[rustyme]

If things did go t*ts up , then footware would be one of the things I would soon run out of . I don't have enough money top store loads of things like that . But if it was that bad I would go foraging for what I needed   
 I have enough knives anyway , but if I needed more, I could make what I needed in the forge,out of scrap metal.
  Instead of protective paint I would grow linseed , both for the oil and the fibre . Oil would treat timber etc and the fibre would go to make yarn for sowing and for making linen for clothing . This I am doing anyway , end of the world or not !!!. I will also be growing hemp for fibre and oil . Oil for health and cooking , fibre for clothing , sacks ,string , rope etc . Beeswax from my beehives will supply all I need to waterproof any clothing and it will also stop tools from rusting and polish any furniture should I so wish . Grease would come from sheep and pigs etc . It has all been done before , and is all still out there and easily available . It is just us that  have forgotten how to obtain it , we are so used to buying everything off the shelf . 

cheers

Russ

[Tullywood Farm]

Bee's Bee's Bee's
Now all you have to do is convince Julie to let me have some!!.
I have wanted to get them for over three years.
Julie normally lets me keep whatever animals I want, But has drawn the line at Bee's SO far but I am still working on them.     
So PLEASE to to convince her for me as I can see the full advantages of keeping them
Honey, Wax, Sugar substitute among a few but more importantly POLUNATION of all our fruit tree's etc.
Kind regards
Joe

[smiffy]

joe we were taliking to a beekeeper today!!

he lost all his hives to colony colaps syndrome.

he said you used to be able to buy bees for £50, but now they cost around £500.

He has not been keeping bees for the last couple of years, and had given up as the cost of purchasing new bees was too high.

However a swarm gathered were he works, he has collected them and they are multiplying. I hope it all works out for him again.

my OH john would like bees..... BUT i like julie am not sure

[Tullywood Farm]

This is the problem - I am in a dilemma.

I know that Bees could be in danger, and I realise that they are a very important part of our ecology, and we desperately need to make sure that there are plenty around.

Hiya Smiffy, I just hate being stung and react badly to stings - and thinking that there could be thousands on my land just scares me a little.

I really believe that Russ knows his stuff and maybe I should let Joe go ahead and get some, but where do you draw the line - and if we are hoping to educate school children on the farm, will a population of bees here cause us problems?

Where do you live?  I am over near Castleford next week and you mentioned being near the miners I think?

regards
Julie

[rustyme]

Hello Joe+Julie,
                   bees......I hate getting stung too, but luckily I do not react to them at all (apart from the swearing !!) . My niece reacts badly though and has to carry stuff with her just in case she gets stung. She keeps well away from the bees ...lol . As long as you could keep the bees out of the way somewhere , well away from where the school kids will go , then I can't see much of a problem . Joe would be the one doing the work with them ? and Julie reaping all the benefits , but keeping well away from them !!! I have one hive on my land ,and as long as you keep about 30 or 40 feet away from it , you don't notice any more bees than if it wasn't there . If you go closer , you notice them flying over, either off out on their travels , or comming back home fully loaded. It is only if you stand in front of the hive , say within 12 feet or so , that they start to buzz you a bit !!  I would say if your reaction is life threatening , give them a miss, or keep them on someone else's land nearby ? However , if you can create a little bee yard in the corner of a field , well away from your house and any paths that you use regularly , then give them a go .  There is a link on here somewhere to a video of the swarm that moved into an empty hive in my yard , how's that for luck ?


cheers

Russ

here is the link : http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php/topic,680.0.html

[CarraghsBorderCollies]

www.greatdreams.com/barter.htm

[Tullywood Farm]

Hiya Russ

Thanks for that - could'nt help going all a shiver watching you handle the hive - but saw them entering the hive - will get Joe to view and have a pow wow later on bees - we have been to the beach as friends staying over -

Would they not swarm near flowers or apple trees etc, even if the hive was put in our little broadleaf woods? 
We only have 5 acres, and the woods are the furthest away from public areas but a few yards from my herb garden, fruit garden and greenhouse, and we have a lot of Lavender and hanging baskets and pots in public areas for colour.

Julie

P.S. We have learned more from you in a few days that reading 50 books - Thankyou

[Tullywood Farm]

Hello Gem

Thanks for the link - nice talking to you this morning and hope to meet up soon

Julie

[rustyme]

Hello Julie ,
              I doubt you would notice any more bees on your flowers than you get now really . They will do all the stuff close to the hive very quickly then they travel and search an area about 2-3 miles diameter. So 30,000 or so bees in an area that size just dissappear !!! On my land I have a hive and it is about 90 feet or so away from the veggie plot . I see no more bees there now than I did before I got the bees. They don't swarm over flowers , you just get one or two floating about doing their thing  . When they do SWARM , they are going off to look for another home (thats how I got the ones in the video !!) . However , they are really quite calm and safe when swarming , as long as you don't start waving your arms about and shouting like some sort of nutter!!!! just leave them be , and they will just fly up into the air , making a really loud noise , and fly off !!!! What they don't like though is things like strimmers and chainsaws etc , or as I found out , someone digging about 15 foot from the hive, I found out that day that you cannot out run bees !!!!! they fly faster than I can run !!! Lesson learned ... don't dig near the hive ... since then , no probs. 

cheers

Russ

[smiffy]

Where do you live?  I am over near Castleford next week and you mentioned being near the miners I think?

regards
Julie

Hi Julie
we are in doncaster, about 1/2 hour from cass

[Tullywood Farm]

Hiya - sent you a personal mail to see if you can meet up with me on Friday

Julie x

[Tullywood Farm]

Re BEES

Joe 1 - Julie 0   

Decided Joe can get bees when we can afford it - he will have to go on a course first and make sure he has all the protective gear etc.

Might be next year - but thank you for all the info - I can see the benefits and Joe promises me I will not have to deal with them - (He made this promise when he got the pigs but I am very involved with those - still don't like the smell when there indoors farrowing though!!)

So our food storage - preservation and all will be much more efficient when the bees arrive.

I am sure Joe will be asking loadsa questions now he has the go-ahead

Julie

[smiffy]

Re BEES

Joe 1 - Julie 0   

Decided Joe can get bees when we can afford it - he will have to go on a course first and make sure he has all the protective gear etc.

Julie

find out where your local beekeepers club is. they will let you go out with their bees, john is going to a meeting in doncaster next month time permitting

[Tullywood Farm]

Joe's found a place, you go on a course one day for eight weeks, they kit you out with all the gear, a hive, and a swarm of bees for 450-500euro.

It sounds reasonable - if money was easier to get these days I would go for it - but might be worth enquiring further.

Julie

[CarraghsBorderCollies]

found an advert in last weeks N.I dealer (dungannon area)
honey bees for sale 200stg
048 375 48074 after 6pm
mccooljoe@gmail.com