In The Apiary Summer 2026
Decisions, decisions. Do I move hives to Debden Green for the tail end of the beans? In order to make an informed decision I took two field-walks but only saw one pollinator. OK, the weather was not that clement but I reckoned there was more nectar at home. Last year 10% of my spring honey came from the sycamore trees and as they were now in flower the hives had to stay at home. Many people would be hard pressed to describe a tree-flower or even be aware of their existence.
It’s June 17th very early morning and the whole garden is humming. The field maple and sycamore are in full flower and the bees are going crazy. The deep roots of trees means that the very dry spring will not hinder the nectar flow.
By 8.00 I can feel it is going to be a swarming day and hope for at least one phone call. Swarming has been several weeks earlier this year and the only ones I’ve attended and/or taken have been from village neighbours or friends. Public calls seem to have almost disappeared now as the local council don’t want to know.
Speaking with David Halls of Hinxton’s farms in Thaxted and Cutlers Green reveals that borage this year will be growing at the bottom of Sibbards Lane. I have promised him 5 hives but I will locate these on Wieldbarns farm close by.
Getting these up to strength will involve some crafty management. Only the two hives which over-wintered are strong enough but by moving frames of emerging brood to selected colonies these can be given a much needed boost.
In the end only three colonies went to the borage as a look at the ordnance survey showed my home apiary to be just within flying distance.
Eventually, in spite of the lack of rain and consequential shortage of nectar the last honey-extraction of the season was very satisfying. As last year, it was a 50:50 mix of borage and blackberry. This latter forage crop is very under-estimated as it appears to be just the odd bush in the hedgerow. Put all the blackberries within flying distance into one field and it would be enormous.
The intense heat of this summer meant that I had to deploy the air-conditioning unit in the honey store. In spite of that I still lost a great deal of 2025 harvest to fermentation. 2026 has fortunately corrected the balance.