In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew heads out to the bee yard for a quiet, reflective fall inspection. As the days shorten and the goldenrod fades, Jim shares what he looks for when evaluating his colonies' readiness for winter.

He discusses the telltale signs of healthy late-season activity, how to spot the early warning flags of robbing, and when it's best to step back and simply observe. Jim talks through practical steps such as checking hive weight, watching for moisture issues, and balancing the fine line between helpful intervention and unnecessary disruption.

Through his plain-spoken observations, Jim reminds listeners that sometimes the best management choice this time of year is to do nothing at all — letting strong colonies finish their own preparations while keeping an eye on the ones that may still need support.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Winter may have a firm grip on the landscape, but beekeepers can still get ready for the season ahead. In this Honey Bee Obscura episode, Jim Tew sits down with Anne Frey of Betterbee to talk about how to make the most of cold months by planning for spring.

Anne and Jim share practical ideas to ensure you're not scrambling once the weather breaks — from repairing and assembling hive equipment to mapping out management tasks on your beekeeping calendar. Anne suggests using past notes or calendars to anticipate bloom times and colony milestones, helping beekeepers predict when to add supers or prepare for swarm season.

The conversation also touches on refreshing equipment, creating swarm traps from worn-out boxes, planning new projects such as pollen trapping or comb-honey production, and using local bee meetings to learn from others during the off-season. Both Jim and Anne emphasize that winter prep isn't busywork — it's the key to hitting the ground running when the bees and blossoms are ready.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

What does "efficiency" really mean in beekeeping—and can it go too far? In this Honey Bee Obscura episode, Jim Tew welcomes back Anne Frey of Betterbee for a lively, down-to-earth talk about working smarter in the bee yard without losing the joy of beekeeping.

Anne shares her insights from running a small commercial operation in upstate New York, where rainy days and heavy supers are a constant challenge. Together, she and Jim discuss practical ways to save time, reduce lifting, and improve workflow—whether through simple tools like dollies, trailers, and brad nailers or better planning of extracting spaces and bee yard layouts.

Listeners will pick up plenty of ideas for improving efficiency while keeping things fun—from using hand trucks and lift gates to rethinking equipment setups and honey house organization. Anne and Jim also touch on the limits of efficiency, reminding beekeepers that sometimes the best plan is to relax, experiment, and find what works for you.

______________________

Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC