Beekeeping - Short and Sweet
310 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 51 ratingsA Beekeeping Podcast for the Inquisitive Beekeeper with a Short Attention Span! BeeFarmer, YouTuber (The Norfolk Honey Company, Patreon Host (www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney), Beekeeping mentor to 1000's of beekeepers worldwide via my social media channels, Facebook and Instagram.
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Episodes
Episode 107 - Artificial Swarms
May 22, 2020 07:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBHi I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 107 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. Queen cells have started to pop up in several colonies and last week I touched on the Artificial Swarm technique, this week I’m going to delve a little more closely at this beekeeping staple. Check out my latest Podcasts here I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are, as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up an...
Episode 106 - Preparing for Swarms
May 15, 2020 08:00 - 16 minutes - 11 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 106 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. During my inspections over the past week, I’ve noticed a few colonies starting to prepare for swarming. Stay tuned for my latest update and some suggestions for swarm season preparations. Sign Up to my latest podcasts HERE I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up an ap...
Episode 105 - Early Season Inspections
May 08, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBI’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 105 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. This week I’m in full inspection mode as we work our way through the hives and see how they’ve fared, start adding supers and carry out some vital disease inspections. Catch up with my very latest Podcasts, Videos and much more here I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up...
Episode 104: Let The Season Commence!
May 01, 2020 06:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBWe have a winner in our Honey Paw Competition and It’s all systems go this weekend and despite the Coronavirus, beekeeping in isolation begins, stay tuned for my latest update and plans for this weekend. I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are, as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up an apiary full of their hives this season courtesy of Honey Paw. Check out their range of hives and other equipment ...
Episode 103: Beekeeping and Social Distancing
April 24, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBHi I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 103 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. My beekeeping continues despite the challenges of the coronavirus outbreak, listen in to catch up with my latest challenges as we head into the new season. Check out my latest podcast here I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up an apiary full of their hives this season...
Episode 102: Keep Feeding
April 17, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBHi I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 102 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. The weather has been fairly constant this past week and I had a message from one of our contacts saying their Oilseed rape is nearly ready for the bees. It’s time to get set up for the new season but don’t be in too much of a rush to open your bees, it’s still cold out there! Check Out the very Latest podcasts on my Support Page www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsori...
Episode 101: Integrated Pest Management - Spring 2020
April 10, 2020 06:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBThe sun is shining, it’s warming up nicely and I’m thinking further on our Integrated Pest Management controls. Stay tuned for more suggestions on how to keep your bees healthy this year. Check out my weekly podcast as it is released by signing up NOW I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up an apiary full of them this season courtesy of Honey Paw. Check out ...
Episode 101: Integrated Pest Management - Spring 2020
April 10, 2020 06:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBThe sun is shining, it’s warming up nicely and I’m thinking further on our Integrated Pest Management controls. Stay tuned for more suggestions on how to keep your bees healthy this year. Check out my weekly podcast as it is released by signing up NOW I’m grateful to Honey Paw hives for sponsoring in part our podcasts for this season. Honey Paw hives are as I’m sure you’re aware, Poly Langstroth hives and we’re setting up an apiary full of them this season courtesy of Honey Paw. Check out ...
Episode 100: Integrated Pest Management
April 03, 2020 06:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MBHi I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 100 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. This week I’m starting a review of how to implement an Integrated Pest Management system in your apiary. Get the very latest Beekeeping podcast here I’m really excited to be sharing my 100th podcast, I never thought I would reach the heady heights of 100 podcasts, it’s been a lot of fun, if not hard work, and I’m really grateful to everyone that tunes in and listens each week. This season my podcasts ...
Episode 99: Getting Hives Ready For Spring
March 27, 2020 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.59 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 99 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. Someone recently predict that Spring had arrived, well, with snow showers today and cooler weather ahead Winter still feels to have a grip. That shouldn’t stop us looking ahead and getting our bees in tip-top condition for the new season. Catch up with the very latest podcast as they are released here Honey Paw Hives can be found online here Honey Paw in the UK Here This podcast is sponsored in par...
Episode 98: The Honey Paw Project begins
March 20, 2020 07:00 - 12 minutes - 8.43 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 98 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. This week saw the completion of the Top Bar Hive build, we’ve once again been battered by Winter storms, and excitedly, we started the Honey Paw Langstroth Hive project, so stay tuned for all the latest updates. Get the very latest podcast as it's released by visiting www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney Check out Honey Paw Hives in the UK at Modern Beekeeping Honey Paw outside the UK can be view at Honey ...
