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Hello all, I just read on Craigslist that Brio Coffeeworks at 696 Pine St. in Burlington has used BURLAP coffee bags, for FREE!! My favorite price !!!!
I recall simular post a couple years ago where Mike Palmer suggested 2nd cut hay.
First cut has too many sticks etc.
I figure the larger apiaries, use what works best.
Also bird ox seems to help in starting.
First cut has too many sticks etc.
I figure the larger apiaries, use what works best.
Also bird ox seems to help in starting.
I like pine needles.
Advantages are: Free, local, natural, light easily.
I usually put a narrow strip of COTTON rag in there too to keep it burning if the needles are slightly damp. I make sure the rag isn't a cotton/polyester blend. If the needles are too dry I slow them down by stuffing the top of the smoker with green leaves or grass. I might use burlap since that's what I learned years ago but I never have any and it seems that real natural burlap is getting harder to find since so many feed companies have gone to plastic. Plus I'd wonder about pesticides in the fibers. I have tried leaves, planer shavings, sawdust, sticks but nothing seems to work as well as pine needles. So far it hasn't killed my bees but I tend to try not to use a lot of smoke either. A puff or three at the entrance and a few puffs when I open them after waiting a half a minute seems to work most of the time.
Advantages are: Free, local, natural, light easily.
I usually put a narrow strip of COTTON rag in there too to keep it burning if the needles are slightly damp. I make sure the rag isn't a cotton/polyester blend. If the needles are too dry I slow them down by stuffing the top of the smoker with green leaves or grass. I might use burlap since that's what I learned years ago but I never have any and it seems that real natural burlap is getting harder to find since so many feed companies have gone to plastic. Plus I'd wonder about pesticides in the fibers. I have tried leaves, planer shavings, sawdust, sticks but nothing seems to work as well as pine needles. So far it hasn't killed my bees but I tend to try not to use a lot of smoke either. A puff or three at the entrance and a few puffs when I open them after waiting a half a minute seems to work most of the time.
Isn't there something about tannin in the pine needles that might not be good for the bees?
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