Beekeeping on Martha Stewart

reinbeau · September 30, 2008, 12:15:53 PM

If any of you have access to The Fine Living Channel, check it out tomorrow night (10/1) at 8 pm. About 40 minutes into the show (maybe 45) she finishes off the show with a segment on beekeeping. I know for a fact that she does keep bees, I've seen her hives, and was told by her staff that she truly does do the work to keep the bees, and has for over 30 years. Too bad she doesn't know the drones don't live through the winter (watch the segment and you'll see what I mean). It's worth watching, though, and she said next spring she's going to do a segment on installing bees as she's planning on increasing the number of hives she has. I saw three, they were in white boxes, obviously they'd been used for a long time, well painted, and definitely containing booming colonies! Here's a picture of them, taken by yours truly:

annette · September 30, 2008, 01:38:51 PM

How did you get those photos of her hives?? Just curious. I would like to watch that segment, but wonder what time it will play out here in California.

Thanks for sharing the info.

Annette

reinbeau · September 30, 2008, 02:40:05 PM

Mom and I were at our Herb Society gathering in Katona, NY last July, and we all went to Martha's house. It was fantastic, I have to say, the home is lovely, not as imposing as you might imagine, but perfectly Martha. Her gardens are amazing, we were there the first week she had her miniature donkeys, they were so cute - and the horses! Those Friesian horses she has are gorgeous. Nevermind the barn they live in. We spent the better part of an afternoon there wandering - it was truly a fantastic trip!

I've got lots of pictures, if you want, I'll post them in the Coffee House.

bassman1977 · September 30, 2008, 02:55:09 PM

I am going to try to catch this segment. I bet it's good. I didn't know she kept bees.

QuoteToo bad she doesn't know the drones don't live through the winter

I didn't watch the segment yet obviously, but I wanted to confirm what I already knew to be fact. Drones do live through the winter.

http://abcteach.com/free/r/rc_honeybees_elemupper.pdf

reinbeau · September 30, 2008, 03:03:11 PM

No, they don't. They're all kicked out in the fall, and new ones are allowed in the spring. Seriously. That pdf doesn't say they live through the winter. It says "All bees aren't equal however, and in a hive there is always one queen, several drones, and many workers.", but that's inacurate. Drones are necessary, but only in the season.

annette · September 30, 2008, 05:14:13 PM

Quote from: reinbeau on September 30, 2008, 02:40:05 PM
Mom and I were at our Herb Society gathering in Katona, NY last July, and we all went to Martha's house. It was fantastic, I have to say, the home is lovely, not as imposing as you might imagine, but perfectly Martha. Her gardens are amazing, we were there the first week she had her miniature donkeys, they were so cute - and the horses! Those Friesian horses she has are gorgeous. Nevermind the barn they live in. We spent the better part of an afternoon there wandering - it was truly a fantastic trip!

I've got lots of pictures, if you want, I'll post them in the Coffee House.

Please post the photos for us. Was she at home when you were there??

bmacior · September 30, 2008, 08:29:56 PM

Not all drones are necessarily kicked out. The pres of our Association have found them in the winter--and we live UTah!

pdmattox · September 30, 2008, 08:36:02 PM

I have drones all year long. Only time that there aren't many drones is when they are starving. Then again our bees don't really shut down here in the sunshine state. In fact Some of us will be making a third honey crop from now till December.

reinbeau · September 30, 2008, 08:58:05 PM

The point is, if you watch the program, she says that the hive is where the queen and her drones live - omitting the all important workers. And if the girls leave any drones I think it's because they're hiding, right now the ground is littered with dead drones up outside the hives in Maine.

reinbeau · September 30, 2008, 08:59:21 PM

Quote from: annette on September 30, 2008, 05:14:13 PM
Quote from: reinbeau on September 30, 2008, 02:40:05 PM
Mom and I were at our Herb Society gathering in Katona, NY last July, and we all went to Martha's house. It was fantastic, I have to say, the home is lovely, not as imposing as you might imagine, but perfectly Martha. Her gardens are amazing, we were there the first week she had her miniature donkeys, they were so cute - and the horses! Those Friesian horses she has are gorgeous. Nevermind the barn they live in. We spent the better part of an afternoon there wandering - it was truly a fantastic trip!

I've got lots of pictures, if you want, I'll post them in the Coffee House.

Please post the photos for us. Was she at home when you were there??

She was supposed to be, but a good friend of her mother's had died, and she needed to take her to the funeral. I did get to pat her kitties, stand on her porch, and walk through everything (except the house proper, we weren't allowed in there). I'll post some pix in the Coffee House.

rast · September 30, 2008, 09:17:13 PM

Better show on bees on nature chanell right now. 15 on DTV 8 pm

JP · September 30, 2008, 11:03:04 PM

Hey Anne, I just had this thought of you on MS's couch smelling the freebreeze like in the commercial and they have to pull you off, then kick you out!

Well, you know she's this clean freak and probably has all these many fragrances throughout the house and you could probably eat off her floor and well, the couch probably has that freebreeze smell that makes people nose dive, head first and like the commercial, it would be nearly impossible to leave that spot, magnetic like, ya know, no?

God, I think I may be Johnny Bigfish's Twin!! :-D :-D :-D

...JP

Michael Bush · October 01, 2008, 10:02:33 PM

The more I get to the feral genes, the more drones I see going through the winter. And we do have winters.

josbees · October 01, 2008, 11:06:58 PM

Just watched the show and it wasn't bad. She said she's going to show a package instal in the spring. Loved that expensive Brushy Mtn hive she was showing off.....

buzzbee · October 01, 2008, 11:26:55 PM

Reinbeau,Could you also put a link in the photos section of the forum?

Rodni73 · October 02, 2008, 12:43:53 PM

My hives are better looking than hers :mrgreen: ! lol

-Rodni

reinbeau · October 02, 2008, 12:59:35 PM

I'll put the pictures in the photo section. Haven't got to it yet, but I will!

1of6 · October 03, 2008, 01:45:44 PM

Quote from: josbees on October 01, 2008, 11:06:58 PM
Just watched the show and it wasn't bad. She said she's going to show a package instal in the spring. Loved that expensive Brushy Mtn hive she was showing off.....

...the "Fancy Schmancy Hive"...