Happy Earth Day.

In celebration of Earth Day 2011, Bill and I hived two packages of Honey Bees. We were actually expecting the packages yesterday, but it was kinda nice to get them for Earth day. I chose the video below because he does it the gentle way. We are not big about slamming the package against the hive frames and knocking the bees out. We prefer to put and empty hive box on the hive bottom board. Place the package of bees in the empty box. Open the package and remove the syrup can and queen cage. Then we place a box of frames over the open package and place the queen cage in the middle of the frames, and let the bees leave the package on their own. A week later we will go back in and remove the empty box and package and make sure the queen is out of her cage.

June Honey Report is out.

You can read it here. Most Beekeepers in Northeast Oklahoma are reporting good Hive conditions and some surplus. I was able to extract a shallow super for a modest harvest. Thanks to the City of Tulsa for limited mowing, and Mother Nature for abundant rain, the Clover and Dandelion flow went for a extended period time. The Bee's are hitting the Pepper Vine heavily now, and the Poison Ivy flow should start in a week or so. I hope to get a modest fall harvest.

I am still in the process of learning the Backward Beekeeping methods and manipulation. I just feel that going forwards by going backwards in the path for me. It just makes more sense to me.

USDA Honey Report for February

USDA Honey report for February has been revised.

Deconstructing Dinner,

This spring Beekeepers discovered a 90% loss on Vancouver Island. Deconstructed Dinner has an interview with Paul van Westendorp, provincial apiculturist, ministry of agriculture & lands, Province of British Columbia and Bob Liptrot, co-owner, Tugwell Creek Honey Farm & Meadery (Sooke, BC) about the collapse. You can listen online or if you have a slow connection you can download the program.

In case you missed it...

Kim Flottum editor of Bee Culture Magazine and author of The Backyard Beekeeper. will be the keynote speaker at Bee Buzz this weekend. Rich Fisher interviewed him this week on Studio Tulsa. You can listen to the Interview online.

Big Bee Buzz Starts Tonight.

Registration Starts at 5:30.

Eastside Christian Church.

15th and Harvard

Countdown to Bee Buzzzzzzz

Bee Buzzz is March 19 and 20th. This is the annual NEOBA Trade Show and Workshop. Cost is $25.00 for Friday night and Saturday.

Friday:

5:30pm Registration.
6:00pm Opening Announcements and Welcome.
7:00om BBQ Dinner.

Saturday:

8:30am to 4pm
Speakers and Vendors and Pot Luck Lunch.

It will be held at Eastside Christian Church, 15th & Harvard Ave.

This is a good opportunity to get to know the Honey Bee community here in North East Oklahoma. If you are thinking about getting started with Honey Bees you might find some local Beekeepers who still have some Bees for sale.

Regular NEOBA meetings are the second Monday of the month at Eastside Christian Church at 6:30 pm. This meeting will be the annual plant exchange.

Honey Report for December.

We had a very interesting NEOBA meeting last week. The December meeting is a time to reflect on the previous year and share your accomplishments or disasters. I didn't feel when about half the beekeepers complained about little or no Honey this year. I ended the year with one hive (hopefully) having enough honey stored to survive the winter and one in chaos. Not sure if they will make it or not. The big topic at the meeting was a desire to built up the bee industry here in Northeastern Oklahoma. So with that in mind, if you want to start keeping Honey Bees now is the time you place your orders. I limited experience has me to recommend buying Okie survivor stock. Usually you can find bees for sale on Craigslist, or you can hookup with someone on the NEOBA Group. Here is the USDA Honey Report for December

October Honey Report

The USDA Honey Report for October. I think this year was hit and miss for local Beekeepers. I didn't get any honey from my hives. I did get stung 3 times when I was moving the hives to my new location. I am seeing lots of pollen coming in so the Bees have adjusted to the move and seem to be foraging.

August Honey Report

Here is the latest USDA Honey Report. Time to kick the guys out of the hive. Don't need any men to feed this winter.

Saving Bees: What we know now.

