A while ago I placed an article in the paper announcing that I was looking for a place to put my new colony. Having just moved to the Charlottesville area I hoped I would find a landowner that would WANT to have bees on their property and was situated in an ideal setting. The Mayan honeybee god, Ah Muncen Cab, must have smiled down upon me because I shortly received a phone call from an eager landowner. I went out to the site and spoke to the nice lady and received a tour in her pickup truck of the property along with one of her hound dogs.
The property is situated south of Charlottesville and is located near an easement setup by John Grisham, the famed author of many books concerning fictional legal matters.
The landowner also has a few individuals who are doing some organic gardening on the property. This will mesh perfectly with my desire for my bees to pull resources from plants not treated with chemicals or pesticides. I was able to meet one of the partners for this sustainable venture and her little girl who was toted on her back in what I call a Happy Sack with my daughter. The weather was typically English, cool, wet and misty. We talked about her plans to expand their operation. I look forward to buying some vegtables and herbs in the future.
My apiary will be situated on the western side of an open field and will receive the morning sunshine early in the day. The location is also situated near a creek which will provide the honeybees a fresh source of water during the hot months. The only issue that may play a part is how much shade the colony receives. I have recently read that mites are less likely to prosper in hives situated in full sun throughout the day as the interior of the hive become less hospitable with its heightend temperatures. I hope this will not be an issue. Other than that the site is perfect, provided there are not any bears to overturn my hives.
Below are some pictures of the location. This week, placing an order for bees will be my priority.
View from the eastern side of the field.
Future apiary location.
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