[kevk]

Hey everyone,

Hoping to get started on an allotment early next year growing some fruit and veg, nothing major, just some carrots, potatoes, strawberries etc maybe even an apple tree as well.

The plot size will be about 20x30 foot so plenty of space.

Im also a beekeeper and i plan on having them on my site to help with pollination but will keep them as far away from everyone as possible. They are fairly docile so there shouldnt be a problem

Kevin

[Sive]

Welcome Kevin, lovely to hear you are a beekeeper......watching the rain pouring down just now even the memory of being surrounded by the hum of bees in the summer is enough to make me smile.
Enjoy the forum.

[Greengage]

Dont know where you are but ask first before bringing your bees onto the site unfortunatly 3 people died this year from bee stings that I am aware of.
Welcome to the site and enjoy, post any question and someone here will have an answer it might not always be right but we have an opinion on everything gardening.

[energise]

Welcome along. Is beekeeping difficult to carry out?

[kevk]

Thanks everyone!

@Sive - i know what you mean, I love been out at the apiary and seeing them come and go doing their own little thing. And yes, the hum...esp when there is a nectar flow on and when i go out in the evening, you can actually hear them trying evaporate the moisture in the nectar as you are walking up to the hives

@Greengage - Thanks, dont worry, if i have any questions, ill ask away. I live in youghal and the allotment that im looking at is in cloyne, still trying to get closer but they are the cheapest i can find so far. I currently have my hives in a coiltie forest so they are well away from everyone, its nice and quiet and no messers either, the only people who would be in this particualr part of the forest and people walking their dogs and horse riding and even then, they are off the main track so well out of the way.

Im gonna try to get an epi pen to have on site just in case but i have permission from the owners to put a hive there. I have yet to go down and pick a place but ill be asking for a plot as far away from everyone else as possible.

On top of that, i recently got 2 excellent queens which have been bread from extremely docile stock. Next year will be my first with them but a buddy has had them for years and he works his without gloves and rarely gets stung they are that quiet. But at the end of the day, they are still bees....

@energise - to be honest, its not that hard, expensive to start out but difficult no. When you first start out, you WILL get stung no matter what you wear or how careful you are. I put it down to the newbee excitment to do things and get them done fast, but not to worry, bees will soon teach ya!

I once stood in the entrance of a hive and with in a few minutes my entire right leg from just above the ankle to just up by my *ahem* parts was completely covered with bees. Now if i had run away screaming and hiting them off, i would of been stung a good few times, but i just smoked them and they eventually went back in. The point is, if your calm around them, they generally wont mess with you, they will come up and check you out, thats when you walk away if you have no protection.

If anyone wants to know more about bees, just ask away!

[Greengage]

Iid love to keep bees maybe some time in the future who knowes


The Bee-Boy's Song by Rudyard Kipling


Bees! Bees! Hark to your bees!
"Hide from your neigbours as much as you please,
But all that has happened, to us you must tell,
Or else we will give you no honey to sell!"

A maiden in her glory,
Upon her wedding - day,
Must tell her Bees the story,
Or else they'll fly away.
Fly away -- die away --
Dwindle down and leave you!
But if you don't deceive your Bees,
Your Bees will not deceive you.



Marriage, birth or buryin',
News across the seas,
All you're sad or merry in,
You must tell the Bees.
Tell 'em coming in an' out,
Where the Fanners fan,
'Cause the Bees are just about
As curious as a man!



Don't you wait where the trees are,
When the lightnings play,
Nor don't you hate where Bees are,
Or else they'll pine away.
Pine away -- dwine away --
Anything to leave you!
But if you never grieve your Bees,
Your Bees'll never grieve you.

[kevk]

never heard that one before Greengage, thanks for that!