Now that Richard is focusing his writing skills on our new blog (www.FoodOnOurDoorstep.co.uk), it's time for me to take up the reins and accept my responsibility for maintaining this blog.
So with that in mind, coupled with the fact that I still hadn't had official confirmation of what happened to our hives, I dragged myself away from Facebook and joined the local Beekeepers Association.
Now, if I'm honest, I've never been one for groups and associations - too many office/project/committee meetings in a former life at various financial institutions have rather tainted my view, I'm afraid - and I wasn't really sure what to expect.
Initially, the fact that the meeting was held in the Women's Institute hall in Rayleigh did fill me with a little dread as I don't know all the words to Jerusalem!!!
The meeting itself was attended by around 50 people of various ages (I'd like to think I was the youngest though) and for the most part, a gentleman from the Romford beekeeper's association (who's name I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten) spoke about Spring preparation.
Many of you probably know this, but I learnt how to keep bees while I lived in France and the warmer climate means that Spring arrives earlier than here in the UK.
As a result, I've already undertaken the Spring preparation for our hives (don't worry, I won't keep going on about the dead ones!!!) and I have to admit that I was feeling bad because, by my training and way of thinking, I was behind schedule. However, during the meeting, it dawned on me that Spring is indeed a little later here and as such, I'm not actually behind schedule, but I am, instead, ahead (there's a first time for everything I suppose!!!).
Living in a different climate also means that there is no substitute for local knowledge and while I readily accepted this in France, now I'm back in the UK I automatically assumed that I had local knowledge.
And so it was with some surprise that I discovered that in the UK and other northern climates, it is possible to winter hives with using a "warm method".
Basically, what happens is that normally, the frames within the hive are aligned "front to back" within the hive and every book you'll read on bees will show the frames arranged this way.
However, there is a body of thought that says that during the winter months, the frames should be rotated so that they are arranged in a "left to right" fashion.
The logic is that when strong winds enter the hive entrance, using the "cold method", the wind can blow all around the hive in an unrestricted fashion. The "warm way" however, means that the first frame in the hive would act as a wind break and therefore help keep the inside of the hive nice and cosy.
Personally, I find this rather interesting and slightly unconventional. I'm certainly going to find out more about this over the next few months and I'll probably be undertaking a controlled "experiment" this winter.
So with that in mind, coupled with the fact that I still hadn't had official confirmation of what happened to our hives, I dragged myself away from Facebook and joined the local Beekeepers Association.
Now, if I'm honest, I've never been one for groups and associations - too many office/project/committee meetings in a former life at various financial institutions have rather tainted my view, I'm afraid - and I wasn't really sure what to expect.
Initially, the fact that the meeting was held in the Women's Institute hall in Rayleigh did fill me with a little dread as I don't know all the words to Jerusalem!!!
The meeting itself was attended by around 50 people of various ages (I'd like to think I was the youngest though) and for the most part, a gentleman from the Romford beekeeper's association (who's name I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten) spoke about Spring preparation.
Many of you probably know this, but I learnt how to keep bees while I lived in France and the warmer climate means that Spring arrives earlier than here in the UK.
As a result, I've already undertaken the Spring preparation for our hives (don't worry, I won't keep going on about the dead ones!!!) and I have to admit that I was feeling bad because, by my training and way of thinking, I was behind schedule. However, during the meeting, it dawned on me that Spring is indeed a little later here and as such, I'm not actually behind schedule, but I am, instead, ahead (there's a first time for everything I suppose!!!).
Living in a different climate also means that there is no substitute for local knowledge and while I readily accepted this in France, now I'm back in the UK I automatically assumed that I had local knowledge.
And so it was with some surprise that I discovered that in the UK and other northern climates, it is possible to winter hives with using a "warm method".
Basically, what happens is that normally, the frames within the hive are aligned "front to back" within the hive and every book you'll read on bees will show the frames arranged this way.
However, there is a body of thought that says that during the winter months, the frames should be rotated so that they are arranged in a "left to right" fashion.
The logic is that when strong winds enter the hive entrance, using the "cold method", the wind can blow all around the hive in an unrestricted fashion. The "warm way" however, means that the first frame in the hive would act as a wind break and therefore help keep the inside of the hive nice and cosy.
Personally, I find this rather interesting and slightly unconventional. I'm certainly going to find out more about this over the next few months and I'll probably be undertaking a controlled "experiment" this winter.
