The Blog is back

Yes, I'm back. Why? you might reasonably ask and to be honest I'm not too sure.
In the few month or so things as regards bees and markets have changed a bit and I have also got involved in a few new things, one of which lends itself to doing a blog.So, here it is.
Firstly a quick 'where are we now' blog.

Honey Bees
They have had their autumn feed and have been settled down for the winter. I have tried a new type of winter insulation.
They have also had their winter varroa treatment.

Markets
I had decided to cut back the markets I do to just one monthly market [The Forest Centre at Marston Moretaine] and the quarterly market at Potton.
The Forest Centre market has now closed permanently and in anticipation of this I had started going to St Neots instead.
However for reasons that I expect most people would find utterly laughable, I won't be going back.
Instead I will be going back to the Bromham Mill market. This is a very nice friendly market and its changed from being a food only market to food and crafts. Keith and Lynn Merediths Little Smokehouse, The Indian Orchard, Rudi's Dog Treats, the Little Treat Shop from the Forest Centre all attend.
Its the first Saturday of the month and there is a nice walk along the river, a good cafe and lots more stalls than when I was last there.
The next market will be on the 4th March and more details are here
Apart from these two, we will be doing the usual 'events' like Bromham, Kempston, Sharnbrook, Open Farm Day at Scald End, RSPB Summer Fair and the Bedford Young Farmers Rally.

Propolis
As some of you know I sell [or attempt to] propolis tincture and cream at the markets I do.
I have met two people recently who also have an interest in using propolis and I am going to help them.

Wildflower meadows
One of the people I have met has a farm in Sharnbrook and is thinking of setting up a wildflower meadow on his farm as part of a project to run weekends for people to come and work on the farm and I will be helping to set this up in the New Year.
He has asked me if I would give a talk on bees and give some practical bee keeping experience to the people who come to the farm and also run some bee hives on the farm in the visitor area he also wants to set up.
Wildfower meadows led onto Solitary bees
Which led onto Solitary bee nests
Which led onto Bug Houses.

Solitary Bees
This has become a real interest. When I give talks about honey bees I mention solitary bees and have put up a solitary bee nest in my garden.
Expect to read a lot about them.

See you after Christmas.