Small Apiary Barn Build

[CloverKnollFarms]

We finally broke ground on the new insulated pole barn! We are still a couple months out from setting posts, but the driveway is cut, foundation excavated, the base layer of rock is coming in tomorrow!

40x56x12 Graber Post

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Base laid down and compacted!

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

That is a big building for bees! Can you give us details on how it will be used?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

That is a big building for bees! Can you give us details on how it will be used?

Well, I will be moving my woodworking tools into a portion for the construction of hives and frames. Storage of beekeeping tools. It will also allow for a secluded area away from the apiary for honey extraction and bottling.

A portion will be used for maintenance of equipment like the mowers, atv, and possible storage of a compact tractor.

My current 24x24 shop is completely inadequate.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I'm starting beekeeping this year. I pick up bees Saturday! I have 2 hives and Nucs to get me started.

 

[cqaigy2]

I'm starting beekeeping this year. I pick up bees Saturday! I have 2 hives and Nucs to get me started.

If you feel inclined, i'd be interested in a thread about your experiences.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I'm starting beekeeping this year. I pick up bees Saturday! I have 2 hives and Nucs to get me started.

Welcome to the obsession. We started with a couple nucs, and have now expanded with feral bees. Our feral bees are much more hardy than the nuc colonies, but all are thriving. The hives are half full, and the strong nectar flows have yet to begin!

 

[cqaigy2]

I kept bees many many years ago, pre mite. I'm thinking of getting back in, as i still have some equipment and i'm retiring soon. Thinking on a horizontal and put langstroth deep frames in.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I kept bees many many years ago, pre mite. I'm thinking of getting back in, as i still have some equipment and i'm retiring soon. Thinking on a horizontal and put langstroth deep frames in.

I don’t treat for mites. Either they have the genetics, or they don’t. If they don’t, they only weaken the gene pool in an environment where mites will always be present.
Our Layens hives have been very successful. The colonies are thriving, and this year, all hives overwinered. Swarm season is upon us, and temps are rising, so I’m hoping to expand a little this year.

 

[cqaigy2]

I don’t treat for mites. Either they have the genetics, or they don’t. If they don’t, they only weaken the gene pool in an environment where mites will always be present.
Our Layens hives have been very successful. The colonies are thriving, and this year, all hives overwinered. Swarm season is upon us, and temps are rising, so I’m hoping to expand a little this year.

Dang it, i keep thinking about the Layens dimensions and they look more optimal to me, but i have langstroth stuff and extractor. I'd be very interested in any pics and such you would post.

 

[EddieWalker]

My wife wants to get into bees, but I'm still on the fence. Neither of us eat honey, so the only advantage would be from them pollinating our plants. Is there another reason to have bees? Is there a noticeable improvement in your plants from having bees?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

My wife wants to get into bees, but I'm still on the fence. Neither of us eat honey, so the only advantage would be from them pollinating our plants. Is there another reason to have bees? Is there a noticeable improvement in your plants from having bees?

Honestly, I do it to help the bee population, and to create better genetics to help them survive.

I do sell honey to help fund this project.

It still costs me about $250/hive to build one from scratch. Each colony can produce $300-$500 of honey per season.

I don’t ask them for anything, if they can pay their own rent, it’s a bonus.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Dang it, i keep thinking about the Layens dimensions and they look more optimal to me, but i have langstroth stuff and extractor. I'd be very interested in any pics and such you would post.

 

[ddgood]

My grandfather kept bees from when he got back from France at the end of WW I till he died in 1983. At one time, he had an apiary of close to 1000 hives. Here's pic from 1938 with his honey truck. My dad's the youngest on the left. In the summer of 1980, at the age of 87, Grandaddy Pete mentioned to my Dad that he might need some help with taking of his honey. Dad figured he only had about 15 or 20 hives left and we would get it in one day. Turns out the old man still had close to 100 hives, spread out over most of the county. We worked the weekend, then Dad left me there for the rest of the week and we took off close to 6,000 lbs of honey. I was 15 and the old man worked me into the ground.

On the far right of the pic you can kinda see some boards and scaffolding where he was building what we call the Honey House. Its a two story building that housed his beekeeping equipement on the bottom floor and a bunkhouse on the top floor. The bottom still contains a 60 frame extractor a couple of 100 gal tanks along with probably 10 or 15 hives worth of supers amid a bunch of others items dad has put in therefor storage. We still use the upstairs for sleeping when we are over at the family place during the cooler months. I think every year I’m gonna dig out some of the equipment and get a few hives going but fail to do it very time. Maybe one of these days …

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I got mine in yesterday!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We have some scouts checking out a couple traps... hopefully this week we see them move in.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

My wife’s uncle just caught a swarm and wanted to know if I want it.

I’m going to run out of hives shortly... but, yeah! So I’m picking them up tomorrow!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Converted a swarm that was on Lang frames, to Layens. This is all uncapped brood. There were two frames like this. The Black Locust flow is about to start, I can’t wait!

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I just bought 2 more hives with bees. They should deliver Monday!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Just caught four more swarms this past weekend! One has filled 6 extra deep frames (15” deep) in 5 days!

This is turning out to be a helluva year