Another practical thing we did on the beekeeping course was learning how to light, and importantly keep lit, your smoker – a beekeeper’s best friend. I decided before my bees arrive I’d practise and it was probably a good job that I did. I collected my bits of cardboard, paper and dried bits of twig and set about lighting it. What I probably should have practised was getting the lid on and off the smoker before setting alight as mine has a tendency to get stuck.
Having lit the smoker the flames were growing as I desperately tried to get the lid on without setting fire to my hand. That was proving impossible so for some unknown reason I decided to tip the contents of the fiery smoker out onto the stone so now rather than having fire contained in a smoker I have fire on the floor. Luckily my dad was a fireman so whenever I’m dealing with fire I make sure there’s water nearby and on this occasion emptied the contents of my watering can onto my flaming path. I think we can definitely say my first attempt to light the smoker was not successful.
But I wasn’t put off on my second attempt was much better after a few minutes my smoker was indeed producing smoke. The challenge will be keeping it producing smoke but that’s a challenge for another day.
