Comments on: An update on my honeybees

By: Bee Master

Bee Master — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:17:24 +0000

The truly amazing thing is that that queen bee in that photo has a blue spot on her back, which means she was mated in a year ending in 5 or 0 (according to the International Queen Marking Color Code). This post, from 2009, means that that queen is 4 years old? And the paint still looks fresh too! Martha must have giver her a new coat.

By: ClassiclyAmber

ClassiclyAmber — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:05:16 +0000

Oh, this is so awesome! My Pawpaw always kept bees...and he NEVER wore a bee suit, either, although he did own one. Everyone else had to wear the garb, but my Pawpaw could "talk" to the bees and they actually liked him. In all his years of bee keeping, he only got stung a few times. Seeing all the pics and reading through your blog here makes me want to learn how to keep bees, too! =-D It's great information! I don't know if it's somewhere else here on the blog - but I was curious to know why Guy will be waiting to deal with the mites when it seems like it's such a problem right NOW. Hope everything works out for the best in the end!

By: Randy Parsons

Randy Parsons — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:19:04 +0000

Hi Martha,

Sorry to hear about the Varroa mites. It's a problem here in the West as well. I sell a software application that might help you. XenBee is a computer application designed specifically to help beekeepers like you, to manage their operations more efficiently by recording information in an easy-to-use central system.

XenBee allows entry and storage of information about sites, hive health and activities, hive movements, disease control, extraction processing, site productivity, personnel and customers in one effective application. You are equipped with details of disease, treatments and sugar consumption.

XenBee provides full traceability of your product right back to the hive and site it came from.

True hive to plate technology!

If you are interested, please let me know the best place to submit it and I'd be happy to provide additional information.

Regards,
Randy

By: William Stilson

William Stilson — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:59:41 +0000

I spoke to Guy a while back and when he told me he had given up construction for bee keeping I was a little surprised, but I had to admit I detected a strong note of contentment. My sister Aimee and Guy had gone through a bump in the road, welcome to real life, and it appears things are working out just fine between them. I thank you for your support.

By: Kristen Waller

Kristen Waller — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:16:06 +0000

Martha - we've had wild honey bees on our farm for many years, as well as hives from a man who asked to put his hives on our property quit a few years ago. His bees were with us for a few years. It was only a couple of years ago that I saw the decline in the honey bees that came to drink in my bird baths and gather pollen in my flower and vegetable gardens. This year, and last year, I saw only a few bees on their favorite plants, and that was not unti late summer/early fall. I live in southeastern wisconsin. While we had many bumble bees this year, I dearly miss the honey bees in my garden. The bumble bees became used to me eventually, but they were never as accepting and lovely as the honey bees. I miss them, and hope that they will be able to restablish themselves in my area again.

By: Dee McGibbon from Cranbrook Canada

Dee McGibbon from Cranbrook Canada — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:41:59 +0000

Horses & Honey = HAPPINESS! Martha, did you know that a little bit(pardon the pun)of honey on the bit can go a long way? For those hard to bridle boy's, honey-on-the-bit...transforms the unruly All-Mighty Steed into the storybook Gentle Giant within one application. Wrestling 2400 pounds of Heavy Horse Power when I weigh only 130lbs is not a good program!!! The ulternative is fantastic!www.greatcanadianclydesdales.com

By: Jan Erickson

Jan Erickson — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:28:13 +0000

Hi Martha, Thank you for another fascinating blog about honeybees. I have learned more about these fantastic creatures through your wonderful blogs. You have such beautiful beehives and watching how Guy Hodges takes care of your bees is absolutely fascinating. How many times has he been stung?! He seems so casual the way he handles the bees that I have a feeling he doesn't mind being stung. Hope your honeybees have a happy and safe winter. Jan

By: Jennifer Cox

Jennifer Cox — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:48:23 +0000

I think it was March, 1996, and we were on spring break visiting Williamsburg. As we were getting ready for the day, The Martha Stewart Show was on. Suddenly my daughter, then 8, yelled, "Mommy, Martha has BEES!" We watched. I actually said, "Well, if Martha can do it, so can I." We went home, I hopped online, and a beekeeper in CT gave me contacts in Nashville, TN, where we live. I had a nuke a few weeks later. Since then - until this summer, that is -- we have kept between two and three hives to the side of our house in the front yard. The pleasure of keeping them and the fun of gathering, eating, and sharing the honey have been wonderful. And it all started, seriously, because of the TV show! Hive beetles hit hard three years ago; between the hard weather and pests, I lost my last colony in late spring of this year. So, this fall and winter, I am letting the "yard" take a rest and will start a new colony or two in the spring.

By: mary beth jarrosak

mary beth jarrosak — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:14:17 +0000

Hi Martha,
This to is my first year at beekeeping and thanks for the update. I've been reading up on how to get my bees ready for winter and l plan on working on the hive when this northeaster is over. Good Luck with your bees.

By: Lauren Romanowski

Lauren Romanowski — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:42:01 +0000

Hi Martha,
Thanks for taking care of the bees!!! If you've ever seen the BEE Movie, although a cartoon, it does focus on the importance of bees in our life. Thanks for also caring for dogs, cats, birds, horses, chickens, donkey's and all things great and small!!!!