A disappointing season
Well, it's been one of the poorest honey seasons I can remember — for me in Hampshire, Southern England, anyway. I took a first good look at my bees since mid-June (I leave them well alone during the main nectar flow from about the end of June to mid-July) and was so disappointed at the yield that I wondered if they had swarmed or if they had disease. Neither appeared to be the case, and I can only put the poor harvest down to miserable weather during the critical period. Of course the weather is wonderful now. But it's too late, except for colonies near heather which will now be yielding.
In all, I would estimate that each colony yielded about 30 to 40 lbs (15 to 20 kgs) which is my worst-ever harvest in ten years of beekeeping.
To add insult to injury, one bee got underneath my veil, tangled up in my rather thick hair and became so distraught that it committed its version of hari-kari there and then by stinging me. It's the first time a bee has penetrated my thatch, and I didn't appreciate it.
Still, I must look on the bright side: at least I don't have so much extracting to do this year.
In all, I would estimate that each colony yielded about 30 to 40 lbs (15 to 20 kgs) which is my worst-ever harvest in ten years of beekeeping.
To add insult to injury, one bee got underneath my veil, tangled up in my rather thick hair and became so distraught that it committed its version of hari-kari there and then by stinging me. It's the first time a bee has penetrated my thatch, and I didn't appreciate it.
Still, I must look on the bright side: at least I don't have so much extracting to do this year.
posted by Turlough | 18:34
1 Comments:
Turlough, I was not able to link to rules and regs. Do the same rules apply if you sell honey over the net? How can the government regulate internet sales? I was thinking of the sale of prescription drugs over the net and how the US has not been successful in regulating that market.
Sorry to read about your low honey yield.
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