New honey bees arrive at my farm
This past winter was especially long and very cold and the bees in my hives did not fare well. We decided to start fresh this spring with all new hives in a new location, giving the bees more unobstructed access to the hives from all directions. We enlisted Guy Hodges of Bee Guy Apiaries LLC in South Salem, New York. Most new beehives are started with a 3-pound package of live bees, which contains approximately 12,000 honeybees, including one queen! For my hives, Guy ordered three packages from Wilbanks Apiary in Claxton, Georgia.
Inside each ventilated package is a can of syrup to nourish the bees during their journey and the all-important queen cage. It's absolutely necessary to keep the queen separate from the bees inside the box, as they are from different hives. Until their respective odors mix and become one, the bees will kill the queen rather than protect her. The queen can safely be introduced into the hive after about a week. Please enjoy these photos of the buzz at the farm!
I enjoyed all the photos. Very interesting learning about your bees. Keep us posted.
Posted by: JK | May 14th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Thanks for the post on your newbees, ha! I'm always amazed at the societal structure that bees have! They were busy on the trip, couldn't wait to impress you with their industry and willingness to work hard for you. I hope that they fare better and make lots of beautiful honey for you. I'm sure they'll have lots of pollinating to do for the fruit trees and vegetable garden. We haven't been seeing many bees in my yard this spring. Earlier there were lots, but not now. Don't have a clue. I hope none of the neighbors have been using poisons or toxic substances for the bees. Best wishes for a wonderful spring. Oh yeah, I'll miss your show, or at least new shows. I'll catch the re-runs for sure.
Posted by: Frances Jackson | May 14th, 2009 at 2:50 am
How lovely to see the hives set up. I would love some honeybees but don't have the room. We have some native bees which are called Red Mason Bees and they polinate but don't make honey. They also don't sting which is good for our Boys. They have nesting tubes which they fill during spring and the tubes stay there until next spring when the new bees hatch. It is great to see the new bees come out and then the whole thing starts again. Susie
Posted by: Susie Parr | May 14th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Hi martha!
I bet that your honey is the best. I love honey though I'm scared of bees..but its really nice to have your own bees to produce honey..I'm sure that your honey tastes sweeter than any honey in the world since your bees love you (:
And I love you too ^^
Posted by: LOVE ECHO | May 14th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Thank you! Amazing and Fantastic Pictures. If I did not live in the CITY, I would love to KEEP bees!
Posted by: Roderick | May 14th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Very interesting, Martha. Thank you. What did Guy end up doing with that honey comb he pulled out?
Posted by: Julie | May 14th, 2009 at 9:34 am
so utterly fascinating, increasing my respect 4 these little marvels.....we have a peach orchard but r mindful not to spray while in bloom to not harm this amazing insect, tk u 4 sharing all of this good stuff.
Posted by: charmayne | May 14th, 2009 at 9:39 am
So interesting. Thanks for sharing the information. Was there a wait or any difficulty in getting the bees, or did the supplier have plenty of bees to offer?
Posted by: lisaiscooking | May 14th, 2009 at 9:40 am
What an extremely beautiful apiary! I especially like the copper roofs. Your bees are living in grand style, as they well deserve. Bees are so important to agriculture, without them home gardeners and industry growers would have very little or nothing to show for their efforts. The mysterious loss of our honey bee population is frightening. Happy to see you are going all you can to help keep a invaluable resource thriving.
As usual, a wonderful posting.
Posted by: Jon | May 14th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Wow this is really amazing Martha! love the photo showing the queens marked with a blue bee pen. Very interesting post, thanks for sharing.
Good luck and God bless
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | May 14th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Thanks for sharing, Martha. I love hearing about people keeping honey bees! My grandfather, who is 86 years young, keeps honey bees also. A week before my October 2007 wedding, my grandpa became ill and was in the hospital for weeks. I crafted little jars and my grandma filled them with his honey for each guest as a wedding favor. I labeled them with his name. Sharing his work and love for bee keeping with everyone on my wedding day was almost as special as being able to twirl around on the dance floor with him in my lovely white gown. Thanks for resurfacing one of my favorite memories.
Posted by: Nicole Bahnsen | May 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I received my bees this week too. I installed them in their new home on Monday. I have been waiting to hear about your bees since the show you did last year too see if they made it trough the winter. A lot of people lost their hives this year in the New England area. I live in northeast CT close to the RI line. I can't wait to hear more buzz about your bees in the coming season.
Posted by: Patrick | May 14th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Please explain why the hives were set so close to structures. Are you concerned about bee stings as people enter and exit those structures? This blog was very intresting would have loved more pictures and information.
