half time 2014. would you be happy?

[10framer]

ok, i came out of winter with 7 hives, i caught 4 swarms and after splits i now have 16.  i pulled honey yesterday and it looks like i've made about 20-25 gallons from the spring flows.  i didn't pull some of the deeps i had considered pulling earlier because i'm about to make up several 5 frame nucs and don't want to have to feed until the fall flows kick in.  almost all of the comb had to be drawn this year.
all things considered who would feel happy with those results for the first half of the season?  i think with the increases and all the new comb that had to be drawn it's acceptable.

[BeeMaster2]

I would be real happy. I came out of the winter with 14 hives made a bunch of splits and they did not develop. Took 13 hives to the farm, had to  combined several of them. I pulled only 14.5 gallons and had to leave almost Thai much in the hives un capped.
Jim

[10framer]

will you have fall flows jim?

[RHBee]

Rob,
We're about at the same point. I think you've got every reason to be satisfied with your season thus far. I'm kinda sitting on the fence about where to go from here. I don't know weather to attempt expansion now or wait until spring. I'm leaning towards creating and over wintering nucs. Then in spring making splits.
Ray

[10framer]

ray, i'm not going to make nearly as many splits as i had planned on at the beginning of the season.  i had hoped to go into winter with 30-40 hives but i'm thinking i'm only going to go for 20-25 instead and next year make more early splits.

[10framer]

i've run the numbers and this first round pays for the extractor.  it's hard to complain about that.

[BeeMaster2]

will you have fall flows jim?

Yes, I have more honey in the hives now than pulled the last time. That is, as long as they are bringing in more than they eat. Last year I pulled 500#, 500# and 200# and left lots of honey for the winter and did not feed them.
Jim

[BeeMaster2]

ray, i'm not going to make nearly as many splits as i had planned on at the beginning of the season.  i had hoped to go into winter with 30-40 hives but i'm thinking i'm only going to go for 20-25 instead and next year make more early splits.

I think you made the right choice, better to have strong hives in the winter and split in the spring. If you knew that you will have a good flow you could do it but that is a big if.
Jim

[GSF]

I'm setting on the sidelines thinking, "Dang!" Maybe next year I'll pull some. I have some in the hives but I'm afraid it's got sugar water mixed in with it. Mine still have to draw out a lot of frames before they stash away some honey. We'll get there.

[10framer]

jim, last year there was a huge goldenrod flow but i still don't know if that's normal here.  if i was positive, i'd go ahead and pull more honey and make 10 or 15 nucs instead of 5 or 6.
gary, i don't know what's happening up your way if you hived a swarm recently.  do you still want to come over this way some time?  i'm starting a project in nashville in a few weeks, if you want i can stop by on my way back and take a look at yours on one of my trips. 

[divemaster1963]

If we can stay ahead on the amount of rain and we get some Aug rain goldenrod will be good as last year. So far we are on track.

John

[10framer]

i'm averaging about an inch a week around here maybe a little more.

[BeeMaster2]

jim, last year there was a huge goldenrod flow but i still don't know if that's normal here.  if i was positive, i'd go ahead and pull more honey and make 10 or 15 nucs instead of 5 or 6.
gary, i don't know what's happening up your way if you hived a swarm recently.  do you still want to come over this way some time?  i'm starting a project in nashville in a few weeks, if you want i can stop by on my way back and take a look at yours on one of my trips. 

10
Last year I left a hive at the farm all year for my wife's garden. Left them all of their spring honey, 2 med supers. Saw them flying and did not worry about them. In October, I checked on them and noticed no activity. Opened the hive and it was empty. There were just a few newly hatched bees and a few capped brood but no honey or nectar. I was expecting the golden rod and Spanish Needle to restock their supplies. In town it was enough that I could smell the Goldenrod in my apiary but not a heavy flow.
You never know what it will bee.
Jim

[GSF]

Rob, the door's always open and a biscuit's on the table. It may be hard to match up our schedules. I have a hive that had about 5 frames of capped brood - mostly both sides. I'm sure they've hatched now and are headed to a cotton patch about a quarter of a mile from here. I may pull honey from them before it's all over.

[sterling]

jim, last year there was a huge goldenrod flow but i still don't know if that's normal here.  if i was positive, i'd go ahead and pull more honey and make 10 or 15 nucs instead of 5 or 6.
gary, i don't know what's happening up your way if you hived a swarm recently.  do you still want to come over this way some time?  i'm starting a project in nashville in a few weeks, if you want i can stop by on my way back and take a look at yours on one of my trips. 

If you are talking about Nashville TN pm me when you get up here and we can meet for lunch and talk about bees and squirrel hunting. I might even buy. I'm just a few miles east of town.

[10framer]

sterling, i'll be in spring hill and i have an expense account so lunch will be on me.

[sterling]

sterling, i'll be in spring hill and i have an expense account so lunch will be on me.

Looking foward to meeting you and having lunch. pm me and I will give you my cell number  before you get around here.