September 11 2023

It’s starting to feel like fall, cool nights, but it  warms up during the day, the leaves are falling now and some of our trees are getting bare already. It’s early. But considering the Summer we had its understandable why the leaves  are coming off now. It’s is still dry  and the creeks and rivers are the lowest I have ever seen for this time of year. Our well on the other side of the road is still dry.

But considering the drought and hot temperature, the bees are doing good, we took the honey off a few weeks ago. It is now piled high in the dining room until I get around to extracting it. 

I bought two nucs this year  and although one was slow to take off it is doing well now, the other one was crazy productive, it exploded in population and even produced extra honey to take off. I have learned with these .Carpathian queens you have to keep up on what’s going on inside the hives or they will swarm. I also found they are not quite as polite as my bees but I am sure that will change with  time. For the most part I am happy with them.

We had a field day here a few weeks ago with our bee club. Barry, our bee inspector, came out and did an educational talk and inspected one of our hives, we had a great turn out and nice weather. It was a fun day.

October 2023

My friend and I took a girls road trip down to Abbotsford to the BC Honey Producers conference. It was such a great weekend, full of educational workshops and speakers. It was fantastic and I learnt lots.

In late October we got the hives all wrapped for winter and when leaving the beeyard and walking home we noticed summer wasn’t letting go yet.

Saw one bee bringing in yellow pollen, new leaves on the apple tree and flowers still blooming.

Yarrow, Tansy and Calendula

November 20

We have a little snow but it’s been so mild. It’s an  El Niño this year so “they” say, mild temperatures and less snow. I am hoping for lots of snow to help with the low water situations in our area.

I’m excited for another year of keeping bees. There are things we want to change next year, new things to build and hopefully expanding our colonies.

But the most exciting thing coming is…..well, I can’t tell you that yet. You will just have to follow along for a while longer.

Chat again in December 🐝

One of the hives wrapped and ready for winter