We're setting up our Apiary in the Forest!!! This dream has been a long time coming and we're so thankful!
Ini bringing in the hive stands with Luci in tow.
Welcome to Mountain Jewel, our homestead! *The forest is one of our favorite places...*
https://steemitimages.com/DQme2XtWXoybDbTEfd4txhUTpk8Jptu3Fn2Qzmb3y9V1ehM/77ADBB8E-E066-4017-9D98-6AADCFF2FDA3.jpeg
https://steemitimages.com/DQmatKFE1n1eC3vhsoh5WiBfSJzsQu4CjWft7dKpvEqPdBH/A978DE4F-6556-49FE-B5A3-B374F92DAA5C.jpeg
*Setting up our Apiary in the forest!!*
Wren setting up the Warre Hive with our cat Alabask who follows us all over the property
At our homestead, we've been focusing a lot on Natural Beekeeping lately!
Check out our other recent posts detailed at the bottom.
In this vlog, Ini discusses:
- Making hive stands
- Designing and laying out the apiary
- Considerations for the apiary
- Aligning with natural bee habitats when designing our apiary
https://steemitimages.com/DQmZUTJjBwr8yqcXbfFy1TvidNHKNWtwcYD9PeEifjPeSpS/B6911D66-DF56-453F-8276-D1260D25DE92.jpeg
https://steemitimages.com/DQmS6qU3awy2PxcHryCwAwXgjesxhhTDj3h8phmVW4ThKNi/7C9CC508-9497-4814-8DB2-5D089FB9F981.jpeg
When designing an apiary, keep the following in mind
- Do the bees have access to fresh clean water
- Do they have access to a diverse forage throughout the season
- How many hours of sun does it get/is it shaded (we're looking for 4-6 hours of sun)
Level hive stand waiting for the swarm to return so we can place it permanently in our apiary!!
A Look At An Established Forest Apiary
Our mentor Leo showing us a hive in his apiary. Anyone spot the other insect in the picture?
Last fall we also had the great opportunity to visit our beekeeping mentor Leo's Natural Apiary in the Forest. It was very inspiring-- probably most of all because of his wife's gorgeous art which is pictured below!
I also loved the meandering magical feel of the apiary in the forest!
Beauty of the Apiary
Leo, our mentor, and his wife, Ira, have a beautiful apiary. Ira makes incredible Hive Art! Wren took photos of these as we took a tour of their apiary.
Obviously this is incredibly inspiring!! We will paint our hives as we make them. Any ideas for designs?
First Impressions
We fell in love with beekeeping more that day!! That week we decided to take some honey from our hives. Our bees produced a lot that year, but unfortunately Ini got stung that day on the face!
After the beekeeping first forays... You can see Wren had a lot better time than Ini!
https://steemitimages.com/DQme9Mw1c6iktNJEzeeL9mykWdapnh5NjSA2LbRAxdfwfnF/IMG_3944.jpg
https://steemitimages.com/DQmecCbmS2bqzxUFnKXNW63zLc8YiwK83j5aZVepsJsUyKT/IMG_3942.jpg
Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoyed!
@mountainjewel's Natural Beekeeping Series
Why Catch Wild Swarms Hanging Swarm Traps Catching a Swarm Relocating the Swarm
banner by @radicalunicorn