post pics of your bee yards

[lorihadams]

I am new to beekeeping and I am trying to figure out how to set up my bee yard, the bees are coming in 2 weeks and I am trying to get ideas for my setup.

Could those of you with bee yards please post some pics???

 

[journey11]

Mine still needs some work, but here's the current location.

You guys might recognize this photo...it's the background on my blog! I used Photoshop to make it look "painted".

This photo was taken in the afternoon, so you can tell by the tree's shadow that my hive faces southeast. Our worst weather usually comes in from the west/southwest. It's not directly under the big poplar tree, so it gets filtered sunshine. The fenceline behind it helps protect it from deer knocking it over and there is some brush/small trees behind to help serve as a wind break. Really, on this hilltop, it's nearly impossible to get out of the wind.

One big problem with my current set up is that my hive is too close to the ground. Another annoying problem is that it is located on a bit of a slope and that makes it difficult to get in there and work it.

I'm going to move it over from it's current location about 20 feet to the left in the picture, where the ground is more flat.

Here is a picture of the kind of hive stand I'm going to build (except my posts will be set in the ground.)

Hop on over to www.beesource.com to get all your honeybee questions answered thoroughly. I've even had posts that renowned experts have commented on there. It is the go-to hub for all things honeybee. :bee I don't think Nifty will mind me referring you there since we don't really have a bee forum here (although there are many of us who do have bees.)

 

[lorihadams]

Thanks Journey, I'll give that a try.

I have a weird situation because everywhere on my property gets morning sun and evening shade. We put our house in the middle of a pasture and the tree line is behind the house but the sun comes up behind the tree line and then it blazes the rest of the afternoon. Any where I put them gets ridiculous wind gusts and no shade. We have planted lots of fruit trees and some dogwoods and even some almond trees but they are all 5-8 ft tall. It will be great once they are mature but for now I just have no shade in the afternoons at all. Anywhere I put them is going to have issues.

 

[vfem]

Like Journey we have a wind situation and a wide open pond that allows no cover from the wind for us!

Like you, we have our bees coming in a couple of weeks!

Maybe I'll get a better picture later, here's where we have the hive now. Its an area we cleaned out close to where we compost. There are some invasive weeds in the area we decided to leave for the bees, like honeysuckle vine and trumpet vine. At the far left (not photoed) is the beginning of our mini orchard. They'll enjoy apple, pear and peach blossoms. Also have a cone flower, cosmo and poppy mix that comes up by the pond for them to enjoy. Of course thoughout summer they'll enjoy our veggie gardens and the fall/spring is full of clover from the property.

We don't have as much land as you guys... but we're making it work for us as we work it!

 

[thistlebloom]

Lori, could you build a temporary structure around your hive for shade and a wind break until your trees mature?

 

[lorihadams]

That's what I'm thinking. Here's a crude layout of the spot I'm thinking about
| |
| East |
|---------------------------------------------| (goat pasture fence)

H1
H2

sug maple sug maple
Fencing or tall shrubs


West


My husband doesn't want to plant evergreens (like a leyland cypress) and a local greenhouse suggested schip laurels. I don't know. It's killing me. More than likely I will put it here but I have to figure out what to do about the shade situation and put some sort of fencing around it to keep out the neighborhood dogs and my children. The good news is that the kids usually play in the back yard so it would be out of their way. I would like to put it in the back of the property under some mature trees but the sun situation is just backwards and I'm afraid it will be too cold in the morning and too hot in the afternoon. I'm probably overthinking it as usual.

 

[lesa]

Not a very good picture, I'm afraid- but you can sort of see that my hive is in my chicken yard. The two live together very nicely...
Remind me what part of the world you live in? When I first got bees, I tucked my hive away in a little wooded area. This turned out to be a bad idea. The sun didn't really hit the hive until 10 am, and they just didn't have enough time to work.
If you are going to fence in the hive- why not use that as your screen? Maybe a short picket fence- to make it look like a garden area?
Since I am in the north country- I have a wind block. It is just a couple pallets standing on end (nothing attractive, but it works...)

 

[thistlebloom]

Lesa , you must have been jumping pretty hard on your trampoline to get that shot!

 

[4grandbabies]

Lesa , you must have been jumping pretty hard on your trampoline to get that shot!

I was wondering also..but to me it looks wonderful, no matter how you got the pic, I miss my chickens! Never had bees..

 

[lesa]

LOL, just a second floor deck!