# French Hill Apiaries' Mating Yard



## Michael Palmer

This is part of my mating yard in St. Albans. The circle of mating nucs extends behine and away from the hill. During the season, these nuc boxes are 4 way, with about 500 nucs divided into 4 groups. We catch one group every 4 days. For winter, half the queens were caught and the remaining queen was expanded onto 8 combs so two nucs in a box for winter. Catching queens here is one of my favorite summer chores. There's a small farm lake to my back with water fowl and frogs Bitterns and...










Sometimes in a year like this one I do question having so many nucleus colonies of various sizes and styles, but it always seems worth it come spring. Our Goldenrod flow started great on August 15, right on time. Irene came on the 28th and the flow absolutely died. Never started up again. Some are putting up some Aster, but not where these nucs are, in the lake layed clay of the Champlain valley. So...feed we must. The entire nuc operation took 9000 of granulated made in to 2:1.

This is part of group 1 and 2 with feeders on top. The farm lake is just a few feet past the car. Do check out our entertainment in the background. Lots of whoops and hollers from that place. You do see the razor wire? It's the Vermont Maximum Security Prison. Say hi to the boys.


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## virginiawolf

I enjoyed reading this and seeing the photos. Very cool. That path reminds me of paths I walked as a kid to go fishing. I'm so used to seeing hives elevated it's kind of unfamiliar to me to see them on ground level. I can't make much of the prison fence but I'm familiar with the hollers. Where I used to work the parking lot was behind a prison and the prisoners would yell sometimes. Great Pics Michael. I Hope to see more, Wolf


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## RayMarler

I always enjoy your pictures Michael. I bet you never seen dead grass except for when you fly out to give presentations out west. Your pics are always of areas so lush and green... or covered in snow of course.


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## VolunteerK9

Very nice yard. I always enjoy your posts.


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## THALL

You will always know when its 12:00 while you are catching queens.


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## Michael Palmer

Troy...THall.. drives up from NH on occassion to help us catch queens. So he knows...the siren inside the fence goes off at noon to tell the inmates they're hungry now.


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## Good Weather

Perhaps the honeybees visit the prisoners while they're outside and bring some inspiration. If I was inside I'd try to get my hands on some lemongrass oil and catch a swarm behind the fence


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