How I Started Beekeeping And Ended Up Keeping Over 100 Hives! That's 7 Million Bees In the Summer!!
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2020
- In this video I share with you the story of how I started keeping bees. Going from 2 hives to over a 100 and turned it into a business.
In another video I will go in depth on the steps I took to turn beekeeping from a hobby and into a business.
Hope you enjoy the video.
If you would like to follow more from me you can visit my website on www.gwenyngruffydd.co.uk
Or find me on Social media on @Gwenyn Gruffydd .
My Grandad kept bees for years, unfortunately my Grandad passed away, I was given x2 national hives (now refurbished) read all his books and watched your videos. Currently have x2 strong hives, getting a 3rd soon.
Thanks for your help and advice 👍🏻🐝
That’s great to hear! Glad your finding the channel useful 😊
There's no denying this universe will always put you where you truly need to be..
I'd had always wanted to keep bees, small garden, no farm, nothing really.
Then a door opened, my wife wanted a small farm but we could never afford it. But an allotment came up near by which used to allow bees.
We enquired and was given permission to keep 2 hives per allotment.
So we had two allotments. Took full advantage to allow 4 hives.
Then a friend offered us a little bit of secluded land.
Took a quick look and it's amazing, two ponds, fully enclosed area surrounded by 20 cherry blossom trees, a dozen pear/apple/cherry trees. 4acre of meadow land. Told me to fill it with as many hives as I like.
All this happened since June this year.
So 5mths i have 4 colonies at allotment apiary. 2 nucs ready at the new pond apiary to over winter.
This has happened soooooo quickly.. love it, my wife is sick of hearing me go on day after day about beekeeping.
😄 thanks for sharing that with us! It all worked out great for you 😊👍🏻
An extremely inspiring story. I’ve been following your channel for a few weeks and you are so enthusiastic, you clearly love it. My 15 year old son wants to start bee keeping … we’re booked on a beginners course starting in a couple of weeks … I just hope we enjoy it as much as you clearly do
Thank you 😊, you will really enjoy it 😊👍🏻
My story is just about to start. A guy came to fit a carpet in my spare bedroom last September and we got chatting. Turns out he is a beekeeper. The more we chatted the more I thought about giving it a try. Since then I've watched every beekeeping video on CZcams (not every one obviously), brought 2 hives, a bee suite and all the essential starter equipment. Also booked myself on a beekeeping course which starts in March and ordered a 6 frame nuc from a local beekeeper. Can't wait to get started now.
That’s amazing news!!! 😁 good luck on your Beekeeing adventure....won’t be long in till the season is here!😊🐝🐝🐝
What a magical story .You manifested it from your feelings and words about wanting to do it . The universe always brings the people /Situations into your life if you want something enough and It all clicks into place .
I am currently starting my journey into bee keeping after spending lockdown learning to forage & grow gormet mushrooms.
I was really ill for 12 years with chronic /lower back pain so i did my first ceremony with plant medicine . .During it (Eyes closed ) , I was in a circular hive , i met a very loving female bee presence (Some call her the bee goddess ) i saw fires and i was floating in liquid gold honey in this chamber , i was scared but she told me to not be afraid and gave me healing.
The next day i woke up with no more pain so me and my bf went for a walk in nature .
on our car ride home a bee flew into the car and landed on my knee .I took it as a sign .Then i got more signs and more signs and started saying i think i am ment to become a bee keeper .
I started buying books and watching hours and hours of videos like this one and telling people thats my goal and even started helping out in community garden with my own fungi corner :-) then i started searching for local bee keepers and courses . I kept hearing about a lady who has hives so i emailed her .There are no courses left atm but she has invited me to spend time with them anyway plus grow fungi at her community garden too .Everything clicked into place .
I also started researching the shamanic history of bees in ancient cultures /Ancient goddesses and gods and wow my mind is blown .
I think we signed up for this honour of caring for bees before we were born :-) .
Hi,
Thanks for sharing your story with us! Waw!! That was definitely meant to be!! Everything clicked in place for you! I totally believe that happens too! I wish you all the best on the journey. Its a fantastic hobby but more than anything it brings you so close to nature. The flowers, trees and weather all effects you so you take so much interest in it.
