Hello everyone! Your bees may dip into their stores in the month ahead – especially for protein. Protein patties fed in the fall can greatly bolster the health and vitality of your long-lived winter bees. Continue to feed protein into November. At this time of year...
As the season winds down for our bees, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind to ensure your colony has the best chance for overwintering success. Pollen Stored Ensure your hive has adequate pollen storage – if in doubt, a protein patty is a great...
Hope all is well in the hives. Did you know that mid-August is widely considered to be the start of the beekeeping year? By this time your honey supers are off (or should be taken off ASAP - reference our July blog), you’re checking mite levels and treating if...
July is here and that means honey flow in your hive needs to be checked to determine if it’s time to harvest. Your hive work in July will have a definite impact on your colony’s chance of winter survival. During this time your goal is to create the optimal conditions...
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the issues needing to be addressed in the world? Climate change, global warming, food security, the list goes on... Yeah, us too. So where can we begin to try and make a positive difference? Well, you are here, reading this...
With temperatures in the 70's heading into the start of summer, right now is an opportune time to be considering the plants you want to enjoy in the season ahead, and beyond. Planting when temperatures are cooler is best practice, and lessens the chances of transplant...
Blackberry season is here! Beekeeping in June is all about ensuring your bees put away enough honey reserves for winter. The honey flow in the Willamette Valley is on, and you should be seeing fresh white wax and a lot of nectar coming into your colonies. At this...
The pickup times below are suggestions aimed at reducing waiting time when you arrive – you may certainly come when it is most convenient for you during our store hours. Picking up your bees at the suggested time is preferred, but we realize this may not be ideal!...
. May is here, and our goal is to help the bees reach maximum colony strength at blackberry blossom in June. The bee brood developing right now is going to bring in the food that provisions the colony through fall and winter, and your personal honey harvest as well....
Are you a nature lover, a gardener, a beekeeper, or a photographer? Everyone is welcome to participate in the Shonnard’s Sweet Honeybee Photo Contest! We are looking for bee and beekeeping related photos, including but not limited to: Honeybees in the hive Honeybees...
PACKAGE BEE PICK UP DAY SATURDAY April 20th There will not be extra packages to purchase on pick-up day; you must have placed a pre-order in order to get bees. The pick-up times below are suggestions aimed at reducing waiting time when you arrive - you may certainly...
Congratulations, you’ve overwintered your colony! If your hives made it through to April with 5+ solid frames of bees and an active queen then you’ve successfully overwintered! Supplemental Feeding Now that your bees have broken their winter cluster and have...