Author Topic: What Are Your Experience With Mountian Camp? (Read 3599 times)

Ben Framed · « **on:** January 31, 2021, 06:11:10 pm »

Maybe some here feed, or have feed mountian camp style? What are some advantages and disadvantages? Do you recommend? No doubt there will be differences of opinion, however all opinions are welcome. Thanks

trace.3820 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2021, 11:46:54 pm »

I am probably one of the greenest beeks here, but for one of my hives it has worked out great, the other not so much but it may be more mite related than Mountaincamp.

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cao · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2021, 12:48:16 am »

Last year I fed about 20-30 of my hives. Used the mountain camp method. I didn't have time or space to make sugar bricks for that many hives. Worked just fine for me. I had very little leftover sugar on top when spring came. This winter I got busy at the wrong time and did not get out to put any feed on before it got cold so none of my hives have been fed yet this winter. Will see if I get at chance with warm weather to pop some tops near the end of February and maybe feed then.

The main advantage that I see is that you take a bag of sugar and a spray bottle of water to your hive add whatever amount you think is required then move to the next hive. No time pre making anything and you have control of quantity of sugar added.

Brian MCquilkin · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2021, 02:17:42 am »

I pop the lid put some paper on the top bars and add a 2inch shim pour 5 pounds of sugar and move onto the next hive. The dry sugar will soak up some of the condensation. Did that to all my hives this year as a little insurance. Any left on the hives I will remove and use it for surip.

AR Beekeeper · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2021, 10:38:24 am »

I have used "Mountain Camp" method to feed 4 nucs overwinter and I did not like the results. The nucs survived, but their condition in spring was not as good as those that were fed sugar syrup in October. I see no benefit to using this method versus the standard method of filling all available cells with syrup in late October/early November.

Dan D · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2021, 02:04:46 pm »

I used it once and went to sugar bricks after that. It's much easier and quick to slip a brick over them than arranging paper over the frames and pouring out a bag of sugar. Also in the spring, the sugar poured out didn't end up in one solid mass to pick up in the spring and it was messy to get it out. I make one brick to cover a good area so the cluster can come up against it and stay in place and feed on it.

4 pound bag of sugar, 1/3 cup water and mix completely. Pack into a brick spread out an inch thick on a cookie sheet. You can pick it up solid in a day or two.

Hops Brewster · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2021, 10:39:46 am »

I'm so old I remember when a bag of sugar was 5 lb.

But I digress. Last winter's MC worked out just fine. I applied it on a relatively warm day in January to all hives. 2 of 5 barely touched it, but it was mostly hardened by spring, so was easy to remove. I figure their populations were big enough to moisturize the sugar. The other 2 hives ate most of the sugar. these 2 were smaller to start with, and were the ones I projected would use it. The 5th hive died anyway, and the loose sugar wasn't such a big deal to remove..

I think it worked the way it was supposed to.

JojoBeeBoy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2021, 08:54:22 pm »

Quote from: Dan D on February 01, 2021, 02:04:46 pm

I used it once and went to sugar bricks after that. It's much easier and quick to slip a brick over them than arranging paper over the frames and pouring out a bag of sugar. Also in the spring, the sugar poured out didn't end up in one solid mass to pick up in the spring and it was messy to get it out. I make one brick to cover a good area so the cluster can come up against it and stay in place and feed on it.

4 pound bag of sugar, 1/3 cup water and mix completely. Pack into a brick spread out an inch thick on a cookie sheet. You can pick it up solid in a day or two.

I only started this year based on a friend who runs a bunch of hives. But I too did bricks, not really loose sugar. I used some disposable sheet cake lids and used about the same as you did. They were plastic so I just left them in a warm place in the house (not heated). Bricks weren't 100% hard, but good enough to break off pieces and sit on top of bars. Made 1"x3" feeding shims, put down the sugar, $14 temp sensors (in a few), then a dome of foil bubble wrap (so water would run down sides), then a 1" blue board inside the rim under the inner cover. Most have taken to the sugar really well. I may crack them open this week and check as it will be really cold next weekend. Most are fairly heavy with honey, those I will probably not bother.

trace.3820 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2021, 11:54:57 am »

I have a question, when do I take the Mountaincamp sugar off and switch back to syrup in my hive top feeder? Just checked them and they are happily munching on the Mountaincamp pile. I?m in Cincinnati, Ohio/zone 5.