@@gwenyngruffydd Thank you :-) I know its such an out there story when i am telling it i still cant believe it haha but it happened .I had a calling to learn about fungi and from that led to my ceremony experience . Next will come my own hives . I am pain free first time in 12 years i was in a bad place and she saved me .Such a beautiful experience to know the world is so magical and more than we think 🙏🐝 . Now ive researched the shamanic stuff about the bees it all makes sense . Your bees are lovely :-)
@@gwenyngruffydd Hey Gwenyn me and my boyfriend will be in your area next week as staying on a friends land . Would love to pop into your shop one day while we are there buy a few bits and have a chat .Are you there every day or certain days? 🙂🐝.
Hi,
Won’t be here a lot this week but my wife Angharad will be. I’m taking the honey off all week so will be back at the farm midday ish. We’re not here on Thursday though.
Do you mean next week 30th or this week 23rd?
@@gwenyngruffydd Hi , we arrived yesterday .We will call in probably weds or friday. Thanks Gwenyn 👍🐝.
Im 16. My father has been keeping bees for nearly 30 years now, I was always out with him helping since I was able to. We have 11 hives. I got my first summer job, this summer working with a man who had about 50 but he was in his early 70s and needed a hand. I absolutely loved it and learned loads. My plan is to get up to 20 hives next year, as I believe I can do it and want to prove it to myself.
Thanks for your videos, I discovered them today. For context I'm living in Ireland 🇮🇪
Hi,
Thanks for the comment and I wish you all the best on your Beekeeing journey. You definitely have a great advantage working with your dad and the old bee Farmer.
You’ll get up to 20 no problem 😊👍🏻👍🏻
Brilliant story, thanks for sharing.
😊
I do believe if something is meant to be then the universe will somehow make it happen for you. It's clear your success has been driven by your passion so i take my hat off to you pal.
I only started beekeeping last year after my neighbour Nicky gave me a swarm box for the summer. (I believe you know each other?) I absolutely LOVE honey and thought that if I catch a swarm and still had an interest, i'd get a hive. Sure enough, a small swarm moved in and i would spend most mornings through the summer with my coffee watching them fly in and out and generally going about their business. When it came to moving them into the new hive, they were really chilled out and did not get stung at all. This was my first ever experience of bee keeping and was instantly hooked. I was even lucky enough to get a single jar of honey from them. A year on and I still haven't been stung during an inspection. The girls let me inspect the hive i don't seem to be bothered by me doing so at all. I was since given a top bar hive that another neighbour made years ago and gave up with it so refurbished it and waiting for another swarm to land this year. I definitely caught the bug and i'm hooked! I'm really looking forward to having my first crop this year although my girls are being a bit slow. They still haven't started on the super yet and are drawing comb on the last 2 frames in the brood box. Queens getting clipped later on today. Nicky's going to come over and show me how it's done.
Looking forward to popping into your shop sometime soon. Thanks for your videos, i'm hoping to learn a lot from you. 🐝🐝🐝
Hi Tim,
We’re going through the June gap now so it may be worth giving them a feed especially if they haven’t ventured into the super yet.
Some of our bees are really hungry at the moment
@@gwenyngruffydd
I've got both feeders out on the hive with syrup in and they are covered. Queens marked and clipped. The hive was practically bare food wise. A couple of queen cups and frames covered with bees licking out the last bits from the comb. I need to get a wooden border for my queen excluder as it's just a sheet of metal with no gap between the top of the brood box and the sheet. (I'm told this makes it easier for the bees to move up into the super as it makes a gap). Do you sell these at all?
Thank you again for your videos. I'm learning loads and it's great that your in the area with the same climate conditions - usually wet! 🐝🌞
At the moment we only sell plastic ones. That’s pretty much 90% of what we use within our business too.
