How To Episodes

Dec. 26, 2024

Plain Talk: Building Your Own Bee Boxes (211)

In this episode, Jim delves into the art and practicality of building your own bee boxes. He reflects on his journey with woodworking, from crafting frames and supers to the challenges of creating durable hive components. Jim shares stories of …

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Oct. 3, 2024

Plain Talk: Learning Points (199)

In this episode, Jim reflects on some key learning points from his years of beekeeping—particularly the lessons learned the hard way. He shares a story of purchasing bees from a grieving widow and the valuable, though painful, takeaways from...

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Aug. 8, 2024

Dissuading Beekeepers with Anne Frey (191)

In this episode, Jim and Anne Frey from Betterbee discuss the crucial topic of setting realistic expectations for potential new beekeepers. They share their experiences and insights on the importance of proper education, preparation, and understanding...

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July 4, 2024

Plain Talk: The Fallen Hive (186)

In this episode, Jim takes listeners on an adventurous journey to inspect a fallen hive. Accompanied by his friend Bob Romick, Jim travels through rural Ohio to assess the damage and potential causes of the hive's collapse. He shares the …

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June 27, 2024

Plain Talk: How Not To Remove Bees! (185)

In this episode, Jim Tew shares valuable lessons learned from his early days in beekeeping, focusing on the challenges of removing bees from old structures. Reflecting on his 50 years of beekeeping experience, Jim recounts humorous and insightful...

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June 6, 2024

Plain Talk: Not My Bees (182)

In this episode, Jim Tew dives into the humorous and often frustrating situations beekeepers face when neighbors expect them to handle all sorts of "bee" problems. Jim shares personal stories of dealing with carpenter bees, yellowjackets, and...

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May 30, 2024

Plain Talk: Smoke and Smokers (181)

In this episode, Jim Tew shares his tried-and-true methods for lighting and using a smoker, essential tools for any beekeeper. He delves into the evolution of his technique; from the fuel he prefers to the simple but effective system he's …

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May 9, 2024

Starting Nucs with Will (178)

In this episode, Jim introduces listeners to the world of beekeeping through the experiences of a new beekeeper, his grandson Will. As a high school junior with a budding interest in bees, Will's initial steps into beekeeping offer a fresh …

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Jan. 25, 2024

In Class with Jim: "Supering" (163)

In this episode we delve into the concept of "supering," a term unique to beekeeping that has emerged over the past century. To those outside the beekeeping community, the term might sound like something out of a superhero comic, but …

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Nov. 2, 2023

Transfers and Cutouts (151)

Beekeeping is not always as straightforward as hive inspections and honey extraction. When bees decide to set up shop in places beyond the traditional hive box, it requires specialized techniques and knowledge to safely and ethically relocate them....

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Oct. 12, 2023

Dealing With Fall Equipment (148)

After all of the nectar has flowed, the honey spun and you’re just waiting to put the bees to bed for the winter, you might look around at the clutter of equipment in your bee yard, bouncing in the back …

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Sept. 28, 2023

Archive Special: Dealing with Yellowjackets (146)

(This Archive Special first released, September 2, 2021.) Beekeepers are very often asked to help friends or neighbors that have “bee” problems…. honey bees, carpenter bees, yellow jackets, hornets, bumblebees and the like. But most of us...

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Sept. 21, 2023

Listener Emails: Cutting Down Supers and Dealing with Propolis (145)

In this episode, Jim invites Beekeeping Today Podcast's Jeff Ott, to sit in for Kim to help answer a couple of recent listener emails. In response to a recent episode where Jim talks about dealing with heavy 10-frame, deep supers, …

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Sept. 14, 2023

Moving Honey Supers in the Fall (144)

This week, we continue with the theme of Fall management. Kim is out so, Jim invites Jeff Ott, from Beekeeping Today Podcast to join him to talk about dealing with heavy honey supers that remain and prepping the colonies for …

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Sept. 7, 2023

Prepping for Fall and Winter (143)

What do you do when the honey is all harvested, but it is still warm and not quite time to button up the colonies for Winter? On today's episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim has invited Beekeeping Today Podcast's Jeff …

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