Our Solar System Update

Being there is a slight break in the bee action, I wanted to give you a one year overview on our 16.5 kwh solar system. It consists of 50 - 330 watt Panasonic solar panels. They were located on our garage and pole barn roofs.
 We added up all of our Xcel energy bills from last year, January through December, gas and electric. We then subtracted all of our solar credits and our renewable energy credits we get from Xcel. Last year our total 2019 Xcel energy bill that we paid, was $156.00.
 So for me, I would have to say solar is worth it. There is a big up front cost, but our solar should have paid for itself after about 8 years. The Panasonic panels warranty is 25 years. Guaranteed  92% minimum of 16.5 kwh output or they will replace any panels for free, parts and labor included.
 We have recently finished our ground mount solar panel install. We moved 28 panels off of our pole barn onto the ground mount. This will make it easier to get the snow off the panels, plus the ground mount also tilts and we can change the solar panel angle with the current sun angle. Video to come soon.
 If you are interested and have never seen our YouTube video here is a link.
50 kwh Panasonic Solar Build
 If anyone is interested in solar, I would be happy to talk about it.

Nuc's in the garage

I have been an advocate for installing package bees into five frame nucs for a long time. I saw this weather coming and I knew this was the way I will be starting my bees this year. Obviously if the current weather and for the foreseeable future would have been warm, I would have hived the bees in ten frame equipment.
 I put the bees in the nucs, they have a cap and ladder feeder and four frames of drawn comb. So there is syrup and a pollen patty on all of the nucs. The entrances are shut and the bees cannot get out. The garage is not heated, but it is dry with no wind blowing on the hive. The nuc's are a small box so the bees will not have any problems keeping themselves warm.
  My plan is to leave them in my garage until Friday. Then I will set them out in my beeyard right in front of the hive that I will move them into. The entrances will be opened, the bees will be able to forage as normal. The queen acceptance will be checked about an hour after I open the entrances. The bees will need to settle down before I go pulling frames. I will leave them in the nuc box until the weather is a little more stable. Whenever that happens, I will then move them into their 10 frame hive.

Feed your packages

Feed your package bees if you have not hived them yet. I noticed that the feeder cans were empty.  Spray the cages with sugar water to feed the bees. Get the cage wet where the bees are in the cage. Top and sides, don't drown them. Twice tonight and twice in the morning. Then again about an hour before you put the bees in.

Second delivery of Bees have arrived

The Second delivery of bees came in last night. They will be available for pick up today and tomorrow. Please follow the pick up schedule.

Pickup time will go by the first initial of your last name:  This year the alphabet will be spread out in TWO days.  This is due to Covid-19 as we will have fewer workers on site.

 SECOND Delivery PICK UP April 10^th - Pick up Schedule:

L       7:30 – 8:30

M      8:30 – 9:30

N-O   9:30 – 10:30

P       10:30 – 11:30

CREW LUNCH 11:30-12:30

R      12:30 - 1:30

S       1:30 - 2:30

T-V   2:30 - 3:30

W-Z  3:30 – 4:30

Open Time (If the schedule is not possible) 4:30 – 7pm

SECOND Delivery PICK UP April 11^th - Pick up Schedule:

A       7:30 – 8:30

B        8:30 – 9:30

C        9:30 – 10:30

D-E    10:30 – 11:30

CREW LUNCH 11:30-12:30

F-G    12:30 - 1:30

H      1:30 - 2:30

I-J     2:30 - 3:30

K      3:30 – 4:30

Open Time (If the schedule is not possible) 4:30 – 7pm

The OAKDALE Store is CLOSED during bee pick up.  If you need equipment, please plan ahead and get those items picked up before the store is closed.

The second delivery bees will be here a day early.

Bee Pick up Schedule April 10th & 11th: 

****READ THIS WHOLE POST!****

PICK UP LOCATION:  14185 SQUARE LAKE TRAIL N, STILLWATER, MN 55082 – Note: this is NOT the Oakdale store. https://www.google.com/maps/place/14185+Square+Lake+Trail+N,+Stillwater,+MN+55082/@45.146206,-92.8186143,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x52b2c7a2488fcc55:0x3e9e4882b8780bf9!8m2!3d45.146206!4d-92.81752?hl=en

 April 10^th - April 11th: Second Delivery.  Please note, these could be subject to change.  Check this blog every day because the date can still change.  

