Judy wrote:
This is my first year in beekeeping and I have yet to master the use of my
> smoker.  I can get a fire going producing good smoke, but by the time I
> pull my gloves on, the smoker quits. Any advice on correct procedure here?
 
        If white pine trees grow nearby, pine needles make a good smoker
fuel.  Collected  from under the trees and stored,  they will be dry at the
time of use.
        The smoker can be stuffed loosely with pine needles and then the
needles can be smooshed to the side allowing a lighted match to be dropped
toward the bottom of the firebox.  This should get a fire going under the
needles.  The bellows can be pumped to make this fuel into a mass of glowing
and burning needles.
        Then another handful or two of pine needles can be stuffed in on top
of the burning material.  If this works, pumping the bellows will heat the
just-added needles and produce a lot of smoke.  (If it doesn't, I start
again.)
        I light the smoker first; then I assemble the rest of my equipment to
open the hives.  If the smoker is still working when I am ready to open a
hive, then it will probably stay lit.  Common sense says that I should carry
matches down to the hives so that I can re-light the smoker, but I usually
don't.
 Tim
Tim Sterrett
Westtown, (Southeastern) Pennsylvania, USA
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