> Regarding smoker fuel discussion:
 
Dehydrated alfalfa pellets are a useful smoker fuel that I have not
seen mentioned.  They take a few minutes to get a good fire going, but
once coals form they will burn for many hours.  You need a little
grass above them to keep them from falling out the spout.  They glow
like charcoal and produce cool white smoke.  Caution - do not dump
them on the ground when finished.  They are difficult to extinguish
and can be a fire hazard.  They are not suitable for working a few
colonies, but make a good fuel if you plan on working bees all day.
Once started properly, they will not go out on you.  They produce
little tar and do not gum up a smoker like many other fuels.  A
propane torch works well to get them started.
 
Another useful fuel is to add green grass to a burning smoker to
produce lots of cool white smoke for moving bees.  You must, however,
keep puffing the bellows or it will go out.
 
A parting thought, if you do not like working with a gummy smoker,
easy-off oven cleaner spray will clean up the outside nicely.  Spray
it on, let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse it off with water.
 
marion ellis    [log in to unmask]