New One from the Black Forest / Germany

[blackforest beekeeper]

Hi there,
I run an organic beekeeping thing in the Black Forest/ Germany. This year we had some 40 or 50 colonies. Into this winter will be going about 80 or so.
We use Jumbo-Frames in the brood-area and shallows for supers. The construction of the hives is a bit different from the normal langstroth-boxes. I added a little something to hinder the boxes from toppling off each other.
the boxes are 9 frames. that is to fit two of them side by side on a "Euro-Pallete" which is the standard size around this continent. this way I can use the space on a truck or any transportation vehicle to its best.
I did spend a year in Ohio  - it`s been some time. And every now and then I pick up ideas from the english-speaking beekeepers. Like excluders in between the boxes (in Germany they are usually INSIDE the box, just covering the frames) or triangular bee-excapes.
Our main flows are spring-flower honey, also some basswood, chestnut and of course forest-honey, and most valuable: pine-tree honey.
I wish You full buckets of Honey,
blackforest beekeeper

[BeeMaster2]

Welcome to Beemaster.
What is pine tree honey?  I live in the middle of nothing but big pine trees but they are mostly slash, Longleaf and some loblolly pines.
Jim

[blackforest beekeeper]

Hi Jim,
thanks for the welcome.
"middle of nothing" sounds good.
As far as Germany is concerned, that is where I live, too. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_alba
is the pine I mean. Makes up about 10% of the Black Forest.

some years they are "densly" (enough) populated with
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauml%C3%A4use
(couldn`t find that in English)
the pee of the lice is sweet and collected by the bees.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeydew_(secretion)

also from other trees

the pine tree honey is a very late and rare flow (every 7 years about). it is delicious. it tastes as if the buttered roll was underneath already. it stays liquid long time, has a low water-content and has a "buttery" consistency. It`s probably the most valuable honey in Germany. Only to be had in southern forest regions. esp. Black Forest.
Usually the colonies diminish brooding to next to nothing in such a flow. oftentimes after the flow there are very little bees in the hive. flying from twig to twig (or rather from louse to louse) takes a lot of energy. they get black and old fast.
This year is different (it was hot and dry). After they diminished their brooding heavily during a forest-honey, we call "cement-honey" (or concrete) as it gets HARD in the combs, they bred well during pine flow. but the forest-honeys are not good for wintering. and the pine-flow is late. it would still be going if it stayed dry. I should have wintered them in already. Have never been this late. now it`s rainy and I can`t work the bees. tomorrow...

have to get out almost all pine-honey and then treat for varroa and feed them - urgently.

still extracting....

so far.

greetings from the Black Forest!

PS: The amounts of "cement-honey" I decided to turn into mead. no way to get it in a jar

[beepro]

How do you treat for mites?   Do you use oav too?

[Beelab]

Fascinating - your stories.
I used to live near Zwiesel, Bavaria. Plenty pine.
Hi!
Keeping bees in the subtropics now. See you around.

[blackforest beekeeper]

Hi beepro, sorry, missed Your question. Yes, i use OAV, but not only. Formic acid on sponge cloths, too, in summer. dribbling in frosty conditions. and any kinds of

Hi beelab,
don`t know Zwiesel, but it probably is not far away. Munich is a 4 hours drive from my place. Strasbourg - it`s in the media now, about an hour. (got lost in Strasbourg this year when returning from a yard in the chestnut.)
I`d love to live in the sub-tropics!

have a good season!