Check the blog before coming to pick up.  The bees are scheduled to arrive sometime tonight. The arrival time is not known so please watch the blog for an announcement that we are ready to distribute packages. No bees will be distributed prior to announcement on blog. Do not come here before it is announced that the bees are ready to pick up. You will be asked to leave.  You are not allowed to park on the road and wait.

ADHERE TO THE PICK-UP SCHEDULE.  Due to COVID-19 we will have fewer workers on site, so it is even more important to follow the pickup schedule.  Please do not call and request to come at another time frame.  I know this maybe inconvenient, but we all need to work together to keep each other safe and keep this as seamless as possible.  This schedule is to keep traffic at a minimum and in doing so, there will be less people on site. 

UPON PICK UP DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE.  Give us your name, and we will place your bees in the vehicle for you.  This is for everyone’s safety.  Prepare ahead of time, legibly write the name of the person whose order is being picked up with black sharpie on a piece of paper and put it on your window.  This way, you can keep your window rolled up.  You can also write what additional items you are purchasing.  Do not hand cash or check to the people loading bees and product into your vehicle.  We have a separate crew designated to handle the money that will not be handling the product.  They will come to you.

The following will be items available for purchase when you pick up your bees.  These are cash and check only.  We will not accept credit cards.  If you use cash, BRING THE EXACT AMOUNT OF CASH so currency doesn’t need to be returned to you.  This is an additional safety measure so please comply.  These prices include sales tax so you can prepare prior to pick up.

$7.00 - 1 Gallon Feeder Pail

$6.00 – Feeder pail insulation

$5.00 – Queen Cage Holder
$9.00 – 2 pack pollen patties

$30.00 – 10 pack pollen patties

$80.00 – 40lb pollen patties

$35.00 – 2.5 gal Pro-Sweet

$55.00 – 5 gal Pro-Sweet

Pickup time will go by the first initial of your last name:  This year the alphabet will be spread out in TWO days.  This is due to Covid-19 as we will have fewer workers on site.

 SECOND Delivery PICK UP April 10^th - Pick up Schedule:

L       7:30 – 8:30

M      8:30 – 9:30

N-O   9:30 – 10:30

P       10:30 – 11:30

CREW LUNCH 11:30-12:30

R      12:30 - 1:30

S       1:30 - 2:30

T-V   2:30 - 3:30

W-Z  3:30 – 4:30

Open Time (If the schedule is not possible) 4:30 – 7pm

SECOND Delivery PICK UP April 11^th - Pick up Schedule:

A       7:30 – 8:30

B        8:30 – 9:30

C        9:30 – 10:30

D-E    10:30 – 11:30

CREW LUNCH 11:30-12:30

F-G    12:30 - 1:30

H      1:30 - 2:30

I-J     2:30 - 3:30

K      3:30 – 4:30

Open Time (If the schedule is not possible) 4:30 – 7pm

The OAKDALE Store is CLOSED during bee pick up.  If you need equipment, please plan ahead and get those items picked up before the store is closed.

Putting bees in a nuc hive, cold weather install

I put package bees in some nucs. This was done when it was cold, around 40 degrees. I did not spray the bees or the queen. When it is cold, you may not want to spray the bees. This can chill the bees and the bees may not get off the bottom board and they can die. Plus, when it is cold, you do not want to spray the queen, this can chill her. By using the rubber band as I demonstrate in the video works great.
 If you have drawn comb but no honey, take a spray bottle with 1:1 sugar syrup. Spray the syrup into the cells of a frame of drawn comb. Load the frame up with syrup. The bees will have plenty to eat when you put the bees in.

The 2nd delivery of bees may be early.

The second delivery of bees may be coming in a day early. Stay tuned for any changes to the pick up day. We should know more by tomorrow, Thursday morning.