On the Canadian Prairies, some beekeepers make dry substitute (usually Bee 
Pro or TLS Bee Feed) available in outside feeders year round with the 
heaviest consumption in early spring and late fall.  In our region (aspen 
parkland), we have found that there is enough pollen in the summer & fall, 
that they will really only work it in the spring.  We actually started over 
20 years ago by placing soy flour in an upturned lid inside a barrel on its 
side. It was a method of keeping the winter colonies from bothering 
surrounding land owners.  As the days warmed, but no natural pollen was yet 
available, sawdust piles, grainaries & animal feed troughs would be common 
targets for their foraging expeditions. We soon realized those yards were 
always ahead of those not beinging fed.  The next step was the blending of 
several products, but initial attempts were mixed as the powders must be of 
equal size or the bees will sort through it (You may think they look or feel 
the same, but as usual the bees will quickly show you how wrong you are!).

Of course Canadian springs are never typical and we can get extended periods 
where there is no fly time, so we attempted several methods of placement in 
the colony dry. Our experience was very poor. Keeping it from taking up 
moisture and becoming crusty was only one problem (feeding very small 
amounts is about the best to avoid this, but its not practical in a 
commercial operation). Even when commerical products became available, we 
found that many colonies were reluctant to pick it up and if they did, it 
was sometimes seen as something to be carried outside the hive and 
discarded.  What was interesting though, was that when an external feeder 
was placed in the yard (and the bees could fly to it) they would pound the 
exact same product into the hive!!

We now feed a pattie before they start to fly in the spring and make dust 
available in external feeders.  If the weather co-operates we feel the bees 
do every bit as well without the work of placing in subsequent patties, but 
we are always prepared to make and feed more, if they can't get the fly time 
to the feeders.  Once started with either though, we can't stop as the stock 
that handles our long winters best will not restart brood laying quickly if 
it slows or stops due to a lack of "pollen" coming in.

Others have described different mixing methods; we have a modified (fins 
out, scraper along the side) cement mixer. Others use Hobart commercial 
bakery mixers (I know of one guy who cut a deal with a pizza place as all 
his ingredients were food grade.).

Dave Tharle
T'N'T Apiaries
Ardmore, AB 

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