I’d stick with the one you have, I personally don’t think it makes a big difference 😊
The way I started beekeeping was when an Australian relative came to visit back in the early 80's. He spoke at length about beekeeping, which piqued my interest in them. During the summer holidays the adult education booklet turned up and inside was a 10 week course of beekeeping at night school followed by 10 weeks of building our own hives from scratch using the HMSO advisory leaflet for the National Hive. My first hive came from an observation hive, my second was a split from my first hive. I kept these in the back garden for many years and then gave up, due to my dad looking after my nephew. I then got married and a few years later a swarm landed in the field at the front of my house. I didn't have any kit at the time but walked up to the swarm, within 3 feet of it and watched it for a while. This reignited my interest and I did a search online and found a commercial beekeeper not far from me selling bees, at the same time I found a plot for my hive in a private property with rare plants in the garden. After that I rang a number of farmers and found one willing to allow me to set up an apiary, he has been very good to me ever since. I then thought about another apiary and phoned a few more farmers. The next one was delighted that I called because he had enquired at the Royal Welsh Show 2 years before and had no interest. I now have 26 hives, mongrels in one and Buckfast in the other 2. It was meant to be.
Absolutely!! Great story!! 😊😊😊😊
Great story Gwenyn, I have a similar story in my work life (not bees though). Yes I agree, somethings are just meant to bee.........
😊
I have a very similar story. My whole life I would come across bee trees or hives. Then I got sent to prison and while I was incarcerated I decided I wanted to do something better with my life. Wanted to do something to give back, something good, so I read a beekeeping book then got out and attended some bee club meetings. I ordered a nuc package then caught my first swarm and so on. Now I have 5 hives soon to be 6 and I just started this year on May 13th. Now I also have my own CZcams channel documenting my experiences.
Thanks great! Well done 😊👏🏻👏🏻 you have built up fast. You will be up to 20 + next year!! 😁 wish you all the best on your Beekeeing adventure 😊🐝🐝
Great story Gwenyn. I have just started out myself this year. My father used to keep bees as did my grandfather and I had always wanted my own. Well my partners relative had decided to give up due to ill health this year, so I bought everything off him, and now the journey begins!
Good luck on the adventure!! 😁🐝🐝
Good luck!
Inspiring story 👏🏻
Thanks Steve 😊
Great video Gwenyn, really good story about your progression into beekeeping I liked it a lot , yes I can remember being given my first nuc I was thinking the same what do I do now I was in luck like yourself Gwenyn the guy who gave me my first bees was a bee farmer with about 40 hives and everything I’ve learned over these past 5 years I owe to him I still do work on his farm with his bees great mentor for me and I have 10 hives myself I’m happy with that number of hives enough for me . Thank you Gwenyn loved your story mate .
Thanks for sharing your story too 😊
That’s a great story, I love hearing how people stated beekeeping. My journey started when at the age of 13 I saw a programme on TV called “Animal Stars” which featured Honey Bees and beekeeping. My parents were always really supportive and my dad knew of an old beekeeper in the village so we went to his house to enquire. It turned out (to cut a long story short) that he was about to move house and was not able to take his bees with him. We came to an agreement that he would move his bees to my parents house, he would keep his bees (which he didn’t want to loose) and would teach me the art of beekeeping. That was in 1973 and I’m now 60. I have tried to find the original program (looking on CZcams) but so far not managed to find to locate it.
Thanks Pete 😊 you have a great story too!! Was meant to be for you too!! 🐝🐝
Great story, Griff 😊
Thank you
@@gwenyngruffydd I’m only in year 2 of my beekeeping journey. You and Laurence Edwards are both a great inspiration to me and demystify the work of a beekeeper making it easy for novices to follow so thank you!
Thank you, I really appreciate that 😊
Great story, thanks for sharing! I have been keeping bees for a while, and love it. I tell people, “there’s time travel, space travel, and bees. I can’t do the adventure of the first two, so the third is just right for me...”. For sure there is challenge, and general benefit, and just the rhythm of nature to be served in working with them. You learn every day, too...it is never the same. Here (north of San Francisco) we have a very dry climate, so some work to keep them happy in the nectar dearth of July-September, but I garden furiously and so do many in my area. It was 94º today, and the bees worked to get water and keep the hive cool, but were bringing in pollen from the flowers and veg. I caught a swarm, too, this year...they are happily in a third box already. Again, thanks for the videos, I love seeing how things go where you are.
Thanks for the comment Pat 😊 I too am learning every day.
