Goose Wood cut comb

[Dexter's Shed]

so in my day dreams, I see us producing cut comb from the bees kept in goose wood, 100% natural, no feeding of sugar, so just lovely kent pollen, of course the small swarm that we hived over there a few weeks back were the start, and if they make it through the winter then great, then today I get a call from my bee mentor, asking if I want another swarm,
sadly my camera was on charge, so didn't get any footage of it, but it was BIG, around a 3ft drop by 15" wide, and took around an hour to get in a hive, then it was loaded into the car, along with my good wife, to take to the woods, we had around 10 escape on route, but thankfully they stayed in the back of the car, then into the woods, we added an extra super once there as there was that many bees, I'd say approx 30-40,000

http://youtu.be/mTXGVcQjuNY

[smojo]

Great, bet you feel chuffed to get another. One time we were caravanning we came back to find a rugby ball shape of bees hanging in the hedge next to us. All was quiet but we decided to put the fly screens across the open door and windows. Half an hour later there was a terrific hum and we looked out to see what looked like a cloud of dark smoke enveloping our caravan. They did that for a couple of minutes then headed off in a long stream down the site and away. What a thrill - I was buzzing too.

[Dexter's Shed]

seems my bee out apiary will be set up sooner rather than later, as was called to collect yet another swarm yesterday, that will be four hives of bees in our woods, all that bramble that I hated, I now love, as it's all in flower and the bees cant get enough of it

[smojo]

How soon will you get some honey and how do you know when there's enough to take some. I guess you can just look inside but as a quide, is there a time of year when it's best to take it?

[Bearwood]

I had some cut comb from my strongest hive yesterday. It was absolutely delicious. The supers are getting full fast on the bramble and clover!

[Dexter's Shed]

How soon will you get some honey and how do you know when there's enough to take some. I guess you can just look inside but as a quide, is there a time of year when it's best to take it?

I suppose all bee keepers differ, but I like to leave a full super per hive, to see them through winter should they need it, as I dont feed sugar as some do, but you'll see how fast they can build comb and store honey, as bearwood has said, we have bramble in flower everywhere and the girls are loving it, even though these girls have only been with me 10 days, I expect at the very least to get one super full from them, that'll equate to around 45 - 8oz blocks of cut comb, which I could potentially sell at £6 per block

http://youtu.be/xIsTgD6SQHU

[smojo]

Just as a rough estimate, if a woodland owner was to offer a bee keeper space to put some hives, as payment for that, what % of honey collected, would be reasonable?

[Dexter's Shed]

I do supply hive space for others on certain allotments, I tend to ask for 10% of the years honey, but within your woods, why not a trade off for woodland help

[smojo]

Thanks. Yeah good idea - but I do like honey

[Dexter's Shed]

so far we have two hives at the woods, a third in my garden waiting to be taken over, and I made up a fourth this morning, will probably take them both over first thing tomorrow

http://youtu.be/IrtqzPADwyc