What’s Happening 2005
In the September issue of the Buzz we asked “What’s
Happening”? This is a chance to find out how your fellow
beekeepers faired this 2005 honey season. We would love to hear
from anyone about their experiences this year. The ups and the
downs, it’s all about learning. Feel free to send us your
story, paragraph, or simple observations to
TheBuzz@ABuzzAboutBees.com
This month John Bryner of Roland, Iowa has done
a wonderful job of answering the “What’s Happening?”
suggested questions. Thanks for your story John!
What was better than expected?
For the second time, the bees didn't swarm. June 28, 2005 my 3
hives yielded 205 pounds honey, put up in glass jars, labeled,
sold 168# to a Nevada girl to sell at camp. My son sold 60# to
his boss to put in Christmas stockings for the employees. My barber
bought two 2# jars. My NADL colleague bought two 2# jars for sinusitis
relief. I realize that's more than 205 pounds, but I'm a little
ahead of my story.
I have 5 acres on which I threw handsfull of white Dutch clover
seed, and we have had rain in Roland almost every week since March,
thus lots of nectar. The bees got busy again after the shock of
extracting their spring work, cleaned out the combs and brought
in 310 pounds more honey for me to harvest August 15, 2005. Honey
extracted and put up in half pound, one pound, and two pound glass
jars, labeled, all ready to go; but don't know how to put all
that sweet honey on tables in Roland and Story City. ( I still
have 5 cases (12 2# glass jars) of honey I'm trying to sell for
$5/jar, or by the case @ $2/pound.)
Any big surprises?
Last year (2004) I had to start over because my little colonies
died in the winter. In April 2004, I bought a nuc of Buckfast
and a package of Carnelian. I was amazed how fast they exploded
and filled their 2 hive bodies and started to fill supers. I borrowed
4 frames of brood and eggs from the Buckfast hive for a new hive
body and after ~7 weeks I found a new queen and active bees for
a third colony. I was able to harvest over 200 pounds of honey
in September 2004 from my 3 new colonies and brought them through
the winter 2004-2005 in good condition.
Did you learn something the hard way?
I'm not sure I learned anything! I started as a new beekeeper
in 1999 with one nuc. The bees swarmed that summer, and I had
to start over in 2000. In that year I had a little luck and was
able to harvest about 40 pounds of honey with my new 2-frame extractor.
I added another nuc; the bees swarmed and I struggled to get through
the winter with one weak colony. Both 2002 and 2003 were bad years
as far as my beekeeping, but I was trying to maintain 2 or 3 colonies,
and didn't get much honey. I suppose I learned to take out the
entrance restrictor at the right time in spring, feed the bees
in winter, and stop moving the fames of brood from the middle
to the sides of the box, and other things. I was too anxious to
experiment with new ideas, and the bees were doing their natural
thing, but not always liking my experiments.
My penchant for experimentation comes from my
lifetime career as a research scientist with microorganisms, not
with bees. When I lost a few million bacteria it was no big deal.
When the queen flew away with all the bees, or died off because
of mismanagement, it was fatal. I like to think I did something
right this year and last. Two years gave me 700+ pounds starting
with 2 colonies. Oh well, nothing like 102 barrels of honey like
Phil reported for 2005.
Was it the best of years?
As far as my hobby of beekeeping goes, this year of 2005 has been
the best of years. God has been so good to me to give me 80 years
to enjoy my work and family and my part-time activities. In spite
of my aches and pains, I'm still able to get up at 5am and walk
3 to 5 miles, garden, and cut the grass and weeds.
Are you ready to do it all again next year?
No! I may not bee a beekeeper ever again. The job became overwhelming
with my other duties, so I sold my bees and equipment to a nice
young man in August, and I hope he enjoys them as much as I have
for the past seven years. We miss the bees at the birdbaths, already!...but,
come next March, I may get the itch to get a nuc or package of
bees, just to pollinate the fruit and nut trees.
Finally, I'm happy to tell you that my son Doug and my wife Barbara
sold honey at the office, to help collect money to erect a beautiful
granite monument this year in Germany, to honor the memory of
my 9 aircrewmen and 13 German citizens who died in WW-II when
our B-17 crashed 60 years ago on 22 March 1945 in Grossraschen,
Germany.
John Bryner
59096 130th Street
Roland, Iowa 50236
