Why I Am Leaving My BEST Apiary For Good

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[JulianMartin]

I'd move the hives from the other apiaries to that one.

[martynhordern]

My first and only apiary was a mile up the road from home. I could walk up if needed. Then we moved house. Now it’s 13 miles and 30 minutes. My work is flexible so I make sure I’m over the way if I can help it to finish work and do the inspections. But it’s still a bind. Landowner is a friend and is great. I have all my kit stored there. It’s going to be a bind but looking to get somewhere closer once I get to know people better where we live. I feel your pain!

[justinthacker]

You should try an experiment with "low intervention" apiary work. Working them only max say three times a year and see how efficient you can be with your trips. Big Commercial beekeepers wth 10 of thousands of hives must do something like this, when managing their apairies thousands of miles away - something like once to super up, once to pull, once to prep for winter treat/feed. May have to accept losing some to swarming but such a shame to lose your best site.

[davidsmith]

The size of those hives, wouldn't it be easier to move house. Shame to give up such an ideal site.

[JamesCrouchX]

Sadly. I have set myself up the same way with two locations far from home. This was great until fuel prices went crazy. However, the fishing, kayaking, swimming at the furthest one is sorta nice. When I have made time to enjoy those opportunities.

[harrycook]

would you be able to move some hives in before the main flow and then out again, so there would be less journeys

[eastsussexbeesandwildlife]

Thanks Laurence, I'm sure you are sad to leave what is a lovely site. You will have to get a smallholding/farm so you can keep all or most in house!

[Holdfast]

There is something to be said for looking out the window from my armchair and seeing my bees doing their orientation flights!

[capebee]

My average apery is about an hour to an hour and a half each way
Furtherest away is about 3 hours each way

[divecamera]

Gutted for you Lawrence, they don't come around that often either.

[beekindhoneyandwax]

I bet you are gutted mate, such a shame I was willing to travel an hour each way to start up but decided against it, I know where you are coming from it's a big commitment

[dustinpotter]

Go horizontal....? a lot less lifting just to inspect. A lot of benefits to it. Frequency of visits should go down but conversion costs may not pan out and the clock means a lot. I guess I'm glad it's not a problem I have. I like big fishing but the cost makes me appreciate my love for pan fishing. At the end of the meal I'm still happy and don't feel it's a loss. Bee keeping takes a lot more dedication.

[williamsummers]

Why not use it as a "Letalone" ZEST hive only apiary. They only need visiting 5 times in a year

[mrp]

What a shame. The cost of fuel also won't help :(

[rogerwilson]

Shame no one more local can take it over.

[MyALevelMathsTutor]

Shame you haven't got a junior partner or bee hobbyist who lives around the corner...then you could limit your travel

[jljjoubert]

Still waiting for you're response. Cobus🐳

[jljjoubert]

Why didn't you move more hives there. Double you're income for the same effort? Cobus🐳

[blackberry]

People are used to drive at least one hour to their bees and you complain about 30-40min ?
I am suprised...
I have a feeling you might regret leaving this place in the futur.