Moving from Kiwi Pollination to Early Alfalfa Pollination
in Central California

This page contains pictures   taken by Brian Ferguson using a computer camera. They show they type of beekeeping he does with over 12,000 hives in the field.

The story is the movement from "Keywee" pollination to early Alfalfa pollination. The empty cotton trailers are used as land marks by the bees in the large flat fields as the bees tend to drift with the afternoon winds that are common in this area. Note the two types of bee loaders... 

Andy Nachbaur

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A truckload of bees with hydraulic loader.  Singles with
two 3/4 depth supers are the standard hive setup for
this 12,000 hive outfit.
More 3/4 honey supers will be added as needed

Loader cradle used to pick up two hives at a time.
Note the dry grass.  Large kiwi and plum orchards are now
common in this area of once dry land grain and pasture lands.

Kiwi fruit are grown with wire support

Another picture of rolling hills planted to Kiwis.

Truck loaded with bee hives.  Note: every row is tied.

Kiwi fruit and showing size of main trunk.

Close up of good cluster of fruit.

Another close up of good cluster of fruit.

More of the same,   showing some detail of support system.
(Have no idea what kind of machine is used to harvest them).

Unloading bees in Alfalfa seed. Note the pallets hives are set on
to keep them out of the wet soil during irrigation.

Cotton trailers are used to help bees locate their own hives.

Articulated bee hive loader for close in work. 
Note front half of truck is unloaded first to
give more traction off  road.

Pallets ready to have bees set off on.
West side hills in background.

This area gets less than 10 inches of rain and
is irrigated with water from deep wells or with canal
water from Northern California.

Another shot of bees on truck soon to be unloaded. 
Time: daybreak.

Want to learn More about Pollination? try

Dave Green's Pollination Page
&
Alberta Hybrid Canola Pollination

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