Skep Beekeeping (without killing bees) - Jack Hargreaves Video

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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Toddy - I found that video I was telling you about - a skep with a super - worth a look if the subject interests you


[video]http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/102222001[/video]
 

SCOMAN

Life Member
Dec 31, 2005
2,583
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Perthshire
I'm interested in helping the bee's and am planning on planting to encourage them in my new house. At Costco they have beekeeping kits, hives smoker, mask etc but no bee's. Tempted possibly.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Worth doing a course with your local Bee Keeping Association - very cheap around here and teaches you all you need to know to get started. Its like so many things - you can go on as far as you want. We are novices - only started last year - but its a fascinating part of our jorney!
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Thank you for the link :cool:

The bees have been out buzzing around my blackcurrants and the lungwort this week :)
I'd love a hive, but I live too close to my neighbours; all it would take would be one kid stung with anything and it'd be the bees that got the blame :sigh: I do plant for flowers that feed them though :D

M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
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We checked with our few neighbours and they are all cool with it (they all want to get hands on with the hives). We do carry insurance of course just in case. Ours are increasing like crazy now - about 1,500 new bees a day! Got the first "supers" on for honey so I hope they are drawing those out ready for the main nectar flow. I do look at my neighbours and even the plants in a totally different way now - one of my neighbours has a pond surrounded by lesser celandine. The bees love it - nice drink then onto the celandine. The Celandine is a nice "after crocus" open flower that the bees seem to like - going to nick some off her and plant it in my wooded area!
 

Silverhill

Maker
Apr 4, 2010
909
0
41
Derbyshire
You guys are always two steps ahead of me :)
I'm seriously tempted by keeping bees in the wood. I may entice a local beekeeper in with a promise of a superb location in return for honey, but seeing the enjoyment folks get from it makes me want to do it myself.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
The lesser celandines are blooming all over the garden just now :) I like the little tubers cooked. The only problem is that some of them end up between the paving slabs so I can enjoy the flowers but unless the plants set their tubers near the surface I don't get them. They do produce a lot of tubers though.
If you want some when I gather them, let me know ?

I hadn't thought of them as a bee flower tbh; the lemon balm though, that really buzzes with them.

M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
You guys are always two steps ahead of me :)
I'm seriously tempted by keeping bees in the wood. I may entice a local beekeeper in with a promise of a superb location in return for honey, but seeing the enjoyment folks get from it makes me want to do it myself.

If you want the "cooks tour" of a hive Steve, I'd be delighted to show you over mine - they aren't so very far away for you to visit one day soon. I can show you over this hives, bee types, equipment and so forth if it would interest you?
 

Rod Paradise

Full Member
Oct 16, 2008
725
1
54
Upper Nithsdale, Dumfriesshire
We checked with our few neighbours and they are all cool with it (they all want to get hands on with the hives). We do carry insurance of course just in case. Ours are increasing like crazy now - about 1,500 new bees a day! Got the first "supers" on for honey so I hope they are drawing those out ready for the main nectar flow. I do look at my neighbours and even the plants in a totally different way now - one of my neighbours has a pond surrounded by lesser celandine. The bees love it - nice drink then onto the celandine. The Celandine is a nice "after crocus" open flower that the bees seem to like - going to nick some off her and plant it in my wooded area!

Enjoyed that Red, thanks.

I've been trying to get my Dad to let me set up a few top bar hives, lots of broom, clover and mayflower around for the bees too. Will do it when I take over the house when he & Mum want to live closer to the village.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
If you want some when I gather them, let me know ?

Yes please!

I suspect its the timing that suits the bees. They get going on the snowdrops, then the crocuses, ignore the daffs, then go for Blackthorn, tulips and cherry blossom it seems. The celandines seem to fill a gap in the sequence
 

Silverhill

Maker
Apr 4, 2010
909
0
41
Derbyshire
If you want the "cooks tour" of a hive Steve, I'd be delighted to show you over mine - they aren't so very far away for you to visit one day soon. I can show you over this hives, bee types, equipment and so forth if it would interest you?

Wow! That's an offer I can't refuse! I'll PM you on that one.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Not a problem BR :D

Though in fairness I should say that once you have them you won't get rid of them. Bit like heartsease that way.
Nice innocuous things though, come into green really early, flower happily regardless of the weather and quietly slip away back into the ground when they're past. Disturbing the ground scatters the little tubers and off it goes again :D

atb,
M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Thanks Mary - who would want to get rid of Heartsease though? We are dividing our clumps to encourage them under the hedges. Super wee things :)
 

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