Episode 97: Storm Damage and Workshop Elves
March 13, 2020 07:00 - 12 minutes - 8.31 MBGet the very latest podcast as it's released by visiting my beekeeping support website www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney What a week, we’ve had all four seasons in one day, rain, winds, sunshine, hail, snow and, not forgetting Storm Ciara for our bees to contend with, listen in to hear how my bees survived. Also to come, the latest workshop update and yet another storm to contend with. Blimey, what a week, at least we were forewarned and despite all the fuss nothing quite so dramatic here for u...
Episode 96: Feeding Fondant and Honey Paw Hives
March 06, 2020 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.43 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 96 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. Another very busy week, we’ve been scorching boxes, feeding fondant and the Honey Paw Hives have arrived and that’s got me super excited for the coming season. Find your local stockist of Zukan Apipasta Fondant Bee Feeds Here Honey Paw Hives can be found in the UK at Happy Valley Honey For Orders outside the UK contact Honey Paw direct I am very grateful to both Happy Valley Honey and Honey Paw f...
Episode 95 - Cleaning Boxes, a Bee Farmers Meeting and the Dentist!
February 28, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBHi I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 95 of my podcast Beekeeping Short and sweet. This week, I’ve been back at the workshop getting stuck into the cleaning jobs, had a really interesting meeting with fellow bee farmers and today, suffered the torture of the dentist's chair, so stay tuned for more beekeeping chat followed by a few blood-curdling screams as the drill bites home! If you haven’t check ed out my Patreon page as yet, please do take a look, you support is very welcome. th...
Episode 94 Interview with Peter Nelson - The Pollinators
February 21, 2020 07:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MBThis week, we have a real treat as I’m speaking with Peter Nelson, Director of Photography for a fantastic Beekeeping documentary called The Pollinators, so stayed tuned to hear what it takes to produce a beekeeping movie and to find out how you can get to watch it. Check out the movie here: The Pollinators Movie Support the Show.
Episode 93: January Checks and Early Season Panics
February 14, 2020 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 93 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Another busy week and I’ve been out checking up on the colonies we fed last week. I’ve also had a question about early season colony management so stay tuned for more chat about making a great start to the new season. Welcome back to the podcast, if you’ve only just found us, you are most welcome and if you’re a regular listener, I’m grateful to you for sticking around. It’s been another wet and win...
Episode 92 - Happy New Year 2020
February 07, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 92 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Happy New Year, My first podcast of 2020 and a chance to update you on the top bar hive project, Winter feeding and an exciting new collaboration for the coming season. I know it’s a cliche but where oh where did that year go? And what on earth is happening to the quiet time over this Winter period! It seems we’re now rushing towards the beginning of the beekeeping season and with so much work still...
Episode 91: The Top Bar Hive Project
January 17, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 91 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Here it is, as promised, Well, I’ve finally started my Top Bar Hive Project by getting into the workshop and watching Pete do all the woodwork! This week I’m discussing what the Top Bar Hive is all about, why I’ve chosen to give them a try and how we’re getting on building our very first hive. So the Top Bar Hive or TBH as I’m going likely abbreviate it to, is not totally new to me as I’ll explain b...
Episode 90: The Christmas Wish List 2019
January 10, 2020 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MBWith not many more days left until Christmas is upon us, I thought I would tell you all about my letter to Santa detailing the potential gift ideas he may want to consider. Stay tuned for some very hopeful gift ideas from someone who thinks he’s been good all year. It has to be said our British weather is so changeable, I’m looking out at another sunny morning but the forecast for tomorrow is of more heavy rain. We have to be grateful that we do enjoy such changes in the seasonal weather, ...
Episode 89: Oxalic Acid Treatments in Winter
December 27, 2019 07:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 89 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. With winter upon us, it’s time to talk oxalic acid treatments. So let’s look at what it is, how it works and the options available for beekeepers to take care of their bees this Winter. Links discussed in this week's podcast: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-medicines-directorate Research Paper discussed: Towards integrated control of varroa: 2)comparing application methods an...
