Checking and Wrapping- Sticking Around, Obsessions

 Its Christmas Day- and I was out today and yesterday checking on hives, and wrapping those I hadn't wrapped before, as we apparently have a rather cold spell coming on. By "wrapping"- I don't mean insulating- which I believe is a wasted effort, possibly harmful, but I thumbtack on a wrap of black, breathable, "weed barrier"- a good quality barrier I've written about before- and think is worth doing. Though, not essential- the hives would be fine-though maybe a little less fine?- without it.

Mud splashing up on a hive- and damaging
base and lower boxes, is one great reason to 

My hives are painted white- great for hot weather, and just general appearance( I am fond of tradition), but maybe not so great for winter. Wrapping with black plastic, or tar paper, or bubble wrap - or anything like that, non- breathable material, is I believe, counter productive. The stuff I use breathes. And it protects my equipment. And more than anything I think- allows a hive that gets sun in winter to waken enough to move, readjust to its food source, or head out for a cleansing flight. Unlike a heavily insulated hive, which would miss the opportunity- an important one- entirely. Speculation, of course, which pretty much everything in beekeeping is. It's a rare thing to find a practice everyone agrees on. Something like the world at large- constantly divided.

First I put on an entry reducer cut
from political signs

Then I wrap it with a good quality weed fabric, 
which lasts forever. Maybe this is the
fifth year of using it? Installed with
thumbtacks.

In this set of 3 hives, the center one was
dead- overcome with mites I think. First
death for the year- the obvious sign being a
mass of dead bees in front.

Next year is my 28th year of beekeeping. Despite my devotion, I'm no expert. Had I spent the same amount of time trying to learn a foreign language, I'd probably be pretty good at it by now. Go figure.

The most hives I ever owned was about 40, and this year I am at maybe 25. I can pretty much report that except for the basics, I don't know much. I could not, for example, tell a new beekeeper how to keep his or her hive alive over the winter. Except the obvious stuff- like keep it dry, be sure there is food. But mites?  How do you tell someone how to control them? I have no idea- no one does. And I have tried every single thing there is, and still don't know. Add to that all the other mysteries of beekeeping- its overwhelming.

I spent the afternoon, with dark snowy looking clouds rolling in, trying to make sure my hives had enough food, and wrapping those that weren't wrapped, to give then at least  a little blanket against the wind. I'm a bit behind on this I admit- having been discouraged by losses, and a few personal life changes, and so slacking some. You can't wait in beekeeping- its like a law- if you don't check a hive for food, or whatever, a queen, or mites- its never 50/50 that it will be OK. It seems like it's more like 70/30 it won't be. Murphy's Law of beekeeping?  Rusty B writes of this- don't let things slack- keep vigilant. So I'm a bit resigned to heavier losses this year (though I've only seen one go down so far, noted above).

Five more hives on my back roof (down from nine). Wrapped and 
covered with a full CMU block on each. I didn't wrap hives for
25 years or so, but I like this method.

But part of beekeeping for me isn't the actual beekeeping- it's being in this valley, and experiencing in a fuller way than I would otherwise. You see things you wouldn't see otherwise- I feel like I am here to stay- I've painted enough along the river's edges, walked it all over, and been enchanted again and again by the colors, and the way life happens between two hills in a valley heading north along the mountains (an unusual thing). It's different than other places- and very beautiful, despite the rapid growth, which chips away at it each day. 

I want to be here. I'm pretty sure about that. If I were a younger man, maybe I'd try my luck further north, or east of the mountains, or Oregon-  or figure a way to fit into a foreign culture. But I like what I know- and like beekeeping, even when you think you know it, there's much more to know.  I am grateful to my mentor Brian for introducing me to beekeeping many years ago - among many other things  he shared in our long friendship, bluegrass music, for example, and some friends who became very important to me. Those have all been a very big part of my life,  and were not expected- more like things I was introduced to, and gained a life of their own- and I am glad (except the stings), for all of it

My constant companion in beekeeping-pushing 12 years
now.  Though of course, Ted Nugent (I didn't name him!) keeps
 a healthy distance from the hives. He sits 30 feet away and watches.