, boots that are all 4 sizes too big!

May she long enjoy being Daddy's little helper in the beeyards.

So the bee flourisheth (about 42 days)

For He knoweth our frame - He remembereth that we are dust.

As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall remember it no more.

 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and

His righteousness unto children's children,

To such as keep His covenant and those that remember His commandments to do them.

Psalm 103:14-18

A worker bee in the summer will live for about 4 to 6 weeks.

In that time she will produce about 1/12th teaspoon of honey!

I guess that is why it is so good to the last drop.

Beekeeping Mentors - Not just mentors, dear friends Part 2 of 2

Did anyone wonder WHAT happened to us the last 2 months? I can't avoid the "busy as a bee" cliche!

I  need to pick up with where I left off in highlighting the individuals the Lord has used to play a key role in our honey adventures.

              Meet our family's decade-long honey supplier - turned - beekeeping mentor -

    DWIGHT WILSON, of "Dwight's Honey" farm

Mr. Wilson didn't start teaching us once we became beekeepers - he has been giving our children explanations and fascinating details for years - the children received wonderful science lessons at his honey house almost every fall as he was extracting the season's sweet success. He has a vibrant way with words and facts that capture the full attention of old and young, experienced or not.

Mr. Wilson instructing Cassidy in battling the vicious, silent, almost invisible enemy -

the Varroa Mite

Looking for the queen  - when splitting a larger hive in half to form a new colony, it is necessary to locate queen to make sure she remains behind with old colony

Beekeeping isn't his only passion

Due to his serving spirit, he has enjoyed teaching archery skills to all of my clan, and many others

Here he is creating a thrill of new adventures in the boys, which led up to their first hunting

expedition this past fall. Hard footsteps to walk in, for we are sure he never misses his mark.

Dwight with his sweet helping wife, Jerry make a great team.

With the looks of this hat, one might think he used to be a SAILOR

Dwight, Thanks for your willingness to give and serve beyond measure - we appreciate you, not just for what you do, but for the great guy you are. You aren't just our beekeeping mentor, you are a terrific friend.

***A parting warning to all who choose to associate with Mr. Wilson.  It was his suggestion that we start some hives to supply our store with honey.   I told him I did not have time to even consider it the first time he suggested it.  He then quickly put in that it would be great for the boys to learn.  After a few years of saying no, I agreed to start with 20 hives (17 more than he recommended for a beginner). 

Long story short, by the end of the year (2009) I had 200 hives and am now a full time beekeeper.

Not sure if it was something in the honey, fresh honeycomb, or the bee venom when stung that caused me to love beekeeping.  I am sure that Mr. Wilson knows the answer and will use his trick on more unsuspecting, innocent, future beekeepers again; so be forewarned.  ***

All package bees installed

All bee packages installed.

Anyone tired yet?

Better rest while I can.  Queen bees start coming in next week for making hive splits, the package bees installed earlier need another box, weather is getting close to being acceptable for mite treatments on overwintered hives, less than two weeks till I need to deliver hives to apple orchard for pollination, still more equipment to clean up from the dead hives. 

Although beekeeping is hard work,  I am grateful to the Lord for his blessings.  It is amazing to witness God's creation at work.  He created the sun, which the plants were created to use.  He created the honeybee to help the plants reproduce.  He designed into the plants the secretion of nectar, which the honeybees need and desire for their honey production.

Since the rush of life wants to crowd out what is truly important, make sure you slow down and take time to ponder and praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Super Stars

I forgot to mention that keeping Super Stars on staff comes with special challenges.

Super Stars can sometimes be very high maintenance.

Hunter & Mr Stoller caught in a rain-shower - so much for a break in the weather!

Other Super Stars think they can just sit around watching the work being done

"Monkey"

Beekeeping Mentors - Not just mentors, dear friends Part 1 of 2

"The" Mr. Wayne Stoller

Mr. Stoller grew up with bees and can remember being in the bee yards at 5 years old. His father ran 5000 (no, not a typing error) hives and moved bees all over the country.  (Just as a reference, our family currently runs under 500.)   Wayne has had many years of beekeeping experience and has shared a wealth of information with us.  I enjoy when we ride together in the truck, because I can ask him lots of questions, which he is careful to fully answer.   

The Stollers have been such a blessing for our family.  We first met Wayne and his wife Dorthy in our store.  Mr. Stoller came in one day after we put a couple of new  hives in our back yard and asked Garrett "what are those white boxes out in the back yard?"  Not realizing "who" Mr. Stoller was, Garrett was a little slow to realize what white boxes he was talking about and asked him "what white boxes".  Mr. Stoller said, "Well, those boxes you have stacked up in the back yard with a lid on them."  Then Garrett realized he was referring to the hives and told Mr. Stoller they were bee hives.  Mr. Stoller loudly hollered, "BEE's-  don't you know they could sting me when I come shopping?"  He is always such a cut-up, and keeps us all amused (and on guard) with his classic, gentle humor unique to himself.

