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Author Topic: Hello from Alberta  (Read 2881 times)

Offline Janemma

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Hello from Alberta
« on: March 27, 2008, 05:48:04 pm »
Hi,

I've just put in my order for my first hive and my first package of bees (from New Zealand).  Bee keeping has been in my family for a long time but I've not really had any real hands-on experience before - just a very keen interest,  This year my husband and I feel finally ready to actually start!  That being said...we're 247th on the waiting list for the bees - but the place we've ordered from say because we only want one package instead of many, they're confident we'll get some!  I remain hopeful! 

About me - Hmmmmm well I'm 36, British, but my hubby and I emigrated from the UK almost 6 years ago and we now live on 16 acres in central Alberta, Canada.  We have 5 children, two dogs, two cats and a pot bellied pig (and hopefully soon 6,000 + bees lol) there are often several moose, deer and coyotes hanging around the place too lol).  I have a three year old who LOVES Bee Movie and the rest of the family look at me as though I am mad because I spend the whole movie picking out all the mistakes they made in it ;)

I found this website after watching some very educational videos at Youtube!  Thank you Beemaster! 

I am sure I will have many questions to ask over the coming months so I am glad to have found you all!

Best wishes
Jane

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2008, 07:46:25 pm »
Welcome to the Beemaster forum. You have found a good place to learn and share your experiences.
                                                                                                                           Ken

Offline ooptec

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2008, 07:50:12 pm »
Hello from Saskatchewan, Prince Albert to be exact

(hah .... beat ya Cindi     lol)

Welcome to Canada and especially country life.

I have a good friend who did the opposite of you. He started here then emigrated to Midlands, UK

I guess you might be the yin (or yang) to balance the equasion    lol

cheers

peter



Offline asprince

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2008, 09:36:56 pm »
Welcome! I love Alberta, visited there several times. Please update your profile so that you will no longer be "Lost".

Steve
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Offline JP

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2008, 12:22:49 am »
Welcome to the forums!!!

...JP
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline Cindi

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2008, 10:18:28 am »
Jane, cool, another Canadian, I see that Peter, who is in Saskatchewan has already greeted you (and beat me to it, hee hee,  :-P to you Peter, hee, hee).

Kidding aside Jane.  So nice that you have come from a family of beekeepers, what took YOU so long, hee, hee? 

So nice that you are now feeling that you would like to keep bees.  And 5 children, holy smokers, that is a handful, hope they are not all under the age of 10, hee, hee, that would be a really big, big handful for sure.  And a pot bellied pig, yesiree, a handful, I love those breed of pig, very cool.

Central Alberta, why don't you update your profile so we know better what part of the central part.  I am in southwestern B.C. 45 km northeast of Vancouver, in a place called Maple Ridge.  My Daughter's inlaws live in Edmonton and her and her Husband and two boys lived near Stoney Plain for a couple of years.  Small world now isn't it?

Enjoy your stay with us, you will find we can listen, help, offer advice, and getting back to the listening, we love to hear stories and the experiences of others on this forum.  Be it bees, gardening, anything, this forum is a wonderful and great place to spend awesome time, you will make some very valuable friends here too, I know that I surely have.  So, dear girl, have a wonderful and beautiful day, love our great life we live.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Janemma

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2008, 06:27:16 pm »
Thanks for the welcomes!

I'm just outside of Edmonton - South East of Sherwood Park.  I know Stony Plain a little!  My bees are coming from close to there! 

5 children under ten?  I'm not quite that crazy lol!  I did have three under ten until January ;)  I'm still trying to come to terms with that fact that I'm old enough to have one starting High School this year!  (He's going to a school for the performing arts and I have visions of him in legwarmers dancing on the tables in the dining room singing FAME)!!!  But then again I guess that in itself shows my age...sigh........

Offline Cindi

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2008, 10:30:54 am »
Jane, I think that you are getting your bees through BeeMaid?  They are a great supplier of other goods for beekeepers too.  A young man in high school, yep, that does make one feel dated, I know, been there done that, with two girls.  My Daughters are 38 this year and 33, my two Grandsons are 13 and 8, yes, I know the feeling of feeling dated, hee, hee.  Hope you enjoy your stays here, you will make some new friends, and that is great in this beautiful ol' world that we love and share.  Have a wonderful and great day, girl.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Janemma

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2008, 01:27:51 pm »
Jane, I think that you are getting your bees through BeeMaid?  They are a great supplier of other goods for beekeepers too. 

Yes Beemaid!  I'm getting all of my equipment there too.  I haven't had much luck contacting anyone else around here I'm afraid.  The local websites seem to be down and several of the people Ive contacted haven't replied so I took a chance with Beemaid - I'm glad to hear they are good!  We visited the Vancouver area last Fall and toook a trip the Honey Bee Centre near Langley - the girl there was sooooooooo helpful!!!!  I bought some Fireweed honey OMG it was AMAZING!!!!  I wish we had Fireweed growing here - I'm tempted to try growing some from seed.  I wish I lived near a centre like that to take a course.  I was hoping to spend some time with a local beekeeper but haven't managed to contact any successfully yet - the local farmers market starts soon and there is a beekeeper there that I hope to get talking to - maybe then I can send some time with them.  Or maybe when I'm at Beemaid this week picking up my hive I can get in touch with someone. 

I've got plenty of advice from family members back home but beekeeping in Alberta temperatures and over-wintering is a little different to England (lol)  they don't often get -50 windchills in England do they?  hahahahaha!!! 

Offline Cindi

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Re: Hello from Alberta
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2008, 12:38:16 am »
Jane, the Honeybee Centre is about a 45 minute drive from my place, it is across the Fraser River.  I took quite a few secondary bee courses over there with John Gibeau.  The girls at the centre are very nice and friendly, trying to help all they can, nice.  I am attempting to grow some fireweed this year.  I gathered tons of seed again last year from plants that grow not too far from my house, you should see me stuffing them into the paper bags, the fluff goes everywhere, very similar to when you blow on a dandelion, eeks!!!  I tried to grow them last year but sowed them in the fall and I think the birds got them.  So this year I am waiting for another week or so and then I am going to set the seed, but I am going to brush dirt lightly over them to keep them in place and kind of hide them from the hungry birds, we'll see, come what may.  Lean on your family lots, they will help you, but I am sure that you know that too, smiling.  Beautiful day in this beautiful life. Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

 

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