The alarm went at 4.15am. I was already awake. I had a quick breakfast and waited for Steve to turn up. I had everything ready. The morning was beautiful. Light, the sky was pink and the air still. We got the two hives in the Land Rover as well as all the bee fettling paraphernalia. It was a bumpy ride to the apiary, despite the parabolic springs, but we did not leak very many bees. We were at the apiary by 5.40am. It was a smashing morning to be out and about. I took Steve for a tour of the meadow. Safe to say he was blown away. I know I was when I first saw it. We got all the gear out. I got dressed in my bee suit. I gave Steve one of the spare veils. We got all the hive parts ready then put the hives on the stand one at a time, built them up then let the bees free. The cool of the morning prevented them piling out the hives. We filled up the feeders and put he roofs on and retired to make tea. Brew making was just a devise to let the bees settle down and settle down they did. It was a fine morning to be stood in meadow supping tea. Job done Steve gave me a lift home. It was still only seven o'clock.
I had a kip for and hour or so then some breakfast. I loaded up the car with lottie gear making sure I left space for trays or plants. Mo's lottie is stuffed so it high time it was emptied. I collected trays of broad beans, French climbing beans, Sweet corn, Beet roots and brasiccas from from my greenhouse. I was at the lottie by 9am. Stu was already there and was just packing up. He had been down since 7am. We had a chat and then I got stuck in. I made up the frame for the climbing beans from Bamboo which I had from last year. I planted pairs of French climbing beans at the foot of each pole. On the bracing poles I planted a couple of Sweet Peas. Next to the beans I planted the Sweet Corn. The Sweet Corn has grown really well in the greenhouse. Next up was the brasicca patch was up next. I had missed quite a few spuds from the year before lat consequently there were many volunteer potato plants growing as weeds. I dug them all up bu that meant I had to tread the soil down to a firm base. Brasiccas like a really firm base. I got the Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts and Cauliflower. After watering everything I went home. I made a a bit of lunch and had a sit down for a while. when I opened my eyes it was mid afternoon.
H and I went up to the bees to make sure they had settled down to there new location. One of the hive was short two brood frames and I did not have the frames spaces when I transferred the nuc to the hive. It was my first real opportunity to do a full inspection of the hives. I set H up with a folding chair down by the river, 30 yards from the apiary and in the shade of an old Willow tree. The sun was hot and the air still. I suited up and got the smoker going. I popped open the blue hive and went trough the frames. I could evidence of the Queen could spot her in person. I put the spacers on the frames and dropped in the two missing frames. The bees were quite happy being disturbed. I put the hive back together. The new feeder was leaking went I put it on but in the few hours it had been on the leak sealed itself, probably because the wood expanded. The second box of bees was slightly further on because the feeder had been on for a bit longer and all the frame were in place from the start. I saw the Queen and the fact the the frame were filling up with honey. I put the spaces on and put the hive back together. The weather was still hot so I resolved to look for the Queen in the blue hive. I pulled out a couple of end frames and chase the Queen to the far end and as expected I spotted her, quite slim but fit. There were lots of eggs so she looks quite fecund.
H and I had a a quite quarter hour by the river before going home for a brew. Back at home I made up the frames for two supers. I have resolved to put a super on each hive. That was enough for one day. H made a nice dinner using Asparagus from the lottie.
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