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Joon

@flamingjoon.bsky.social

Patron Saint of Roast Potatoes, cheese lover, grows plants for a living, keeps Bees for fun. Middle bit of UK. Works at Botanical Gardens.

155 Followers  |  173 Following  |  73 Posts  |  Joined: 01.03.2024
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Posts by Joon (@flamingjoon.bsky.social)

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Equipment for beginners — part 1 Don't believe everything you read in the catalogues. It's expensive to start beekeeping, so buy little, and buy wisely. The equipment should last — and be usable — for decades, so aim to make your…

[New post] Beekeeping can be expensive when starting. Avoid being “all the gear, no idea”. Buy the basics, and buy things that will remain usable and useful for decades. Part 1 of 2, with homework for readers 😄 .
theapiarist.org/equipment-fo...
#beekeeping

28.02.2026 10:02 — 👍 7    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 1

@uksnowmap.com #Uksnow LE3 1/10 starting

18.02.2026 20:47 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

@uksnowmap.com #Uksnow 2/10 LE3

03.02.2026 21:24 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Be prepared I'm prepared for a bumper honey crop in 2026. It might not happen, but my supers are ready 'just in case'. Thoughts on tidying and storing your precious drawn comb, inexpensive protection from wax…

[New post] Make use of these short winter days by doing the preparation for the humongous nectar flows this season … or at least tidy your supers and inexpensively protect them from wax moth damage. And some musings on predicting when swarming will start.
theapiarist.org/be-prepared/
# beekeeping

10.01.2026 10:02 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 2    📌 0
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@uksnowmap.com #Uksnow LE3 2/10 it’s starting like it means it.

08.01.2026 19:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

@uksnowmap.com #Uksnow LE3 1/10
Very small ice crystals starting.

08.01.2026 16:55 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Better pollen sub patties Recent research suggests that there may be better protein components than brewer's yeast and soybean flour for use in pollen sub patties.

Better pollen sub patties - Recent research suggests that there may be better protein components than brewer's yeast and soybean flour for use in pollen sub patties. theapiarist.org/p/9d8c33da-c...

02.01.2026 19:04 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

@uksnowmap.com #uksnow 2/10 LE3

02.01.2026 05:54 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Donate to Duvet Know It's Christmas, 2025, organized by Rhodri Marsden Unbelievably, it's the 15th year of this thing. What is it? Improbably, the nig… Rhodri Marsden needs your support for Duvet Know It's Christmas, 2025

Unbelievably, #DuvetKnowItsChristmas generates such good will on social media that over the years we've raised somewhere approaching a quarter of a million quid for homeless charities. If you can spare a bob or two, sling some to Centrepoint, and here's the link: www.gofundme.com/f/duvet-know...

24.12.2025 19:35 — 👍 858    🔁 582    💬 18    📌 70
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Premier inn has become so basic, roughly 6 items on the menu and most drinks listed unavailable. ☹️

09.10.2025 17:36 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 2    📌 0
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Jarring honey. Sticky kitchen now. #Honey

07.09.2025 19:15 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Popped to Aldi this morning, did a cursory sweep of the middle isle, managed to resist buying a canoe, charcoal, a lettuce spinner and a giant fleece lined slipper. #Win

30.08.2025 09:26 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
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Bittersweet memories Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells from the last of your beekeeping this season. There's still much to do, but it's going to be a long time until you can work with the bees again, so make time to…

[New post] Don't rush. Take your time. The memories from these last few weeks of the beekeeping season will have to last you until early next spring.
theapiarist.org/bittersweet-...
Follow me on @social.theapiarist.org.ap.brid.gy to get new post announcements automagically
#beekeeping

30.08.2025 09:02 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

I’ve decided it smells of Autumn here at home. We’ve had some rain, not nearly enough but some. Many plants are sighing in relief. The home hives are suddenly busy, the bees have found some nectar after all these dry months.

30.08.2025 08:28 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

It’s powertool-mageddon in my neighbourhood this bank holiday Saturday. Somebody over the back is smashing g up concrete with a jack hammer… 🙁

23.08.2025 13:10 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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Receive a £10 voucher to spend online When you become an RHS Member today

mention-me.com/m/ol/iw1bs-j...

16.08.2025 08:29 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Happy War of the Worlds Day. If you celebrate. 🤫🛸

12.08.2025 12:03 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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It’s always nice when #beekeepers follow.

12.08.2025 04:58 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Decided to post some nice pictures to attract nice people.

11.08.2025 18:18 — 👍 6    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

A pack of mini shaped post-it-notes. That is all.

11.08.2025 09:37 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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And I’m back. Still keeping bees, and scrumping tiny plums.

11.08.2025 05:45 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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@bbka.org.uk gorgeous weather, learning loads. Shopping tomorrow when the trade show opens. 🐝🌸🤭

04.04.2025 14:12 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Off to the BBKA convention today, a first for a Friday for me.

04.04.2025 05:49 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

@beeathorpe.bsky.social I think your x account has been hacked.

04.04.2025 05:48 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 3    📌 0
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The spring flowers have started at work.

20.02.2025 10:03 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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a cartoon of a person wrapped in a blanket with a smile on their face . ALT: a cartoon of a person wrapped in a blanket with a smile on their face .

Friday night, under a fluffy blanket, fire on, vino in hand. 🍷🔥

07.02.2025 19:17 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The rain is hammering against the windows here. ☔️☹️

27.01.2025 20:30 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Is that your new out Apiary? It looks like a secret gathering of kitchen appliances.

20.01.2025 16:46 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Just finished emptying the attic. Job needed doing for past few years. Going to dump some stuff, flog some stuff and keep some stuff. I never need go up there again. Hopefully. At my age and flexibility it was touch & go, and I’m not even that old. 😁

18.01.2025 13:52 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Hmmmm. Squirrels are mean.

17.01.2025 17:36 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0