tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post814559465524188882..comments2024-01-27T02:01:24.039-05:00Comments on Happy Hour at the Top Bar: Lessons LearnedJulie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-91090394757688887502014-11-15T09:27:03.373-05:002014-11-15T09:27:03.373-05:00Those who don't learn from the past are doomed...Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. ;-)<br /><br />I'll be interested to see how the narrower bars do. I've always been using the 1 3/8 for brood and 1 1/2 for honey, but they never seem to use the 1 1/2s. And one hive is really stupid about cross combing. The latter leads to you advice about not being hands off. It is imperative (IMHO) to check often to make sure they aren't cross combing in a TBH. I've heard that if you want hands off beekeeping, use a Warre.<br /><br />I might give up the screened bottoms in my next hives (or maybe not), but I do like the windows for showing off to guests without having to disturb the hive. But they do make the hive building take longer. I also like the windows for quick checks myself.<br /><br />I agree with your re-read lesson. When I took my beekeeping class before starting, we used Dana Sammataro's Beekeeper's Handbook as our text. Since I went the TBH way, I thought there wasn't going to be much in there applicable. I sat down with it one day and realized it's a great wealth of info - no matter what kind of hive you have. And I just stocked up on a pile of new books for some winter reading.<br /><br />The one lesson I learned this year is not to wait until too late in the season to feed if you are going to do that. I think I waited too long this year and the hive does not have much stores. And then I moved some honey over just before we had our first cold snap - too late for them to take advantage of it. I hope they survive, but if not, I know where a nice cross-combed 2 bar wad of honey is in the spring.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your lessons! I do think you need to post a picture of your woodworking getup, though. ;-)<br /><br />Hope your girls make it through the winter!Donhttp://www.buddhaandthebees.netnoreply@blogger.com