sheffield beekeepers’ association€¦ · sheffield beekeepers’ association secretary: philip...

Sheffield Beekeepers’ Association

Secretary: Philip Khorassandjian c/o 109 Carr Road

Walkley Sheffield S6 2WY

[email protected]

WELCOME to Sheffield BKA Dear New Member Not only is it that beekeeping might be regarded as a dark & mysterious craft which daunts the beginner but joining an Association with supposedly hundreds of experienced beekeepers might also be overwhelming to a new member. We trust that you’ll soon find that we’re (mostly) a friendly lot and happy to share our knowledge and information with you to help make beekeeping an enjoyable pastime. Just remember that by far the large majority of our members have been keeping bees for less than two years; you won’t be long as a beginner and you won’t be alone as a novice. There are several things we do as an Association for our members:

• Hold%monthly%meetings%on%the%second%Wednesday%of%every%month%at%the%Nether%Edge%Club,%2%Moncrieffe%Road%S7%1HR,%7pm%onwards.%%

• September%to%April%inclusive%we%have%our%“Winter%Programme”%with%speakers%from%around%the%country%talking%on%various%subjects%%

• Training%for%beginners,%novices%and%the%more%experienced.%The%beginners’%course%has%been%running%for%two%years%now%and%will%be%repeated%starting%endMFeb/earlyMMarch%and%courses%for%more%experienced%members%take%place%through%the%year.%%

• Maintain%three%apiaries%for%training,%queen%rearing%and%honey%production%• Organise%bulk%purchase%schemes%for%equipment%and%supplies%earning%up%to%20%%discount%on%

retail%prices%• Maintain%a%web%site%with%general%information,%a%calendar%for%forthcoming%events,%booking%

forms%for%handsMon%sessions%at%our%apiaries%etc%….. and more besides We hope that you will ask for some advice (but be careful who you ask!) before you purchase expensive equipment, bees of unknown provenance or second hand hives from diseased apiaries. There are many pitfalls for the unwary but these can be avoided quite easily by following a few simple rules. We organise a bulk purchase scheme annually – in March/April, giving sufficient time for members to get up to speed before the season begins in earnest.

SBKA Welcome Info Pack Oct 2013 of 4

The following is a suggested equipment list for complete beginners. Some of the discounted prices for SBKA members apply regardless of order quantity (e.g. Simon the Beekeeper, 20% discount on web prices). All prices are 2012 and therefore approximate but we may even be able to better last year’s prices in some instances if we have sufficient numbers to qualify for larger discounts. We recommend you take a look at some web sites first and then look to see what we can offer. Year 1

• Complete(national(hive(&(stand(in((Open(mesh(floor,(1(deep(national(broodbox(with(runners,(2(x(supers((aka(National(shallow)(with(castellated(spacers,(Queen(excluder,(crown(board(&(roof)((

o Paul%McCarthy%£245M%Sheffield%based%cabinet%maker%–%all%in%Western%Red%Cedar%Includes:%stand,%OMF%(open%mesh%varroa%floor),%brood%box%with%runners%and%two%entrance%sizes,%2xsupers%with%10%slot%castellated%spacers,%100mm%galvanised%steel%roof,%two%sided%crown%boardM%25mm%&%9mm%deep%sides,%porter%bee%escapes%%

o C%Wynne%Jones%£105%inc%Vat%Mesh%Varroa%Floor%with%entrance%block%and%Varroa%slide,%Brood%Body%Cedar,%2%Supers%Cedar,%Crown%Board,%4"%Roof%Cedar,%Queen%Excluder%Slotted%Steel.%Sold%in%the%flat,%nails%included.%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_98&products_id=419%%

o or%£114%with%a%wire%frame%queen%excluder.%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_98&products_id=420%%

o Supplied%by%Simon%the%Beekeeper%(whitewood,%not%cedar)%£108%(including%20%%discount%via%SBKA%bulk%purchase)%http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/products/allMbeeMequipment/nationalMbeehive%%

o Thornes%Bees%on%a%budget%£145%as%C%Wynnes%Jones%above%but%includes%frames%(seconds%quality)%&%2%porter%bee%escapes%http://www.thorne.co.uk/hivesMandMbees/beesMonMaMbudget/beesMonMaMbudgetMkits?product_id=197%%

o Hive%stand%(if%not%included%in%hive%package)%basic%flat%C%Wynne%Jones%£10%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_97&products_id=413%%

o with%sloping%flightboard%&%legs%%C%Wynne%Jones%£26%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_97&products_id=487%%

