Horizontal Hives -

A talk with Rickey Roark of Horizontal Bees about his horizontal hives. This interview took place at the 2021 Hive Life Conference in Sevierville, TN.
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[@beesandtractors]

I'm glad you did this whole video on Rickey's hives. I have one of his hives and love it. It's been great watching his business grow. He's a real blessing to me. Thanks for sharing this!!!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[@horizontalbees3480]

Jeff you are one awesome friend!!!

[@jhulin9018]

Nathan, Your beekeeping videos are some of the most helpful and practical out there, bar none. When you or Bob Binnie put out a video, I will be watching it! And here is why: You are very succinct, you stay on topic/focused, your topics are relative to what folks want to know, you have a clear purpose for each video, you have done your homework and organized your thoughts like a good teacher and/or interviewer would do (articulate), and you give the rationale for your approach, solution or conclusion. That way people can determine if what your are doing is applicable to them and/or how to adapt it if their purpose does not exactly match yours. I watch bee videos to learn, and I don’t want somebody rambling or focusing on trying to be entertaining. So watching your channel is a very wise use of my time. They are much appreciated! I have an engineering background and you have an agricultural background but I am constantly amazed at how our thought process are so similar and we arrive at the same independent conclusions relative to our approach. These include: modular swarm traps, portable/collapsible swarm trap stand, OAV for mites, sticky boards for mite count, single size equipment for brood and honey boxes/frames (although I settled on all 8 frame deeps), freeman bottom boards with oil trays and the list goes on. We are both relatively new beekeepers so I hope we don’t both wake up one day and realize we were just confirming our stupidity 😊. All of this to say your efforts are much appreciated and to give you the feedback as to what specifically makes your videos so good. Please keep up the excellent work!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

I really appreciate you taking the time to write all that out! Engineering is interesting, it’s where math and economics meet. Sounds like we are similar minded, seeking efficiency.

[@micksbeesstephens5327]

Good interview, I'm currently running an 8 foot horizontal hive as a test . In it's 2nd season and so for I like it a lot and will probably build another one.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks, I’m excited about this one. It’ll be fun.

[@Peter_Gunn]

Great interview. Idk why the flow supers are so controversial. If someone only wanted one or two hives it would make much more since than buying a few thousand dollars worth of extracting equipment. Awesome looking hives.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Agreed Peter, thanks

[@horizontalbees3480]

Nathan, This old hillbilly is not a good interviewer (lol) but I enjoy talking about the horizontal hives. Thanks for sharing these hive with your viewers and your journey. We understand these hives are not for everyone, but they can help some backyard beekeepers. Nathan, I hope next year more of your viewers get to meet you in person, so they can see how nice and kind you are!!!! If your family ever needs any help, just say the words and we will 🐝 there to help.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Rickey, I thought you did great. It’s more important to be a good person than a great interviewer, and you’ve got that in spades.

[@beesandtractors]

@@DuckRiverHoney he sure does!!

[@beekeepinggarden165]

Great interview 👍🐝

[@russellkoopman3004]

Rickey, great interview with Nathan. Did your creamed honey come in yet? Hope you enjoy it.

[@horizontalbees3480]

@@russellkoopman3004 Hey Russell, we had 14 inches of snow with snow drifts about 44inches deep. They just got our roads clear, so I’m watching for the mailman. We can’t wait to try some of your blue cream honey!! Can’t thank you enough for sending us a jar after we missed talking to you at the show (HLC).

[@timothyaure9602]

Thanks for posting, I'm intrigued🤔😊👍

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks, I’m really looking forward to it.

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

Rickey’s a good guy and his hives look awesome! Very well built. Great interview. Good to see things from the conference.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Troy!

[@Peter-od7op]

Love the flow hive. Keep up good work

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Peter!

[@Peter-od7op]

@@DuckRiverHoney do you allow pick up iam in va.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

You’d have to contact Rickey at Horizontal Bees. I imagine pickup would be fine.

[@robertdykes668]

Enjoy all your very informative video's! I have 17 horizontal hives in Marshall County TN. Started beekeeking when I retired so I choose horizontal hives for the reasons you discussed. I really enjoy how easy they are to use!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

That’s awesome Robert, I’d love to see your operation sometime.

[@horizontalbees3480]

Wow Robert, you have more horizontal hives than I have!! Would love to talk you about your hives some time.

[@CastleHives]

Great interview with Rickey. . Thanks for sharing.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks!

[@downunderfulla6001]

Rickeys got a great selection of quality hives and custom builds for people. That’s top notch🍺🍺

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks! What part of Australia are you from?

[@downunderfulla6001]

The Whitsundays, Mackay in North Queensland

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Such cool names, so far away.

[@originalwoolydragon8387]

Crossing my fingers I can make it to Hive Life 2023 so I can see this up close...and save my pennies! 😄

[@DuckRiverHoney]

It was a great conference, make it if you can!

[@thesidelinebeekeeper-craig6924]

Thanks for this. My kids have been wanting a horizontal hive. They are not practical for our operation, but would be neat to play with. Good interview

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Craig. I think the horizontal will be great to teach my kids - they’re 6 and almost 3, so short attention spans.

[@thesidelinebeekeeper-craig6924]

@@DuckRiverHoney I agree! My kids are in love with horizontal hives. I think they are just tired of lifting supers lol.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

HA! I think mine will like seeing the whole colony at once without having to go through boxes. Neat stuff.

[@thesidelinebeekeeper-craig6924]

@@DuckRiverHoney haha 😂 Absolutely, thanks I’ll show the kids.

