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OH MAN, BEAUTIFUL!
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HI, I'M JERRY DUNBAR.
I'VE BEEN KEEPING BEES FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS
AND OVER THE YEARS I'VE FOUND SEVERAL METHODS THAT ARE NATURAL
AND NON-DISRUPTIVE TO THE HONEY BEES
AND ALSO METHODS OF KEEPING BEES SO THAT IT'S EASY
FOR US BEEKEEPERS TO HARVEST THE WONDERFUL PRODUCTS
THAT THE BEES MAKE FOR US.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WE'LL SHOW YOU A FEW OF THE PRODUCTS
THAT WE CAN BE RECEIVING OUT OF THAT BEEHIVE.
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OK, TO START OFF WITH, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU
A TYPICAL BEEHIVE THAT I'M CURRENTLY USING
AND THE WAY I'M USING IT.
STARTING OFF AT THE BOTTOM, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT
THE ENTIRE BOTTOM IS SCREENED SO THERE'S A WHOLE LOT
OF VENTILATION COMING THROUGH.
WHAT I DO IS TAKE A SUPER,
MAYBE ONE OF MY OLD SUPERS AND CUT IT INTO A FRAME,
STAPLE ON THE SCREEN, SCREW ON A LANDING STRIP
LIKE YOU SEE HERE.
AND NOW I HAVE A BOTTOM BOARD THAT'S VERY INEXPENSIVE
AND USEFUL FOR THIS PARTICULAR METHOD OF BEEKEEPING I'M USING.
NEXT COMES TWO DEEP SUPERS.
THESE TWO DEEP SUPERS ARE THE BROOD CHAMBER.
THE QUEEN IS IN THESE TWO SUPERS, IS LAYING HER EGGS,
PRODUCING BEES, AND THE BEES ARE BRINGING IN POLLEN
AND STORING HONEY AND ALL THE THINGS THEY NEED
TO KEEP THAT BEEHIVE GOING.
ABOVE THE TWO DEEP SUPERS IS A QUEEN EXCLUDER.
THIS METAL THING YOU SEE HERE IS A QUEEN EXCLUDER.
IT HOLDS THE QUEEN BACK SO SHE CAN'T GET UPSTAIRS AND LAY EGGS
UP IN THE HONEY SUPER WHICH IS ABOVE IT.
THIS GRAY SUPER YOU SEE HERE IS A MEDIUM HONEY SUPER.
AND OF COURSE ABOVE THAT IS THE COVER
AND THE COVER ON TOP OF COVER THAT I USE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT
OF SUNLIGHT BAKING DOWN ON THE TOP OF THE HIVE.
OK I'M GOING TO REMOVE THE COVER,
FIRST REMOVE THIS SECTION,
THEN THIS,
AND NOW WHAT YOU SEE IS A FOOD GRADE FABRIC
THAT IS USED TO STORE WHEAT AND VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS IS A VERY USEFUL TOOL.
BECAUSE IT'S SCREENED IT HAS TOTAL VENTILATION
AND I DON'T NEED TO VENTILATE THE TOP.
AND ALSO WHEN I INSPECT IT I CAN JUST LIFT A CORNER.
I DON'T HAVE TO DISTURB THE WHOLE THING,
AND I CAN SEE IN A CORNER WHAT'S GOING ON.
I CAN SEE THE PROPOLIS.
LOOK AT THE WONDERFUL PROPOLIS THAT THE BEES ARE COLLECTING.
THEY STICK THAT PROPOLIS ONTO EVERY RAIL BELOW
THE FABRIC THAT I'VE GOT.
EVEN THOUGH RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO HONEY FLOW
AND NO CAPPED HONEY IN THERE AT THIS TIME,
THE BEES ARE STILL COLLECTING PROPOLIS AND ADDING VALUE
TO THE BEEHIVE BY BRINGING IN ALL THAT PROPOLIS.
HERE WE GO.
SEE THE QUEEN EXCLUDER?
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OKAY, IN THIS BEEHIVE WE ESTIMATE
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 50,000 BEES.
THEY ALL LOOK HEALTHY,
THEY ALL LOOK LIKE THEY'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD.