I was over working in the yard of my Bungalow, and there were Chives in bloom from gardens long past. I notices several Honey Bees working the blossoms so I left the plants for the bees to utilize. The other day I was in the middle of downtown and I saw some insects flying around a elm tree in the parking lot of Trinity Church. After closer inspection I identified them as Honey Bees collecting propolis. I don't know if there is a hives downtown or the Bees are ferrel, but it is a good sign to see so many Honey Bees living in an Urban Area. My hives would be about two miles from where I saw the Bees foraging. I know they are not the right color to be from my Italian Hive, but could be from my Okie mutt hive. Here is a article from the New York Times updating us on Colony Collapse Disorder.

Wonderful Idea.

If you have to plant plants. You might as well plant something useful.

In my quest to eat more honey.

I happened to come across a Paula Deen recipe for a green bean salad. In classical cooking this would be the base for a Salad Nicoise. Of course I altered the recipe to use honey and it turned out very tasty. This makes a large bowl to serve at a cook out or pot luck. For those of you who preserve your green beans and new potatoes together this recipe is perfect to make a quick salad out of them.

Take 3 pounds of medium size red potatoes. Cut them in half,then quarter the halves. You want them bite size but not too small. Cook them until tender. You want them done but still firm enough to hold their shape.

Take two pounds of green beans. I used two frozen bags because my fresh green beans didn't make it this year. Cook the green beans per directions on the bag. If you are using fresh from the garden you will need to cook them longer. Just like the potatoes you want them done, but not chewy or mushy.

You could use canned potatoes and green beans and fore go the cooking process.

It is very important that you drain your potatoes and green beans well. If they are too wet the dressing will not coat them and the salad will be watery.

Dressing:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup of dijon or grain mustard
1/4 cup of honey.

Adjust mustard and honey to taste. I ended up adding more honey. You want it thick enough to coat the potatoes and green beans.

Toss potatoes, beans and dressing together. Salt and pepper to taste. Paula recommends serving at room temperature. I chilled it overnight so I could safely leave the salad out during the picnic. It does taste better at room temperature, but be careful as to how long it sits out. Potatoes will go bad quickly in warm weather.

Rule number one: No Swatting.

I was in a bee yard a few months ago standing about 100 feet from the hives when I got stung. I didn't swat the bee but I did quickly remove the stinger from my leg. The bees last act before dieing what to release the panic pheromone. Before I could react I was suddenly surrounded by thousands of bees. No one had a smoker lit and I wasn't wearing protection because I wasn't planning on being around the hives. The other beekeepers asked me to go sit in the car, which at the time seemed like a good idea. After I left the scene, the Bees calmed down. This story illustrates just how quickly an alarm pheromone can signal bees to attack. First of all I don't think it is natural to moved hives around. Stress could be a factor in causing the attack. But when you make your living moving hives around for pollination, you make overlook some behavior problems because it may cut into your profits. I hope the young man recovers.

How to reassure the public.

When you place an apiary on the rooftop of the convention center in the middle of a metropolitan center you have to do something to reassure the public. We don't need no stinkin veil these Bees love me.

I may have posted about this group before.

I heard about the Chicago Honey Co-op sometime back and I really admire the service to the community they provide. Here in Tulsa this group and apiary would be illegal. I don't know why Tulsa and Oklahoma politicians stay awake at night trying to think of new laws to stop the local beekeepers from packaging and selling their honey. Seems like someone doesn't like the "buy fresh buy local" or "buy from the producer" model of business. I could see them using draconian measures in response to a major outbreak of honey born illness, but I don't think anyone can produce evidence or scientific research to backup the need for all these current and proposed regulations. Sometimes you just have to wonder who is behind all of this???

Darn I missed it.

Yesterday was National Honey Bee Awareness Day. Maybe we should give the Honey Bee a whole weekend. Seems fitting to me.

USDA Honey Report for July

Here is the USDA Honey Report for July. Prices seem to be stagnate. Most Beekeepers are telling me supplies are tight with little extra honey to extract. The report claims demand is high for local honey. I have not extra honey. Being a beginner my Bees seem to be storing plenty for themselves but are still drawing out the comb in my supers.

NEOBA is moving.

Good but sad. NEOBA has out grown the Extension Office facilities. Starting in September, meetings will be held at Eastside Christian Church on the NE corner of 15th and Harvard.

NEOBA Meeting

Tonight at 6:30pm Tulsa County Extension Office on 15th Street just east of Amory.