In this week's Podcast: We’re having a strangely warm week and our bees are taking advantage without any delay. It’s great to have an opportunity to watch them bringing early pollen and my thoughts are once again turning to the various methods of queen rearing we might employ this season.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks. Welcome to Episode 336 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Henry Alley's Queen Rearing Book

Queen Excluder Frame Trap

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: The weather’s warming up, if only for a week or so, and I’m thinking about the various queens rearing methods we might use this year. Today, it’s the turn of the Nicot queen-rearing system, and I’ll do my best to explain how it all fits together!

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 335 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: It's cold, damp and February! A beekeeper could easily get a little down at the thought of there being no end to this Winter in sight, but not me! I'm already thinking about those warmer Spring days and my thoughts are turning towards replacing winter losses and basic queen rearing.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 334 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Beginners Courses at Thorne Beehives

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: What do you do if you find your colony has died out over winter? Give up and start another hobby, or learn from the experience and become a better beekeeper? I’m all for the second option and hopefully, today’s podcast might help you understand why your colony has died out over the winter months.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 333 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: It seems that Monday of this past week has been dubbed “Blue Monday”, not a day for swearing profusely, but rather an apparent nod to people feeling depressed after a Christmas and New Year of excess. Not so for us beekeepers, always optimistic we look forward to the promise that Spring is not far away and the start of another busy beekeeping season.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 332 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: It's 2025, and the New Year begins with some funny old weather. I've been out completing Oxalic Acid Treatments, so stay tuned to hear how that went. With the new season somewhere on the distant horizon, I'm starting to finalise my plans for the new season.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks. Welcome to Episode 331 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined by Lynne Ingram, Master Beekeeper and holder of the National Diploma in Beekeeping to discuss the results of a sample of my honey that underwent metagenomic DNA testing.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 330 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Take a look at the MDA Website here

To get the most from this podcast, take a look at my specific results report here

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: It's a windy old start to the Winter period with yet another storm blowing across the British Isles, battering coastlines and blowing over trees. Hopefully, we've all done enough to keep ourselves and our hives safe and secure.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 329 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Glass Quilts for Beehives

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined by Bee Farmer, Paul Horton from Apidea Honey to discuss is incredible beekeeping season dubbed "The Perfect Storm".

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 328 of my podcast,
Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Apidea Honey

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show

In this week's Podcast: I'm joined by James Knights, current chair of Asian Hornet Alert to talk about their approach to this invasive species.

Hi, I’m Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 327 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.

Asian Hornet Alert website www.asianhornetalert.org.uk
WhatsApp Group telephone number as discussed: 07565 775 020
Asian Hornet Watch Details
National Bee Unit link

Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey Company

Join Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:

• Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access Here
• Stewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click Here
• Twitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our Feed
• Instagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great Photographs
• Sign Up for my email updates by visiting my website here

Support the show