Mid April Odds & Ends at Blue Ridge Honey Co.

Bee package and nuc sales and lots of rainy days.

[@tomkingsley4398]

Bob, I saw the comment you referred to. I believe you and your operation have the highest level of integrity! "You can't fix stupid." Thanks for the video.

[@MagnoliaSpringsFarm19]

Good morning, Bob and gang! Don't worry about the naysayers. We all know better than what he's claiming. Good looking packages you have there.

[@jasonpowell4114]

Your packages looks twice the size of the one I got from a different supplier! Great job Bob and company!

[@tonywestsbees6042]

Those packages look great. Better then most I have seen.

[@HereWeGoSteelers]

We have purchased hundreds of 3# and 4# packages and these look great to me. I'd be thrilled to purchase packages like these with little to no dead loss if we lived nearby. Maybe the individual that left the comment would like to stop by and count each bee to make sure the numbers are correct. 🤣

[@lindseyhomesteadfarm2653]

Good morning Bob. The packages look great sir. Just remember you can’t make everyone happy. No matter how hard you try. Keep up the great work sir.

[@primitivedaisy]

I so wish we had a store like yours in my area in NW Wisconsin. I’d be there so much,I’d go broke! I have no doubt your packages are exactly the weight they should be, Bob. I’d have no problem buying from you. Have a great season! 😊🐝

[@robinmartin4464]

My Grandpa smiled at your packages. He remembers ordering Bees from Sears back in the fifties. Good job!

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

No kidding? Wonderful!

[@beesintheweeds]

Very nice looking packages Bob! I too have a hard time when I feel someone is questioning my integrity. You can call me many things but one thing you can’t call me is dishonest or a cheat. Keep up the great work!

[@NevadaBeeMan-nq3po]

Thanks for the phone call Bob! I enjoy your videos

[@IcantblevuBees]

My 3 packages I pickup Tuesday were actually very strong! I checked yesterday and all three had released the queen, accepted her and started laying eggs. I am very pleased. Those were my first ever packages as I have always done Nucs

[@user-vx6jw4ph9i]

I can say I’ve never seen as many bees in packages as I see here. These are beautiful full boxes.

[@timHclem]

Wow, if anything that’s a very generous 3#. I’d sure be tickled with a box of those.

[@jamescarter7752]

Those are some great looking packages, and i have saw quite a few in my time.Some people you just can't satisfy. Enjoyed the video.

[@johnrollins6698]

I picked up my Bee's on 4-6-24 and the packages were right on size and are doing great. Looking forward to seeing you guys next year. Real Bee Keepers do it in the rain.😂

[@IceBug1337]

Those are very nice, huge packages. I‘d love to buy them.

[@altaylor293]

These are great looking packages. You can tell they are "fresh" will very few expired bees on the bottom. It is difficult for new beekeepers to evaluate since they don't have others to compare. Good job Bob.

[@drliptak1]

Enjoyed this one and I love what you've built/created up there! See ya soon.

[@aileensmith3062]

We thought that the packages looked great. Really thoughtful way of packaging them for both the Bees and the new Bee owners. Also great to see and someone is getting rain!

[@lenturtle7954]

I look forward to your weekly videos . Three pound packages become a lot better hives in Saskatchewan than the 2lb ones we used to buy both and once they got here we would install them and open the queen cage and let her into her new home . No slow release as her bees knew her after driving with her for 2or 3 days .

[@tonyc44]

Hi bob, hi Jessie , packages look good 👍🏻

[@tetonsandbeyonddogsledding]

They look outstanding to me!!!

[@kcaudle52]

Fully agree. These package boxes are double the size of most I have seen. They look great.

[@vcanura]

Thanks for sharing Bob! Best wishes from Romania!❤

[@caven930]

That's funny because the first thing I thought when I opened the video was "wow those are big packages" lol

[@michaelposner3994]

My first thought when I started video, before your comments, was" those packages look amazing."

[@dadu63]

Top notch business with top notch people. Love you guys. I gotta get back up to blue ridge honey. Good Sunday morning to ya Bob!

[@bobbinnie9872]

Good morning!

