Change of Season - First Post - Beekeeping in San Francisco

First post.  Deep breath.  So nervous...  Actually, not really.  It's quite the contrary. I am excited and proud to announce State Street Honey's new website + blog, along with sharing how I'll be  moving the apiary and business in an aggressive growth direction.

First off, the bees. They are the heart of my operation and deserve the most attention. As it stands, all colonies are looking extremely healthy going into the final throes of October. Worker bees look shiny and healthy; their wings are crisp and strong. Many hives continue to forage from sunup to sundown - returning with nectar and pollen - as we are blessed with such amazing weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Of course there are always a few colonies that throw you for a loop, like the Pleasanton Apiary, where a colony decided to supersede very late in the year with a queen that was looking good and still laying solid patterns.  I can only hope that she has mated well enough to get them through the winter. Others continue to surprise by storing nectar and making honey, when typically this time of year is in dearth.  

Anomalies aside, the practices I instilled this year to avoid colonies collapsing in the fall from Varroa mites paid off. Brood breaks, hive divisions and increase, solid genes, as well catching swarms allowed the apiary to grow and thrive while avoiding the use of chemicals in the hives.

Maybe that's why I love keeping bees so much? They constantly keep you on your toes, no matter how much experience you have. As I am just starting my beekeeping career, I'm looking forward to many more surprises (happy ones hopefully) along the way.   

I know for many of you, some of these terms sound foreign and crazy, but if you want to learn more, please follow along over the coming months, and you'll be ready come spring.  

Cheers!

-Todd