Are you enjoying this spring weather as much as I am?
Of course, beautiful March weather can be full of DECEIT, so it's important for beeks in PA to keep checking their apiaries to make sure they have enough food for the chilly spring nights we often get for the next few months. Also, these bees have clustered to keep warm ALL WINTER, they are old and tired! The girlz have seen a LOT.
Now that the next generation of brood is being raised, our colonies require much more food-food for both brood and our old ladiez-it's not uncommon for colonies to starve to death in the spring as they raise brood and run out of food before the real nectar flow begins.
When checking apiaries last week, my jaw was dropping at how much food my colonies DID NOT HAVE-almost every hive was very low on stores-so everyone got some emergency food mixed with pollen substitute to help keep those babies growing.
OM NOM NOMMMM The good news is: the Maples at The Ranch are popping! Other trees are not far behind, and there is pollen happening!
OTHER CHORES! I finally got my act together and assembled some more honey supers in the optimistic hopes that I run out this summer-our strong colonies always seem to need more space during the spring flow, so it was off to the beek club's (SHOUT OUT: https://www.montcopabees.org/) wax dipping event-with this process, your untreated wooden boxes are dipped in a hot paraffin tank to protect them from the elements WITHOUT PAINTING YAY!
Also, the woodenware looks GOOD when it's done. LOOK GOOD FEEL GOOD!
We're feeling happy, organized, in our lane as we tie up these spring chores and get ready for the madness ahead! SPEAKING OF MADNESS AHEAD! This weekend is a 5th weekend! Which means NBR does not attend any markets. BUT NEVER FEAR! You're already on our website if you are having a loot emergency, and April brings the return of the main season schedule for both Bryn Mawr FM and Headhouse FM! (I'll continue to give you updates regarding markets on a (usually) weekly schedule.
Enjoy the sunny weekend-get outside and look at some Daffodils. See you next weekend! xoxoxo