YOU CAN SEE THEM BRINGING IN POLLEN,
BRINGING IN WHATEVER NECTAR THEY CAN GET,
AND WORKING VIGOROUSLY TO BRING TO US WONDERFUL,
BEAUTIFUL HONEY AND OTHER PRODUCTS FROM THIS BEEHIVE.
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THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO START A BEEHIVE.
ONE IS BY TAKING A PACKAGE OF BEES YOU RECEIVE IN THE MAIL,
AND INSTALLING IT INTO A BEEHIVE,
AND WE'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A MINUTE.
FIRST, THERE'S ANOTHER WAY AND THAT'S BY CATCHING
A SWARM OF BEES.
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[ beeping ]
LOOK AT THAT.
THAT'S A POWER LINE RIGHT THERE.
THESE ARE BABIES, CAPPED OVER, READY TO HATCH OUT
AFTER METAMORPHOSIS.
THE DRONES ARE OVER HERE ON THIS FAR SIDE.
THIS COMB HERE IS FILLED WITH REGULAR WORKERS,
THIS ONE'S FILLED WITH REGULAR WORKERS.
NOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS CUT THESE OUT
AND PUT THEM INTO ANOTHER COLONY.
NOW I'M GOING TO LAY MORE COMB ON TOP OF THOSE RAILS.
OKAY, THIS IS HONEY ON THIS SIDE.
ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU CAN SEE DRONES, ALL CAPPED OVER.
SEE THOSE DRONES?
THIS IS BASICALLY HONEY, MORE HONEY.
WE NOW GOT MOST OF THE BROOD IN THE CHAMBER HERE
AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE THE QUEEN.
I'M NOT SURE IF THE QUEEN IS IN THERE OR NOT BUT IF SHE'S
IN THERE THE IDEA IS THAT THE WORKER BEES COMING BACK
WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND THEIR HOME
BUT SHOULD BE ABLE TO SENSE THERE'S BEEN A MOVEMENT,
THAT THEIR HOME IS NOW IN A NEW LOCATION.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I'LL LEAVE THIS HERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS
AND SEE IF THEY ALL MOVE INTO THE NEW HIVE HERE.
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AFTER YOU GET YOUR COLONY OF BEES ESTABLISHED
IN YOUR BEEHIVE, WHILE THAT'S GOING ON
AND WHILE THEY'RE BUILDING UP,
WHAT I DO IS TAKE MY HONEY SUPER,
AND PREPARE MY HONEY SUPER SO THAT WHEN THE BEES WORK IT
THEY NOT ONLY PRODUCE EXTRACTED HONEY
BUT THEY PRODUCE COMB HONEY.
OKAY, NOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS PUT A HONEY SUPER
ON ONE OF THE COLONIES THAT IS BOOMING
AND LOOKS LIKE IT'S READY FOR A HONEY SUPER.
SO THIS HONEY SUPER HERE HAS FRAMES IN IT THAT USED TO HAVE
HONEY IN IT THAT GOT EXTRACTED SO NOW THEY'RE EMPTY.
AND I'M MAKING A HONEY COMB OR COMB HONEY SANDWICH.
NOTICE THAT FRAME HAS ALL THE CELLS DRAWN OUT BASICALLY
ALL THE WAY FULL.
NOW I'M GOING TO PUT IN THIS FRAME WITH NOTHING IN IT,
NOT EVEN STARTER IN IT, AND MAKE A SANDWICH OUT OF THAT.
I PUT IT IN MY HONEY SUPER, THERE SHE IS,
AND NOW HERE'S THE OTHER PART OF THE SANDWICH.
DRAWN COMB.
AND NOW I PUT IN ANOTHER FRAME,
TOTALLY EMPTY.
THE HONEY BEES WILL FILL THAT UP
AND MAKE PERFECT HONEY COMB OUT OF THAT,
WITHOUT ANY FOUNDATION.
SO HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER FRAME, ALREADY DRAWN OUT,
PUT IT IN PLACE,
AND HERE'S ONE WHERE THEY STARTED AND THEY DIDN'T GET
DONE WITH IT YET, BUT THEY BUILD THIS RIGHT FROM SCRATCH,
THE ENTIRE BEEHIVE.
