Our no mow May sector is intriguing as although Bess & I are fairly good at early shoot identification there is all sorts of growth waiting to show its true colours. Meanwhile this extraordinary May has meant first cucumbers harvested and eaten, marrows, blackcurrants, broads and peas set, and absolute abundance in the garden (Roger- you'd have a field day with the bees!). Bald patches in the lawn from a dog winter are completely gone. Most appkes ever set on the Cox but plum babies have been woodpigeoned into oblivion!

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Our "No Mow" patch is looking good - lots of yellow rattle and the ragged robin doing very well in the shady corner. It is humming with bumblebees, but honeybees seem to be missing - even though a swarm went into our redundant chimney recently. Thrift and Long-horned poppies are thriving on their gravel, with new plants popping up too. Our resident Cudweed seems to be doing well in "the cracks". The badger and hedgehog seem to be boycotting us just now - not sure why. All we need is some nice weather to enjoy! Today is overcast and very windy - again! 😬
I gave up beekeeping 4 years ago after cardiac by-pass surgery. It seemed unwise to be lone working in out of the way fields with poor phone signal coverage. Uneven ground, slips and trips, carrying heavy supers, etc. I do miss them - but not the work involved. If you reckon to get 80-100lbs of honey per hive - quite achievable - that's a lot of jars to fill, store, carry about and sell! 😲
I shall nip over to The Green to tidy up the 9 Sqn RAF Memorial there ahead of D-Day commemoration here on Sunday. They were involved. The pigeons and jackdaws constantly crap on the propeller!
https://bardney-group.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/homepage/31/ix-bomber-squadron-raf-war-memorial 

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Our "No Mow" patch is looking good - lots of yellow rattle and the ragged robin doing very well in the shady corner. It is humming with bumblebees, but honeybees seem to be missing - even though a swarm went into our redundant chimney recently. Thrift and Long-horned poppies are thriving on their gravel, with new plants popping up too. Our resident Cudweed seems to be doing well in "the cracks". The badger and hedgehog seem to be boycotting us just now - not sure why. All we need is some nice weather to enjoy! Today is overcast and very windy - again! 😬
I gave up beekeeping 4 years ago after cardiac by-pass surgery. It seemed unwise to be lone working in out of the way fields with poor phone signal coverage. Uneven ground, slips and trips, carrying heavy supers, etc. I do miss them - but not the work involved. If you reckon to get 80-100lbs of honey per hive - quite achievable - that's a lot of jars to fill, store, carry about and sell! 😲
I shall nip over to The Green to tidy up the 9 Sqn RAF Memorial there ahead of D-Day commemoration here on Sunday. They were involved. The pigeons and jackdaws constantly crap on the propeller!
https://bardney-group.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/homepage/31/ix-bomber-squadron-raf-war-memorial 

A fellow beekeeper in his mid-70s maintained over 20 hives in his back garden in New Malden. He sold nucs and honey, using the proceeds to sponsor a family he met during a trip to Africa, helping them set up their own local business—a truly commendable act.

Beekeeping is incredibly demanding work, particularly when managing swarms and dealing with aggressive bees. Once, a colony followed me for a couple of hundred yards. As I approached my house, I had to kill individual bees clinging to my outfit before I could remove my gear and go inside. It was a very daunting experience.

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