Another morning in the cold workshop and my “O” level woodwork skills are coming to the fore, although in my woodwork classes we were never allowed to use screws or nails, everything had to be glued joints – dovetails are a nightmare. I can even remember the smell of the warm animal glue.
This morning I started with the easy job – the stand. Before too long it was together and amazingly it didn’t wobble.
Buoyed by my success I moved onto the brood box which had more parts and was quite involved to get everything in the right place and positioned correctly.
After much fiddling about and one nail that didn’t go in straight the box was finished by lunchtime. It’s all square and if there are any imperfections I’m sure the bees are not going to notice the difference.
When I eventually put it together I realised there’s a piece missing. How do the bees get into the brood box?
Oh dear, I’d forgotten the open mesh floor which has the opening for the bees. If nothing else I’ve learned the constituent parts of the hive and how it all fits together (Hive 1 came pre-built).
I downloaded the syllabus for the beginner beekeepers certificate and noticed part of the practical I will have to build a frame. I need to get some practice in – better buy some frames and foundation. Is the definition of a hobby something that consumes time and is a drain on the bank balance – beekeeping fits the bill.
Well the definition of a hobby might be ‘something that consumes time and is a drain on the bank balance’ so I suppose there is a sting in the tail for every hobby.
But what hobby can give you quite such a buzz as beekeeping?
That’s probably why so many people are now swarming to the hobby.
(along with the almost infinite opportunities for puns…..)
PS That picture of the brood sitting on the stand with no entrance for the bees will be brought up in conversation more than once, believe me.
Oh dear, pun upon pun…
With your superb memory I’m sure my hive without an entrance will come up in conversation at every opportunity. I can see it now – we’re together, inspecting one of your hives, you lift the lid and say “wow, there are bees in here, I must have put an entrance on the hive” 🙂