Episode 88: Planning for 2020
December 20, 2019 08:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 88 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. It’s never too early to start planning for the new season so this week I’m starting to look at my plans for next year so stay tuned for some new hive plans and some thoughts on what we’ll be getting up to for 2020 Welcome to another podcast, and as I prepare this week’s update I’m looking at some very dull, grey skies outside. We’ve had more rain, although today is dry and we’re settling into that fa...
Episode 87: Our Beekeeping Season 2019
December 06, 2019 09:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 86 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. This week I’m taking a look back at how this season’s beekeeping has been for me personally and sharing my plans for next year as we head into the long Winter haul. Firstly, this week, I wanted to send my best wishes to all of the beekeepers around the globe currently dealing with the most unexpected and shocking losses of honeybee colonies through flood and wildfires. It’s easy to get caught up with...
Episode 86: Treatments, Trucks and Trailers
November 29, 2019 07:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 86 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, The bees are settling down for the long Autumn and Winter haul but here at Beekeeping HQ there’s seems to be more than ever to sort. Stay tuned for the latest update on my beekeeping journey including Trucks, Trailers and Treatments. Finally, I’m back on my feet and moving around with some degree of ease, this recent bout of back pain and particularly Sciatica has been quite troublesome and I really ...
Episode 85: October Questions and Answers
November 22, 2019 08:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 85 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, It’s the road to recovery for me and our regular monthly Questions and Answers session for everyone else! Firstly, Thank you, everyone, for your kind thoughts regarding my back problems, I’m hopeful that things are starting to settle down and normal service will soon be back. It’s been a frustrating period of time for me, and I really appreciate everyone’s messages of support, your patience and also ...
Episode 84: Bad Backs and Brood Box Capacity
October 18, 2019 07:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 84 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, This week I have a question for you, how big is your brood box? Having just taken ownership of my first 14 by 12 hives I thought I would take a look at how this brood box compares to the other hives I have, so stay tuned for some interesting results. Catch up with my latest podcasts here First up this week a little moaning whinge, I’m still suffering from a bad back and it’s really frustrating me, I...
Episode 82 Syrup for Autumn Feeding
October 11, 2019 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 82 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Following on from last week, today, I’m talking about Autumn preparations and looking at the sugar syrup I used to feed my bees through the Autumn to help the bees get through to next Spring. Catch up with the very latest podcasts here My Cycle Ride Challenge can be found here It’s been another busy week here in Norfolk and I’m spending a bit more time at the workshop sorting out replacement floors...
Episode 83: Autumn Syrup and Apiary Chat
October 11, 2019 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.15 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 83 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet, and this week I’m returning to the topic of Sugar Syrup and the various types available out there if you choose not to make your own and I’ve also been continuing the apiary clean up at the fishing lakes. The distractions continue and caused quite a disruption to my planned workload over the weekend. Late last Wednesday I finished tweaking the podcast, yes, I do in fact attempt to polish it by editin...
Episode 81: Feeders for Beehives
October 04, 2019 07:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 81 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. This week I’m looking at feeders for getting those all important stores into our colonies in time for the coming Autumn and Winter. Catch up with more of my beekeeping journey by checking out the continually growing content list on my Patreon page www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney Welcome back everyone to another podcast and a special hello to everyone studying at Penn State University over in the USA, p...
Episode 80 August Questions and Answers
September 27, 2019 07:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBSupport the Show.
Episode 79: Microscopes, What3Words and Pizza
September 20, 2019 07:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 79 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. I’ve got lots happening this week, wasps robbing, starving bees, an emergency location system and it’s pizza night at the beekeeping group. I recently posted a 60-second video to my Patreon page showing some wasps raiding a very weak colony, so weak in fact that the bees could do nothing to prevent the robbing. The colony was in fact a drone laying queen colony and was one I had decided to unite but ...
Episode 78: Cut Comb Honey, Tarts and Uniting Colonies
September 13, 2019 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBThis week I’m in the honey room preparing cut comb and chunk honey, cleaning up after extraction week and I’ve also been in the kitchen cooking up a fabulous Honey, Taleggio Cheese and Red Onion Tart so keep listening for the recipe. I’ve definitely seen a change in the activity within our colonies this last week, the local forage has all but disappeared and quite a number of our bees are now heading into urban gardens to seek out the strange and the unusual for those last few drops of nect...