• Bees%o Neil%Pont%M%Lincolnshire%source%used%last%year%by%several%members%with%success%M%5%

frame%nucleus%£150,%including%nonMreturnable%Correx%nuc%box%• Frames%

o National%Deep%Brood%10%x%Hoffman%(self%spacing)%DN5%or%DN4%C%Wynne%Jones%£11%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=53_56_80_103%%

o National%Shallow%Super%2%x%10%x%SN1%(needs%either%bar%end%spacers%or%castellations%to%provide%spacing)%C%Wynne%Jones%£8%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_80_104&products_id=465%%

• Dummy%boards%(recommend%2%per%hive)%o National%deep%C%Wynne%Jones%(ply)%£6%

http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_84&products_id=388%%

o Thornes%(plastic)%£6%http://www.thorne.co.uk/framesMandMfoundations/frames/dummyMboards?product_id=1941%%

• Foundation%o Pack%10%wired%BS%deep%foundation%M%SBKA%£6%


o 2%x%pack%10%wired%BS%shallow%foundation%M%SBKA%£4.80%each%• Smoker%

o Bee%Equipped%Stainless%steel%smoker%10cm%diameter%complete%with%heat%guard%£18.50%+£1%postage%via%SBKA%bulk%purchase%http://beeequipped.co.uk/component/option,com_marketplace/page,show_ad/catid,6/adid,3/Itemid,29/%%

o Simon%the%Beekeeper%£17%• Hive%tool%

o Thornes%J%type%£10%(free%postage%via%SBKA%bulk%purchase)%http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware/tools?product_id=1809%%

o Set%2%hive%tools%Simon%the%Beekeeper%£10.39%• Full%suit%

o The%Bee%Shop%£42.50%via%SBKA%bulk%purchase%http://www.thebeeshop.co.uk/index.php?cat=Fencing_Veil_Suits_White&ActinicSID=91170c3d8da87732617bbb782a7cf373%%

o Same%suits%but%purchased%through%Simon%the%Beekeeper%£39.96‼%• Feeder%

o Contact%M%1%gallon%contact%(bucket%type)%M%may%need%empty%super%around%it%if%only%have%a%4"%roof,%Thornes%£5%http://www.thorne.co.uk/healthMandMfeeding/feedersMandMfoodMsupplements/feeders?product_id=1639%%

o Rapid%1/2%gallon%rapid%feeder%may%need%empty%super%around%it%if%only%have%a%4"%roof%Thornes%£6%http://www.thorne.co.uk/healthMandMfeeding/feedersMandMfoodMsupplements/feeders?product_id=1641%%

• Marigold%or%nitrile%gloves% Year 2:

• Spare%hive%and/or%nuc%box%o Nucleus%box%(optional%but%useful%for%swarm%control/%hiving%swarms)%Paynes%poly%£30%

http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/nucMmatingMhives/polyMnucMhive/%%o C%Wynne%Jones%plywood%£46%

http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53_56_79&products_id=365%%

• Uncapping%fork%o Simon%the%Beekeeper%£5%http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/products/allMbeeM

equipment/uncappingMfork%%• Double%strainer%

o Simon%the%Beekeeper%£19%http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/products/honeyMandMextraction/stainlessMsteelMslidingMdoubleMhoneyMstrainer%%%

• Tank%&%valve%• Queen%catcher%

o Simon%the%Beekeeper%£2.99%http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/products/allMbeeMequipment/queenMclipMcatcher%%

• Queen%Marking%cage%o C%Wynne%Jones%£5%

http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=275%%• Marking%pen(s)%

o C%Wynne%Jones%£4%http://cwynnejones.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=280%%

Enthusiast:

• Warming%cabinet?%


• Micron%cloth?%• Extractor%• More%hives%

There are many suppliers offering a wide range of equipment including:-

• E.H.%Thorne%http://www.thorne.co.uk/%%• C%Wynne%Jones%http://www.cwynnejones.com/%%• Maisemore%(aka%Bees%Online)%http://www.beesMonline.co.uk/%%• Modern%Beekeeping%http://www.modernbeekeeping.co.uk/%%• Paynes%Bee%Farm%(specialist%in%polyhives)%http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/%%• Simon%the%Beekeeper%http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/%%• Bee%Equipped%http://www.beeequipped.co.uk/%%• Fragile%Planet%http://www.fragileMplanet.co.uk/%%

