The Beekeeper's Shed

Over a year ago, Greg and Maggie gave us a garden shed - except it was in a flat pack, and got put away to be stored safely under the VW Kombi until Mac had time to erect it. I despaired of that ever happening, but didn't like to nag. However, after well over a decade since it's front was smashed, it is, according to the brother-in-law, time to do up the kombi. Which involves moving the flat pack and moving all my beekeeping gear out of the garage. So building the shed was killing two birds with one stone. Mac being Mac, it had to be done properly. No dirt floor with pallets - A concrete slab was required. A good thing, admittedly, given the winds we get here.

The walls and roof panels were all assembled in the garage over a period of time with Steven's help. Heidi, Greg and I all pitched in at various times to peel the protective layer of plastic off, which was harder than it sounds, and a job Mac hated.

We then needed lots of us to hold things steadily together while it was assembled. Steven and Heidi, and Pat and Colin all helped. It's very handy having Steve and Heidi living here at the moment, and Pat and Colin living just 800 metres down the road! (Though if you count our driveways, it's 1800 metres.)

The doors were the last things to be added - this one is waiting by the clean honey extractor, which seems appropriate.

Pat, Colin and Mac.

That's the peening stool for my scythe on the right, and beside it, space waiting for my garden spade, fork etc. The small end of the shed.

And all my bee gear, tidy and organised at the other end!

I've been making bee magnets with magnetic strips and nail varnish.

 I'd really like a painting of a beehive on the end of the shed, but have no faith in my ability to do that, so gradually I'll make a whole bunch of bees to stick on the wall.

With my new bee shed and my new bee shoes, I feel like a real (hobbyist) beekeeper!

Honey

Having lost two of my bee hives in autumn last year due to a nasty combination of varroa mites and wasps, and the third at the end of winter due to the disappearance of the queen, I managed to collect a swarm in November, and then bought two nucs. Unfortunately the cold wet November / early December meant they survived but did not thrive - a terrible beginning, and the first time I have ever fed my bees. Anyway, they have eventually come right, and should go into winter strong, provided nothing bad happens.

I didn't expect to get any honey this year, and really just wanted to get them healthy. However the swarm hive suddenly took off and we were able to harvest 10 full depth frames, and 5 3/4 depth frames - 30.522kgs!

Uncapping the honey. Note my beautiful glass bee hanging in the window - a gift from my friend, Chantal, all the way from England.

Mac spinning the honey out.

 Pale, runny honey - delicious.

 My sister-in-law, Pat, came up the road to see what it was all about, so got roped in for a while.

Mac discovering that uncapping isn't easier than I made it look!

Honey Extraction Day

Waitangi Day was hot, sticky and delicious. Mac, Greg, Simon, Ti'ana and I extracted 38.4kg of honey.

First Greg and I took the honey boxes off the hives.

 

 Then the frames have to be uncapped.

 

The honey is spun out of the frames using centrifugal force.

 

 

 

 The honey is drained from the extractor through a tap at the bottom, and strained through cotton cloth into buckets.  (Simon actually did do some work - as did Mac - but we don't seem to have any photos to prove it.)

Despite appearances, I was actually pouring the honey into glass jars, not into the tadpole tank.

 And honey!

 

Then clean up - the yummiest time of the day!

A job well done - thanks Simon, Greg and Ti'ana.

Life on the Land in June

It's nearly the shortest day, and I know that the worst of winter comes in July, but still, days like today are miraculous. It's great to be reminded of how lucky I am to live in such a lovely place.

 When my friend Susan and her family moved back to the States way back at the beginning of the century, she dug up her wedding anniversary rose and brought it to live with us. It hasn't grown well in our winds, but determinedly keeps on growing - and today I found one bloom, near the base of the plant.

 These bulbs came from my friend Margaret,and what a sweet reminder that spring will come round in its time.

 

 I first got pineapple sage from my mother, and have had it every since. She died nearly 25 years ago, so I guess I've had this lovely winter flowering herb for about 35 years. Can you see the bee? They can't get down into the flowers, so they nip a hole in the base, and steal the nectar.

 Gorse. A weed. Yet it has a delicate and delicious fragrance - and it is buzzing with bees at this time of the year - a staple of their winter diet.

 The other winter staple is tagasaste.

 You can see some of the bees with the pollen they have gathered in pollen sacks on their legs.

 

And the bumblebees make sure they get more than their fair share.

The one last ancient chook left. She's blind in one eye, and the other eye isn't so great either, but she can still find her way to the water bowl and the Grandpa's Feeder, and although she quite often falls asleep standing up, she still enjoys a bit of sun and a dust bath. She's served her time as a great layer, so I don't begrudge the old lady her retirement.

 It's pretty hard to tell the difference between the new chooks (hatched at the end of January) and the older girls. Of the six who have almost made it to adulthood, I still don't know how many are roosters - I think half, but still can't be sure.

 These are two of the young ones.

 The nashi leaves are still lying on the grass, and there's even a few clinging to the tree.

 

 Will our sugar cane make it through the winter? I've been out covering it with frost cloth, and we have planted lots of tagasaste around (see the electric fence standards used as markers.)

 The little grapefruit tree is promising a good batch of marmalade, as long as the pesky possums don't get to them - hence the trap.

 The lemons have suddenly started ripening up - we have gone from almost enough to too many in just a week.

 And way, way too many limes.

 The garlic, three types, is planted.

 Can't wait for spring peas - I've never grown them at this time of the year before, but they are looking good.

Assorted greens, which may or may not come to anything.

The broad beans are growing well and some have started to flower already - that garden will be alive with bumblebees shortly.

 We have chard,

 and carrots,

 and leeks,

 and parsley,

 and excessive amounts of New Zealand spinach,

 and rhubarb

 and Cape Gooseberries

 and Chilean guava. ( As well as the harvested onions, pumpkins and potatoes.)

 

 I have relocated some of the strawberry plants (and re-homed about a hundred and fifty so far.)

 

 But it's a glorious day, perfect for sitting in the sun.

 Morning tea: lemon and honey drink, gatherings from the garden, and a handful of almonds (not home-grown, but home soaked and dried.)

Life is good.