[@ZelmaBees]

Rickey’s hives are superbly made; I’m very happy with the one I received last year. I’ll be looking forward to your posts Nathan on your setup.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks! Do you have langstroth and horizontal?

[@ZelmaBees]

@@DuckRiverHoney I have 6 traditional Langstroth hives and the one horizontal. I got the horizontal from Rickey for all the reasons you cited in the interview and for me, as a backyard hobbyist, I’m max’d out.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Seems very sensible. I’m really looking forward to the horizontal.

[@ZelmaBees]

@@DuckRiverHoney As one of your subs, I look forward to all your post, so I’m eager for your insights and tips on your “horizontal” journey.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Zelma, I think you’ve moved out of the “subs” category and into the friend category. I always look forward to your messages. 😀

[@TimeIsHoney]

Thanks for all the great info!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[@viklund2725]

Fun to see! my 3 beehives look exactly the same but mine are built 2 years ago and they have room for 64 frames LOL and they are ventilated & insulated as it can be very cold here with me in the winter in central Sweden.I am building 2 extra this winter, to expand elsewhere.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Sounds very cool Anders, I’d love to see some pictures if you ever find time to email me.

[@sonofthunder.]

love the shim block for medium frames ,and queen excluder divider

[@DuckRiverHoney]

It’s pretty slick Mark.

[@sonofthunder.]

@@DuckRiverHoney i just subbed to his you tube,i have a urban backyard w 2 colonies,but because of neighbors, i must stay fairly small, fred dunn ,and dr Leo turned me onto the idea, and fred dunn has a nice long lang, i think i have a few 2x12 i can fab up my own,these are great ideas, amazon has full frame divider,excluder(plastic) goodland bee...,like you talked about,i have hinges,and those clamp things,....spring is coming fast thanks for sharing your trip to hive life,as i couldnt go,hope i can next year,its exciting,that guy has great ideas and product,i appreciate him as well,i see dirt rooster get many cut outs horizontally, i sure like his bee vacs,ive got so many diy projects,

[@matttipling5890]

I love these hives! My first two hives were horizontal. Ricky is absolutely correct about these working for single brood management. The trick is to ensure you create a "honey dome/line" after the 10th or 11th brood frame. I experimented with a two-queen system and I found out they quickly ran out of room for brood and honey stores. I eventually merged the hive back to a single queen. I also built double-deep horizontal last fall with a center divider and about 30 frames per side for a two-queen system. It's a monster but it will give the bees plenty of space for brood and honey stores. Great interview!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Interesting stuff, thanks!

[@JustBePrePared]

Nathan, I look forward to seeing your updates through the season. I’m not to far from you so your info has been very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Steve @ Bee Blessed Farm

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Steve, where are you located?

[@JustBePrePared]

@@DuckRiverHoney Lobelville area.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Awesome, how many hives do you have down there?

[@JustBePrePared]

@@DuckRiverHoney This is my third year. I have 9 hives. I sold 6 nucs and 2 ten frame hives last year. Trying to grow slow but make a little to reinvest. I plan on catching more swarms this year.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Good luck!

[@vandubay]

Rickey is an awesome guy with a great product. My 2 hives are setup for overwintering 5 frame nucs and they're doing outstanding. They're just so easy to work in vs my other hives on cinder blocks.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Are those 5 framers all clustered up next to each other?

[@vandubay]

@@DuckRiverHoney We haven't had much of a winter yet, so they're all still pretty active.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

That’s neat. Glad they’re doing well.

[@hopesadler4000]

At 66 and a completely fused back this is a great option. Lifting 50 lb+ boxes is getting a bit much, but pride and ego gets in the way. Lol

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Hope, I’d encourage you to work smarter, not harder. If you enjoy beekeeping you’ll keep doing it longer.

[@hopesadler4000]

@Duck River Honey Thank Nathan. As only a 5 year beekeeper it's hard to learn something new, but definitely to be considered. Thanks for all your videos. Will keep on regardless.

[@billc3405]

Want the use a queen excluder just put a frame of brood in the honey side the nurse bees will tend them after the brood hatches just pull that frame and put back on the brood side of the queen xcluder.

[@wskonij]

You van also use it for queenrearing. 2 entrances on one site and one on the other site in de middle. Use divider boards. Let the bees oriëntatie on the entrance in the middle.

[@highlandhoneybee]

I'm thinking about getting a horizontal hive. I currently run both topbars and Langs, which makes it a little challenging if I need to interchange frames/bars. A horizontal hive would make it sooo much easier.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

That’s one of the big advantages…you can run a double deep with a medium honey super inside the horizontal. Makes life lot easier if you’ve already got equipment.

[@dougbowen8283]

Looks good

[@vickiwicker5765]

I don’t understand why these aren’t sold to assemble yourself. I’ve bought cabinets that were “flat boxed” and the shipping wasn’t prohibitive.

[@graphicdesign7133]

How to Compensating for the numerical deficiency by increasing the effort leads to the collapse of honey bees. Are there ways to avoid the collapse, thank you

[@BrownAndDaughters]

I'm sure someone has thought about this before, but I wonder if making the legs and potentially other components detachable so they can be placed inside the box for shipping, thus making the box into a shipping container, would make the shipping cost more economical?

[@DuckRiverHoney]

They are detachable. Still would get hit on dimensional weight.

[@BrownAndDaughters]

@@DuckRiverHoney so true. I hope they can figure out a distribution plan or flat pack system, etc. I really feel like these could fill the niche many thought the Flow hive would.