THE HONEYBEE COLONY BUILDS IT RIGHT FROM SCRATCH.
THERE WE GO.
NOW THIS HONEY SUPER IS READY TO BE PLACED ON TOP OF THAT COLONY
THAT'S GETTING READY TO MAKE SURPLUS HONEY.
OH, LOOK AT THAT, BEAUTIFUL!
OH YEAH, IT'S READY.
MAN, DOES THAT LOOK GOOD.
DID YOU SEE HOW THE COMB WAS BUILT UP ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP?
THIS ONE'S READY FOR THE EXTRA SUPER.
AFTER THE HONEY SUPER IS FILLED WITH HONEY,
IT'S TIME FOR HARVEST.
I DO IT WITH A TRIANGULAR BEE ESCAPE AND A HIVE JACKER.
THERE IT IS, BEE ESCAPE IS IN PLACE.
IN TWO OR THREE DAYS THE BEES WILL BE OUT OF HERE
AND ALL DOWN BELOW
AND I CAN TAKE THE HONEY SUPERS OFF.
OK, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A TRIANGULAR BEE ESCAPE.
THIS ENABLES US TO VERY EASILY HARVEST THE HONEY
WITHOUT EVEN USING SMOKE IN MANY CASES.
THIS PARTICULAR TRIANGULAR BEE ESCAPE IS SET UP SUCH
THAT WHEN THE BEES WALK IN THROUGH THIS HOLE
THEY ARE UNABLE TO COME BACK OUT OF THAT HOLE
AND THEN ALL THE BEES ARE COLLECTING
DOWN INSIDE THE BEEHIVE.
OVER HERE ON THIS HIVE WE HAVE ONE ALREADY SET IN.
I TOOK THESE TWO HONEY SUPERS THAT MY HAND IS POINTING TO.
THOSE TWO HONEY SUPERS WERE PUT ON TOP THAT BEE ESCAPE.
AND THE HONEY BEES ARE NOW DOWN BELOW
AND I'M ABLE TO TAKE THESE TWO SUPERS OFF
WITHOUT ANY DISTURBANCE TO THE BEEHIVE.
OH, MAN THERE'S A LOT OF HONEY IN THERE!
WELL, HARDLY ANY BEES THERE.
LOOKING GOOD.
LOOK AT THAT, THERE'S ONLY ONE LITTLE BEE THERE.
THIS CAME OUT PERFECT.
THE BEE ESCAPE'S DONE.
WE JUST HARVESTED HONEY WITH NO SMOKE, NO FUMEBOARD,
USING A TRIANGULAR BEE ESCAPE.
AND I SUGGEST YOU USE A TRIANGULAR BEE ESCAPE
WHERE THE TRIANGLE IS RECESSED BELOW THE OUTER RIDGE.
IF IT'S FLUSH WITH THE OUTER RIDGE
IT STICKS ON THE INSIDE AND IT BREAKS APART.
SO NOW YOU HAVE YOUR HONEY SUPERS FULL OF HONEY,
YOU'VE BROUGHT THEM INTO YOUR HONEY HOUSE,
WHICH IS IN MY CASE, THIS IS MY HONEY HOUSE,
WHICH WAS A GARAGE AT ONE TIME.
I'VE REMOVED ALL THE GASOLINE, ALL OF THE LAWNMOWERS,
AND ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE ANY FUMES,
SO THAT MY HONEY SUPERS REMAIN FREE
OF ANY KIND OF FUMES OR CONTAMINATES.
SO BASICALLY AFTER YOU GET YOUR HONEY SUPER IN,
YOU NOW HAVE, IN MY CASE THE WAY I OPERATE,
I NOW HAVE TWO THINGS THAT OCCUR.
IN EACH HONEY SUPER I HAVE EIGHT FRAMES THAT NEED TO BE
EXTRACTED, AND PUT INTO THE EXTRACTOR YOU SEE RIGHT HERE,
AND I HAVE TWO FRAMES OF CUT COMB HONEY.
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TINY LITTLE CLUSTER THERE.