Episode 77 - Summer Extraction Time
September 06, 2019 06:00 - 16 minutes - 11 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 77 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Who’d have thought we’d be extracting honey so soon, the Summer season has flown by and I’m heading into the honey room to get set up to extract the Summer supers over the weekend? Listen on for a rundown of my extraction set up and how I extract from over sixty colonies in a room that measures just 3 metres square. Check Out my Patreon Page HERE Equipment discussed in today's Podcast: Stainless Ste...
Episode 76: Thoughts for August
August 30, 2019 06:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 76 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. August has arrived and it’s time to start thinking about jobs that need to be completed in order to prepare the colonies for the colder months ahead. Another week and it’s been a period of changeable weather, a few more thundery showers mixed in with some bright, warm Summery days, fairly typical for the time of year really. We seem to have moved on from the heatwave and I don’t think we’ll see tempe...
Episode 75: Summer Heatwave and Varroa Treatments
August 23, 2019 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.47 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 75 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. I’m sat in my office preparing this week’s podcast in 32 degrees heat which for us beekeepers here in Norfolk in the UK is somewhat uncomfortable but as I gradually melt my thoughts are turning to Late Summer Treatments in preparation for the coming Autumn and Winter months ahead. I’d like to share with you my plans for treating my bees against varroa and talk a little about preparing my bees for the...
Episode 74: Ben's Swarm Question
August 09, 2019 07:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 74 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Catch up with the latest episodes HERE This week I’m following up on a question posted by one of our Patrons regarding swarm management and general inspections through the active season. If inspecting your bee hive gives you a feeling of impending doom each time, stay tuned and I’ll hopefully give you some pointers to make the whole task more relaxed. Before we get into the detail of Ben’s question ...
Episode 73: July's Questions and Answers
August 02, 2019 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 73 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. It’s our monthly Questions and Answers session today so stay tuned for some cracking questions and hopefully my helpful replies. Before we get into the questions my weekly round-up has the distinct taste of disaster about it and not really about beekeeping! As you may have seen by the pictures I’ve posted, the Ranger pick up has had yet another major malfunction, this time it’s the clutch. I was dri...
Episode 72 - Another July, Another Jobs List
July 26, 2019 06:00 - 16 minutes - 11.7 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 72 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. It’s July and the final month of our Summer nectar flow, the bees are busy filling Supers and we’ve been hit by another bout of CBPV. There are jobs that need attention for this month too, so keep listening for this week's updates. Welcome back to another weekly podcast and we somehow find ourselves in July and what is for me the final month of our Summer honey production. I’ve moved all of the bees ...
Episode 71 - Queen Cells and Wasps
July 19, 2019 06:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 71 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. The queen rearing is in full swing and I need to create more finisher colonies, stay tuned for more queen rearing chat and simple details of how to unite two colonies. More rain, thunder and lightning this past week, the night skies were lit up brightly overnight midweek and we had some very short sharp torrential rainfall. Being Summer, it tired up very quickly and by the following morning the roads...
Episode 70: June Gap and Grafting
July 12, 2019 06:00 - 13 minutes - 9.55 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 70 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. June Gap, what June Gap? The Blackberries are in flower locally here and that hopefully signals the beginning of the Summer flow, All we need now is some warm weather and the supers will begin to fill again. This week, I’m looking forward to a weekend of queen rearing so keep listening to hear how I’m preparing for that. Catch up with the very latest podcasts on my Patreon page here. The Fondant Ment...
Episode 69: Rain, Queen Rearing and Beekeeping Disasters
July 05, 2019 06:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 69 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. What a wet week we’re having, and guess which idiot decided it would be a good idea to move nucs to the mating apiary in preparation for the queen rearing. Stay tuned for my queen rearing update, getting stuck in the mud and other beekeeping disasters! Check out all my latest Podcasts HERE Apipasta Bee Fondant can be found Here BS Honey 2 in 1 Nuc boxes can be found Here Utterly drenched, that was...
Episode 68 - June Questions and Answers
June 28, 2019 06:00 - 21 minutes - 9.68 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 68 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. The weeks are flying by quickly now as we rush headlong into June and It’s time for our monthly Questions and Answers roundup. If you'd like to support us and help us create more content please check out our Patreon page www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney Sign up to my beekeeping newsletter at www.norfolk-honey.co.uk The syrup I mention in the podcast can be found at Happy Valley Honey's Website HERE The ...
