Butchery and Bees

This morning 30% headed off to Stratford-on-Avon with the WI. Apparently they were going to have a behind the scenes tour of the RSC, and then lunch on a floating restaurant ... I was to be left home alone.

Mummy Sheila picked up 30% and Jules shortly after nine o'clock.  She bade me a cheery "Good Morning!" and presented me with a blue carrier bag, containing a three joints of lamb.

It seems that 30% and Sheila had had a conversation that went along the lines of ...

MS:    Have you got a mincer?
30%:  Why?

MS:    I've got all of these joints of lamb in my freezer, and I've gone off roast dinners. I thought I'd mince it and make a lovely Shepherd's Pie.

30%    Yes, we've got an electric mincer. Badman uses it for sausage making.

MS:    Perfect, do you think he'd mince up the lamb for me?

30%    You'd better ask him. You know he gets pissy, if he thinks I've been committing his time without asking him first!    

So, most of my morning was spent boning out the lamb joints, and converting them to a couple of kilos of minced lamb.  By the time I'd finished cleaning up, it was midday.

In the afternoon I grabbed my beekeeping gear and headed up to inspect the hives.

Hive #1 is doing much better. I could see four frames of brood and there are sufficient stores in the supers. I think any plans for a late Summer honey crop should now be abandoned. The bees are bringing in less nectar than they are using, and I need to keep a close eye to make sure they don't starve.

I moved on to Hive #2 next. It is doing really well, but, again, the colony is relying on honey reserves to maintain it. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't run short of food in the next week. There are six frames filled with brood and the hive is rammed with bees.

Hive #3 is also doing well and has four frames of brood. The bees have taken down the syrup, that I fed them last week and this has been stored in the brood chamber. I gave it another couple of litres of syrup and left them to heir own devices.

I had spotted all three queens during my inspections and I am reasonably happy with the condition of the colonies.  They need to build up their numbers and their stores in preparation for the colder months, so I need manage them accordingly.

As I mulled over the state of my hives, I gave consideration to carrying out a Bailey Frame Change on hive #2. If I'm not going to take a honey crop, there is no problem with feeding them, and they would benefit from fresh brood comb.

So that was Wednesday ... and the dogs got the bones!