What a laugh. Nothing beats learning by doing and if one is lucky enough to find a passion, that’s very fortunate indeed. Great video ! Brilliant yarn. I’m still chuckling.
Thanks Graeme!! 😁 can’t beat learning the hard way!!
This true Welshman has been a a great help and a inspiration to my novice beekeeping . Watching his you tube presentation make me
Want beekeeping even more . A humble helpful hardworking guy . Thank you keep it up
Very kind thank you William 😊
great story, funnily enough, I own 7 acres of ancient woodland, and use it to keep some of my bees in, the secret bee garden
😁😁😁
Great forage in woodlands especially if it’s not thick woodland.
Thanks brother nice video
Thank you 😊
Your story is amazing! Thanks for sharing it with our beginner beekeeping FB group.
When my husband and I were just married (1979) at the age of 17 & 18 he met an older man who needed help robbing some of his feral tree hives. We didn't have a clue what that entailed but we always tried to help folks especially elderly. We had no protection other than wearing several layers of clothes. We got stung.. A LOT. Fast forward after decades of working and raising kids we did keep hives off and on through all these yrs.
We are now retired and love our bees. Our daughter now also has become a beekeeper. We learned so much and had to learn so many new things when the 90's hit so did the small hive beetles and Varroa mites here in the US. Best book I have ever found to learn the trade is the 4th edition
The beekeeper's handbook
Book by Diana Sammataro
Now we teach new beeks how to start & care for bees. Peace!
Thanks for sharing that. 😊 sounds like you have had a great life😊 more of the same for the future 🐝
Fantastic story mate. I’m the first generation of my family in my fathers side that are not famers and I hate it. I would love to have my own farm but just don’t have the money to do it. I have a job that allows me to work out doors so at least I’m not stuck in an office. I have been thinking lately about being a bee keeper. I have been reading a lot of websites like the Welsh bee keepers association and the British one. I have also looked at the the equipment and have watched loads of your videos. Once we start getting back to normal I’m going to try and go to the local Carmarthenshire associations training days. I have a few questions and worries that I need to get cleared up. Once that’s done I’m thinking of going for it. I’m from South Wales so have been looking at getting some NUCs from around here. You said you have some buckfast cross Welsh black bees. You said they were a lot friendlier than Welsh blacks. I have a one year old and I want to make sure she is safe over anything else and thought would that be a breed that would be good to have.
Hi Robert,
Their a friendly bunch CBKA, they will help you out a lot.
The buckfast bee is the tamest bee out there. Welsh blacks are easier to look after but they can be a bit more feisty!! Where are you thinking about keeping the bees?
@@gwenyngruffydd well the only place I have to start with is the back garden. I have a spot at the bottom that I was thinking of fencing off.
Sounds good. The only thing you need to be careful with bees is people!
Great insight 👍 For me it was just something that I had been drawn to for many years. Woke up one morning and just decided that I was going to do it today. I love it! I also have a mentor who helps guide me in the right direction. Bee keepers are generally the most helpful, sharing people.
That’s very true! 😊
Gwenyn would just like say i absolutely love your content especially this background story on how you got into beekeeping! 🐝 The channel has really inspired me and my partner to finally take the jump into keeping bees and As a result we recently visited the farm go pick up a cedar hive from you and your partner(unfortunately you was out so we wasn't able to meet you).
Thanks you for continuing to provide the quality content you do and hope your proud to hear that you are Inspiring a new generation of beekeepers! 🙏🏻 will keep you updated in the progress!
Hi Brendan,
Thank you so much. Really glad to hear 😊😊 and thank you very much for supporting us.
Hopefully we will meet next time!! 😁😁
Fabulous testimony!
Thank you Simon
Great story Gruff.
I decided to keep bees because of my great aunt and uncle who had a farm in Bwlch near llangorse. When I was a kid and we visited then on a regular basis the first thing my aunty did was stick a spoon full of honey in my mouth because us kids from those dirty old valleys didn't get proper food lol. I would stay at the farm during the summer hols , but i must say the bees were something you stayed away from ( no bee suits ).
