Bee Keeping

[cmharris6002]

I have wanted to get into beekeeping for a long time but I had no clue how to get started. Now I have a wonderful bee mentor. He brought over the hives last night and set them up in our orchard. He will be tending the bees with us until we know what to do, how great is that 

Anyone else keeping bees?

[MrsKK]

That is really cool, Christy!  I have two friends who have started beekeeping this year, too.

It is something I'm interested in, but I'm spread a bit thin right now, so am struggling to not get into one more thing that will push me over the edge.  I do want to work with my friends on their hives, though, to be sure that it is something I really want to do before I delve into it.

[cmharris6002]

I know how you feel. This is good timing for us and with the beekeeper easing us into it it was the perfect situation. Now to find time for all the honey related projects, mead, candle making, soaps, lip balm, lotion bars, mead...

[cmharris6002]

My hives 

[MrsKK]

<Sigh>  Someday, maybe!

[DeejayDebi]

That's really kewl Christy.

[FRANCOIS]

I have wanted to get into beekeeping for a long time but I had no clue how to get started. Now I have a wonderful bee mentor. He brought over the hives last night and set them up in our orchard. He will be tending the bees with us until we know what to do, how great is that 

Anyone else keeping bees?

Then he will be tending them for the rest of your life.  No offense, I have been keeping bees for 8 years now and they constantly amaze me.  They are by far the most difficult livestock to tend.  I now live where there is only one honey flow per year and it had made things much simpler, but they are still finicky little bugs.

[cmharris6002]

Then he will be tending them for the rest of your life

Oh, I think you're wrong about this! We don't get into things lightly do do anything half way around here 

[atreyablue]

I have wanted to get into beekeeping for a long time but I had no clue how to get started. Now I have a wonderful bee mentor. He brought over the hives last night and set them up in our orchard. He will be tending the bees with us until we know what to do, how great is that 

Anyone else keeping bees?

I have never had my own hive, but I had a run in with bees years ago and read a bunch of books on beekeeping, it has to be one of the coolest hobbies on earth.

They are so misunderstood.

One thing I remember is they said to never wear a full bee keepers getup, just to use the head coverings. Because if you wear the whole suit the warning scent gets imbedded in it and they will nail you each time you go out there wearing it.

Are you collecting the pollen too? Bee pollen is a great energy booster.

Good luck, post pics if of your honey hives, Id love to see them.

Sincerely,

Eric

[SANDQ]

 Hi again Christy.
Thanks for diverting me to the depths of this site. Although I started working wth bees at 15 years old ( at school, I am now 42 ) and spending 2 years at agricultural college, with my free period ( thursday afternoons ) in the college bee club. I have not worked with them since,  they are very rewarding " critters ". in my experience, but dont dive in, they are very sensitve and have their own needs. Learn from someone who knows, hence me learning from you.
As it happens, the guy I bought my first goats from in my village, is the lead beekeeper here. I too want to go down this route, you are aware that you need a swarm before you can introduce the new queen and colony to a hive? I presume you do. This is probably the most difficult ( to a novice ) procedure, I would leave it to an expireinced bee keeeper. Once the queen and conony are in,  mark the queen,  a spot of bright enamel paint on her abdomen was the way I was taught. If you can accomplish this then the fun starts.
In a way its like making anything, the more you know, the more help you get, the better you will become, But bees " bite " I take it you are in the states, Africanised bees have an attitude!
I dont claim to be a "master beekeeper " , but I know a man who is, so any questions you have I will gladly put to him.
Regards Q

[cmharris6002]

Wow!! How great to have you here  The bee keeper I am working with rescues swarms  from peoples houses and other areas where they need to be relocated so my bees are 'wild' bees. He said that these bees are less susceptible to problems. He said each hive has it's own personality and the hives he brought to us are not aggressive at all. So far the bees have settled in well and nobody has been stung yet.

[SANDQ]

It seems as though you are in good hands, Ive been stung a few times by bees, it was then I learned that I am allergic to bee stings! Comes with the territory I suppose, all worth it
in the end when you do your Pooh Bear bit and dive into home produced honey.

[homeacremom]

My brothers keep bees and have gone to all "wild" bees. I think all of the original "tame" hives  have died out no matter how well cared for.  When they get a hive that is more aggressive they will replace the queen with one from a milder tempered hive. It is an elaborate procedure to get her settled in, but it's worked for them.
Honey bees are fascinating. I hope someday to have my own hives.

[themoat]

I'm so jealous!  My wife knows that as soon as we move into a real house (when I graduate) we're going to have an apiary!  I lived on a farm in Peru for a few months and the farmers I stayed with had a few hives.  It's something I miss so much!

[Minamyna]

I asked my husband what he thought about it and he freaked out! Apparently he doesn't want them, which makes me kind of sad. I think I would need to find a good bee mentor before I tried bees, but beewax candles are divine....