> I added Mike Palmer's name as I started using his method after Mike posted
>his method on BEE-L ( with modifications for hives on pallets as Mike does
>not keep his hives on pallets ( or at least did not back then)
Nice to know someone was listening, Bob. No, I don't keep my bees on
pallets. Sold em all so I wouldn't be tempted.
The whole idea for me is to weigh all my hives in late September. I
know just what to feed, and just how each colony prepared itself for
winter, and the total actual production. I used to lift all the
colonies with a spring scale. Meant 2 people and some really hard
work. Ruined my shoulders. Had to come up with a better way.
http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view¤t=springscale2.jpg
Had a dream one night...why lift? Why not tip?
Bought a cheap package scale.
http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view¤t=packagescale1.jpg
And weighed them this way.
http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view¤t=weighinghives2.jpghttp://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view¤t=weighinghives3.jpg
I can weigh an entire yard in less than an hour...the whole operation
in a few days. And, I don't have to move or lift any hives.
Allen, you mentioned 110 lbs as being a minimum weight for winter.
Well, I've weighed all my hives for the last 25+ years. I've adjusted
my target weight up over the years so I have only a handful of
starved colonies in the spring. In my area, a colony that only weighs
110 pounds would surely be dead before spring...more likely in
mid-winter. I wonder what the difference is between your bees and
mine. I do breed for large winter clusters. Love those colonies with
10 and 12 and 14 frames of brood in early May.
Could it be the packing you use?
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