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In the Orange Groves

23K views 50 replies 25 participants last post by  dback 
#1 ·
Thanks to some help from Jeff Miller of DC Honeybees, and Steve Buyers of Bee healthy Honey Farms, we moved our colonies onto the Orange Groves in Fellsmere Florida. We are the only ones on 4000 acres of citrus. It has been an exhausting four days of traveling, inspecting, supering, etc. and we got back yesterday morning about 3:00 a.m. All went well until the last mile when we lost our Kubota on the trailer with pallet forks. Looks like it might be a total loss. No one was hurt however. I am including some photos. Land lot Grass
Beekeeper Apiary Insect Bee Grass
Beekeeper Apiary Insect Bee Grass
Windshield Road Automotive exterior Windscreen wiper Vehicle
Windshield Road Automotive exterior Windscreen wiper Vehicle
Land lot Grass
 
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#16 ·
Mike, it does, but the bloom is coming a bit early this year. We decided to move them into the groves early. We lost the tractor when we went around a bend and it slid off the trailer. It was strapped in well, or so I thought, but apparently we hit an ice patch or I am just a non-driving **** and we lost it. Insurance is taking care of it and the 20 Nuc boxes I had on the trailer as well as the trash pump we lost.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the info.I was just wondering if the bloom was coming early enough to conflict with almonds.
Sorry about losing the lift. That has to suck. A friend told me once about towing a lift and looked in his mirror to see it sailing out through a field. The pintle hitch had broken.
 
#22 ·
Sorry, I didn't take any. It was raining and cold and Law Enforcement just wanted the area cleaned up. The Tractor Was towed to a local shop for the INsurance Adjuster to examine. Fortunately, it is covered by insurance.

Yes it is my first time in the groves.
 
#26 ·
I don't know why you said that. If you are going to play in the Majors you should be subject to the same benefits and penalties. Matt is lucky that damage to his tractor and equipment was all that was damaged. Fortunately no one died. Luckily. As I am sure he knows.

I lost 3 barrels of honey off thge deck of my truck and the State of VT sent me a Bill for an unsecured load and the cleanup.

I would advise matt and DC to keep their loads level across the top and covered by a net, noty a tarp, held down by full sized ratchet straps, not those light weight ones he now has. Also, stop and check the load, ratcheting down the load as it settles, especially when you stop for fuel.

Just a cpl suggestions. Things you will learn yourself if you continue, but can avoid learning the hard way if you will take my advice. Things others would tell you too.
 
#31 ·
My wording is often undiplomatic, so I hope you know I just want you and your bees to travel safe and arrive unmolested. I'm sorry you lost your tractor. Looks like a small Bobcat would do you well. But I'm sure you will find something fitting to your nbeeds.
 
#30 ·
It would be interesting to see what other suggestions the veterans have so that what sounds like a 12 hour trip would go better. It sounds like there are some basics that need to be covered that are elementary to the commercial guys, but are not on the radar of the inexperienced. It's -6F here right now. I wish I was in Florida for a week.
 
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