Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: slaphead on May 04, 2009, 01:40:19 am
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Dropped by Cedar Glen today to pick up "2 nucs" of Old World Carnolians (OWCs) and pay my regards to Michael and Donna. Donna had warned me the nucs were behind schedule so I paid a little extra and came home with 3, three pound packages with OWC queens. Then spent the afternoon with my two eldest (9 and 4) installing them in one "10" frame and two "8" frame hives with 1.25 inch width foundationless frames fitted with wooden starter strips. My eldest had a ball pouring bees on to the top of the frames but my son wasn't quite so sure that was a good idea and decided to observe the proceedings from behind his veil. None of us got stung and we wrapped up the proceedings just as the weather turned the finest it had been all day. Hopefully it will continue to defy the forecasters and we'll have a couple more fine days to allow the bees to finish orienting themselves. I'm really pumped by how interested my daughter is in beekeeping. She's starting to put a lot of thought into what she is doing, and why, and if she thinks she might be missing out on an inspection she sulks! Guess I have to make the most of this before she becomes a teenager :oops:
SH
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Yeah, I hived the 2 packages I got yesterday from Cedar Glen today too. Between the Narcolepsy and the rain I couldn't do it yesterday. Had some quality time with my oldest daughter and 3 grandkids, 7 & 5.
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I know how you feel. I got into beekeeping for my kids and my eldest (6 years old ) loves to go out to the hives with me. While I love beekeeping, the best part for me is how much she enjoys it. She hasn't been stung yet, so lets hope she still enjoys it after the first sting.
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The books never discuss this aspect of beekeeping do they? I doubt it will last forever but while they're interested I'm going to enjoy these hours with them.
Brian,
It sounds like you might have established three generations of beekeepers. Were you the first in your family or did you start with one of your parents?
SH
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The books never discuss this aspect of beekeeping do they? I doubt it will last forever but while they're interested I'm going to enjoy these hours with them.
Brian,
It sounds like you might have established three generations of beekeepers. Were you the first in your family or did you start with one of your parents?
SH
Actually we can trace the beekeeping history in family back to my Greatgreat grandfather who brought black german bees with him from Germany to Pennsylvania when he immigrated in the 1800's. So that makes 9 generations now with my daughter and grandchildren.
What did you tell Mike and Donna about me? After we hived my 2 packages we inspected my other 3 hives and found that the queen from the split must have been lost during mating flights. I call up Cedar Glen to check if they still had a few queens and to see if they found my cane I left there...getting old and forgetful.
Went down Monday evening to pickup the queen and was treated like Royalty. Everybody knew my name and were gland to see me. I'm not used to being treated like that...usually I'm overlooked and underestimated at gatherings.
I spent over an hour their, they showed my their entire opporation, plans for expantion ( new building for showroom to be built over the winter for next spring), new unfinished store house (full already) and their bee yard. He gave me some old reversable bottom boards (10 frame) he no longer uses that i can modify into tops for my operation, a couple of slatted racks (also 10 frame) at no charge. I did buy some tops with ladders for my frame feeders.
The use of carboard boxes to which they drill 4 openings with a door lock drill and then cover by gluing #8 screen over the holes to use as shipping boxes was a nice inovation. It removes the bees from possible direct contact with personnel during shipping. It exceeds the Post Office's shipping requirements and make it possible for them to ship packaged bees via UPS or FedEx.
The crown jewel of the visit was a demonstration (without bees) of his Queen Castle he's designed and built. It is the most veristile 4-way queen castle I've every seen. We spent a good deal of time exploring the possiblities of this design. One of his employees, and me, advised him to apply for a patent on his inovations and changes. This peice of equipment would make a good center piece to any bee yard. I asked him how much he would charge me for one using medium frames instead of deep, the price he quoted wouldn't even pay for the materials and I told him so. I told him what I thought it was worth. But he is making me the 2nd one ever to be made. I hope to write an article about Mike Cook's Queen Castle for either ABJ or BC.
The one draw back is that the operation still spills out into and down the driveway but with the planned new building that will be taken care of.
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Wow Brian,
9 generations is amazing.
Regarding Cedar Glen, I had mentioned you'd posted a kind word on Beemaster. Can't remember how it came up but there you go. I doubt that had anything to do with how you were received but I know Mike loves to talk bees and can imagine the two of you connecting. Glad to hear you both had some fun.
SH