Teaching apiary

[GRIZZLY]

Our ass'n is setting up a teaching apiary on a large secure site, generously provided by a local farmer. The actual area is an SSI and our farmer is prohibited from grazing or keeping farm stock on it because it contains ancient woodland. We have free rein to occupy as much of it as we like to stock and maintain bee colonies. I am looking for as much advice as possible about how such an enterprise can be run to the benefit of our membership and particularly our beginners and potential new members. We've had a small shed donated for equipment storage etc. and have begun to fabricate and assemble hive stands. We've also cleared a suitable area of tall grass etc.etc.

[GRIZZLY]

Nobody got any hints ?

[gavin]

Nobody got any hints ?

Mark every frame of bees and every box (before bees go in!) plus some of the other security measures talked about on here (Jimbo's fixing to a concrete slab under the hive for example).

It is a lot of work for one person but looking after bees isn't a job for a committee. One leader, maybe one trusted second, calling on a group of volunteers for work parties.

Funding: think about it before you get properly underway as funding is often available just for new projects, not to top up old ones. Awards for All may give up to £10k.

Some association apiaries totter on the brink of inviability with a couple of poorly maintained hives. Try to go for a few more, and make sure that they are maintained well as you're trying to show good not poor beekeeping methods.

The running costs can be significant. Make sure that you are planning either (or both) income for the apiary from beginners classes and income from selling bees (and/or honey).

Pick a site where decent season-round forage is available, particularly early spring and early autumn, otherwise you'll be spending a lot of time carting in feed for them. Bear in mind that someone is going to have to get into a routine of visiting frequently (weekly in summer at least) so it shouldn't be too distant from those managing it.

You say teaching - so no priority for raising local bees to reduce importations into the area (or country)? No attempt to select better tempered bees locally? If you apply for funding for this you can be more ambitious and purchase an adequate supply of nuc boxes and queen raising and mating equipment.

[gavin]

The security measures came first as Out of Doors this morning (Radio Scotland, an abbreviated repeat tomorrow (Sun) at 11 am and afterwards on iPlayer) interviewed a guy who had bees stolen in your neck of the woods. The Forestry Commission found them a km or so away, apparently shifted for later uplift.

[fatshark]

OK, here are a couple of items we've encountered in our association apiaries.

Space. Make sure you have enough around the hives. This is essential for the group demonstration activity. It means hives are very well spread apart - far more widely than in a 'working' apiary. Ideally single hives on double stands so you can demo various swarm control methods. It sounds like you have ample space on site so spread the hives out, remembering likely flight lines, space for the teacher behind or to the side etc. Perhaps try and balance the need for shelter with the need for light for teaching - when are the sessions going to most often be held and which direction will the sun be? We have one otherwise excellent association apiary blighted by poor evening light.

Parking and access. Sounds like this won't be a problem, but worth considering from the outset. Choice of our new teaching apiary was heavily influenced by our ability to have good access, both for members and - possibly - the public for demonstration events (a requirement for many of the local development grants). Don't block local roads or irritate the residents.

Which brings us to the tricky item of toilets ... the one we've not solved yet. Unless you have water and power on site you're restricted here. If you're thinking of running events that take several hours you're going to need access to one. We run half day grafting/queen rearing courses followed by a BBQ, but only at sites where we have toilet facilities. I think they're also essential for public events.

Elect (cajole, appoint, bribe) a good apiary manager. Someone with time to take on the tasks of fence maintenance, grass clearing etc. once the initial flush of enthusiasm has waned. If the apiary is going to house both association and members colonies work out how space will be allocated - two separate areas within the site? If you're going to run it as a mating site your apiary manager might have to make decisions about colonies with undesirable behaviour (genes) and insist on queen replacement or drone culling. This might require a sympathetic but firm approach.

Finally - and you probably already have this - insurance, both for the items in the shed and possibly for events you might hold on site. We had our lockup store robbed and had to replace several large extractors, an apimelter and all sorts of other stainless steel stuff. Thankfully fully insured. At the apiary there will be brush cutters, hives, frames, foundation etc. and the value soon mounts up.

Almost forgot ... maintain an excellent relationship with the landowner. Pay the rent on time - in honey, mead or even real £££ if necessary. Keep him or her informed of events on site.

Have fun.

PS Just reread your OP. Buy a bigger shed. It's too small. Inevitably, it's too small, however big it is. You used the word 'small' so imagine trying to extract the brush cutter early next year when it contains a dozen brood boxes and 30 empty supers. And a table for assembling frames, a dustbin, a grafting table and light, a couple of collapsible chairs, a pile of wood that will be useful sometime, a couple of tragically decrepit bait hives and a wobbly pile of queen excluders, division boards and nuc boxes. Make sure it's rodent proof.

[fatshark]

Very good points from Gavin re. marking equipment. We brand association equipment. We've discussed installing one of those remote wildlife cameras on the access road to pick up car number plates in the event of a theft. A couple of hundred quid, IR lighting, reasonable resolution, good battery life.

[Jon]

You will need a basic set of rules as well especially about who is authorised to open hives.
A lot of association apiaries seem to be wrecked by tinkermen beekeepers who cannot keep out of the hives.
Hives at a teaching apiary will inevitably be opened more than is ideal so you have to make sure the disruption is kept to a minimum.

