From A to Bee(20)

I was told of a little poem that beekeepers are said to remember when dealing with swarms. It goes like this:



A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay;

A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon;

A swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly





Essentially the earlier in the year you can get a swarm the better. If you can get an early swarm, then there is more chance that they will become established and you could get a good crop of honey from them.



Alternatively, if you buy a nucleus, you will have bees, simple as that.



I have also learned that having a nucleus, despite the expense, is also good for the beginner. As the frames of bees grow, so does your experience and confidence. If you are lucky, you may get some honey at the end of the year as well.



I think that I may try both. I might just have to make contact with this gentleman, to see how many nuclei he has.



There is one more option. You can put an empty hive near your house and hope that there might be a passing swarm that may be vaguely attracted to the colour, aspect, size and smell of the lovely empty hive that has appeared on the horizon. It sounds a complete shot in the dark but could be worth a try as, except for the effort of taking a hive and planting it on the ground somewhere, it doesn't sound like there is a lot to do. There are ways to increase your chances of attracting a swarm to a bait hive, the name given to a hive for this purpose. You can rub propolis into it – a glue-like product produced by bees – or rub other bee-friendly smells into internal walls like orange or lemon peel.



Either way I have to pick one of these methods and make a decision. No bees mean no honey!



The last bit of exciting news is that my local beekeeping association is having a 'frame-building' day next week – which, as it happens, is the same weekend that I will be building my first hive (hopefully I receive it in time through the post). A year ago I would have laughed at the chances of going to a frame-building day… What have I become?!



Finally, today I was able to get out into the garden and plant some shallots and onions as well as do a general clear up. It felt really nice to be in the garden again and the weather held off, which was a bonus. I had a really enjoyable day with Jo and Sebastian, running around the shops and then going to a playground in the afternoon. It's great to actually have time as a family; a rare commodity at the moment due to work commitments and other friends and family commitments. We do too much! Tomorrow: working, driving up to Birmingham, on to Bolton and then home again. Not the nicest way to spend a Sunday.





FEBRUARY 28





Though it is a little bit late to do this, today was an important day. I felt Sebastian was old enough to learn how to chit potatoes, even if it meant doing this from his high chair. On reflection, I am not quite sure he has yet grasped the importance of letting the potato sprout before planting and still sees the potato as an object to throw or nibble on.



In my family the potato is the most important of all vegetables and I have fond memories of my formative years helping Dad on the allotment to dig them up. It was always as if Dad was as amazed as I was every time the fork lifted up and lots of lovely, dirty-looking potatoes came spilling out of the earth. I remember distinctly Dad's love for pink fur apple potatoes and he and I would always marvel at the bizarre and silly shapes that would come out of the ground.



In thirty years' time I wonder if Sebastian will have the same nostalgic feelings for the vegetable that I do. I will do my best to ensure that he does and it all started today while trying to describe to him why we place potatoes into half-sided egg cartons to let little sprouts develop. I am not sure he was too impressed but I think he felt it was a great break from his usual shape-sorters where he attempts to put brightly coloured squares into circle-shaped holes. This was a breeze compared to that and despite looking distinctly unimpressed by his first attempts at potato chitting he was actually rather good at it. Now there is a job for life in my book.





MARCH 1





Spring is officially on its way. Goodbye February, hello March. I have to say it was one of those days when you draw the curtains and the first thing you notice is that fella Jack Frost has made an appearance. In the half-light you can make out a hazy sun rising as well as seeing the wildlife around you waking up to a beautiful dawn.



It is generally accepted that Britain is a pretty miserable and inhospitable place when the weather is foul, and it has been for about three months now. However, today was an exception. It was stunning and it's amazing what a little bit of sunshine does for you. Today, Monday, was great for many reasons and it all started with the weather.