Episode 67: Jobs for June and Progress Report
June 21, 2019 06:00 - 16 minutes - 7.47 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 67 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. After our first extraction session of the season, it’s time to consider what the month ahead will bring and also a brief update on how we’re doing so far. Check out my Patreon page here www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney So we’re just out of the honey room and I’ve enjoyed a decent early season crop of Oilseed Rape honey, even with the numerous splits and swarms we still managed to extract plenty of honey...
Episode 66: First Spring Extractions
June 14, 2019 06:00 - 17 minutes - 7.87 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 66 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. It’s been a busy week as we clear some of the supers ready for extraction and begin the process of moving hives to field beans. Join me each week for my latest podcast www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney This has to be one of the more exciting weeks of the year, as if beekeeping isn’t exciting enough, of course. We’ve been through the long, cold Winter……. well, it wasn’t that long or cold really and that s...
Episode 65: Queen Rearing Selection Criteria
June 07, 2019 07:00 - 15 minutes - 6.93 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 65 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. I’m gearing up to start my queen rearing program at the end of this month and so I thought I’d go over my selection criteria and maybe this year we’ll get some fantastic new queens. The books I refer to are available here: Queen Bee: Biology, Rearing and Breeding by David Woodward The Principles of Bee Improvement by Jo Widdicombe ( These are affiliate links which cost you no more than you would norm...
Episode 64: Questions and Answers May 2019
May 31, 2019 06:00 - 21 minutes - 9.96 MBThis week is my Questions and Answers week, for those of you listening for the first time, it’s where supporters from my Patreon page can post questions to me that they have maybe encountered and I’ll do my best to give an answer. If you’re listening via Patreon, my thanks for your continued support and for those of you listening to the later release of the podcast, don’t miss out on the latest podcast by simply signing up on my dedicate web page. Get the very latest podcast by visiting my w...
Episode 63 My Very First Swarm
May 24, 2019 09:00 - 13 minutes - 6.39 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 63 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. The bees have exploded into Spring and I’ve been out collecting swarms from various locations. Today I thought I’d share my memories of a very Special day back in the late 1980s when I collected my very first swarm. Check out my Patreon page for early access to all of my content including my weekly podcast: Stewarts Patreon Page Here's the picture of my very first swarm running up the board into the...
Episode 62: Buying a Nuc, Oil Seed Rape and Spring Update
May 17, 2019 07:00 - 20 minutes - 9.33 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 62 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. Oilseed Rape and Bees by Allan Calder BBKA Guidance Sheet on Buying a Nucleus Colony With May just around the corner, it’s a timely moment to talk about jobs for the coming month and also a little update on what my bees have been up to. The end of April and into the beginning of May sees a lot of colonies building up strongly which inevitably raises concerns about swarming again. We’ve had some r...
Episode 61 - Swarm Season is Here!
May 10, 2019 07:00 - 18 minutes - 8.59 MBIt’s Easter weekend, so a very Happy Easter to you all. Here in Norfolk, we’re expecting temperatures to rise to nearly 20 degrees centigrade, that’s around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s definitely T-Shirt weather and time to get some decent Spring inspections carried out. Check out my Patreon Page to support this podcast www.patreon.com/norfolkhoney Sign up to my fortnightly newsletter here www.norfolk-honey.co.uk We’ve been waiting patiently since late Winter for our warmer weather to ki...
Episode 60: April Q&A
May 03, 2019 07:00 - 25 minutes - 11.6 MBAnother week another challenge here in Norfolk. I’ve managed to tweak my recurring back problem again and that’s causing some fun issues for me, particularly putting my socks on, however, it happened after we moved around 50 of our colonies to the Oil Seed Rape pollination and I think it was probably just tiredness and no doubt laziness that caused it so I’m resting up for a few days and hopefully it will be fine. I really must look into some lifting gear to help move hives around more easil...
Episode 59: First Spring Inspections Get Started
April 26, 2019 07:00 - 15 minutes - 7.2 MBHi, I’m Stewart Spinks and welcome to Episode 59 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet. We’re finally into some early Spring inspections and I’m gearing up to move some bees to their first nectar flow of the season. Welcome back and this week has seen that lovely warm early Spring disappear down a rabbit hole and we’re once again back down to more normal temperatures for the time of year. A lot of days over the past week have been down into the single figures, temperature wise and the l...