The sight of my uncle working bees stayed with me all my life, he would put on a pair of gloves and throw a piece of cheese cloth over his flat cap and pull the hives apart. They were not hives as we would call them but old wooden Banana boxes fixed to the barn wall.
Old school farming lol.
Thanks for sharing that story! Made me smile! 😊
You can’t beat the old school farming way!! 😁😁
Thanks for your story I really enjoyed it it's a fantastic tale, your right about how bees and beekeeping grabs hold of you. I to have been keeping 10 years and Rember my wife saying she was a bee widow, as I just lived and talked about bees she would say for god sake shut up about Bloody bees.
Thanks Den!! 😂😂 it’s not just me then!! 😀😀
Awesome to hear how you got into it Gwenyn. I'm in the phase where I'm reading books and watching numerous you tube channels on bees. I'm so excited and am now in the process of reading up on plants and preparing my garden with cherry trees and even bought white clover seeds to grow. I have never been into gardening but want to give my future bees a good environment. The excitement is uncontrollable and March can't come quick enough. Thanks for the great videos 🐝🐝🐝🏴😀
Thanks Mike 😊 I remember that time very well. The research is great fun and the planning!!
That’s the beauty with Beekeeing...your not only interested in bees but flowers, landscape and the weather! It really turns you into a nature lover! 😁🐝
Stori grêt a hanes diddorol, wedi joio hwn Gruff!
Diolch I ti Adam!! 😁😁
Best video so far mate. I really enjoyed that. Watched it with a cuppa and some homemade Welsh cakes
Thanks Adam!! 😁😁
I am disabled so i had to find something new as a hobby that i could do. I have quads to do the hard work. So a friend had many hives in his barn not used for 30 years, i asked and he gave me everything he had. I fixed all the boxes and started last summer with 1 nuke. This year started with 4 but lost one and i hope to add a lot more asap. So similar story as you cheers subscribed long ago now cheers
Great progress! 👍🏻 unfortunately you do lose bees...it’s just the natural life cycle. Don’t let that get you down. I’m sure you will continue to increase 😊👍🏻
Enjoyed this I've started bees this year my course was cancelled but I still wanted to start so I made a 6 frame swarm box put lemon grass oil around the entrance a boom a swarm in 3 days put them in a hive 2 weeks later and put the swarm box back up and 2 days later second sawm so have done it the hard way
That’s very impressive!!! I hope the swarm box is back up in the same spot!?
@@gwenyngruffydd it's not at the moment but will be tomorrow
Still plenty of time to catch another swarm!! 😊🐝🐝🐝
Interesting story Gruff and it made me laugh. 😂 I took up beekeeping only 3 years ago after watching many documentaries on the subject. I'm a keen fly fisherman too so there's probably some link there with insects etc.?
I researched the web for a novice beekeeping course and found that they were being held only 10 minutes from where I live in North Cardiff. So I signed up and did the course over 1 weekend. That was it I couldn't wait to get my own starter hive.
So 3 years later and after some trials and tabulations I now breed my own queens and have 20 hives.Just looking forward to harvesting the honey crop next month. keep mum the blogs really interesting stuff.
Let’s hope for some better weather for the crop!! ☔️☔️☔️
My honey crop is right down at the moment!!
I had an accident back 2014 when asleep my ceiling in my bedroom collapsed(about 600lbs.of sheet rock and insulation ) which left me with a 95+% torn labrum in my left should and permanent nerve damage in three of my fingers on my left hand . Had to give up my bees.It was really a hard thing to do because I love honeybees and have kept them since I was 9 years old......I'm 55 now. Anyway not a day went by that I wished to still be able to keep bees . About a year ago I went to my mailbox to get my mail and when I went to get my mail a honeybee flew right in front of my face and began to hovered then suddenly she hovered up and down then across slowly repeatedly for several minutes (in the shape of a cross) ......you could you could have knocked me over with a feather, I felt almost like I was going to pass out. I had to set down I was trembling now. Till this very day I feel like God had spoke to me through that honeybee. God Bless you for sharing your videos, it lifts my spirits. Take care and above all God Bless.