You will also need to establish who is best able to teach beginners and it won't necessarily be the people who have done the beekeeping exams.
Some people are patient, observant, and good at explaining things.
You also need people who can work bees with a light touch and who don't do their beekeeping in welding gloves.
I have been surprised at the lack of practical and handling skills in a lot of our beekeepers - as the Fibka exams do not seem to prioritise this.
They can all draw diagrams of a bee leg or the bee digestive tract though.
Some people will volunteer to help who are the last people you would want demonstrating anything and you need to handle this diplomatically.

[Mellifera Crofter]

... Which brings us to the tricky item of toilets ... the one we've not solved yet. Unless you have water and power on site you're restricted here. ...

The solution, I recommend, is a nice eco-friendly double thunderbox providing compost two years later for all those bee-friendly plants on the apiary site. (Double because they rotate: one is in use, the other is composting.)

A friendly farmer might be able to deliver a tank of water (for hands and for drinking - not for the thunderbox). That's it, apart from electricity - but is that really essential?

Kitta

[Easy beesy]

An extension, lean-to, simple pergola affair covered by corrugated plastic, to any building - demo of AS during rain, gathering point, laminated posters, rota for working parties. Also often grants for solar powered lighting - waterbutt to collect rainfall off shed roof - grants for native planting often available - think laterally. Checkout freegle or freecycle in your area for slabs, wood, strimmer, stackable chairs, etc

[GRIZZLY]

Thanks people, I've taken all of your suggestions on board. I am attending Roger Patterson's lecture "setting up a teaching apiary" at the honey show in Weybridge and will be deciding our strategy after this. Our site is remote from the public - down a private road and up over a hill. Totally non-visible from anywhere. Our farmer doesn't want any rent for the site and doesn't like honey !!. I am doing the management bit and intend a strict rule book covering the day by day running of the enterprise. The intention is to both instruct beginners and also mentors to establish high standards of hive upkeep ,bee handling and the quality of mentoring. There is a local "windmill" grant available and we may apply for that. The site will be furnished with new hives belonging to the association - old, decrepit or "tatty" hives will not be permitted. As we intend to attempt queen rearing with A.M.M. bees, members hives will not be permitted on site to avoid cross mating with non A.M.M drones. There are no other colonies within a 3 to 4 mile radius of the site and we intend flooding the area with A.M.M. drones.

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi grizzly
I would consider having a good supply of the thin latex gloves -- they ward off stings keep propolis off hands and encourage good hygiene between hives
I would hope to have veils or jackets to stop people bringing their own contaminated stuff to the apiary
A proper Ashford feeder for each hive to stop all the topping up if feeding is needed -- you can store a hive tool etc and a record book in them on top of hives during the summer

When it comes to new beekeepers rather than have them hanging on endlessly for a nucleus I would start them off with a keiler mating nuc
That will let them get some experience of queen introduction identifying eggs larva perhaps drones etc also fitting wax seeing how it is drawn etc
If their name is written on the top of the keiler and only they can open it for feeding and checking etc they will get some experience with little risk of stings or doing harm to colonies (no big gloves etc)
At some point in the season a nuc hive with a frame of brood can be put in place of the keiler and they can merge the colonies (tie wrap the keiler frames into standard ones )
I think keilers are more suitable than apideas for the purpose as they are bigger and the frame is really just a thin wooden bar
Hopefully they will finish the season with a strong nuc to overwinter ready for the first real year as beekeepers the next season
That should fit in with your breeding plan I think fairly well
You only need three or four full size colonies in the apiary and they should have a good chance of a big honey crop
You only need one rule keep out of all the hives except your own

[Easy beesy]

Grizzly - president of BIBBA has a place down your way - he wants to encourage A. mm. Do you know him? Maybe you could work together with him and Roger on your breeding plans?

[Mellifera Crofter]

...Which brings us to the tricky item of toilets ... the one we've not solved yet. ...

The solution, I recommend, is a nice eco-friendly double thunderbox ...

I'm quoting you again, Fatshark. The reason is that I've found the website (Elemental Solutions (http://www.elementalsolutions.co.uk/services/water-and-wastewater/)) of the best people that I know of for advice on dry composting toilets (the proper name for a double thunderbox) in case either you or Grizzly might need their help.
Kitta

[Adam]

For disease reasons, our association apiary does not allow gloves to be brought in - it's either the second-hand marigolds from a box or one's own disposable ones. it seems that beekeepers quickly get used to thin gloves.

A good set of rules are required would be my guess - good ones will mean that there's no need to use them as everyone knows what's what before anything happens.

Our association has a mixture of hives in addition to the common National - a Smith, WBC, Langstroth, Dartington (often used as a table rather than a beehive), which might be good if the apiary expands.

[Adam]

[QUOTE=fatshark;21609]

Which brings us to the tricky item of toilets ... the one we've not solved yet. Unless you have water and power on site you're restricted here. If you're thinking of running events that take several hours you're going to need access to one. We run half day grafting/queen rearing courses followed by a BBQ, but only at sites where we have toilet facilities. I think they're also essential for public events.
Have fun.

All you need is a shovel.

[Adam]

PS Just reread your OP. Buy a bigger shed. It's too small. Inevitably, it's too small, however big it is. You used the word 'small' so imagine trying to extract the brush cutter early next year when it contains a dozen brood boxes and 30 empty supers. And a table for assembling frames, a dustbin, a grafting table and light, a couple of collapsible chairs, a pile of wood that will be useful sometime, a couple of tragically decrepit bait hives and a wobbly pile of queen excluders, division boards and nuc boxes. Make sure it's rodent proof.

Trying to get a dozen people around an uncapping tray and extractor in a warm room is not fun in a tight space.