Last week when the weather was mild I was able to check on my hives. I ventured out to the apiary with a big piece of cardboard to lay on while on the ground under the hives. I removed the insulation from under the hive stands then removed the bottom board insert. One hive might have suffered some losses, but the rest looked good and when I tapped on the screen, I could hear buzzing which is a great sign. I replaced all of the insulation and made sure they were cozy once again. If a beekeeper has suffered losses, the replacements need to be ordered early because they often…

Come Visit the farm on World Bee Day! Watch our site for the list of activities taking place on World Bee Day! We will be offering tours, honey tastings, and more!

Things are looking good in the apiary and according to our local groundhogs, spring will be early this year. Over the winter I regularly check to make sure snow or dead bees are not blocking any entrances to the hives, and I make sure there are no signs of pests like mice or squirrels damaging the hive insulation. For beekeepers, winter allows time for planning new gardens and bee water stations, painting new woodenware, doing and inventory of glass honey jars and placing orders for stock, including any necessary mite treatments. I often order my pollen patties and varroa mite treatments in December or January so that I am not…