Newest Hive Split Report

When I created the 3rd hive with a queen who was barely making it. When I received my new queen her attendants were all dead in the queen shipping box but she seemed to be in good shape. I installed the queen and she took.

Of course, when I readied the hive for fall and winter, I realized it was feeling light and I had some decisions to make. I left it where it was - knowing that I would have to feed it all winter because the hive did not have a lot of stores.

Then, we have had this crazy, crazy weather - too warm, sudden strong winds, rain storms and a night down to 4 degrees!

I took some raw sugar to the hive yesterday to give them something to "chew" on on a warm day and found that the bees were out foraging and there was quite a bit of activity at the entrance of the hive.

Go bees! Cross your fingers for them.

Flemish Bowstrings, Quivers, Trapper Baskets and more

Just sent this email to possible wholesale clients in NJ. If you are interested, please let me know.

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Have you ever wished to have a local supplier for Flemish bowstrings for your customers? Well, that’s a service that I can provide.

I have been building strings for 4 years now and have recently added Excalibur-type Flemish strings for crossbows to my list of available strings.

I can provide either Brownell or BCY strings in Dacron or FastFlight. I include padded loops with the modern materials which helps to absorb some of the energy after the arrow is cast. Adding that little bit of cushion helps to provide some protection to the bow limb tips.

Wholesale accounts are welcome as are custom orders? If you would like to know more or order some strings, please contact me at (609) 534-0087 or email me at pola@webmavennj.com (Ask me about retail or individual sales too.)

As a weaver I also craft hand-woven quivers from reed and oak. The quivers can be custom ordered with color, all natural or with a walnut stain. Trappers Pack Baskets are also available.

I am a traditional archer who hunts, shoots and fishes. I have been weaving for almost twenty years. Let me weave something for your customers.

Handmade Christmas at Murray Grove 11/9/11

Handmade Christmas at Murray Grove, a group on Flickr.

So my home is way too small to host a holiday trunk show for myself and my friends. Partnering with Murray Grove Retreat Center, I can now have a Trunk Show party with some refreshments, a little wine, some music and lots of shopping.

I feel like I am having a Christmas Party for a couple hundred of my closest friends. I have my Christmas Tree out of storage and plan on making some Christmas Cookies just to get in the mood.

More on original hives

With all this heat and dryness (not counting the yucky humidity), I wanted to make sure that my original two bee hives were doing well and having plenty to eat and drink. I headed out there today to fill the division feeders and put the beetle traps in place.

They were doing well and the bees were hanging around the outside of the hives trying to deal with the heat. It surprises me that I have so much in common with my bees.

I hope to get some photos the next time that I inspect the hives. It's been a while and I would like to have more photos.

Checking in on the new hive

Added the 2nd hive body today with the division board feeder. Those bees are growing in numbers and their disposition was good. They could have cared less about what I was up to because they were busy.

I'm pleased with their progress and it seems like the queen is doing well and laying eggs in a good pattern.

This hive is going to go to my friend's home in Medford in August. I'm really excited.

Update on New Queen

It's been a week since the hive was split and they both appear to be doing well. I was excited to see that the new queen had been released from the cage and the attendants cleaned out. On inspection, there appeared to be brood in various stages of development although I did not disturb it for too long - only long enough to give additional food.

Already thinking about getting all the hives prepared for winter.

Summer Split

I have been thinking about it for a while but wasn't ready for my split in the spring. Now, I have a friend that has offered to let me put a hive in his yard in Medford. On Sunday, Mike Long of Uriah Creek Apiary, brought me a queen -- My first queen outside of my original hive delivery. I had to get ready to get her hived.

Went over to Nature's Rescue and split one of my hives -- took 4 frames of brood and shook off a 5th frame of bees into the new hive and placed the queen carefully between two of the frames. Then, closed up the hive (already had a screen in place) and brought the new hive over to the Lighthouse Center to beef up for several weeks.

Fed them a sugar solution from a bag feeder and am hoping that everything takes. I checked yesterday (Monday, 7/4) and there are bees flying in and out so I am hopeful.

Going out tomorrow morning to feed the original two hives and check on how they are doing. Also, going to check on the weight of my honey supers. I'm looking forward to my first taste of honey from my own hives. Now, all I have to do is figure out how I am going to extract it.