Heading in to year two and do not plan to buy any bees. Started with eight singles last Summer and still had nine doubles, five singles and a five frame nuc when I was last able to peek in late January.
Having said that, temperatures have not gone above -2 C since before the beginning of February and there have been a lot days were it did not get to -8 C. Lows have all except one day been below -15 C and Mother Nature seems a little partial to lows of less than -20 C for the past couple of weeks, or so, and the coming week as well. All hives have fondant so only not being able to get to food, as opposed to running out of it, is my major worry. Nevertheless, as long as my worst case scenario is ending up with only as many bees as I started with a year ago, I will be good to go.