Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: What to do in the down time?  (Read 3187 times)

Offline Tucker1

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 314
  • Gender: Male
  • "The Morning Breaks, The Shadows Flee.....
What to do in the down time?
« on: November 15, 2009, 10:52:02 pm »
We got our first dusting of snow. It drops to the low 30s at night. The hives are well stocked for winter. All of the standard "winterizing" stuff is done (i.e. mouse proofing,etc.) Bee keeping activities aren't taking up much time.   It seems like I should be doing stuff, other than look at catalogs. There is stuff to be ordered and built, but that won't take much time.  What else should done during this down time?

Regards,
Tucker1
He who would gather honey must bear the sting of the bees.

Offline RayMarler

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 520
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2009, 02:50:14 am »
Cleaning, repairing, building, and making plans!
Posting and Chatting on Bee Forums!
Eating this years harvest!
"Reading" Sports Illustrated?  :evil:


bigbearomaha

  • Guest
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2009, 09:25:05 am »
The queen bee in your house now needs to be tended too.  After you paying all that attention to those 'other gals' for so long this year, she needs to be fed and entertained and even chased around a little.

Big Bear

Offline danno

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2283
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2009, 01:18:59 pm »
The queen bee in your house now needs to be tended too.  After you paying all that attention to those 'other gals' for so long this year, she needs to be fed and entertained and even chased around a little.

Big Bear
I like the chasing around part of winter the best

Offline Keith13

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1836
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2009, 01:35:38 pm »
saving money for next year

Keith

Offline riverrat

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 391
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2009, 11:12:04 am »
well if you are a newbee you can do what most newbees do the first winter . take a seat in the lazy chair for the day then go to bed and toss and turn all night worrying yourself up to the point of going to the nut house wondering if the bees are doing alright on there own out in the cold :-D
never take the top off a hive on a day that you wouldn't want the roof taken off your house

Offline danno

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2283
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2009, 12:21:39 pm »
I planned on building 40 more deeps, 20 more bottom boards and covers but except for the frames they are about done so I think I'll build another doz swarm traps. 

Offline annette

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 5353
  • Gender: Female
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2009, 02:39:59 pm »
well if you are a newbee you can do what most newbees do the first winter . take a seat in the lazy chair for the day then go to bed and toss and turn all night worrying yourself up to the point of going to the nut house wondering if the bees are doing alright on there own out in the cold :-D

Yiks!! I still tend to do this even now, especially after a bad storm.

Offline hankdog1

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 849
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2009, 03:23:04 pm »
i worry about my bees until i get a chance to look in on them and tend to spend loads of money on now gadgets that are supposted to be saving me money on making my own equipment.  huumm might come out even after i've built my 1000th hive lol.
Take me to the land of milk and honey!!!

Offline Two Bees

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 614
  • Gender: Male
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2009, 04:20:55 pm »
I am somewhat worried about the warm weather so far this fall.  But not much!  I'll just keep a check on the ole' honey stores and supplement if needed!

Also, planning for next year is the thing that I'm working on now.  Reviewing my notes about the flubs that I had last year and trying to anticipate them better.

Work, work, work!


"Don't know what I'd do without that boy......but I'm sure willin' to give it a try!"
J.D. Clampett commenting about Jethro Bodine.

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: What to do in the down time?
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2009, 08:30:19 pm »
What down time?
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

 

anything