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My regrets.

1. Didn't start early.

2. Didn't buy standard beehives before starting out. I was improvising. Building the hives via an inexperienced artisan that does shoddy jobs for me. This led to poor honey yield repeatedly for a long time...

3. Not buying the correct bee suit from the masters..I was always stunged by bees each time I go near them. This occurred too often than I thought. But the learning curve is worthwhile.

4 most important things needed in beekeeping.

1. Land space. Where the bees will not be disturbed at all. Sited too close to an area with wandering animals could pose a great risk/challenge if they go near the bees. They will sting anything insight..

2. Bee suit: These are custom made clothe or regalia worn in handling bees., these includes; wellington boot or any boot, hand gloves. They are all protective coverings against bee sting.

3. Knowledge. Information rules the world. Good knowledge of the art of beekeeping is very vital. You must know what you are doing.. you must be able to understand the bee signals.. etc..

4. Interest. Interest . It could be for the money, for pleasure, for exercise or hobby.

I started out as hobby.. not a bad idea to start here but I suggest you know why you re doing it. This is what propels you.

Are the farmers with the reported cases of reduced production using the same kind of feed?? From the same distributor? Or same brand from different distributors? If yes, the feed batch might be defective. Then complain and notify the feed maker.

If it is only in your farm, then check the following:
1. water quality ( can you take a glass cup of water and drink directly from the water meant for the hen? If no, water quality is doubtful),
2. Basic hygiene within and outside the poultry,
3. Parasite infestations: when last did you observe that routine??
4. Are you giving the birds the required daily ration for each bird?? Perhaps someone is feeding them less? Are you sure the feedmiller is supplying the exact weight you paid for?? Perhaps that is where the underfeeding is coming from.

5. The weather conditions affect egg laying invariably. There exist a period of the year when such happens..low production. old hands know this..

6. Consult a Vet immediately If you have ruled out these possibilities.

lahify:
please send quote of irrigating 10 acres plantain farm with plans of intercropping with tomato and cucumber to hussainife@gmail.com

this intercrop will be challenging oo. For efficiency, they each require different irrigation systems.

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Plan ahead

Items needed for beekeeping

3 vital items for beekeeping

1. Knowledge
2.Land space.
3.Bee suit, gloves, and boot

Farm smart

Items needed for beekeeping

The visit to the PRO..QUEEN BREEDER

I thereafter set out to learn from the master. Perhaps I could hedge a living from this enterprise.

My dad called him on phone and that I will be coming to discus some matters with him. That he should attend to me very well.

I met him in his office/home. He was kinda busy that day trying to set his new office in the garage of his house. I discuss why I had come. I want to learn bee keeping. And that I'm not interested In teaching others for me. But I want to be able:
1. To have my own apiary
2. To breed the queen and be able to own large numbers of bee hive within a very short time.
3. Produce honey in commercial quantity ONLY.


These wishes were too much. He gave me a bill of N75,000.

I was broken. You mean you will actually collect N75000. In installments, he said No. But Full.

I thought to pay him actually and not tell my dad. But when he said he is not collecting instalment payments so I gave up.

I Left his office and decided right there I will not seek to be a PRO but at least will do basic beekeeping. Then I journey home.

Not too long again after this visit. I went to visit my Dad in my hometown. While we we were having discussions about the farms and his farming operations. He mentioned to me that he had allowed some persons from Abeokuta to come keep bee hives on our farm. And that those persons needed a bee-keeping training site of some sort. Fast Forward and Much later, the team will come from abeokuta with alot of small, small boxes
I then later found out those small boxes are called CATCHERS. As the name implies, they are used for catching bee swarms (those migrating or looking for a new house) after they might have been disturbed in there place of abode.

The practice is to catch the swarm by providing a temporary shelter for them. Much later, you will transfer the bees into a larger box in the intended location you want to site your bee farm.

Our farm was literarily their training site. With lots swarm catchers. They bring people to train in the art of bee keeping. This involves video recording, bee hive inspection and all that. I was never around when they came. My dad will usually stay with them and when Im around He would tell me how the team came around.


These still didnt fascinate me.