THERE'S HARDLY ANYTHING IN THERE.
WHO KNOWS?
MAYBE THEY'LL SURVIVE.
THE BEE'S CHECKING ME OUT.
NOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK INSIDE
AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE TOP ANYWAY.
NOT ALL THE WAY DOWN, BUT JUST FROM THE TOP.
NOW HERE WE HAVE, OK HERE'S--
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE WINTER FEED THAT I GAVE THEM
IN THE WINTERTIME, THESE TRAYS WERE FILLED WITH HONEY
COVERED WITH CAPPINGS, ARE BASICALLY EMPTY.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO NOW IS GIVE THEM ONE LITTLE LAST BOOST
BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS IN FULL VIGOR,
AND GIVE THEM ANOTHER TRAY OF FOOD RIGHT HERE.
NOW THIS IS BASICALLY EMPTY.
IF THEY NEED A LITTLE EXTRA HONEY IT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM
BUT PROBABLY THE HONEY NECTAR FLOW FROM APPLE TREES AND STUFF
WILL BE COMING IN SOON SO THEY PROBABLY WON'T NEED IT.
LATER ON I'M GOING TO REARRANGE THIS COLONY AND SET IT UP
SO THAT THEY CAN PRODUCE THE SURPLUS HONEY
IN SUPERS ABOVE HERE.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S TEMPORARILY LIKE YOU SEE.
SO I'M GOING TO PUT THE COVERS BACK ON, LIKE THIS,
AND THIS ONE'S READY TO GO FOR A WHILE,
AND I'LL COME BACK TO THIS AT ANOTHER TIME LATER ON.
IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY DID HERE.
THERE IT IS!
YOU CAN SEE THESE TRAYS WERE FILLED WITH HONEY
COVERED WITH CAPPINGS FOR THE WINTERTIME,
AND THEY BASICALLY EMPTIED THEM OUT
AND THEY'RE DOING QUITE WELL.
SO I'M GOING TO REMOVE ONE OF THESE TRAYS RIGHT HERE
AND PUT A LITTLE EXTRA HONEY IN.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE BEES ARE VERY MILD AND GENTLE,
THEY'RE NOT STINGING ME.
THE BEES NORMALLY DON'T STING,
AT LEAST THESE BEES RIGHT HERE,
THEY'RE NOT AS DEFENSIVE AS SAY THE AFRICANIZED BEES,
BUT THESE BEES CAN STING AND DO STING,
BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY GO OUT AND STING SOMEBODY ON PURPOSE.
THEY DO IT MORE ACCIDENTALLY THAN ON PURPOSE.
JUST FROM THE OUTSIDE OBSERVATION
THIS HIVE SEEMS TO BE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE
AFTER WINTERING OVER FOR SIX MONTHS,
NOTHING BEING DONE TO THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN ON THEIR OWN FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS
TRYING TO SURVIVE THE WINTER AND THEY DID JUST FINE.
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OF COURSE, EVERYONE KNOWS OUT OF THE BEEHIVE,
OUT OF THE HONEY BEE HIVE YOU GET HONEY.
BUT IN ADDITION TO HONEY,
THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS WE CAN GET OUT OF THAT BEEHIVE
THAT ARE HELPFUL AND USEFUL TO THE PEOPLE
AND COMMUNITY AROUND US,
ONE OF WHICH IS MEAD.
HERE WE HAVE HONEY THAT'S BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO WINE.
ACCORDING TO HISTORIANS, MANKIND HAS BEEN DOING THIS
FOR A LONG TIME PRIOR TO USING GRAPES,
AND MAKING WINE OUT OF GRAPES.
FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT PERCENT RIGHT NOW.
I WANT TO GET IT UP HERE TO 12.
I'M GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER MEASUREMENT WITH THE HYDROMETER.
11 1/2, THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH.
THIS IS THE FIRST TASTE OF THE MUST.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE 12% ALCOHOL,
AND IT'S READY FOR THE FIRST RACKING, WHICH WE'RE DOING,
IT'S GOOD, EXCELLENT!
TASTES GREAT!
YOU'LL HAVE A FINISHED PRODUCT LIKE THIS.
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