Martin B Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I have just negotiated the tenancy of an orchard on a farm in a neighbouring village. They specifically want bees to be kept on the orchard and I was more than happy to oblige. I am all booked in for a beekeeping course in January through to mid April on Wednesday nights. I am hoping to get the bees on the orchard in April so that they have the whole season ahead of them! The orchard contains 25-30 apple trees, about 10 pear trees, a further 10 damson/plum trees and it is also full of blackberry, raspberry and elderberry bushes. I am also hoping for a good supply of fruit aswell. The orchard is inbetween hundreds of acres of oilseed rape fields aswell. I am so excited!!!!! Bzzzzzzzzz!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Congratulations. You had better get a bigger freezer and start collecting jam jars.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Martin, that's fantastic! Well done! Good luck with the bees - I'm so envious now . Bees AND an orchard! You lucky, lucky boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Congratulationas Martin, it sounds fabulous! You will be soooooo busy next year, right through to the end of Autumn. There are so many wonderful ways to preserve the harvest. Don't forget things like flavoured vodka. Best of luck with your new endeavour, and I look forward to reading about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Congratulations Martin!!!! You're going to have sooooooooooooo much fun with Rape Honey We'll see you on the course....... Do you know where you will get your bees from yet? - if not, drop an email to Mike and tell him you'll be needing some in April - there was a waiting list this year for a nuc. of bees........... and start saving for a hive......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 Are you going too! Wow! Will be nice to see a friendly face. I have no idea where I am going to get my bees from, I thought they'd tell us on the course! Hive saving has started. Thanks again. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 It may be too late once the course has started - that's what happened at the Warwick and Leamington one this year. We're doing it as a refresher course - and we've now joined Stratford Beekeepers as we had no help in the end from W&L - we were supposed to have a mentor We bought our hive locally - I'll send you details...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 Look forward to those details. I've just dropped Mike a line via email regarding bee waiting list. Thanks again, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Congratulations Martin how fab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 W&L - we were supposed to have a mentor I've been told I will have a mentor when I join up. I need to work out how much I need to save. I have a figure in my head which I will not disclose on the forum which should include everything. It's not cheap, so it better be worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Well done Martin You are going to be so busy I am quite jealous of all you have achieved. When I was looking for a Bumblebee hive I came across this site www.fragile-planet.co.uk which has a polysterene hive that was reasonably priced and all the gear you need as well. Good luck in your lastest venture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Wonderful news Martin I look forward to hearing all your adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 my dad has kept bees for years,I am terrified of them but I love honey and there is nothing to beat the real stuff. The orchard bit I am very jealous about I love tree fruits of all kinds and would love to have an orchard with chickens scratching around in it, aaah dreams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 That is brilliant news Martin, I am soooo jealous And well done you for saving up forit as well. Just wait until I tell Rosie - she will be so impressed. What do your folks say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 What do your folks say? Don't know haven't told them. Only joking, they are bemused as normal. They think I have now totally lost it but they don't mind as usual. Shouldn't tell anyone this but I'm hoping to get some more chickens next year aswell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Will they be kept in the orchard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Will they be kept in the orchard? I was just going to ask the same thing. How exciting Martin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 No! They will be kept in the garden! 2 Battery Hens ordered for me and my aunty says she wants me to get her 6 aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam42 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I'm so jealous. I would really like to keep bees but haven't got anywhere to keep them and the fruit would be very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 No! They will be kept in the garden! I can see your mum will love that Martin - trying to sit in your garden with a quiet cup of coffee.... surrounded by hens and bees! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted December 20, 2007 Author Share Posted December 20, 2007 Bees are on the Orchard. Chickens in the garden. Mum in the front room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Bees are on the Orchard. Chickens in the garden. Mum in the front room. or I suppose she could use the main road at the front? Your poor parents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenarees Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Hello, I'm very interested in this as 5 years ago we planted around the same amount of fruit trees and also 250 blueberry bushes, do you know the reasons they requested to keep the bees in the orchard. Also I'm assuming that the orchard has grass around the trees, have you got any ideas on keeping the grass neat? Ideally I'd like to graze sheep under the fruit trees but I need to convince my OH as he's not keen on animals or bees!. Thanks Helena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Try a a goat, but watch out, because they eat anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 They will certainly eat the blueberries as they are low growing The owner would want to have bees for the pollination of all the fruit trees. A few farmers will ask for beekeepers to move their bees to an area for them to pollinate crops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
