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| Peter
and Robin demonstrating |
Welcome
to the August 2002 issue of Bromley News.
The end of the beekeeping season arrives. Out of my seven hives four
have produced an excellent crop and are ready for harvesting. I have
the luxury to be able to plan my annual holidays around my beekeeping,
for other amateur beekeepers this may not be possible. You should
bear in mind that anti-Varroa treatments applied too late in the season
will have reduced effectiveness, and possible consequences for your
beekeeping neighbours. Having a timetable will focus everybody's efforts.
This is how I intend to perform military operations with my hives.
10-11th August - Go round all out apiaries and fit Canadian
Clearer Boards or similar.
14-16th August - Remove all supers from each hive during the
early evenings and put each super in a plastic bag to seal them up.
At the same time install Apistan or Bayvarol strips.
17-18th August - Start extracting in the honey house, carefully
selecting frames with lighter honey to extract first, something worth
doing if you was thinking of entering in light honey classes.
14th September The Bromley and Orpington Honey Show.
Start thinking NOW about the branch honey show and what exhibits
you will be entering. Success is all down to preparation and attention
to detail. The National Honey Show website support pages give lots
of useful information about preparing exhibits. Go to the URL: http://www.honeyshow.co.uk/support.shtml.
For a copy of the Bromley and Orpington Honey Show Schedule contact
Peter Bashford Tel: 020 8656 7990. I’m hoping that you will also be
able to download a schedule from the Bromley branch website thus saving
on postage.
On a routine visit to my allotment apiary I found vandals had pushed
over one of my hives, I think its no coincidence it happened at the
start of the school holidays. I was naturally very upset by this kind
of stupidity, the brood box was on its side and the supers and frames
where scattered around. This was a small stock on about 4 frames which
was building up slowly and didn’t have any honey in the supers. After
putting it back together you would think nothing had happened.
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| New
members David and Jane enjoying some fresh honey comb |
Internet
News
One
of the best beekeeping newsletters produced is by the Federation
of Berkshire Beekeepers Association. The August issue gives a lot
of general beekeeping advice and beekeeping news which deserves wider
readership. These newsletters can be downloaded from the Northern
Bee Books website:
http://www.beedata.com/news/fbbanewsletters.htm
Improved
web version of this newsletter with photographs
http://www.kentbee.com/bromley/newsletters/augustbbk02.htm
Apis-UK the FREE beekeeping web magazine. Download Apis-UK
The August 2002 issue will soon be published http://www.beedata.com/apis-uk/index.htm
FREE
PLUG Park Beekeeping Supplies http://www.pbs.kentbee.com
Item
for Sale SOLD 14/08/02
Electric honey extractor Polythene, radial. Only used for one season
on two hives, ideal for club/group or just a busy apiarist. Price
£400-500 new, looking for £300 ono. Contact Nigel Mercier
Tel: 07811-198719 or E-mail nigel.mercier2002@virgin.net Collect from
Cranbrook, Kent.
Steven
Turner
Apiary
News
I suppose the most exciting moment of last month was when 48 visitors
from Poland turned up at the Apiary at short notice as a sort of return
visit of our last year's visit to Posnan. It was great to see them
again and they enjoyed the activities in the apiary despite the horrible
weather. Our member Marion Makulski did wonders with the translations
and our Tony was really in his element and had a wonderful time. We
managed to mark a queen and inspected one or two of the mini nuc's
although that last operation was carried out under our tarpaulin due
to yet another cloudburst. Never mind, a good time was had by all.
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| 48
Polish Beekeepers visit Bromley apiary |
We
have all been invited to John Farrar's Apiary on Sunday 4th of
August at 3:00pm. You will find his apiary at the junction of
Malling Way and Eastry Avenue. There is a footpath that goes round
to the right and then straight on across the allotments. Please give
John a ring if you intend turning up Tel: 020 8462 5164. I must apologise
for the short notice but I was only informed about the event a week
ago.
The
queen rearing is well under way at our home apiary but the latest
call on my time is the Horniman Observation Hive that has needed modifying.
More anon.
Our
next meeting at the apiary will be on August the 18th at 3:00pm.
That of course follows Clive and Jack's BBQ at their apiary at Dorset
Road on Saturday 17th August at 4:00pm an event not to be missed.
Again please give him a call on 020 8658 3786 .Mobile: 0777 1990034
Another important event this month is Cudham Village Fair on Monday
26th August. Please find us some of your honey that we can sell,
and if you can spare an hour or two helping on the stand it will be
very much appreciated.
Sunday the 1st of September sees the resumption of our Sunday
morning meetings which take place at 11:45 and carry on through until
June of next year.
The
honey flow for me has been a little disappointing but hopefully you
have had a more satisfactory experience. Swarms have taken a lot of
attention not all mine I hasten to say but other peoples. Hopefully
I can re-queen some of my new stocks, which were all from swarms and
hope for better results next year.
Peter
Springall
Diary
Dates
Saturday 17th August 4.00pm
Barbecue at Clive Watson's allotment apiary, Dorset Road, Beckenham,
Kent. All beekeepers are welcome, please ring Clive so he has an idea
of the numbers coming. TEL: 020 8658 3786 Mobile: 0777 1990034
Sunday 18th August 3.00pm
The branch apiary meeting. Beekeeping demonstrations and hive management.
Tea and biscuits provided.
Monday 26th August - August Bank Holiday 12pm-5pm (outside
event)
Cudham Village Annual Show and Fate.
Sunday 1st September 11.45am
The branch apiary meeting. Beekeeping demonstrations and hive management.
Tea and biscuits provided.
Saturday 14th September - The Bromley and Orpington Honey
Show and Beekeeping exhibition. Opens to the public at 2.30pm
FREE ENTRY.
Emmanuel Church, The Grove, West Wichham, Kent.
See quality products of the hive; buy pure English honey; things for
kids to do; watch the bees at work safely behind glass in the demonstration
hive; beekeeping exhibits and more. Refreshments available.
For
more information
Peter Springall 020-8690-3906 Mobile: 07779970104 E-Mail
Tom Winks Chairman 020-8777-3144
Clive Watson 020-8658-3786
Steven Turner (editor) 020-8698-0313 E-Mail
Visit our website www.kentbee.com/bromley
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