a potential apairy

Ive only been what I class as a bee keeper for around a month now, and things just seem to be getting better and better,
yesterday I finished a top bar hive 4ft that I made from scrap timber at a cost of £10





then at last nights bee club, was given a phone number of a local allotment site that have had bee's hived on their land, but the person has retired/moved and they want someone back in there, phoned the guy this morning and have arranged a meeting their for tomorrow
by all accounts they will give me and area of land to house hives on, for those that already keep hives on allotments, that don't pay rent on a section to grow stuff on, did you get any sort of paperwork drawn up, giving you like a years contract?, I just started thinking I would'nt want to spend money on an area putting up screens etc, if the committee changed and within a month or two they had changed their minds.
but if all goes well, it will be a good place for top bar hives
and already planning on the build of tbh number 2

Ratcatcher

A word of caution. I was given permission by my Parish Council to place a hive on my own allotment, only for same to be withdrawn before I got my bees. I was then offered a similar out apiary on a friend's allotment and I specifically asked him to get approval from his local parish Council, which he did. Within six weeks of placing two hives there, an allotment holder complained that he got stung three times and I was asked to move them away by the said P.C. without delay. I would be very careful spending serious time and money only for fickle committees to change their mind. I would add that I had never been stung by my bees and they were very well mannered.

well, by all accounts there is already a dwindling hive situated there, they want someone in to tend to it, and add more, I suppose until I go and look, I wont know if any money needs to be spent or not

an ideal fence is what builders use steel mesh, dont bother with the concrete floor blocks, four sections covered in PVC mesh chained into a square from flea bay was 12.50 each thats about fifty quid plus netting plus chain and lock bobs your uncle

quite a few of the allotment holders were using that steel mesh to grow their runner beans on, having chatted with the treasurer they are going to clear the area designated, erect and pay for the screening etc, then give me a call to get a hive in there

funny how things work out, got a call from the allotment committee, they had a cast swarm there, so this morning I met a few of the committee and picked up the swarm, was given a key to the place, including the communial shed with tea/coffee facities, and chatted more about the apairy site, then placed my 6 frame nuc on the intended site, ready for me to bring the newly finished top bar hive over,
as this tbh can take 2 national frames, it should be a simply task to transfer from one to the other

sounds like a good deal all round. well done and good luck