Moving from Kiwi pollination to early Alfalfa pollination
in Central California
1---Truck load of bees, hydraulic loader, single with 2 3/4
(standard hive setup for this 12,000 hive outfit, more 3/4 honey
supers will be added as needed)
2---Loader cradle used to pick up two hives at a time, note dry
grass, large kiwi and Plum orchards common in this area of
once dry land grain and pasture lands.
3---Kiwis are grown with wire supports.
4---Another picture of rolling hills planted to Kewee's.
5---Truck loaded with bee hives, note every row is tied.
6---Kiwi fruit and showing size of main trunk.
8---Close up of good cluster of fruit.
9---Close up of good cluster of fruit.
10---More of the same showing some detail of support system. Have no idea what kind of machine is used to harvest them.
11---Unloading bees in Alfalfa seed, note pallets hives are set on to keep them out of the wet soil during irrigation.
12---Cotton trailers are used to help bees locate their own hives.
13---articulated bee hive loader for close in work, note front half of truck is unloaded first to give more traction off the road.
15---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.
16---Another shot of bees on truck soon to be unloaded, time daylight.