[Field Log #02] Spring Cleaning and a Cozy Nap: Preparing for April

 April is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get everything ready for the rapid growth of the colony. Today's Field Log focuses on preparation—both for the hives and for the hard-working residents.

Observation 01: The Supers Are Ready One of the essential spring tasks is cleaning and prepping the honey supers (the second story of the hive). I spent the morning scraping propolis and wax from a stack of supers using my favorite hive tool and scraper. These cleaned boxes are now ready to be placed on top of the strong colonies as soon as the major nectar flow begins. Seeing them all stacked up makes me feel incredibly prepared.

 


Spring cleaning is done. A fresh stack of supers waiting for the honey flow.

Observation 02: A Cozy Nap in the Cat House Even with all the buzzing and cleaning activity, someone always finds a way to take a break. While I was working, our female cat (Joro's sister) decided to take over the little cat house I built for them. She curled up perfectly inside for a deep, cozy nap. Seeing her so relaxed is the perfect reminder to take a moment to breathe amidst the spring rush.

Found the perfect spot. A well-deserved nap in the middle of a busy farm.


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Our "Gravity-Fed" Winter Feeding System (And How We'll Make It Better)

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Hello again from Gokseong. The most critical job of autumn, the final winter feeding, is complete. My husband uses a wonderfully clever, 'low-tech' solution.  When people hear 'automatic feeder', they imagine electric motors. But this system is different. It's non-powered The secret is gravity . The main tank is placed at the highest point in the apiary.      From the tank, a network of pipes simply flows downhill. No gasoline engines, no electric pumps. It's eco-friendly and extremely low-cost. And here is the final, crucial part. Each hive gets its food delivered directly inside. This has two massive benefits. First, labor savings. My husband doesn't have to open hundreds of heavy hive lids, one by one, just to pour in syrup. The system does the delivery for him. Second, and more importantly, it prevents 'robbing' This feeding happens before it gets too cold (bees can't store syrup if it's freezing). But during this period, if you manually ...
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[Smart Beekeeping Dev Log Part 1] No More Pen & Paper: The NFC Project

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to A Beekeeper's Journal. The hives are quiet, but the keyboard in our farmhouse is louder than ever. Since there is no fieldwork to do in winter, the 'developer instincts' of our team (specifically, the husband!) have woken up. So, we are kicking off a new series: [Smart Beekeeping Dev Log] . In this series, we want to share our journey of attempting a full-scale 'Digital Transformation (DX)' of our apiary. Our first mission is building a Beekeeping Management System using NFC . Today, rather than diving straight into code, we want to share the "Why." Why did we choose NFC over QR codes or simple handwriting? And what does this mean for the future of beekeeping in Korea? 1. The Crisis of Korean Beekeeping: Data is the Key to Survival The beekeeping environment in South Korea is tougher than one might expect. While the density of beekeepers relative to the land area is high, the nectar sources are woefully insufficient , ...
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A Beekeeper's Journal(Part 3): The 40-Day Sleep and the "Winter Cluster"

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 If you visit our apiary in Gokseong right now, you will notice something strange. The buzzing sound is gone. A heavy silence has settled over the farm. Winter has officially arrived in Korea. Today, I want to share the current status of our hives as they enter their critical survival mode, and the specific challenges we face this year. 1. The Signs of Winter (Preparation) It started with the morning frost. When we saw the ground turning white like this, we knew it was time to act. Unlike some beekeepers who use electric heating systems to keep the bees active or shorten the wintering period, our apiary follows the natural rhythm of the seasons. From early December to around January 15th—for about 40 days —our bees go into deep wintering. Before closing the doors, we had to make some tough decisions. We inspected every hive. Colonies that were weakened by robbing (Do-bong) or had low populations were removed or merged. It is sad, but in beekeeping, consolidation is survival. 2. The...
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