The big suppliers charge for postage but most offer free postage for large orders, typically >£100 or >£200. In addition there are many other suppliers specialising in certain types of equipment e.g. Clothing

• BJ%Sherriff%http://www.bjsherriff.co.uk/%%• BB%Wear%http://www.bbwear.co.uk/%%

and there are many small makers of beehives e.g. locally

• Richfield%(Rotherham)%http://www.richMfield.co.uk/pages/beehives.html%%• Paul%McCarthy%(Sheffield)%• Yorkshire%Beehives%%• Peak%Hives%

Many of the larger suppliers have stands at the main beekeeping conventions e.g. The BBKA Spring Convention, the YBKA Summer Conference Secondhand equipment may also be available on e.g. Ebay or at physical auctions. The biggest semi-local auction is at Lincoln (from 11am on 31st March 2012.) http://www.bbka.org.uk/local/lincolnshire/futureevents/lbka-lincoln-district-annual-auction.shtml N.B. There is always a risk of introducing disease when buying used equipment The items listed above are just examples of what is available, with an indication of costs. It is not intended as a firm recommendation Individuals beekeepers will have to make their own decisions on what equipment to buy based on their own judgements on price vs quality. The cheapest equipment upfront may not be the cheapest in the long term taking longevity and reliability into account. Ask for experiences of fellow beekeepers.




[email protected] Meeting Venue Nether Edge Club, 2 Moncrieffe Rd, Sheffield S7 1HR (NOT our mailing address!) We meet every second Wednesday of the month – doors open 7pm with the programme starting at 7.30pm. Our Winter Programme runs from September to April inclusive with guest speakers from around the country. We meet during the summer months also but we do not have formal speakers. We sometimes show a video of beekeeping practices or have a question & answer session where we try to unravel some of the mysteries presented by our bees. Non members are welcome to attend a few of our meetings to see what’s what.

Web site www.sheffieldbeekeepers.org.uk As well as tips and advice you’ll find forms on here to register your interest in training, discount purchases and to book a place on a hands-on session at one of our apiaries (see separate info sheets).




[email protected] Sheffield BKA Sawmill Apiary At the JG Graves Woodland Discovery Centre, Ecclesall Woods, Abbey Lane, Sheffield S7 2QZ (NOT a postal address for SBKA)

Figure 1: Satellite view.

Figure 2: Approach from the East

Figure 3: Approach from the West

The apiary is located adjacent to the old Sheffield City Council “sawmill” – now the site of the JG Graves Woodland Discovery Centre and home to a number of enterprises associated with wood and woodlands. We are told that the satnav will take you to nearby houses if you use the postcode: If you are following SATNAV systems to find us, when you reach Abbey Lane ignore the SATNAV as it will take you to the houses nearby which share our post code. We are accessed directly off Abbey Lane - look for the large white sign just inside the woods and you will find our car park at the end of the track. Please use the main entrance at the Centre.

Apiary Hygiene Visitors to the apiary should book to ensure that there will be someone there to meet them and to make sure that a bee suit is available for their use. Please bring your own gloves (standard washing up gloves are recommended) and wear boots or wellies. If bringing your own suit and equipment please make sure that these are clean.




[email protected] The Norton Apiary is at Norton Nursery, Norton Lane, Sheffield S8 8GY Off the Bochum Parkway A6102. If coming from the M1, take J33, Sheffield Parkway (A57) and turn off onto Prince of Wales Road (signposted Gleadless, I believe). Carry on for 2-3 miles until you reach Jordanthorpe and then follow the signpost to Norton which will hopefully put you on Norton Lane. Look for the concealed entrance on your left, flanked by mirrors (see picture below). Follow the track with the greenhouses to your left and turn right immediately after (yellow track on map). NB Google maps shows Norton Nursery in the wrong block. The map below is accurate.

Apiary Hygiene Visitors to the apiary should book to ensure that there will be someone there to meet them and to make sure that a bee suit is available for their use. Please bring your own gloves (standard washing up gloves are recommended) and wear boots or wellies. If bringing your own suit and equipment please make sure that these are clean.

sheffield beekeepers’ association€¦ · sheffield beekeepers’ association secretary: philip...

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