Brooklyn Grange Beekeeping Apprenticeship: Week 3

“Tell me what you see.”

The answer is bees.  Always with the bees.  (And butts.)
c2012, Shelly Fank

This week there was a lot I could respond with.

On Friday, a few apprentices returned to the Brooklyn Navy yards to check on our packages. The good news: two packages are going strong. They’re drawing comb, laying brood, and bringing home pollen. It seems they are enjoying the beautiful spring weather just as much as we are. The bad news: three packages aren’t doing so well. In the first hive we opened, the queen was dead, quickly validated by Tim recovering her body (Super bee observation skills at work!). The bees had tentatively drawn out a few frames of comb that glistened with nectar, but there was not an egg to be found. The other two hives had queens, but the brood was spottily laid, with some cells empty and others containing more than one egg. These three hives are going to need new queens, either through their own raising or through our help.

Never hold frames horizontally.  If it's hot, the wax can buckle and break.

Keep them vertically oriented, as they are in the hive, to maintain structural integrity.

Lovely new package brood.

Even dead and desiccated, queens are significantly larger than workers.

On Saturday, we learned just the skills to do that. Back at the Brooklyn Grange’s farm in Long Island City, we returned to the two overwintered hives to prepare a walk-away split. As I mentioned last week, the overwintered hives have been growing so rapidly that they are exhibiting signs of swarm preparation: the comb we’d scrapped off last week was built right back and there were several queen cups, sometimes more than one per frame, now full of royal jelly and supporting a queen larva.

To make the split, we prepped a super with some frames of honey, taken from the dead hive we cleaned last week. We then inspected the functioning hives frame by frame. Tim patiently answered all our questions (topics ranged from the genetics of drones from overwintered hives to the taste of royal jelly) and we spent a lot of time passing around frames, learning to spot queens and read the comb.

One instructor, 9 apprentices, and a camera strap.

After finding four or five frames full of capped brood and queen cups, taken from both of the overwintered hives, we had a full super. Before covering it, we shook a few more frames of bees into the box. These bees, regardless of their former task in their old hives, would now be responsible for managing of the tasks for the new one. Most will be nursing the new queens and brood into adulthood, the most crucial task for the survival of the split. The others will take care of the other chores, like foraging and cleaning. It’s amazing to think that in the course of a half an hour we radically changed their lives, forcing them to adapt quickly to a new reality.

Shaking bees like a Polaroid picture.  Or just once.  Yeah, just do it once.

Kamikaze bee is after the camera.

But that’s exactly what we did. The super was closed up and carried in a long procession of apprentices to the other side of the roof, where it will stay closed for a few weeks as the bees raise their new queen.

Next week: Back to the Navy Yards? A return to the Brooklyn Grange? The answer is a mystery to me as well. But one thing is sure, there’s going to be bees. A lot of bees.

Brooklyn Grange Beekeeping Apprenticeship: Week 2

Saturdays have become my favorite day of the week and not just because of the weather. While others are lazily lounging in the park working on their tans, I can instead be found covered up in white with the apprenticeship program. Certainly, there could be few better places to spend these wonderful weekend afternoons than on the Brooklyn Grange’s rooftop farm in Long Island City. Just above a bustling street, it’s quite a treat to hear long grasses rustle in the wind and the bees buzz.

Brooklyn Grange (in Queens) and a line of beekeeping apprentices.

This week the Brooklyn Grange Bees apprentices learned hive inspection skills at the Long Island City farm. We started off taking apart an abandoned hive whose colony didn’t survive the winter. Prying the supers apart and cleaning off propolis proved a good way to break in our brand-new hive tools and practice proper handling technique. It was also an exciting opportunity to learn about the behavior of bees during the winter. Opening the hive frame by frame felt almost like a criminal investigation—was there evidence of any foul play, perhaps by varroa mites? What about adequate food supplies? Examining the comb closely, we could see dead bees that had crawled into the comb to help with heating. It seems the colony was too small to create enough heat to survive the winter.

On a lighter note, we found several frames of untouched honey, which were quickly turned into a snack for the volunteers at the Grange. Spring and fall varieties were stored right next to each other, allowing us to perform a taste test and basically gorge ourselves on the sweetness of the fresh honey. After breaking for water and to clean our very sticky hands, we headed to the other side of the roof for the first hive inspections!

Brood frame on left, honeycomb on right.

Working on overwintered hives was a drastic change from working with the packages a week before. These were bees with an established home that they were willing and able to protect. Keeping the smoker burning and distracting the bees was essential. The bees were right to be wary of us coming in as opening the first hive caused the comb the bees had built between the super and the inner cover to rip off and tear apart rows of drone brood. While sad, it was an incredible opportunity to take a look at the different phases of larval development. Thankfully there was also plenty more brood inside the supers. Passing around the frames, we could see the larvae chewing their way out of the comb, emerging, and descending right back in to clean our their cells. It might sound bizarre, but it was actually a beautiful sight. I’m continually amazed by the efficiency of the bees, of their ability to function from the moment of their birth to their last flight out of the hive as a cohesive and prosperous unit.