At another time, I saw a yellow plastic container in the farm. Similar to the Vaccine Boxes carried by health officers going about for immunization of children in the local communities. The difference was that this particular box is with holes (net-like), with handle and a small cap or lid that fits tightly. (((Will Upload the picture when next I come across it))).

Then I was told, those containers were used to transport the bees to Abeokuta. Abeokuta is about 42km to Igboora. They had literarily arrested all the bees and taken them to another farm in Abeokuta. He described the procedures to me. The queen identification, clipping and caging. The Funnel siphon, the water spray, the smoke application, the turning over, slight tapping and finally sealing the container...without any single bee leaving from each colony.

This fascinated me greatly..

Finally, I was told he is a Pro. and that its unfortunate how we usually miss each other when he is around.

This images prompt my wanting to know about bee-keeping. But I never bothered actively to search for knowledge on it, either going for training or reading voraciously about it.

Sometimes ago, i went to visit a new farmland for acquisition, while we were walking round the farm with our guide, i noticed this container placed conspicuously in the farm. The container is a familiar one. A food cooler. But there were other shades of boxes placed here and there. so i enquired what they were and i was told they bee hives.

So I left there pondering on the creatures in that food cooler.

I later found out the food cooler/warmer had been eaten/damaged by rats/rodents in the house and the husband of the owner thought to put it to good use since it couldnt serve the intended purpose anymore.

have a look.

Plan ahead

From my personal experience of beekeeping and honey trading, beekeeping isn't a get rich quick business but a sure and steady stream of alternative income. In our local parlance, income from beekeeping will fill a gap afterwards.

Though honey has a thriving local market in Nigeria, honey commands very high demand at the international market. Vietnam is among world’s leading honey exporters in both volume and value. Honey, as an important export item, has penetrated demanding markets like the US, EU and Japan.

I will be sharing my exploits in this neglected area of agric. I was made to understand that Europe and the Middle East offers interesting opportunities for exporters of honey as sweeteners and other honey by-products.

Enjoy.

Note: The diary will terminate after the honey harvest. Enjoy reading

Edited
I'm returning today 4th October 2020 to continue the diary. Hope you will learn something from the experiences.

I will be sharing my exploits in this neglected area of agric. I was made to understand that Europe and the Middle East offers interesting opportunities for exporters of honey as sweeteners and other honey by-products.

A keen google search on its market value, as reported by Mr. David Musa, Team Leader, USAID Bee Keeping Pollination Project, says Nigeria can generate over 10 billion dollars from local and international trade in honey and other hive products. This 10 billion dollars interests me greatly and so I have refocused to take my share of this amount.

From my personal experience of beekeeping and honey trading, beekeeping isn't a get rich quick business but a sure and steady stream of alternative income. In our local parlance, income from beekeeping will fill a gap afterwards.

Though honey has a thriving local market in Nigeria, honey commands very high demand at the international market. Vietnam is among world’s leading honey exporters in both volume and value. Honey, as an important export item, has penetrated demanding markets like the US, EU and Japan.

Honey is recognized for its healing capabilities and from researches conducted so far, original honey can cure over 201 ailments! Amongst which are Cough, ulcer, measles, catarrh, pimples, pile, boil, whit low etc.

Various literatures abound on this practice, therefore, i will not be teaching theories but only my learning experience.

Enjoy.



Note: The diary will terminate after the honey harvest. Enjoy reading

Have you got water in abundance?? Then think farming with irrigation

samuel25:
A good biz venture but the male of the bird are difficult to control and catch especially on free range. They behave wild, sleep on tree or house roof and difficult to catch when intended to sell.

still not a reason to rule out the idea. Wing clipping, intensive rather than free range are other possibilities

Order from us. Custom solutions to meet your needs

Order now

Irrigation

Selling

Ever thought of growing this birds in commercial quantity??

Order now

Why not plan ahead

Morning

jethro2:
For vegetables

Appropriately N300,000 per acre.

This is for 4000m length of 0.4mm thickness driptapes, 30cm savings and 3 litres per hour flow rate. It comes with connectors and end caps.