Thanks for sharing that story with us 😊❤️❤️❤️
What did he say?
good video
Thank you 😊
Great video
Thanks 😊
That's a nice story chief
Thanks 😊
Hello, it’s that time of year where we need to start thinking about ordering syrup in for winter. Please can you do a video on what to consider and how you calculate what you will need? Wales is not a million miles from Lincolnshire, so should be quite comparable. Thanks
Will do Ben 👍🏻👍🏻
Well done mate ,ive had a similiar experience .meant to bee.
Absolutely 😁🐝
Reading the comments, Gwenyn is a pretty good name lol
My name is Gruffydd but my honey company is called Gwenyn Gruffydd. (Gruffs bees in English)
But Il happily be called Gwenyn...that’s what 99% of people call me these days! 😁
@@gwenyngruffydd It's a good nickname at least! Beautiful name for a daughter.
I watch quite a few youtube farmers and one day a few of my friends recognised you from school etc, they spoke highly of you and were impressed!
Quality videos, my only advice is all the youtube farmers have chickens as they get the most views ;)
It is!!
That’s good to hear! 😁 I take it your from Carmarthenshire too?
Funny enough we are going to get quails and will be doing a few videos around that too!! 😁
@@gwenyngruffydd Yes, Llandybie, the guys went to Maes, keep the videos coming! Farm life is an amazing life! Pob lwc I chi a buddai galw mewn un dydd i trial eich mel :)
Great to hear your story! We had a swarm of honeybees fly over our house yesterday, you don't have any hives in Ceredigion do you?😁
Not in Ceredigion!! Not guilty!! 😁😁
@@gwenyngruffydd it was the first swarm I've ever seen! Terrifying!😅😂
Terrifying and exiting at the same time!! 😁🐝🐝🐝
Thanks for sharing your story. I am looking to take my beekeeping from a hobby to a business. Is your business based on a 100 producing hives. I am trying to figure out the ideal number. Thanks Andy
It is at the moment but I will probably increase it to 150. ( I still work part time as a country side ranger at the moment and farm sheep and cows on a small scale) so I’m quite diversified.
Most BeeFarmers are around the 200 hive mark. But you can make it a viable business by increasing your product range.
I bee lieve
😊
Well done on your beekeeping journey
I just started this year with 1 nuc (3 weeks a beekeeper)
How many hives you need to make a business out of beekeeping
The old standard was 40 hives to be classed as commercial. But if you want a full time income then over a 100 would be needed.
you get what you ask for Gruffydd, "ha manifestation" the Bible it does say "Ask and you shall receive" , "seek and ye shall find"
😊
How many years from 2 to 100? I know how you feel,I had tons of hobbies. But I new when I got my first bees this is what I had been looking for.
10 years in total. But the first 5-6 years was genuine a hobby. Built up numbers and kit while working full time. Took a long time to do it! It’s expensive to buy kit and bees and go build a extracting room!
I beelieve things are meant to bee!!!
😁😁😁
your path is set only we don't know it
Very true
can you tell me how much money you can make a year in the uk realistically with a 100 hives selling honey on average? ( i know its hard to answer) but please entertain me with your ballpark estimate)
That’s hard to answer…so many variables.
If you produced 20kg per hive ( U.K. average) you would have 2,000kg of honey. How you sell it depends on price.
But you could increase turnover by splitting some hives and selling nucs.
Hope this helps
@@gwenyngruffydd IT DOES. finally a straight shooter, i have been harassing youtuber beekeepers for an answer and nobody would tell me :D quick reply too. big up my man and good luck with the bees.
No problem 😄👍🏻
Happenstance is a virtue.The more the merrier.You had all the ingredients to cook up a good, life changing story.Passion always seems to play a part. I Had to really focus on your everyword with that accent.Dont you all speak english over there? I always did wonder how you can lose it when you all sing though.Great story.
Hi,
English is my second language. Welsh being my first. Where I’m from we talk welsh and English all the time. But I’m stronger in welsh.
I know my accent is very strong...thanks for sticking with it 😊
Hanes diddorol iawn fel mar busnes wedi dechrau gyda ti ma Dorian yn ffrind da a ma rhieni Dorian yn byw milltir lan rhewl wrtho ni pob lwc am y dyffodol
Diolch yn fawr i ti Glyn! 😊