Lotsa hives, little experience...some feedback, please?!

[rattatrat]

Hi,
so here's my situation....I work in partnership with a farmer in I'd-Rather-Not-Say, northern California. We have something like 300 hives that we want to use solely for our own tree-crop pollination. We previously had a beekeeper, and now that person quit on us about a month ago. For an assortment of reasons, we have come to feel there are no viable options for hiring any other professional beekeepers in our area. We decided to take the plunge and just try to learn like crazy, knowing that we will make mistakes, and make the best of it. So here we are in late October. We've been reading books and watching internet videos, and examining hives to the best of our ability like crazy. Except, most of the information sources we've found are geared toward hobbyist beekeeping....we have so many more hives to deal with.
We've examined dozens of hives and have seen that they are either just dead with evidence of wax moth activity (relatively few), or seem to be quite healthy with honey stores. The hives are commercial, 10 plastic frames. Some have a single hive body and others have two or even three.  From what some friends have told us, it's too late to do anything about medicating, and that we should just get to feeding the hives and do our best to promote nutrition throughout the winter as best we can. Does anyone have any thoughts or comments about this situation? We have a lot of syrup on hand and the hives all have in-hive frame feeders (I think that's the right term). We have protein patties on hand, too...should they be offered as well? If it matters, we are in a USDA zone 9 weather-wise. Thanks in advance!

[rdy-b]

FIRST thing you gota do is make sure you have varoa under control -or you will lose the hives its that simple -everything else is secondary-mites vector the viruses that pull down the health of the colony-learn how to monitor for mites -first year you should get a keeper to work the colonies and learn from him-try and give him incentive by proposing a deal in almonds -where he can work for a share or work for splits or nucs when they come out-do you have means to move your bees -many growers have tried to be keepers but not many succeed -it is not as easy as it seams -tell me more -you are in for a challenge for sure
 :lol: ;) 8-)  RDY-B

http://video.google.ca/videosearch?q=varroa+mite+monitoring+system&emb=0#

[ElDoBill]

Try this site.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=273

[Nelly]

I would call your County Extension Office and inquire as to whether your county has a Master Beekeeper or even better, a group of beekeepers who might help you out.  It would be really helpful to have someone mentor you through the winterization of your hives, then you can get educated over the winter and hopefully be prepared when spring comes. 

Welcome to the group,

Nelly

[purvisgs]

almonds or another tree crop?

makes a big difference.

If almonds feed like crazy 2:1 sucrose (not hfcs, but this is personal opinion) now until feb make sure you have floats (or pieces of wood) in your frame feeders  put pollen patties (substitute) inbetween brood boxes now and again in a month or more

please pm if you would like to talk about it more as your situation sounds really interesting to me for several reasons

[mathispollenators]

Man you got something there.  I'm not sure of your winter outlook as far as snow and such but at the time they have to be able to survive the winter.  Another thing is with the amount or hives you have don't try to manage each hive it won't work.  You have to many for that it'll drive you nuts manage them in lots as in the yards they are in.  You know like 10 or so in this spot and so on.  You have 300 hives plan on some of them to die out as the year goes on it just happens so you'll need to split a percentage each year just to maintain that 300 hive count or they will slowly die out til you have no bees at all.  Here in my area when you pollinate crops the honey production is lower because we have so many hives in the area insuring a good crop set.  So you may have to feed more than honey producers.  Here I'm feeding now but our winters  here are real mild and I can't commit on how you have to do in areas it snows.  Another tip on supplies find where you get the price breaks my ordering bulk and buy that way saves cash in the long run and you'll need the stuff probably in the future anyway. 

And never try to get the bees to do what you want them to do it'll never happen.  They have been here millions of years and you havn't.  You work for them making them happy supplying their needs not the other way around.  If you have questions ask someone will chime in for sure and good luck.  But keep in mind the options you have with the hive count you have maybe diffrent than some of the post you see giving the hive count diffrences.  There as in most read with an open mind to find out what works for you.  As for myself I manage with my father a hive count around 1500 so I understand the problem you have trying to find information geared for us commercial guys.  Yep I said us because like it or not you are now a commercial beekeeper and welcome to the crowd.

[BjornBee]

You may not want to hire a fulltime guy, for whatever reason you mention. But it may be in your best interest to invest in a experienced beekeeper to spend a couple days protecting your investment, by going through the hives, separating out what needs what, what needs fed, what needs treatment, what needs re-queened, etc. And what he saves in a few hives more than pays for it, and you get two days of on-hands experience.

[jsmob]

Hi Rattatrat.
  rdy-b is right you need to get the varoa undercontrol. This is a good time to get them because the Queen is not laying, or if she is its not much. Being that you are in North Calif. I would give Sacramento Beekeeping Supply's a call and talk to
 Fred. He can probably help you with info or names. Heres the web pagewww.sacramentobeekeeping.com
  What a great opportunity! A little over whelming, but WOW. If you need help and some where near Sac PM me I would love to help.

[steveouk]

I would feed like crazy ! You got to get the good hives through the winter. The ones with wax moth i would treat straight away.They will take over.

If you can change all your bottom boards for screened ones i would do it now. It helps control the mites.

[rdy-b]

more info on this interesting situation-I found out who they are -there are many keepers in there area-help should not be a problem  http://www.nevermorefarm.com/?p=153      also look at the home page they speak of 700-she posts of 300 hope they are not losing more than half
 8-) RDY-B

[blckoakbees]

I am in Northern California and everything will depend on where you are located such as elevation and temperature.  In most places, winter inspections have occurred, weak hives combined and feeding bees like crazy. 

If you can provide a little better location I may be able to hook up with someone to give advice.  I have hives in Sacramento and Fiddletown in Amador County (2,000 to 3,000 feet)  If want to provide more information as a message to me I will see if I can get you a mentor to work with.

I know there is a commercial beekeeper in Grass Valley (Randy Oliver) who would let people come and work with him to learn.  He gives a lot of classes on beekeeping.

Hope this is of assistance.

[BMAC]

I think Bjornbee has something there.  You may not want a full time beek.  You may not rate a full time bee with only 300 colonies.  However you do need commercial level of help with your colonies if you expect to pull them thru the winter at all and pollinate your crop early this coming year.  I would recommend you pay an experienced Beek to both help you with your current situation and mentor you if you and your partner decide to continue beekeeping.  With the level you currently have its already going to occupy 20-30 hours per week.  Given your in-experience more like 40-60 hours per week.