Keep Up With The Chaos - (Building a Bee Business Vlog #46)

[@dandorosheff256]

Love the use of the "Story Pole". Learn something new every time...

[@DuckRiverHoney]

I learned that term from watching This Old House years ago.

[@reindeersbees]

Awesome video Nathan! Thanks for making them, I really enjoy watching them every week.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Rainier!

[@aidanquick3151]

Great work keeping the operation moving foward, and the vids still coming in. Busy man.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Aidan!

[@daverowden-RowdyBeeFarms]

All the rain in Arkansas has slowed down nectar harvesting. Hoping to get a bunch of sunshine this week. Thanks for the Video.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Dave, good to hear from you. I’ve been wondering how your season is going.

[@RatherBeRanching]

Where are you at in Arkansas? I’m in Oden.

[@daverowden-RowdyBeeFarms]

Fayetteville

[@esauer1014]

With every step forward, there is a few backwards but you are still going forward which the most important thing to be happening!!! Another great video and thank you for sharing!!!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks!

[@caven930]

It seems that falling behind is inevitable in the Spring. Everything will get done though. Better late than never I always say.

[@heidlagedr]

I’m sure you’ve got this question 1000 times… but what’s your logic in not running deeps? Seems like one could go longer in between swarms if they had larger frames. You must know something (a lot) that I don’t. You’re an inspiration, great videos.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Everything interchangeable, no need for special sized nuc boxes, and easier spring management.

[@nancynolton6079]

Well with all those splits you will get your numbers up by the sound of it but at the cost of some honey and having to get more equipment! Having drawn comb as they say is gold and adding even one comb frame to a box of foundation will get the bees moving up. Seems no two years are ever the same as far as build up, flow, swarming or honey production. Just gotta take what the bees and mother nature and the Good Lord give you and run with it. Bees must be watching your videos on making all those planned splits and queen cells and wanted to help you out by doing it their way!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Nancy! With bees and agriculture in general I expect the unexpected. Nothing will go totally according to plan. Just have to manage for the averages and make sure the averages are positive.

[@carybruton7284]

Nice job brother!!!!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks Cary!

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Oh that fine balance , Am old beekeeper told me that if some of your colonies aren’t swarming, the bees are not good enough. I don’t know if that helps you sleep lol

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Manage for the averages… I expect to lose some battles, just hope I win more than I lose.

[@EagleNestApiaries]

Good job on the video!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks!

[@ToddJDutt]

I feel your pain, though on a mich smaller scale, my hives are pumping out the swarm calls this year. I dont have space, equipment, or time for more hives. So, every hive has swarmed already here in NY State. Good luck with your season.

[@jbnnm657]

I’m right south of you near Skipper Lutrell. Don’t get discouraged, I run about 140 colonies, so not as many as you. But I had several swarm and they are still producing a couple boxes of honey. I find the ones who swarm generally recover quickly and produce at least decent crops. Not ideal obviously but not a total loss. Good video and I enjoy seeing your operation.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Thanks!

[@carpenterandhisbees]

The mountain looks daunting the first few steps you take. But there will come a time when you look over your shoulder and think look how far I've come and it wasn't that hard of a climb.

[@brucesouthernsassapiaries8316]

Nathan, my home yard was very swarmy this year as well. Most of it I attributed to our tulip poplar and blackberry was late this year.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Ours was early. Some years are just swarmier.

[@haroldmarsh5156]

Things will get better,,, just let the lord take control

[@russellaymond312]

What is till brood or am I misunderstanding you thank you enjoy your videos

[@TexasBeekeeper]

In your opinion, do you like the trailer you have, or would you think a car hauler without the side rails would be better? I'm planning to purchase a trailer this year and am torn between what you have vs a car hauler. I like the ideas of the rails around, but also like the idea of having the sides open. Either way the fenders where the tires are would be in the way on either trailer, so it's not like the car hauler would have 100% side access...Just curious what your thoughts are.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

I’d prefer a 16’ car hauler, straight deck (no dovetail), with removable fenders, stake pockets, and rub rail. You can build side rails to drop into stake pockets. You won’t find that trailer, you’d have to order one (I’ve priced one already but have bigger needs).

[@sharonc.2207]

I am only in year 2, but seeing now that one of my 5 hives always has higher varroa, but does not have a swarm tendency! Unlike the others that are opposite

[@nszucs1]

I had a similar problem. I could have used another 200 drawn frames this spring. Note to self after I pull summer honey: get every hive to draw a full box of foundations

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Yep!