Posted by: kelly woods | May 14th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I had seen your show on TV a long time ago with honey bees. Little did I know my husband and I were going to find a bee hive inside our shed in sunny Florida. I was skeptical and scared at the beggining but the first time I tasted the pure untapped honey, my opinion and respect for the bees was created. I have a question since we are so new at this. What is the difference in the color of the honey. Our first batches were darker honey and this spring is appears to be a lot lighter?
Thanks,
Mia Ross
Posted by: Mia Ross | May 14th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Beekeeping has always been a facination and mystery. Thank you for the pictorial diary. I look forward to more posts about the bees and their activities ... and it will be interesting to see if your gardens and fruit trees experience greater production with the fresh bee population.
Posted by: Leslie | May 14th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
For Julie - One of the workers took the comb home to show his children.
For Lisa - Honeybees are a first-come first-serve supply. It's important to get your order in early before they run out.
For Kelly - The building you see in the photo is my greenhouse. The bees are at the far end away from regular traffic. Bees really don't bother you unless you bother them.
For Mia - Honey varies greatly in color and flavor depending on the flower source. For example, clover honey is light and mild where tupelo is dark and strong tasting.
Thank you all for your comments!
Posted by: Martha Stewart | May 14th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
I find this wonder in nature to be simply fascinating. I'm not well-versed in beekeeping at all. I'll tell you, though - it is something that I'd be willing to try sometime! In previous blogs, you led us through the process, step by step, and I was grateful AND intrigued.
When you mentioned early on that you had decided to relocate the hives, my instincts told me to have them facing south, due to the reasons you mentioned - to keep them warm - and it's a good feeling to learn I was right.
Would you believe that I have had small honey bees in my house this spring?!! They've been in my kitchen, and Edgar's =^..^= sister, Mandy, helped to point them out to me. They naturally gravitate toward the light, and I've found several (dead) on the windowsill (one at a time) or on the kitchen floor. Funny enough, one of my Twitter buddies posted on her page today how cats were good at finding bugs for their owners, and any cat owner will attest how true this is, I'm sure.
PleasepleasePLEASE keep us posted how the bees fare this summer...they will have a w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l place to live!
=^..^=
"Like gardeners, we need to learn that we can't plant and reap the same day."--Anonymous
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | May 14th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Congratulations on your new bees. I hope they prosper and give you great honey. Canadian honey is delicious, but I miss real Southern Orange Blossom honey. I wonder if Michelle Obama has considered adding a beehive to the White House Garden?
Posted by: Curious Domestic | May 14th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I love honeybees, they live in a complete world of their own. I remember a trip to New Zealand a few years ago, my family and I visited at least 4 bee farms and each had educational centres that were very enriching. We were fascinated by the societal structure, habits & lives of bees. I bought blocks of honeycombs to sweeten hot tea and of course, the all-natural honey mosturisers felt wonderful too.
Posted by: Clara-Anne | May 14th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
One learns something new everyday. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Liz | May 14th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
that is simply amazing! great photos and information...
Posted by: delia | May 14th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
This is definitely one of our favorite posts since it is on apiculture (actually, all of your posts are enjoyable to explore for they are informatively intended but particularly amusing is "The Daily Wag"!). Your apiary and its emplacement is enchanting... Indeed, true honey bees have the most complex social behavior among the bees, which I learned from my father. In spite of the female bee's painful defensive sting, honey bees are generally (and rightly so!) held in high regard due to their obvious usefulness as pollinators and as producers of honey, as well as their social nature and their reputation of diligence... their earnest and persistent application to an undertaking... assiduity... Sounds familiar???
No wonder you are so fond of them! Did you know that beekeeping is believed to have originated in the Middle East? Until 1851 beekeepers harvested honey and beeswax by killing the colonies inhabiting the hives. In that year it was discovered that if a space of about 0.6 cm (about 0.23 in) is left between adjacent comb frames and between the frames and the walls of the hive, each comb will remain unattached to neighboring combs. This makes it possible to remove individual frames to harvest honey and wax.
Have a pleasant, restful and safe summer.
Love... XO... Dorothy
Posted by: Dr. Dorothy Kardas | May 14th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Would love to see you do one of your daily shows at the Farm and talk more about the bees. Have you ever considered getting some goats?
Posted by: Jayne | May 14th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
We are new beekeepers this year. I have been thoroughly thrilled with the experience. I have found that the bees are so gently that a don't wear my bee suit anymore, just the veil. We have 2 hives, one is doing a lot better than the other, so we are about to re-queen the inferior hive. Best wishes to you and your new hives.
Posted by: Kelli in Missouri | May 14th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Hi Martha, Thank you so much for this fascinating, informative blog about your new collection of honey bees. You are a virtual Marthapedia when it comes to informing us about anything on this fantastic blog, your TV show, Sirius Radio 112, your magazines and wonderful books. I have learned more, since I discovered you, than I did in college and through my many years of teaching. Keep up the great work, Martha, it is much appreciated!!! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | May 15th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Would it be a great idea to auction your honey for charity? Sweet!!!