Cleaned out drone brood.  Purple-eyed pupae on top, late stage and cocooning larvae on the bottom.

Prosperous might be a bit of an overstatement actually. These bees are booming. Opening the second hive we found several supersedure cells. As we located the queen in another frame, very much alive and laying eggs, this could only mean the hive had outgrown its frames and is getting ready to swarm. Thankfully we had available frames from the abandoned hive (expertly cleaned by our very hands earlier that day) that were swapped in. Hopefully, we were in time to avoid the swarm, but only future checks will tell.

Capped brood in the middle, larvae and eggs around it, surrounded by pollen and corners of honey.
Practically perfect in every way.

I’m not sure whether we’ll be back to see these hives as next week we return to the Brooklyn Navy Yards to continue building the apiary, which I’m happy to report is now completely funded! (Many thanks to everyone who contributed!) But the visit was impactful for more than the hours logged. It’s easy to forget the life cycle of the bee when the population turns over so quickly and a frame of brood is replaced with another and then another and then another. The chance to see the various hives, both dead and alive, was a wonderful gift and reminder of the mortality of the bee.

Brooklyn Grange Beekeeping Apprenticeship: Week 1

This past Saturday, my mild (well, more like obsessive) interest in bees changed course as I transitioned from armchair bee enthusiast to full-fledged rooftop beekeeper.

I read about the apprenticeship program of the Brooklyn Grange Apiary Project, Brooklyn Grange's creation of the largest commercial apiary in the city, through this very blog. I had been interested in beekeeping for several years, but without property of my own I did not think I would actual become a beekeeper, at least not while I was living in New York. So when I heard about the project I was overjoyed. As an apprentice, I would learn the ins and outs of beekeeping—everything from preventing swarms to harvesting honey to queen breeding—while helping manage the apiary's 20+ hives. I would also get the chance to share my new skills, teaching others and helping build the beekeeping community. The chance to spend my weekends with a bunch of people as excited about bees as me? Please. It would be a dream come true.

The dream team.
c2012, Alex Brown

It all happened quite suddenly. One week after I applied, I received a phone call telling me the great news that I had been accepted to the apprenticeship program, and the next, I was being texted a location in the Brooklyn Navy Yards to come out and assemble the first hives. At Ted & Honey’s Café, located in the Navy Yards, I met Tim and the eleven other apprentices. I also got my first look at the empty roof that would soon be buzzing with activity.

Surprisingly, it all went smoothly. Sitting in the back of Tim’s car were five packages of bees, loudly humming and ready to be freed. After a brief discussion of the task before us, we picked up the packages, our gear, and the equipment necessary to assemble the hives, and headed up the four flights of stairs to the roof. As it was a Saturday, the offices we passed were empty, but I couldn’t help thinking how those who work inside would react if they saw us crating thousands of bees past their doors. You have to admit, there’s something slightly comical about it.

Fifteen pounds of fun.

On the roof, we assembled four supers worth of frames, brushing up on our craft skills as we inserted foundation and nailed it in place. In assembly line fashion, we made a good team, finishing quickly so the fun could begin: installing the packages. I had read Tim’s blog post on package installation before arriving that morning, but as I donned my enormous hat and veil, I definitely felt my heart catch in my throat. This was it. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. I was no longer going to merely observe bees, but work with them, look after their needs and help them thrive.

More hands, more better.

We watched Tim masterfully install the first package. Then in teams of four, we worked our way through the process. It certainly was not as easy as it looked. There were some shaky fingers, which made for trouble prying open the package and pulling out the feeding can so we could shake the bees free. Emptying a three-pound box of bees with your bare hands sounds like a daunting task. But actually doing it, feeling the bees woosh past my hands, brushing and sometimes lightly bouncing off my fingertips, was not overwhelming at all. It felt exhilarating and bizarre, but oddly right. I doubt you could see my face beneath the enormous veil, but I’m sure I was positively beaming.

Pouring bees like water.
c2012, Alex Brown

Letting the apprentices take a turn.
c2012, Alex Brown

By the end of the afternoon, our brand new suits were speckled with bee poop, evidence of our encounters, and the once barren rooftop now held the four fledgling hives. While certainly not as excited as they had been thirty minutes before, the bees were still circling around their new homes, acclimating themselves to their surroundings and asserting their presence. As we learned, the bees in each package were randomly selected from a variety of hives. Now, exploring the perimeters of their new home, they are about to make themselves into a functioning unit, a coordinated and responsive team. I look forward to spending the summer with my fellow apprentices, as we, like the bees, learn from each other and develop into a thriving team.

Hooray for bees!
c2012, Alex Brown

::Pssst:: Wanna be my apprentice?

I'm pleased as punch that YOU (yes, you!) are among the very first to know about BAABA: the Big Apple Apiary Beekeeping Apprenticeship.

What the heck is that?

Lemme tell you: The clever young men and women at the Brooklyn Grange and I have secured a roof in the Brooklyn Navy Yard to host a few dozen hives, most of which will be dedicated to helping new volunteer beekeepers get the hands-on experience they'll need to become WICKED SWEET beekeepers. And YOU can apply for a spot!