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

Good morning, Bob. I wanted to say thanks for the CABA zoom on Friday. The Winnipesaukee Beekeepers Association, who was invited by the Capitol Area Beekeepers to join in, my bee club, is located a bit farther north, just north of the geographic center of the state. It includes beekeepers in my area around another movie title you might recognize, ' On Golden Pond' or Squam Lake. You had said you haven't been to NH. Well one way to look at the geography and climate; same mountain chain, you have the tallest peak east of the Mississippi, and we have the second highest, it just gets colder here. If you don't like cold, wet, and snow, then don't visit November through March. If you don't like bugs, then September, October is the time to visit. I'm sure you have lots of fans here who will welcome you with open arms. Thanks for all the great info and insight, Brice

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks. I loved that movie.

[@nancynolton6079]

Yeah I'm feeling the Groundhog effect... days of rain, followed by strong winds, few days of sun, repeat. Makes pulling nucs and coordinating delivery problematic while still keeping track of the production hives and their swelling numbers and keeping them in check from swarming. Out after dark with headlight to clean up after the days workout in the beeyard... sleep and repeat tomorrow. Already adding honey supers in south central PA and have seen the first virgin of the season! Your packages look great!

[@solivaguswayfarer]

Good looking packages! Thank you for sharing Bob 😊

[@EverybodysSenator4US]

Great start to a great day...i always go 3Lbs packages

[@markbooth8458]

Hello Bob. We do need the rain. Hopefully it doesn’t rain to often, mess up the honey crop. The beekeeping supply set up looks good.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks Mark. Rain is definitely needed. Now if it would just rain on Sunday we would be doing fine.😎

[@illumi-Nate]

Thats an awesome operation you have built Bob, VERY COOL!

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks.

[@KJO-1972]

Those packages look really good!! I ordered a package through the mail for the first time this year and I can tell you they did not look as good as yours!!

[@tarheelbeekeeper3971]

Always a negative Nelly in the crowd somewhere. Good looking packages. That’s why people come to you Bob they know they will get get quality

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Your video audio is fantastic. Clear, east to hear and understand.

[@piffy5594]

Got my packages from you last Tuesday right when you recorded that video and they are doing really good. Full of live bees. Couldn’t thank you enough Bob.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Glad to hear the good report!

[@lippardr]

Your package “cages” are of universal size, used all over the US. They were made to accommodate 3#, 4# or 5# of bees. What ever the customer ordered. As you stated, “Bees are sold by the POUND”. Using the scale relieves any discrepancies.

[@SGPbees]

Love the observation hive in the store!

[@johnrollins6698]

Hello Ladies service was great.

[@gallowaylights]

You would think an observation hive would have an edge on those colonys left in the elements.😮

[@bobbinnie9872]

I believe they do. This built up quickly.

[@aaronparis4714]

They look very nice you been in it to long to not sell somthing that’s not good I would love to have one 😊

[@wpankey57]

Those packages look larger than the ones I got this year!

[@bobbinnie9872]

Temperature can make packages look bigger or smaller. These were not tightly clustered because it was 60°f.

[@calebhollen5316]

They don't weigh 3# because too many bees are flapping their wings 😅

[@brianbennett4374]

Always haters I trust ya 😊 Thanks for making these videos 😊

[@hnorton8298]

Bob, those are not 3 lb packages, they are 5lb packages!!!

[@robertdemers5125]

Good Morning Bob !

[@bobbinnie9872]

Good morning sir!

[@dcsblessedbees]

Maybe they don't realize that some beekeepers sell different size(weight) packages. Do the packages weigh 3 pounds,🤨if they weigh 3 pounds or more they are not light.😂Some people🤣just wana be pissy about anything now days. Blessed Days Bob...

[@stevesoutdoorworld4340]

Thanks for sharing Bob! What do you get for your packages? Looks like you use #57 Granite in the drive way? I use the same and it makes the driving surface!😁

[@bobbinnie9872]

Although I prefer driving on crusher run we use 57 so we don't get a bunch of sand in our building. Our packages were $125.00 this year.

[@beekeepinggarden165]

Good morning Bob

[@bobbinnie9872]

Good Morning!

[@jimmykramertheswolehunter1980]

From a commercial/side liner standpoint, what is the ratio of making nucs from your production hives per week? For example if you want to sell 100 nucs would you want 200 full size hives to make split from to have enough brood and resources. Ideally also using queen cells from the beekeepers breeder queens.

[@bobbinnie9872]

If the colonies are good and strong we usually average 1-1/2 nucs per colony and still leave enough for the colony to bounce back in time for the honey flow. Weaker colonies may do less..

