In many areas of Pennsylvania, if you have small colonies or splits that need to be fed to reach their winter weight, there is still a little bit of time before things get colder. However, if you have a colony that does not reach an ideal weight before it gets cold, you may need to think about feeding them over the winter. Ideally, a full-sized colony in a good location that has been left with enough honey should not need this, however, there are times when colonies are under weight. If you have extra frames of honey from another colony, that is always a good option. During the fall months, unless they are already completely out of food (hopefully not the case), it is not advisable to start winter feed until much colder, such as December, because some types of winter feed will simply be removed from the colony by the bees (for example, mountain camp sugar). Once cold enough to feed, there are many options available. We have single size (2.2 lb) Hive Alive fondant available at the Carlisle farm shop (for large or bulk sizes, it is best to order them directly), but there are many options available that you can purchase elsewhere or make on your own:

• Mountain Camp Sugar (this is the simplest approach, but there are times where the bees will simply drag it out of the hive)
• Sugar cakes or bricks (this is easy to make yourself and the vinegar is not necessary)
• Candy Boards
• Fondant (can be purchased from any restaurant supply)
• Hive Alive fondant
• SuperFuel fondant with Apis Biologix and Probiotics
• Dadant Winter patties with Honey b Healthy
• Mann Lake Pro Winter