I think this may be the winter we lose our first hive.

Phillip and Jenny, I just found your site via the Gardenfork.tv site, and through your site found Backwards Beekeeping. So much wonderful stuff for a slow day at work.

I’m a beginning beekeeper, and think you guys are right on. Also love that you live in Newfoundland. I’ve always wanted to see the place.

Best of luck overwintering, and here’s wishing you lots of buzzing come spring.

Seeing the bees come to life after being stuck in the hives for so long is one of the best feelings I’ve had in beekeeping so far. It just feels good.

But here’s a video I took last March on the 3rd day of spring that demonstrates how long it can take for winter to let go around here:

In other words, I’m really looking forward to April.

And I’m amazed that the bees can survive under these conditions.

I’m taking bets on how many of our 4 hives make it through the winter. It’s been consistently colder this winter compared to last winter. I have concerns that the cold wind blowing into the hives is chilling the bees more brutally than usual. The mouse-proof mesh could be letting in too much cold wind as well. I guess we’ll see.

I’d like get slatted racks for our hives to reduce the direct wind chill on the bees during the winter.

Anyone know where I can order slatted racks online?

Yup, it was that Facebook plugin. But it could have been a coincidence that the SPAM arrived at the same time. Either way, it was enough for me to say the hell with it. (I actually like Google Plus, though. Go figure.)

Anyway, I think the new comment system is working. Or maybe it isn’t. I’m not getting any email notifications. I must have forgotten to check some box. I’ll take a crack at it and respond to other comments tomorrow. I’m tired from shovelling snow.