[@jimwaldele9084]

morning bob,, another good video, thank you, question though do you or could you make a video on your observation hive id like to have one and your looks like a very kool one to have inside thank you again you have taught me and many others very much in the beekeeping world,,TY jim

[@bobbinnie9872]

I'll definitely keep it in mind.

[@randygreene5977]

I was surprised the the queen in the observation hive was not marked.

[@bobbinnie9872]

It swarmed the previous year and we haven't opened it up to mark her.

[@user-mb4dv7dc6l]

Bob, If you sold a package to a customer and the queen happened to be a dud, through no fault of the customer, would you replace the queen for them or charge them full price for a new queen?

[@Steele_Wings]

Those packages look excellent. If you get one 3 day delivery it will not.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Totally agree.

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Good morning Bob I have a question on your observation hive that have never ask anybody that had one . By you controlling the temperature inside your store can you tell any difference in the way those bees goes about there operation say as far as getting up out of bed in the morning an starting there day LOL an maybe with the store having lights on . No I was being a little silly on some of that but I just thought you know it looks like there would be some difference in the way they do different things because of the light an the temperature an maybe other things. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️. Thanks an have a good week.

[@bobbinnie9872]

They still won't go out in cold weather but I think it allows them to build up faster.

[@gregroberts6396]

Bob can you tell me when you put your honey supers on your hives? Thanks Greg Roberts

[@bobbinnie9872]

With strong colonies they should go on well ahead of time. Perhaps two weeks depending on conditions.

[@sunduck1]

Bob, I purchased a large freezer to put capped honey frames in to store honey before I extract them. Someone told me not to do this as the honey will crystallize. Is this true? The freezer has a refrigerator mode as well. Or I can unplug the freezer and store them in there dry. Which option is best? Frozen, Refrigerated, or in the freezer unplugged and Dry?

[@bobbinnie9872]

Frozen is best and it is how we store comb honey long term until we're ready to use it.

[@watsonrk1]

Morning Bob, Can't remember if you've ever said or not, but do you have on-line sales? I see it says temporary unavailable... will you be selling the migratory tops made from HDO plywood through the site and shipped? Thank you. Always look forward to your Sunday morning videos. Randy

[@bobbinnie9872]

We're working on a new website now but it is definitely taking some time. You can order from the store though. 706 782 6722.

[@williamford8094]

I bough Nucs of Bees and there was littlle amoiunt of bees in them , paid 260 euros , 6 frame nuc , was only 2 and a half frames with bees

[@bobbinnie9872]

Sorry to hear that.

[@baghdaddy202003]

So we're up in Dillard this weekend (yes we're stopping by on Saturday) and my wife has always said she smells a sweet flower here but doesn't know what it is. She said it's the smell of the mountains. Any idea what that smell is?

[@bobbinnie9872]

We have been smelling Autumn Olive lately. It could be that.

[@Drewjober]

Bob about how many frames of shakes is that 5-8? I want to shake out enough bees from my 2 deep colonies to prevent swarms for 3 weeks

[@bobbinnie9872]

It of course it depends on how packed the frames are but that would be about right and in three weeks you'll be surprised how they have rebounded. It's a good swarm control measure.

[@Baritonesinger1]

So when will the equipment sales be back online?

[@bobbinnie9872]

We're working on a new website that will have our bee supplies online. We're hoping for one month.

[@gbullys6315]

Do you all ship ??

[@bobbinnie9872]

Sorry, we don't ship bees.

[@timfeckley1689]

Nothing but rain this month over 5 inches in 12 days🤬

[@bobbinnie9872]

April showers make May flowers. Or something like that.

[@zeb5478]

Your website hasn’t been updated for a couple of years. Are your Caucasian queens available this year?

[@bobbinnie9872]

Sorry but we are sold out for the season.

[@SylantBill]

Candid Camera ? Careful Bob you're showing your age.

[@bobbinnie9872]

I know. When I say that some people look puzzled.

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Great video thanks for sharing when I worked on the farm one of the owners had a couple hives and he bought some bees and he had to go pick them up at the post office in town because the mail lady said she would not touch it lol this was back in the 90s and I think it was a box really similar to what you showed size and how full that was my first experience up close to a honey bee hive I had not got close to any before that they was very docile I didn’t wear a suit and never got stung anytime I was around them