Chris Manton

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

This rain and dreary weather - while not ideal for inspections and such is actually perfect.

Very few swarmers, ticking down the days till they go into Winter mode. Queens plenty of space to lay now there's little nectar coming in. Summer plants growing nicely.

Strong bees on the whole. There's potential there if we get some nice weather last week of June, 1st week of July.

Some good queens for next year. Mated well during nice weather.

Honey down though, way down. I predicted 18t, I think that was generous. More like 15-16 (Spring)

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@GwenynGruffydd Great opportunity for somebody

[Gwenyn Gruffydd @GwenynGruffydd]

🐝 We're looking for a beekeeper 🐝
We're looking for someone to join our beekeeping team here at Gwenyn Gruffydd.

The role involves working with over 450 colonies across West Wales, carrying out hive inspections, making up nucs, moving bees, extracting honey and all the other jobs that come with commercial beekeeping.

It's a hands-on role and no two days are ever quite the same.

📍 Rural Carmarthenshire
⏰ Full Time
💷 £26,000–£30,500 (depending on experience) 
Full details and how to apply can be found via the QR code on the advert or on our website.

If you know someone who might be interested, we'd appreciate a share.
🐝

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

Honey seems to be selling quite well so demand seems to be there. It all comes down to price, too high and wave goodbye to supermarket sales. Consumer too stretched at the moment.

You can always source british honey at £10/lb...at £3/lb that time is gone. You have to ask yourself where is the honey coming from in 5 years when the mid size producers retire (murray, whent, wainwright maybe even evamy!) & the next generation. If theyre like me the thought of taking on the stress of honey production... well we'll see but at the moment it doesn't seem appealing.

I say mid size because there are no large honey producers in this country. I consider ourselves small-mid.

What are you doing? Are you ramping up, staying the same or cutting down?

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

Looks like the Great British Honey glut is over.

If one even existed in the first place?

As last prices look to be on the rise; good job as it was becoming uneconomical to produce.

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

If anyone buys one of these honey pump motors they are 0.75kw NOT 7.5kw as listed on the motor.

£300 down the drain

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@ApidaeHoney We're through to the tail already!

Usually a plant in my memory travelling to the moors mid august !

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

Willow herbs baby!

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

https://t.co/jXs03MrH2z

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@ApidaeHoney @GwenynGruffydd Nice

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

End boards @GwenynGruffydd

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@GwenynGruffydd It's getting increasingly difficult to find beekeepers so I'll be fascinated to see how you get on with replacing him. The reality is very few people stay in the industry, I've touched on this in previous tweets. A lot of talent scooped up by another agri trade - what a shame.

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@GwenynGruffydd They really are a game changer. No more rolled bees or sticky mess.

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@GwenynGruffydd Yup ill take one tomorrow.

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@GwenynGruffydd Ah right I see you use a mated queen, that makes sense. Our dummy boards (howard can show you how we make ours) = very effective & very cheap. Highly recommended

[Gwenyn Gruffydd @GwenynGruffydd]

🐝 A Change in the Beekeeping Team 🐝

In a few weeks’ time, we’ll be saying goodbye to Andy as he leaves Gwenyn Gruffydd to pursue a new career opportunity.

Andy has been a huge part of our journey, helping us grow our beekeeping operation to over 450 colonies and contributing enormously to the business along the way. Many of you will know him from our YouTube videos, where we’ve shared the highs, lows and laughs of beekeeping together. Thankfully, those memories are there for us all to look back on.

We’ll be sad to see him go, but we wish him every success in his next chapter….I wonder if he will miss packing nucs in the rain like today!? 😅

As a result, we’ll be advertising for a Beekeeper later this week, so keep an eye on our page for details.

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@austincwb @GlenHeathrHoney Just mine then 😬

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

Ladies & gentlemen Lime trees opening - 30th May!

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

@trihyc2 Where do you get your queens from?

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

Bees are starting to drop back from swarming intentions.

Obviously june-gap territory but it feels like to me, other than a little pulse of space related swarming, that might be it!

I reckon with no inspections, just boxes added, 80% of honey would be captured. Crazy early.

[Chris Manton @ElmTreeBees]

Try and get someone capable to queen breed - practically impossible here. We'd have to buy in from breeders & they'd have to be non swarmy and AFAIK only Danish Buckfast are reliable non swarmers.

We tried to get a partnership going with Tim/Riikka/Ged which are local DB breeders but it's a complicated & expensive process. In many ways it's easier to keep on rolling the way we are - warts 'n all