State of the Hives – Season 2023 end

This year, the weather was less forgiving than in previous years, although we started off on a good note. In the spring, we managed to quickly build up the colonies after winter.

On The Cut, we had 4 hives in the spring. Due to persistent dampness, chalkbrood, and wasps, we lost 3 hives. One hive is in good condition, preparing for winter. To strengthen the colony, we are feeding them sugar water. We have also applied Apivar (varroa mite treatment) as a standard procedure.

Because the hives are deep on the north face of the hill, winters are harsh for our bees, as they don’t see direct sunlight and are prone to dampness in the remaining seasons. We want to move the last standing hive to the opposite hill and up on the footpath, behind the stone wall. We hope this will give our honey bees a warmer winter and a good start to the 2024 season.

In 2024, we want to return to having 4 hives. If honey bees and honey matter to you, please support us here.

At Broomhill Gardens, we started with 2 hives and managed to increase the number of colonies to 4. There was a little less honey than last season due to a damp summer that wiped out most of the nectar. We are feeding additional sugar water to 2 colonies, while leaving the other 2 on their own as they already have ample stores for winter. We have applied Apivar to control varroa mites as a standard procedure.

If you enjoy our honey or would like to support us through the winter and into the new season, please check here for options.