I have used Rick's recipe twice now. Based on my experience, I wish to make a couple of small changes.
1. 8lbs is 18 cups.
2. I found that 10.5 oz of Apple Cider Vinegar was not quite enough to make all the dry ingredients supple. So, I use 12 oz.
3. The mixing part goes much easier if you just stick your hands in and squeeze away. It's easy enough to rinse off.
Thanks Rick, but I ordered a 5lb bag on Amazon and it will be here Wednesday. Thanks again…….Al
Al Winters wrote: Does anyone have 21/2 cups of Megabee Powder they could sell me? The farm store is out.
Does anyone have 21/2 cups of Megabee Powder they could sell me? The farm store is out.
I could give you what you need, and when you able to get some at the farm store you can pay be back.
the farm store should have it on order, I mention two week ago that they might need to get more.
Thank, Rick
I was ask the question: Can the food blocks that Rick & you described be frozen?
Here is my response:
In the past I found that recipe for unused sugar blocks should be stored in the freezer until ready to use, those recipes did not call for apple cider vinegar, I would assume that the vinegar would be a preservative. In the recipes, I found for Lauri’s Sugar Block recipe and any modification to, does not mentioned to place unused sugar blocks into the freezer. My opinion would be no harm placing your sugar blocks into the freezer or a refrigerator which I would recommend.
The sugar block that I brought on Saturday was in my refrigerator for about a month wrapped in saran wrap.
Hope this works for you.
Thanks
Rick Stelzig
Tom Leith wrote: Thanks for the great info. That will come in handy. Is your apiary enclosed? That looks very interesting. The panels look like it would help with warmth in the winter months. Rick: Yes they are enclosed, this will be my best year keeping for keeping my healthy.
Thanks for the great info. That will come in handy. Is your apiary enclosed? That looks very interesting. The panels look like it would help with warmth in the winter months.
Rick:
Yes they are enclosed, this will be my best year keeping for keeping my healthy.
Preparing my bees for late fall and winter
I made-up some sugar blocks and put out two of them yesterday morning in my two new hives that are about a month and a half old.
I felt being young hives and late in the season they would need help to get themselves ready for winter.
The recipe I use is Lauri’s Sugar Block Recipe that can be found many places on the internet. The one that I started with, was modified which I would have used, but not able to find all my agreements here in Tillamook, so I again modified it to work for my bees.
Here is my recipe:
The modified Lauri’s Sugar Block Recipe that I was going to use had Vitamin-B-Healthy and citric acid, I changed that for Megabee Power, it was easier to find, plus it made up closer with the same ingredients.
Making these sugar blocks was so easy to do, I mixed the dry ingredients together in one pot, next I mixed the wet ingredients in a different pot, then poured the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, mixed all together to make the same consistency, put ingredients on a cookie pan and formed into one big block, the next step is to cut the block into smaller blocks that will fit into the hive. Place cookie pan into oven at 130 degrees 3 hours or until sugar blocks are hard. Two hours is what worked for me, you can also set them somewhere warm to cure without baking in an oven.
The bees are already enjoying them