I’m excited to be traveling mid-October to speak to the Catskill Mountain Beekeepers Club, and spend some time with my friends, Megan Denver and Jorik Phillips near Woodstock. My presentation is “Beekeeping in Scotland” and I spend many weeks preparing it. It is structured around several themes emphasizing situations unique to Scotland, and the beekeeping differences between our countries.
Arrival.
I enjoy a great journey with a window seat which gives me a superb view of the Western Isles as we leave Scotland having flown over it from Amsterdam. I snooze for a bit after the meal and a glass of wine, and before I know it I’m looking down onto Labrador and New Brunswick. It looks familiar with lots of bodies of water, mountains and trees that I wonder for a second if we are still over Scotland. My neighbour tells me that there are only two hours till we land at JFK in New York. Darkness falls over Maine and I stop peering out. As we reach New York, black heavily laden rain clouds scud over the city obscuring any view. Megan and Jorik are there to meet me after my epic journey through customs and immigration. Jorik drives through torrential rain and we reach their lovely home in the woods, outside Woodstock in the Hudson Valley, around midnight local time.
Hudson Valley Bee Supply.
http://www.hudsonvalleybeesupply.com/about-us/
I enjoy spending time in the shop learning new things. I help prepare for the Bees for Development silent auction fundraiser which is highly organised with an amazing array of donated items. Tom Seeley will read excerpts from “The Lives of Bees”, See my previous blog, “Scottish Straw Skep Travels To The USA”. The BfD “do” is on the following Wednesday, the night after my talk.
http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/
I like the way the shop is laid out with interesting things in full view while regular supplies like frames etc are in the large storage area at the back. The shelves are eye-catching. There is a steady stream of customers with folk needing winter feed, wraps for insulating bee hives, and jars. Lots of jars are sold as it has been a great year for honey with several main nectar flows. Many people are asking for advice and I listen in as Charlie serves customers. Beekeeping classes are held here too in a well kitted out classroom to the side.
Diversification.
I’m interested to learn about the other components of this beekeeping company. Diversity makes for success. Megan and Jorik have many colonies in different apiaries and they overwinter nuclei at the farm for sale in spring. The beekeeping supply business is enhanced by beekeeping, mead making and soap making classes. There is great support for local beekeepers who can sell their honey for good prices through the shop which doesn’t take a cut. The demand for local honey is high and the wide variety on sale draws in non-beekeeping customers too. The shop is easily accessible just off a highway, and has plenty of parking space outside. Honey here sells well in large 2lb containers.
We had the most fabulous time hosting you in the Catskill! Your talk was very well received and your help with the fundraiser was much appreciated! We welcome you back anytime!
Thank you, Megan. I’ll be back!
Ann, thank you very much for making the journey to the states.
We, my wife and I, enjoyed your presentation at the Catskill Mountain Bee Club meeting very much. We were very interested in the different climate and flowers.
The picture of the very furry bee was quite something.
We hope you had a good enough time to be willing to make the trip again.
Thank you
RP
Thank you, Rick. I really enjoyed being with you all and showing you a little bit of Scottish beekeeping. I would love to come back again.
Really enjoyed this, great photos too, Thank you Anne
I’m glad that you enjoyed this Liz. There’s more to come.
Most interesting blog and good pictures. A long way to travel but such a warm welcome makes it very worth while. I look forward to the rest of the story with interest. Thank you Ann for allowing us to share your bee-life and the story of bee lives across the world. It is a nice link to have with others so far away.
Good to hear, Catriona.
Wonder trip Ann, we’ve all enjoyed your adventure and Blogs.x.
It was Annette, even without a custard cream in sight!
Love the sign Ann. Amazing to see the field over golden rod that has gone over. I have just one plant and the bees love it. Propagation required. Am I right in thinking that that far north small hive beetle don’t survive the winters? Great piece. 😊
Yes, the sign is cool, Jackie. I swithered about getting the larger one but this will hang nicely over the stone on top of garden wall. I agree about goldenrod and I have a patch in my garden that the bees,flies etc cover almost completely.It propagates quickly by vegetative reproduction so you should get more plants soon. If not you can have some of mine. The SHB does survive New York winters and I think that the beekeepers have just learned to manage them. I believe that the biggest problem can be in the honey house so care needs to be taken to extract honey promptly and not leave supers sitting around the shed for too long. Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong here.