[@honeyandthecoop803]

Nice looking setup Nathan, how do you store your honey supers after use to combat wax moth? I have tried so many ways and still have trouble with them.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Mothballs for brood comb.

[@sergepajcin1255]

Nice profi man

[@absolutorice754]

Today I caught my first swarm, it's exhausting work. It took me unexpectedly. I wasn't prepared and one left.

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Fun!

[@tonyandric4380]

No comments on small hivie beetles... did the peppermint candies do their job? And Anniversary vs working bees... same story here... if only we knew about this years ago when we got married!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

I wasn’t even a beekeeper back then, I was more worried about avoiding hunting season 🤣

[@tonyandric4380]

@@DuckRiverHoney Neither was I... but then, would our wives have married beekeepers!?!

[@ronsmith2946]

Nathan do you think that all of these solar storms we have been having has anything to do with the swarms this year?

[@DuckRiverHoney]

That question is above my pay grade! 🤣

[@ronsmith2946]

@@DuckRiverHoney mine also but I'm out of equipment with the swarms

[@coryrthomas6674]

listen to you it always sound like to are way over your head

[@WPAOutdoors]

Question for you about your “split them sooner and harder”: what if you don’t have the room or equipment for more colonies, and you have let’s say 200+ hives? How would a bigger operation like this handle this problem? Thanks!

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Sell the nucs.

[@researcherAmateur]

Do a test and shake them all on nothing but sheets. You have good flows it would work. If you left them drawed frames then they don't want to draw. Give them some light syrup if you think they need. Don't overwork yourself. I guarantee you it would work at the time of black locust. And can't see why not now. It's a proven method on wax sheets. You just have to test one on plastic. Takes 2-3 days to draw 20 deeps with a big colony in a flow

[@DuckRiverHoney]

I tried something similar a week or two ago.

[@researcherAmateur]

@@DuckRiverHoney when you say similar l immediately think you left them too many frames of some kind. 😁. A box of honey or some brood frames. And then they jump on them and the effect of thinking they swarmed is lost. It has to be nothing or just 1-2 nectar frames which will keep them in (but even without it works) and give them some food to start and the queen immediately starts laying eggs in that one nectar frame which they empty fast and use to draw

[@DuckRiverHoney]

I’ve been moving the hive to another location in the same yard and leaving a couple boxes of foundation in the original spot with a couple brood frames and a queen cell. Foragers collect in the original spot without the original queen. I’m not taking time to find her in a giant colony.

[@researcherAmateur]

@@DuckRiverHoney that is a good method. It will work for your place nice. There's something similar we do here when the flow starts. For honey. Called unqueening the hive. If you have some queens to change you do it then with a strong flow. Take the old one out and put a cell in. So as they have less and less brood to feed the amount of honey gets bigger until the virgin does all her jobs. And with long strong flows you can really see the difference. I even used to put a two days old grafted cell in if the opportunity was there .. for a long flow

[@markmcdowell6878]

I Want to Buy 4 LBS of them and A Queen???

[@jaibusby673]

That many swarm cells she is never going to stay, might want to take her out and cage her then put in another QL hive if you want to keep.

[@3Beehivesto300]

How to stop swarming. New queens every spring…

[@DuckRiverHoney]

Yup 😆

[@3Beehivesto300]

@@DuckRiverHoney I guess that would make good videos. All is good. Just making a lot of honey. 🍯

[@3Beehivesto300]

Demaree swarm control???

[@DuckRiverHoney]

It’s a time factor for me. Plus I don’t mind making reserve queens or more nucs.

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Getting interested now one man up against swarm happy bee yards .. no possible way can he fail kids need to eat. Maybe your better off doing more the packer trying to do to much.. you must be missing honey sales... Guy that's buying all my honey in the comb decided he's losing money trying to keep to many bees .. he's still keeping bees .. he hits those cider mills and places like that were he's only one selling honey.. he's going to extract mine pay me 3.00 a lb .. works for me and he's not trying to kill himself trying to do to much.. maybe you can spread it out buy and extract other beeks honey plus your own have more time out selling it.. still be local and your extracting it in your certified honey house.. other bee keepers would have solid market and only make them more productive.. that's what fired up Ian Steppler million dollar operation when he signed that deal with bee maid having everything sold big difference then having honey to sell.. even if you end selling it just means more work.. some of us only interested in selling wholesale...

[@bullwinkled790]

Sounds like ya are getting in over your head a bit. Maybe ya need an intern.