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This year I used nothing but OAS, but it was exhausting for me, and unsustainable, in the summer. Next year I’m considering using Apiguard once more, since it can handle the hot temps in Tn.

First, Is OAS OAV?
Me, I choose OAD after a fall treatment of Apivar. Next season I am going to move to something other than Apivar for treatment after supers are off. Last season I did three total treatments OAD broodless in July, Apivar in August and a broodless OAD in Oct.

I also make sure to do an OAD at every brood break opportunity and if I do a split I make sure it is done in a manner that allows both parts of the split to have a brood break and they both get a dribble at the appropriate time. Granted, some hives end up with less honey production but IMO everything has a payoff, it just depends upon what you see as a reasonable one.

Caveat, I am no expert but like you I find the OAV would be impossible to keep up with.

 

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In my circumstances defined by cold climate and poor forage, a colony evenly split at swarm time would yield me two colonies that, with feeding, would barely get up to wintering level to provide two productive colonies for the next year. I

Interesting, it must be our canola that allows my splits, if done in June, to be ready to swarm in mid July.

 

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North of the 53rd. Yes we have long summer days, in fact the longest day length is around 17 hours.

 

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So roughly 500 miles due north and about 24 hours continuous driving! We have hit - 48 F. but I would guess you have seen close to -60 F. Winter is not fun anymore!

-46C today with the wind, -40C without. Regina is at -51C with the wind. Bitter conditions. The worrier in me would love to be able to see how my bees are faring in this cold. By Monday it will be -9C!

I remember when the kids were small we hit -54C without the wind. The whole word was silent as this was no time to start engines of any kind.

 

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If I had these 3 items accomplished I would feel very optimistic.

Done, done, done and done insulating. I do feel confident, they all survived last winter very well and it was brutal. My stethoscope is my security blanket. Although it does not tell me what the conditions in the hive are, it satisfies my curiosity that the cluster is still alive.

Hope springs eternal and farmers tend to live in 'next year' country. Always looking forward to better weather and better growing conditions, even for the bees.