Berkshire bee van: how I researched it
I urge you to get a copy of November’s month’s Bee Craft magazine – the Berkshire bee van is in it! 20 months ago I received an email from Richard of BeeCraft: he had visited my website – ‘could I … Read more
Where Can I Find Local Honey Near Me?
Where can I find local honey near me? I often see this and similar questions posed on community pages and I have several tips to help you track down jars of this golden flowery-wonderfulness. I summarise below: Roadside Local Honey … Read more
Ridgeway Bees
The reason for doing this small body of research is my hope that I will change your perspective. Naturally, when we traverse the Ridgeway we enjoy the landscape, with its large skies and breathtaking views. However, if we look closely … Read more
RSS Beehive Yourself
This post (RSS Beehive Yourself) follows-on from this evening’s talk entitled ‘Flipping the System’. Attached are a number of resources to help you find RSS links for your favourite websites. In addition, a big thanks to Sarah Plumley for giving … Read more
Lockinge Estate Exhibition
The Lockinge Estate Exhibition will be open on 18th through to 19th March 2023 (2pm to 5pm) at the Loyd Lindsay Rooms in Ardington. This event will give you a glimpse into the life of the communities who lived on … Read more
Sarah Plumley Pod | Episode 40 | St Valentine’s Day Special | Beekeepers
Sarah Plumley interviews me on her podcast – The Plumley Pod – where I initially talk about St Valentine. Most people assume that Valentine’s day is about love but in reality he is the patron saint of epileptics, beekeepers and … Read more
William Woodley’s Christmases In Beedon
Yuletide is upon us, so I thought it would be a pleasant diversion to revisit William Woodley’s Christmases in Beedon. The passages below are taken from his writings both in the British Bee Journal and the Bee-keepers’ Record. William Woodley’s … Read more
About Beehive Yourself | Solar Beeswax Extractor
In this article I share my experiences of a solar beeswax extractor. For the avoidance of doubt, this piece of kit is sometimes referred to as a solar beeswax melter, a solar beeswax rendered or even a beeswax solar extractor. … Read more
Hive Assembly: How Two Tools Make A Big Difference.
In this article I discuss two tools which make a big difference to hive assembly. These aids hardly get a mention in bee books or at beekeeping associations. However, unless you have a helper on hand, assembling hive boxes properly … Read more
Around William Woodley’s Apiary, Worlds End, Beedon
‘Around William Woodley’s Apiary, Worlds End, Beedon’ is an update of a blog post I did in 2014. The purpose of the post was to review the features in the photo (see above) and to discover what remains today. Back … Read more
About Beehive Yourself | How To Make A Letterpress Flyer
One way to find customers is to put flyers through their letterboxes. For the best chance of success you need to create something remarkable. This is my attempt at doing just that – using cardboard, ink, and string and I … Read more
About Beehive Yourself | How To Move A Hive Of Bees On Your Own
In this article, I describe how to move a hive of bees on your own. I begin by going to my apiary just after sunrise when all of the bees are still in the hive. Alternatively, you could carry out … Read more
The Story of William Woodley and the World’s First Mass-Produced Car
In this article, I explore the history of a ‘Benz Velo Comfortable’ motor car, which once resided in the village of Beedon. This vehicle was once owned by William Woodley and I discuss why, on the face of it, he … Read more
About Beehive Yourself –The Number One Swarm Collecting Tip.
This is the second video in a series I am calling ‘About Beehive Yourself’, which showcases some of my beekeeping activities. In my current video entitled, ‘About Beehive Yourself –The number one swarm collecting tip,’ I explain a beekeeping secret. … Read more
About Beehive Yourself – What Attacked My Hives?
What Attacked My Hives? During a recent visit to my apiary, I discover damage to my hives. In this article, I speculate who the culprits are, and describe how I made good on the damage. My winter checks should have … Read more
The Apiary At Crossing Cottage, Compton, Berkshire.
Every so often I discover an apiary at a surprising location, and one such place, albeit in a photograph, was in the back garden of a railway-crossing cottage at Compton, Berks. This article tells the story of C W Dyer … Read more
Saddleback Farm Shop – Honey Label Review
In this article I review honey labels displayed on jars on sale at Saddleback Farmshop. If you wish to follow in my footsteps, this store is located on the edge of the village of Farnborough in West Berkshire and is … Read more
Honey Label Review – Galloway Honey Farm
This is a honey label review, and in this article I appraise the ‘Galloway Honey Farm Scottish Heather Honey label.’ This piece follows on from my honey label style review of London Honey Co. As an aside, the taste of … Read more
Why Should Beekeepers Trap Wasps In Spring?
To trap wasps in spring seems a strange thing to do. How many of these creatures have you seen in spring? As you get into the warmer months, queen-wasps are looking to set up home. I am trying to prevent … Read more
William Woodley – An Introduction
I will be publishing a series of posts about William Woodley (Beekeeper) in the forthcoming weeks and months. To set the stage for this endeavour, I summarise below William Woodley’s life-story. William Woodley (1845 – 1923) [1,2] was a pioneer … Read more