Or package it with your 1800 flowers gift basket.
It'll be a sure sell.
Thanks for posting.
Posted by: Norbie K. Las Vegas | May 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Fantastic!!! Loved this entry, very interesting and educational, thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Julie-MN | May 15th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I came across this quite by accident. wow Who knew that this was so interesting. Before now Bees were bees. Going to library to read more.
Keep it up Martha
Posted by: arlene oliver | May 15th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Hi Martha,
Great looking bees! We also have bees here in Athens, Ohio. 108 colonies. My husband is the beekeeper and I do the candles and hand lotions. We sell the 3# packages also. Loved you show about bees! Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Deb and Paul | May 15th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Hi Martha,
Great looking bees! We also have bees here in Athens, Ohio. 108 colonies. My husband is the beekeeper and I do the candles and hand lotions. We sell the 3# packages also. Loved your show about bees! Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Deb and Paul | May 15th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Okay, but who gets to name them?
Can we have a contest?
Kidding aside this was super fascinating. The whole queen needing to eat through the candy while they get used to her scent, so she's not attacked and killed...This sounds like a plot for scary movie. One that I'd definitely go see. Very cool.
Posted by: Marie | May 16th, 2009 at 2:56 am
Guy Hodges is a good friend of mine. I think picture # 19 is terrific. How can I get a file that can be used to print a copy for him?
Posted by: jim phillips | May 17th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I've always thought it to be a romantic life raising honey bees. The warm summer days, sweet tea, honey dripping off your fingers...I think I need my own honey bees!
Posted by: lindsay | May 18th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Hi Martha
Please do a show about your bees and the dangerous plight of the honey bee ("colony collapse disorder"). Here is an important report I saw from 60 Minutes: "Why are honeybees disappearing?"
So sad your bees didn't make it through the winter. Is there any warm wintering protection that can be added to the bee hives?
Thank you for sharing such interesting information about your precious delivery
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRBJf57aNp4
Part 2 importantly describes how pesticides are linked to dying bees.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RZv9BvQJ-A
Here's some other articles on the plight of the bees:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/07/eveningnews/main3919204.shtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/27/business/27bees.html
Posted by: Vivienne | May 18th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Dear Martha,
I thought you might be interested in knowing that recently I had a particularly nasty wound that simply would not heal for MONTHS! Guy Hodges suggested I put his honey on it regularly AND IT BEGAN TO HEAL OVERNIGHT! He and his wife Aimee explained to me that honey has natural antibiotic and antibacterial properties, and that it never goes bad. I have since done a lot of reading on the healing properties of honey & was stunned to find out how useful it is! A friend of mine is a Doctor in charge of the wound treatment center at Norwalk Hospital and she told me she regularly uses Manooka Honey on wounds caused by flesh eating bacteria! I highly recommend Guy's delicious honey for whatever ails you!
Posted by: Laurel Sheck, South Salem | May 18th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Hi Martha, I am a tea drinker (as opposed to coffee) and love imported Irish breakfast tea as my morning ritual. I use honey and skim milk, and nothing else will do. My family consumes about a pint a week. I can buy Guy's honey locally, and it is some of the finest that I have ever tasted. I buy honey wherever my travels take me, and this outshines the majority of what I have had.
Posted by: Jennifer Faxon | May 18th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I love bees and this post!
Posted by: cristin | June 22nd, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Hi Martha, We are The Wilbanks Apiaries from Claxton, GA. Mr. Guy Hodges told our driver Bruce Guthrie all about your bees and bee hives when he delivered a truck load of honey bees to New York this past May. We ship alot of bees up north because the winters are so harsh and unfortunately alot of people lose their hives.
We think it is great that you are educating folks about the importance of the honey bee. Thank you for all you do. If anyone is inerested in purchasing Package Honey bees in the Spring of 2010, please give us a call at (912)739-4820.
Amanda Little & Heather Leggett, Secretaries
Posted by: The Wilbanks Apiaries | July 6th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Martha, it is nice to hear that you were able to get new bees for your garden. Are you about now rolling in honey? The honey flow should be over in your region. We have harvested honey here in San Diego and sharing the bounty with our friends and family. Some of our urban beekeepers will keep harvesting through December, because in an urban environment the availability of nectar is longer. If we could only have more people be allowed to keep bees in the cities, there would be more pollination and honey. There is hope though, because Bee Friendly San Diego is trying to change our bee regulation here in San Diego.
Posted by: BeeFriendlySanDiego | September 24th, 2009 at 6:05 pm