You’re invited to a Bee Party at HeartStone Ranch on Dec 13th

[Nick The Beekeeper]

On December 13^th from 10 am – 4 pm, please join us at my ranch at 4188 Foothill Rd, Carpinteria, CA. 93013.

The theme of the event will be Getting Started in Beekeeping.  We will have an observation hive, teaching materials, honey tasting, and much more.  

I will discuss what equipment is needed to get started in beekeeping, how to get bees, and examples of some of the different hive types.  There will also be information and sign up sheets for the local bee clubs.

We will have for sale: cedar top bar beehives, langstroth hives, swarm traps, local honey, bee jackets, and a bargain pallet of low cost equipment.  Come early for the best selection.

We will also be building and painting equipment if you would like to learn how to make your own. 

This is a family friendly event.  Kids will love to see the live bees, chickens, ducks, goats and horses.  Please RSVP to pa...@nwigle.com.  I will send you updates and directions.  This event is rain or shine.

If you would like to get more information about Super Bee Rescue and Removal please see our website at http://superbeerescue.com.  We also send out a newsletter, please sign up at http://eepurl.com/SDINf. 

[Kd Banister]

Hi Nick,

I get off work about 1230, so I will arrive after 1pm.

See you soon!!

Thanks,
Kathelee Banister
705-9886

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[Nick The Beekeeper]

The Santa Barbara Beekeepers Association has donated 3 starter bee boxes.

They will be raffled to those who have RSVP'd to attend the event. 

Winners of the raffle will be awarded the hive when they attend. You must attend to win.

Invite all your bee friends.  This is going to bee a great event.

Please RSVP to pa...@nwigle.com to be entered in the raffle.

[Todd A Bebb]

I'm rsvp'n

Todd A. Bebb
TAB Builders
805-450-9194

[Kate Eden]

Hi Nick:

I am a relatively new bk.  Some of my frames are wired, beeswax foundation. I didn't make them and don'w know how to.  I bought a bunch of grooved top/bottom frames with bees wax coated plastic foundation.  When I introduced a super with the plastic foundation/wood frames, the bees did not draw out comb.  Didn't like it.  Wondering if you have a solution for me.  Called Mann Lake where I bought the frames and they are suggesting I switch to duragilt foundation (two sheets of beeswax with a plastic core which will fit into a grooved top/bottom frame).

Am planning to come by tomorrow to your open house and see your ranch.

If anybody reading this post has a thought for me, please jump in.

Thanks,  Kate Eden

[Nick The Beekeeper]

Kate,

Great question.  I don't like the duragilt foundation but I know why they suggested it.  I will be happy to show you how to wire up a wax foundation and talk to you about how to use plastic foundation so that the bees use it.  Plastic foundation is tough for the bees to get started during a drought.  

For those that can't make it one thing that helps is to seed the new box with built out frames.  If you don't have built out frames you can paint the plastic foundation with extra wax then spray with something like honey bee healthy.

Nick

[Todd A Bebb]

> On Dec 12, 2014, at 5:07 PM, Nick The Beekeeper <goo...@nwigle.com> wrote:
>
> Plastic foundation is tough for the bees to get started during a drought.

Plastic foundation is unnatural for the bees and was designed for the commercial Beeks convenience only. If you only plan on a couple of hives, stay away from it.

I would suggest wired frames with just a starter strip of foundation at the top and let them build natural comb. Unfortunately, all of the commercial foundation comes loaded with pesticides and miticides as we found out a couple years ago.

I built a few frame wiring jigs and would be happy to share.

Todd A. Bebb
805-699-6229

[Shelly Cobb]

Why not put wires and starter strips in all of your frames and let the bees draw out their own comb? That what I did in the beginning and I've had a strong hive ever since, 4 years now I think. It is more work in the beginning (opening the hive to straighten out cross comb) but once the foundation is built out nicely you never have to do that again and maintenance slows way down.

Shelly

805-453-8792

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[Kate Eden]

Hi Nick, Paul, Todd:

That was a great party!  I had fun building my own swarm catcher with all the other beeks.  Thanks for the pizza, lemonaide, fresh bread and great weather.

It was really nice to talk with Paul Cronshaw about my frames and an alternative ant proof stand for the hive.  Paul, you left a bunch of wax foundation on my frame box which Nick has inside his barn.  

Nick suggests that the bees will draw comb on plastic foundation during their drawing out season, February to April.  I put the super on in late July...too late in a drought.  So I think I am going to take the super off and wait until February and put it back on when I see the sun shine and spring start in my yard.  In the meantime, I am going to read Les Crowder's Top Bar Beekeeping (per Todd's recommendation) over the holidays and maybe just switch to a different hive type.  If my plastic foundation doesn't get drawn out Feb - April 2015, I'm going to call you up Todd and gratefully accept your kind offer to share a frame wiring jig.  The top/bottom grove frames don't even have holes for the grommets for the wire, so it will be a bit of work to retrofit them.

Happy Holiday to all.

Kate Eden

On Saturday, December 6, 2014 3:31:47 PM UTC-8, Nick The Beekeeper wrote:

[Bella Donna]

Any details yet on the event next month?  -Bella