Beekeeping on Vancouver Island

This picture is one of our nuc marshelling yards.  We keep our nucs here and in yards like this one to allow us to feed and to monitor.  As the nucs get stronger we remove them for sale to customers.  The other select ones are put into full hives to grow until they are ready to be moved into pollination.

Flying Dutchman is always looking to expand their hives and sometimes require volunteers to help us in our endeavours. Our Grandson is always wanting to go beekeeping with Grandpa.  He has been going with Grandpa periodically since he was about four.  Now at almost seven he is finally starting to fill out his Sherriff's Bee Suit.

The one thing he always said to his Grandpa was he had to have his own hive tool with him or he wasn't a beekeeper. Now that he is a little older he can do some of the odd jobs that are a little more to his size without always having his hive tool in his hand. 

Every year we take time out from our busy schedule to participate in the Annual Coombs Fall Fair.  We bring lots of display posters, beekeeping equipment, honey products and the demonstration hive which probably receives the most attention.  People like the demonstration hive because they can see what the bees are doing.  There are always lots of questions and the kids find the queen faster than most adults.

Stan spends time demonstrating how to put wood frames together, install the wire and foundation, then he embeds the wire into the wax foundation.  People are always interested in how to make the frames & embed the wax, how many frames go in the hive body and do we ever get stung.  We have posters with writing large enough to allow people to stand back and read them.