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cao · « **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2021, 08:04:57 pm »

I would say that by the time you need to remove the mountain camp sugar, the maples will be blooming and the bees will not need to be fed. At least I haven't found the need to feed syrup in the spring.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2021, 03:13:27 pm »

I don't routinely do it, but if you have a hive that is light it's helpful and if you are trying to overwinter a small colony and you have a smaller box for a shim to feed dry sugar it's helpful.
http://bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#drysugar
https://locals.com/feed/349875

Ben Framed · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2021, 08:43:21 pm »

Thanks all...

mtsage · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2021, 01:31:45 pm »

Been using MTN camp for about 5 years. And like it alot. To answer you question, when you start working your hives in the spring it becomes a not so easy task (PIA) to remove the rim and sugar to work the bees in the brood boxes below. That is a good time to remove the mtn camp sugar and go to syrup if that is what you use. The hard mtn camp sugar is not wasted.. I put my leftover sugar in a bucket or box and use it next year. Or use the leftover sugar to make your syrup. If you find that you need to add sugar in the winter situation that is when I place sugar bricks on the top. Just lift the lid and add as any bricks as you think they will need. Easy peasee.

Quote from: trace.3820 on February 07, 2021, 11:54:57 am

I have a question, when do I take the Mountaincamp sugar off and switch back to syrup in my hive top feeder? Just checked them and they are happily munching on the Mountaincamp pile. I?m in Cincinnati, Ohio/zone 5.

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Ben Framed · « **Reply #13 on:** February 09, 2021, 01:44:06 pm »

Quote from: mtsage on February 09, 2021, 01:31:45 pm

Been using MTN camp for about 5 years. And like it alot. To answer you question, when you start working your hives in the spring it becomes a not so easy task (PIA) to remove the rim and sugar to work the bees in the brood boxes below. That is a good time to remove the mtn camp sugar and go to syrup if that is what you use. The hard mtn camp sugar is not wasted.. I put my leftover sugar in a bucket or box and use it next year. Or use the leftover sugar to make your syrup. If you find that you need to add sugar in the winter situation that is when I place sugar bricks on the top. Just lift the lid and add as any bricks as you think they will need. Easy peasee.

Quote from: trace.3820 on February 07, 2021, 11:54:57 am
I have a question, when do I take the Mountaincamp sugar off and switch back to syrup in my hive top feeder? Just checked them and they are happily munching on the Mountaincamp pile. I?m in Cincinnati, Ohio/zone 5.

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Good first post here mtsage. Thanks for your input.

cao · « **Reply #14 on:** February 09, 2021, 06:13:02 pm »

welcome mtsage

mtsage · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2021, 06:36:22 pm »

Been using MTN camp for about 5 years. And like it alot. To answer you question, when you start working your hives in the spring it becomes a not so easy task (PIA) to remove the rim and sugar to work the bees in the brood boxes below. That is a good time to remove the mtn camp sugar and go to syrup if that is what you use. The hard mtn camp sugar is not wasted.. I put my leftover sugar in a bucket or box and use it next year. Or use the leftover sugar to make your syrup. If you find that you need to add sugar in the winter situation that is when I place sugar bricks on the top. Just lift the lid and add as any bricks as you think they will need. Easy peasee.

Quote from: trace.3820 on February 07, 2021, 11:54:57 am

I have a question, when do I take the Mountaincamp sugar off and switch back to syrup in my hive top feeder? Just checked them and they are happily munching on the Mountaincamp pile. I?m in Cincinnati, Ohio/zone 5.

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trace.3820 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 14, 2021, 01:44:12 pm »

Just an update the Mountaincamp method worked great, both hives made it!

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Brian MCquilkin · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2021, 04:14:22 pm »

Quote from: trace.3820 on March 14, 2021, 01:44:12 pm

Just an update the Mountaincamp method worked great, both hives made it!

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That's awesome well done, enjoy your bees.

FatherMichael · « **Reply #18 on:** March 14, 2021, 05:47:48 pm »

Cooking sucrose turns it into glucose and fructose, which are simple sugars and easier on the bees. So, I tried to cook soft ball cakes (fondant) and, because I was inexperienced, ended up with one good batch and another that I cannot describe! It was crumbly and had to be put on some parchment paper. I finally just poured some sugar in there to get them through.

I think a hard candy cake directly on the top bars is what I'll try next winter -- if I learn to cook candy right.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #19 on:** March 14, 2021, 09:47:23 pm »

Brother MIchael I am happy to tell you that the way I did mountain camp is, I placed paper on top of the frames and then made a couple slits in the paper, nothing gaping just some simple easy splits about a couple inches long. Then I simply poured the suger on the paper right out of the bag and spread it out so I could replace the top. This did two things. one was the poured sugar became a sort of hard sugar cake as the bees exhausted their moist exhaling. The second important thing it did, which goes hand in had with the first is to absorb excess moisture serving as a moisture barrier for the top.