Raw Organic Honey Melbourne – VicHoney

Author: Alf Brugman

  • Early spring

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    by

    Alf Brugman
    in ,

    Early Spring is the most dangerous time of the year for the survival of beehives. During late winter as the daylight hours gradually increase, the queen starts laying eggs to produce bees for the upcoming season. During autumn, the queen laid eggs to produce the so called “winter bees”, which will live for a few…

  • Worst honey season ever.

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    by

    Alf Brugman
    in

    The honey drought in Victoria has affected our apiary like most beekeeping operations this season. None of our sites anywhere in the state have  honey. The hives up north on grey box had to be brought back down south and fed sugar to save them from starving and we are feeding sugar at all sites…

  • Summer honey prospects

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    Alf Brugman
    in

    The cold, wet winter and spring has many beekeepers in the box ironbark areas of Victoria saying that this is potentially the worst season for many years. The reason given is  trees have put all of their energy into new leaf growth . Some trees will not flower for another twelve months and so there…

  • When should I start my hive?

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    Alf Brugman
    in

    This is a frequently asked  question by beginner beekeepers. There is a fair bit to do to put together your first hive, when you buy the equipment it is raw pine and has to be nailed together and painted. The frames have to be assembled, wired and foundation embedded onto the wire. After a colony…

  • Late winter

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    Alf Brugman
    in

    Bees have had a cold and wet winter this year and hopefully have not used up all their honey stores to get them through. We are now approaching the most dangerous time of the year for hives to survive. Queens will now have commenced egg laying as the daylight hours are increasing and field bees…

  • Eucalyptus budding for future flowering

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    Alf Brugman
    in ,

    In the box ironbark forests around our beehives, there is some new budding in several species for next season. Yellow gum(Eucalyptus leucoxylon) has some smaller trees well budded for winter flowering and some trees are actually already in flower. Larger trees may bud in the winter and spring. Yellow Box (E.melliodora) has some budding and…

  • Preparing for winter

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    Alf Brugman
    in

    Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) did not yield as much honey as we hoped this autumn. It is interesting how the trees were flowering in both sites where we have hives, but only one site gave us honey. The soils and conditions can vary greatly and affect the secretion of nectar. Now is the time to…

  • Late summer flowering report

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    Alf Brugman
    in ,

    As of the second half of February, our bees are working many species in both northern and southern Victoria. Hives in both areas have excellent brood and good populations of bees, so that if the flowers yield nectar, there should be good honey yields. In the northern country the Grey box(Eucalyptus microcarpa) is well budded…

  • Flowering Eucalypts Report

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    Alf Brugman
    in ,

    As of late January 2012, there a several species of flowering eucalypts that our bees are working.  North of the Divide, Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) is still flowering heavily and has been going since late November.  Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha) is well budded and due to start flowering any day now, this tree provides good…

  • Inadequate standards

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    Alf Brugman
    in

    I received a phone call last week from a man from country Victoria who stated that he wanted to ask a few questions about organic honey. He said he bought a jar of certified organic honey for a premium price from the health food shop in his town and was shocked to find,in small print…