Here's the full description of the program, and how to apply. And hop to it, we're reading applications as they come in!

Big Apple Apiary Beekeeping Apprenticeship

Brand new rooftop apiary seeks 12 volunteer beekeeping apprentices for the 2012 bee season (April through October or November). Working in small teams, our apprentices will gain hands-on experience in both basic and advanced beekeeping techniques, with a focus on treatment-free and organic beekeeping, and have the opportunity to pay it forward and mentor next year’s students.

About
This 20 hive apiary – poised on an expansive rooftop in the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard – will play host to NYC’s first hands-on beekeeping training program. Through education and outreach we aim to foster an inclusive community of new beekeepers and arm them with the tools they need to play an active role of the long-term sustainability of our city. The apiary is a joint project of Brooklyn Grange Farm and Timothy O’Neal of Borough Bees.

Benefits & Responsibilities
Our apprenticeship program is structured to give you all the first-hand knowledge you need to start a beehive of your own on your roof, community garden, or backyard. We will provide teams of two to three apprentices with several beehives, beekeeping equipment, basic safety gear, and close guidance through a season of hive management in a small group setting. Our goal is to give you the training you need to apply your knowledge independently by the end of the season, and leave prepared to be a mentor to new beekeepers next year. We’ll also arrange for a few field trips and special guests throughout the season to welcome you into the greater beekeeping community in New York City and beyond.

Apprentices will work directly with experienced beekeepers and gain hands-on experience that covers the gamut of beekeeping tasks: basic hive inspections, pest identification and management, swarm prevention, requeening, combining and splitting hives, and honey harvesting. You’ll also learn about more advanced techniques like cell size regression, queen breeding, and managing top-bar colonies.

Apprentices are required to devote an average of 3-4 weekend hours per week to the maintenance of their hives. On a typical weekend the instructor will give a quick, hands-on lesson (30-60min) using a demonstration hive on what to look out for at that point in the season, at which point apprentices will break into small teams to inspect their own hives under supervision from the instructor. Teams are responsible for maintaining close records of hive conditions and manipulations. Some heavy lifting required, must be able to climb 4 flights of stairs and work in all weather.

Who We’re Looking For
This is not a beekeeping 101 course; ideal candidates will be able to demonstrate some degree of knowledge, but hands-on experience isn’t necessary. We’re a brand-new program so we need people with a sense of humor, patience, and a willingness to help us find ways to improve as we go!

Benefits
In addition to the valuable hands-on training using provided equipment, we may be able to provide starter bee colonies to apprentices who successfully complete the whole program, to start their own hives next year. Students will get a portion of the honey harvest - but be aware that first-year hives sometimes produce little or no harvestable honey. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who’s interested in getting started managing their own bees and giving back to the larger community.

How to Apply
Please respond to bigappleapiary@gmail.com no later than March 21st with an email telling us about yourself and your interest in the apprenticeship. We will be reviewing applications as they are received. No resume necessary, creative applications encouraged.

We encourage teams of two to three to apply together. Those who do not apply in teams will be paired with other selected applicants. Youth, members of under-served communities, and people from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Applicants who will be available during the work week, or with an interest in queen breeding and genetics will be given special consideration.

You could spend your time like this!

Well, this is probably a bit more accurate.

Or this.

Or this.  Bees errywhere.
Oh.
Yes.

THIS COULD BE YOU!

Weekly 101 (9/16/11)

Well, so I won't be hosting an inspection at Added Value this Saturday. But babies, don't you panic; you can get your beekeeping fix this Saturday at the FIRST ANNUAL NYC HONEY FESTIVAL!

I sure do like bees.  And festivals.
I REALLY like festivals.
Carnies everywhere.
That isn't true.

YES!

Come down to the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk at 96th St to check out more beekeeping activities and events than you can shake a package at.

Over the course of the day, we will be hosting:
LIVE EXTRACTION DEMOS!
BEEKEEPING 101 Q&A!
COOKING DEMOS HOSTED BY GROWING CHEFS!
HONEY TASTINGS!
SPECIAL BREWS FROM SIX POINT!
LIVE BEES!
AND MORE!

I AM PRETTY EXCITED!

Even better, if you are a local beekeeper, enter your honey into our Honey Tasting! The link to sign up is HERE! The honey deemed the best by our judges will receive prizes.

Good prizes.

An 8 frame copper top hive, donated by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm!
-and-
A matching 8 frame Ultimate Hive Stand, donated by Bee Smart Designs!

The Grand Prize for Best Local Honey!

Photo from www.BrushyMountainBeeFarm.com

PLUS, a sweet new Ultimate Hive Stand from Bee Smart Designs.
Jealous.  Ugh.

Honestly, I'm just sad that I can't enter.

So come out and say "Hi!" Meet some bees! Meet some beekeepers! See what all the buzz is about!

NYC Honey Festival
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk @ 96th St
Saturday, September 17th
10AM to 6PM
www.NYCHoneyFest.com