Spring Episodes

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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May 2, 2024

Plain Talk: A Spring Walk in the Bee Yard (177)

In this episode, Jim takes listeners on an auditory stroll through his bee yard during a recent vibrant spring day. As the bees buzz energetically around him, Jim shares his personal reflections and insights on the bustling life of the …

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March 21, 2024

Plain Talk: Spring - Help, Don't Hurt Your Bees

In this episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim takes beekeepers through the critical period of late winter and early spring, emphasizing the delicate balance between intervening in the hive and letting bees be. Drawing from his observations during an...

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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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April 20, 2023

What About Those Springtime Bee Yard Chores (122)

Depending on where you live, spring chores were over a couple of months ago, or you’ll be finishing them up about the time you check this podcast out, so we’ll keep it short, sweet and important. You can make a …

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March 9, 2023

Preparing for the First Nectar Flow (116)

It’s early March, bees are flying every few days, early maples are blooming. Are you asking yourself, “Are my bees ready for the nectar flow?” On today’s episode, Kim and Jim look at what’s going on in their hives now …

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Feb. 9, 2023

Spring Bees: Are Nucs A Good Deal? (112)

There are a lot of good reasons to start a new colony in your beeyard using a nucleus (nuc) colony, consisting of a mated queen, brood and drawn comb rather than buying a package of bees. But there are some …

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Jan. 26, 2023

Dealing with Package Queens (110)

The queens that come with packages today seem to be different that those we could get five or ten years ago and we think that points to some changes need to be made regarding a simple concept – Patience. It …

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