Preparing to Wind It Down

As the summer draws to an end here in Northern Kentucky, I'm getting ready for the fall and winter beekeeping season.  If the predictions of the Old Farmer's Almanac are correct, we're for a colder than normal winter here in Northern Kentucky.

Here's an excerpt:

November will have above-normal temperatures, on average, followed by an exceptionally cold December. After a welcome mid-January thaw, temperatures will be colder than normal in February and March. The coldest periods will be in mid-December, early January, and early February. Precipitation will be near normal in the east and above normal in the west, with above-normal snowfall nearly everywhere. Expect snowfall in time for Thanksgiving, frequent snow in December, and additional snowfalls from January to mid-February.

Today I ordered a few beekeeping items that I need to complete the next phase of my beekeeping season, extraction!  I also threw in a few items for wintering my bees.  

Most first-year beekeepers are fortunate if they get any honey at all.  If you've been following my posts, you know that I have at least 10 frames in each super full of capped honey.  I've very fortunate that 2008 has been a good year for beekeepers here in Northern Kentucky.

Here's a list of things that I'll be doing over the next two months:

• Extraction of capped honey supers (early September)
  
• Varroa count and treatment if necessary (early September)
  
• Offering of sugar syrup to shore up winter supplies (early September)
• Closing up of hive for winter (install mouse guard, reverse entrance reducer, ensure proper ventilation, close up bottom of hive) (early to mid October)

More to come...