Background and Inspiration
Two summers ago, Greg introduced me to a back-road biking loop between Fall City and Carnation. It was on that first ride that I admired the farmlands, meandering Snoqualmie River, and slow pace of the farm roads. Flowers, vegetables and fruit trees grow here, but the ever-present marshland seemed to indicate the risk of floods. Despite the risk, I had imagined how honey bees would thrive in this area. Over the next couple years we occasionally looked to see if we could buy a property here. Nothing ever came onto the market….
Fast-forward to December 2019, when I stumbled upon the SnoValley Tilth organization. They were (are) eager to add pollinators to their farms. In our initial discussion, we quickly learned that the area was once considered a 100-year flood plain but now flooding occurs annually — if we were to proceed, we would have to figure out how to protect the bees from the seasonal flooding (and from the local predators).
Doing some research, we found tips from Wewahitchka, Florida beekeepers. Floating apiaries or barges allow access to the delicate Tupelo blossoms. With a few customizations for our area, it seemed like it’d be worth a try … so … off we went into design and launch mode.
Wild Sprout Apiary 2020
Apiary Design
Greg, our Wild Sprout Treasurer and Chief Engineer, helped us imagine possibilities for a floating apiary that would withstand up to an 8-foot surge.
Building the apiary
Product Summary
- Dock Floats were purchased from Home Depot with free shipping. Who knew they sold floats! Free home delivery that delivered on time, as promised. We’ll have to update the review next winter once we get to flood season. Crossing fingers.
- Bee hive and bear net. We are trying the Beehive bear protection fence by Powerfields. We are starting with a 50′ fence, which is just enough to line the perimeter of the apiary. Easy to install and they also provided good customer service. Will update after we can confirm the dang thing is electrified…which brings me to the next item:
- Solar powered battery to energize fence. We are trying Agratronics Power Wizard PW100S based on a recommendation from the folks at Valley Vet. So far, the thing doesn’t work. Will update once we know the outcome.
- Electric Fence tester. Essential item to test installation. This is easy to use. I’ll update the review once we have the battery working.
- Note: we purchased fence and battery from ValleyVet since they had the lowest prices. Although shipping was fast, I’m unimpressed that they do not have proper support for products that do not work. I’m having to deal with the manufacturers directly. Next time: I will buy thru Amazon!!!
Why all this work?
Some folks have asked why we are investing in this property. Here’s my answer: I’ve had only mild success with the bees at our farm and I’m eager to extend the reach of the honey bees. This area is full of nearby farms with entrepreneurs (farmers) booting up their businesses. Most importantly, check out the natural bloom! Learn more about the importance of biodiversity.
I’m so excited to learn from this opportunity! ♥
wild sprout 
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