The Hive Jive - Beekeeping Podcast

167 - NBC pt 15 - Bruce Rodriguez on Catching Swarms

For the 15th segment in our Natural Beekeeping Corner, Nathalie sits down with Bruce Rodriguez from Swarmstead Bees and Gardening to discuss catching swarms to increase his hive numbers, his process when catching swarms, and his views on natural beekeeping... Tune in now to learn more!

Bonus - Tangents with Tara Chapman

(Original Air Date: April 22nd 2021)

Continuing over from the main segment episode where Tara taught us about the uses of Propolis, this bonus episode contains all the random tangents that the group got sidetracked with during the interview process. Needless to say, these were originally cut from the main episode in order to keep it under an hour long. So… tune in now to hear more about Tara’s baby news, Ken’s future cooking episode ideas, moving 25 hives across the state of Texas, desperate stories from trying to seal up hives, the group’s least favorite beekeeping month, people who inflate bee numbers, strange swarm calls, and Tara’s take on a certain individual who portrays poor beekeeping safety practices on social media.

Bonus - Topbar Woes

(Original Air Date: April 15th 201)

Today the guys talk about Ken’s Topbar that had a massive beard on the front. Could this be showing signs of swarming, or were they just trying to cool down? John discusses queen cups vs queen cells, and where they can be found for swarm purposes, as well as entrance discs being left on Queen Exclude. Ever heard of Drone Berries? Well, you will know what they are if you have a Topbar with an excluder and John explains why that occurs. The guys also discuss the internal dimensions of a Topbar and why a narrower interior can cause issues, thickness of hives and how it can throw off your final build, and even some tips about comb/bar rotation. Tune in now for these topics and more on this Hive Jive Junkie bonus episode!

Bonus - Things to Consider

(Original Air Date: Jan 21st 201)

In this episode Ken and John discuss a few things to consider this mid-winter, as well as tackling a listener question about what to consider when looking to expand your apiary into multiple locations.  Tune in now to hear how the guy’s hives are doing and maybe you will find a thing or two that you can consider as well.

Bonus - Crappy Solutions

(Original Air Date: Dec 17th, 2020)

Can you guess the theme of this episode?  John and Ken discuss bees using feces as a deterrent against giant hornets, they also discuss a bad book review, and have a brief talk about Ken's procrastination about combining colonies for winter prep.  Put on your wading boots, cause this one might get a bit messy.

Bonus - To Bee Proprietary or Not to Be?

(Original Air Date: Nov19th, 2020)

John discusses the pros, cons, and potential pitfalls of laying the groundwork for a future notification system to beekeepers in the state of TX for when pesticides are going to be utilized in their area. Part of this comes back to hive locations technically being considered trade secrets, or proprietary information. Does volunteering to participate in such a list invalidate your right to keep your hive locations a secret? The guys also discuss some of the other challenges that this year has brought to the forefront, and how they might need to restructure their plans for the next season in order to adapt.

Bonus - More on Mites, Robbing, and Hats

(Original Air Date: Nov12th, 2020)

The guys discuss more about bees being prone to robbing this time of year, as well as clearing up some confusion about which comb/bees should be used when doing mite checks.  Oh, and Hats are now a thing!

Bonus - Almost Award Winning

(Original Air Date: Nov 5th, 2020)

In this episode John details how he "Almost" won the 2020 Honey Show with the exception of one small oversite.  Minor details are key, as are major ones when entering into a true honey show.  The guys also discuss a few more thoughts on their recent honey tasting, plus cautions about late fall robbing!

Bonus - A Buzzy Christmas Eve

(Original Air Date: Dec 24th, 2020)

Ken and John are joined by a surprise guest, Max Milam, Ken's Son!  (It was a surprise for Max as he had no idea he was about to be dragged into the show.)  The guys talk about some recent developments in their lives, and Max and John poke fun at Ken's front porch beekeeping.  Hope you have a very Happy Holiday Season!

Bonus - Adulteration

(Original Air Date: Oct 22nd, 2020)

In this episode John discusses how prolific honey adulteration really is in today's marketplace and how it affects us all.  It can be difficult for backyard beekeepers to feel like they even have a chance to compete with the prices they see in the supermarkets, but the key is to shift the focus and better educate your consumers... one at a time.  Ken also give some updates on his ongoing efforts to combine colonies to help ensure they successfully overwinter this season.