Mr. Stoller always has a grateful smile on his face when he is in the bee yards.

You can always tell a great beekeeper.  They don't wear gloves!!!!  Which is why I'm just an ordinary beekeeper :)

 We started with 20 hives and Mr. Stoller always inquired about them when he visited the store.  When I decided to attempt full time beekeeping, Mr. Wilson (more on him in part 2) knew of another beekeeper  Mr. Hathaway who need to sell his operation.  Mr. Hathaway made us a good deal, so we went from 20 hives to 200 in a 2 week period.  Mr. and Mrs.  Stoller then came into the store a couple days after we finalized the deal with Mr. Hathaway.  Wayne asked how many hives we had again (not sure if he forgot or thought we would have killed some already).  When I told him 200, both he and Mrs. Stoller shouted "200" back at me.  It was quite humerous.  I explained purchasing Mr. Hathaway's operation and the desire to go full time.  They both said I should buy them out also.  I really had no idea what to think of their request.  We met a few more times to discuss details and see their building and yards.  They truly blessed us with an agreement we could afford.

There was one string attached to the deal.

Mr. Stoller gets to help us with our bee's.

No arm twisting required on that one.

Sweet honey for 2 sweet people

Wayne and Dorothy

As we look back on everything we are grateful to the Lord for his timing.  He provided the beekeeping business for our family at almost the exact time I had to make a decision on staying with General Motors.  In addition to the time when Mr. Hathaway and Mr. Stoller were looking to sell their operations.

Package bee installation

Package bees staged with the hives they will go into.

Each of these packages contains about 2 pounds of bees and a caged queen. 

Three to four combs are removed so the bees can be shaken into the bottom of the hive.

Ladies and Gentleman prepare yourselves for a real treat.

Sweet to the Soul Atkins Family Bee Farm is pleased to announce our first bee blog video.

Drum roll please.................

Hunter will now demonstrate the process of shaking bees into the hive.

Step by step

1. Remove cover plate and feeder can

2.  Remove queen cage

3. Tap package on ground to knock bees to bottom of package

4.  Shake bees into hive

5.  Replace frames

6.  Remove cork plug from queen cage

7. That tiny little box has the queen in it. Use nail to start hole through piece of candy (the bees will eat through the candy a couple of days to release the queen; the delay gives the bees time to get used to their queen - due to their great loyalty to their "old" queen, if you put this new one right in, the hormone shock will cause them to kill her).

8. Place queen box and a pollen "pattie" on top of frames

9. Place cover upside down on hive (cover gets turned right-side-up and empty queen cage gets removed in week - otherwise, the bees will fill that entire gap with "wasted" comb)

10. Replace lid

11. PRAY

Getting ready for package bees

Time to start rebuilding the bee colonies in the apiaries after the winter losses.  Here are some pictures as we prepare for the arrival of the package bees.    We spent the winter preparing the hives at our building.

Each replacement hive has 2 to 3 frames of honey, a frame or 2 of pollen, at least 3 frames of drawn comb (for the new queen to lay in immediately) and 2 frames of foundation which the bees will need to build their wax comb on.

Most of our apiaries are set up with 4 colonies (hives) on a pallet. 

(PS: if anyone has any spare good pallets my supply is running very low :) 

We try to run between 25 to 30 hives per apiary

All entrances entrances are closed with the working mans secret weapon (duct tape).  This will prevent the existing hives from robbing the honey we have placed into the replacement hives.

 Garrett is also inserting boards which close off the screened bottom boards until the weather warms up.  We have started cycling some screened bottom boards into our system as we replace and buy new equipment.  Screened bottom boards are supposed to help improve colony health.

Apiary ready and waiting the arrival of the packages

And you thought your house was crowded

This is what you like to see when you open a hive.  Unfortunately we are not seeing many hives like this right now.  Most hives have not made it through the winter.  I am pretty confident that the varroa mites did me in this year, or should I say- my lack of doing the varroa mites in did me in. lol

Well, I have special plans for the varroa mites this year and I hope they don't enjoy the season.

Our first packages of (purchased) bees are scheduled to start arriving at the beginning of April.  These packages will be used to build our hive numbers back up.  Lord willing, we will learn to keep more hives alive in the future and will not have the need to purchase the package bees.  They are not cheap and are hard to get in the numbers required.

Mini-Master beekeepers

Stewart is an expert as carrying small equipment and scraping the inner covers.  He is a hard worker.

Victoria specializes at being Victoria :)

I think she had snuck into the van to enjoy some fresh from the hive honeycomb!  You've never tasted honey until you've had it fresh from the hive.  The challenge is getting it into your mouth without getting bees in your bee veil.

Geneva is just sweet as honey

I took her out for a visit to the hives in our home yard.  She was fascinated and spent a good amount of time studying the bees when I took the inner cover off the hive.

I would be remiss to leave out the hardest worker in the family.

The Bee is an amazing example of God's creation!