Who Keeps Bees and Poultry?

[BaaKaaawk]

Will you be getting some of that honey?

Yes, as much as I want.

On another fun note- I was awarded a grant by the Monarch Watch to create a 5-acre Milkweed field on my farm as a Monarch Butterfly Waystation. The local college is going to help me plant the +/- 2000 plants.

 

[writerskramp]

I've had my own honey bees for 8 years, my dad kept bees, and my great grandma kept bees. I have 4 hives which is more than enough for me. I started with Carnelians but now I have the mite resistant Italians. My husband, my 3 boys, and I run a Family Dairy Farm and have no employees. We milk around 70 cows, but have close to 100 cows and calves in all. Our cows are not in confinements. We have chickens, turkeys, peafowl, call ducks, ducks, Buff Geese, and right now I'm starting a quail adventure. I homeschool my boys who are in 5th, 9th and 11th grades. My oldest son who is 6'5" is basically afraid of the birds, but my 2 other boys take care of all of our birds with me. I would absolutely love to hear from some other Beeks and what birds they have! View attachment 2008569

Used to keep bees and chickens.. Black Star.. as they were docile, till some bat raided their hive. I was poking my nose in the front looking at the guano.. Out came a guard bee, I insisted. I like the way they get between your eyes and go buzz, buzz, buzz. Fair warning, we are in a bad mood. GO AWAY! Out came more guard bees, I still insisted. It was a stinging revelation.. Third times the charm. The one thing I learned from such an experience. If you are in a bad mood because of the weather as in a cloudy day or some other.. So are they. Lost my hives to a freak weather occurrence one winter.. Went down to -45F to -50F one night no one saw coming.. House thermometer shattered at -27F. The End.. I would have pulled the quilt off my bed had I known.. Have set up bee traps with no luck.. May shortly just set out hives with some foundation and even one ten feet up in a tree too just see what happens.. Rarely see or hear of a swarm anymore.. Hell, rarely see a bee in the garden. Postscript: Have a mixed flock of about 35.. Whatever the Grandkids bring by after chick days at the farm store..

 

[writerskramp]

Has anyone entertained the idea of becoming a Master Beekeeper? College classes and a piece of paper make you one apparently.

Master bee keeping is stingingly smart.. One who earns it, through the painful experience.. Though papercuts can be painful in a cubicle..

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Yes, as much as I want.

On another fun note- I was awarded a grant by the Monarch Watch to create a 5-acre Milkweed field on my farm as a Monarch Butterfly Waystation. The local college is going to help me plant the +/- 2000 plants.

Wow! That sounds amazing! When it's in bloom I bet that will be a pretty sight!
Yay for the helpers too!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Used to keep bees and chickens.. Black Star.. as they were docile, till some bat raided their hive. I was poking my nose in the front looking at the guano.. Out came a guard bee, I insisted. I like the way they get between your eyes and go buzz, buzz, buzz. Fair warning, we are in a bad mood. GO AWAY! Out came more guard bees, I still insisted. It was a stinging revelation.. Third times the charm. The one thing I learned from such an experience. If you are in a bad mood because of the weather as in a cloudy day or some other.. So are they. Lost my hives to a freak weather occurrence one winter.. Went down to -45F to -50F one night no one saw coming.. House thermometer shattered at -27F. The End.. I would have pulled the quilt off my bed had I known.. Have set up bee traps with no luck.. May shortly just set out hives with some foundation and even one ten feet up in a tree too just see what happens.. Rarely see or hear of a swarm anymore.. Hell, rarely see a bee in the garden. Postscript: Have a mixed flock of about 35.. Whatever the Grandkids bring by after chick days at the farm store..

Where are you located?
Did you bait the swarm trap with lemongrass oils?
That's another reason I started beekeeping, I wasn't seeing any honey bees. At all. Ever.
Now 4 of my neighbors (lol, 1-6 miles away) are all have bees too so I'm seeing more of them. Oh and all my bees I let just swarm, and waved bye-bye instead of chasing them down.

 

[Rebbiereb]

We are homesteading on 3/4 of an acre. We have 5 fruit trees, and large veggie garden. Our next step was to become bee keepers. Polinators are so important. But because plans were changed and we went with the chickens first for eggs and manure. Bees will be next.

I love how all of these elements work together. Our own little ecosystem.

 

[writerskramp]

Where are you located?
Did you bait the swarm trap with lemongrass oils?
That's another reason I started beekeeping, I wasn't seeing any honey bees. At all. Ever.
Now 4 of my neighbors (lol, 1-6 miles away) are all have bees too so I'm seeing more of them. Oh and all my bees I let just swarm, and waved bye-bye instead of chasing them down.

Northern MI, Left Coast, which is actually the Right Coast.. except the shoreline of little minds in bigger cities.. Yes did lemongrass oils.. Thought of even splurging on Official bait, but if they don't like the newer hives with all the amenities.. a butler, housekeeper, handyman and gardener.. Well then! It was a 5 gallon bucket type trap.. This would be third season on the tree. This year I think I'll just set out some hives.. One or two on cement block 4"x4" bench(s) and one in the tree where the other is.. with short sections of wind block fence for those dastardly West winds off Lake Michigan. Actually considered the second story deck, don't get a lot of visitors anymore, but they be squeamish types. Think I have enough.. I really think the deck would be 100% successful! Still might, would have to fence out the dogs. Do it currently with plants, as they'll eat them.. Something I haven't considered till this moment, is it could be problematic.. for the dogs. But entrance would be on the outside rail to the East, so don't see a problem. If I need a few more parts, it's only money. Watch me pull a rabbit out of my.. Again? Rocky
If they swarm on a low branch, good.. If high, guess it's bye!

 

[karenerwin]

@karenerwin did your bees make it through the winter?

Unfortunately, they did not. I think they were weakened by mites and they did not have enough stores of food even though I did not take any honey from them. I am hopeful that they mostly left and (hopefully) found a different place to make it through the winter. I say that because there weren't that many dead bees in my hive. I would rather have them leave and live than stay and die.

 

[CatWhisperer]

Our bees have been swarming like crazy. We went from 1 top bar hive that made it thru the winter (from 3 we had last summer) to 4 hives now-our limit. We discovered a “wild” hive in a hollow in an oak tree next to our house, one of the swarms was from it. All the swarms happened within a 3 week period. We are set for the year now( hopefully)!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Our bees have been swarming like crazy. We went from 1 top bar hive that made it thru the winter (from 3 we had last summer) to 4 hives now-our limit. We discovered a “wild” hive in a hollow in an oak tree next to our house, one of the swarms was from it. All the swarms happened within a 3 week period. We are set for the year now( hopefully)!

That's pretty remarkable. I'm very glad to hear this news!
A lot of people have been saying all their hives are dying or dead but Arkansas is booming bees!