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Author Topic: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan  (Read 4025 times)

Offline tefer2

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Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« on: October 04, 2009, 12:02:20 pm »
Hi all, new beek here. My wife's grandfather use to keep 200 hives on the property we just took over. We are looking to get started in spring 2010. I have found some used equipment (10 years old) in the barn that looks like it needs to be trashed. Don't think we could trust any due to unknown. I joined the local bee club and have been reading all the books I can get my hands on. Looking forward to all the great  info and fine folks that are on here. Thanks Terry

Offline JWPick

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2009, 06:53:17 pm »
Welcome Terry! Glad to have you in the Forum! There are a lot of wonderful and knowledgeable people to discuss things with or just read and learn from the many great posts. You can ask about anything and you wil get a lot of great and helpful answers. Just take your time and have fun.

Offline 1reb

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2009, 07:47:40 pm »
Hello and Welcome Terry
There is alot of great information on the forum !!
The members here are willing help and answer your questions, all you need to do is to ask


Johnny

Offline Cindi

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2009, 11:00:26 am »
Terry, welcome to our forum, so wonderful that you found us.  What an interesting name for a town that you live in.  Taking over the family farm, what a wonderful thing, you are fortunate to be doing this.  Is the Grandfather of your Wife still around?  I would imagine not, that is why you are on the property.  Too bad, he could have probably been a wonderful mentor for you.  I wonder if perhaps the equipment in the barn may be resurrected?  Maybe cleaning up the boxes, buying new frames, things like that.  If the equipment is extremely perished, then pass it by for sure.  But do check it out.

YOu have found the most wonderful place to come to spend time.  To get to know lots about beekeeping before you enter their beautiful and secret little world.  You will be held under their spell as time goes along, this you will soon find out.  When it comes time to get your bees, your anticipation and excitement will be nothing that you have probably ever experienced (except as a child when the summer vacation, after a long year at school has begun, smiling).  Stick around, we love new members.  This will be a place where you will find very interested people that love to listen to the stories, tales and experiences that we all know you will give to us.  We are also great at helping new beekeepers learn how to keep bees.  A mountain of information here, and a mountain of people, that will help you, you only need ask.  AND...remember, there is never a question that is dumb or will not get a great answer.  AND too, have that most wonderful day, to enjoy great health.  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 asprince

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2009, 11:10:53 am »
Welcome!

I would not be in a hurry to discard old equipment until I learned a little more or got some advice from a mentor.


Good Luck,

Steve 
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Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2009, 05:19:08 pm »
hey hey another michigander, howdy from up in muskegon area. Welcome to the forum. !!
Each new day brings decisions,  these are  new branches on the tree of life.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2009, 10:10:19 pm »
  Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. The old folks are all gone now so no way to tell if the found equipment may have had foul brood problems or anything else. I was just thinking that he probably did not know what mites were back then. Lookin like a big fire bout to happen. Dadants is about 40 minutes from me and it's gonna save a load on shipping.
  We are having trouble finding local nuc's within a couple hours drive of us in Kalamazoo. Would like some stock that has made it at least a winter here in our climate. Please send any info you may find helpful. Thanks Terry

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2009, 10:56:32 pm »
Hi again, Terry!
If that equipment is more than 20 years dormant, then I'm sure they didn't have a clue about mites, they've only been around less than that.  Many older beeks quit when the mites hit.

If the boxes have structural integrity, there shouldn't be a problem with using them.  You can torch the insides of the boxes just in case for foulbrood, and a new coat of paint on the outside can do wonders.  But if they look shabby...new boxes really are nicer, and nothing beats a good bonfire! :camp:

As far as bee stock goes, almost any bees can easily overwinter in our climate.  Honeyrun apiaries southeast of us a few hours does have nucs, but not till late may. http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com
I would worry more about mite resistance and less about climate, many of the bees may have been breed in the north, but the packages and queens are raised in the south for an earlier start to the season.   You can pick up packages from Dadant, and you can always re-queen later with the stock of your choice.

Rick
Rick

Offline danno

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2009, 08:38:50 am »
Years back when i bought my farm there was a stack of old deep hive bodies in the barn.  Wax moth and mice finished off the old wired foundation and frames are cheap so I burned them but the boxes got torched on the inside.  I stacked them 4 high and lite a pile of newpaper inside.  They will burn fast so keep a tight cover close at hand.  It will choke the fire out fast.  A new coat of paint and they are still in service now

Offline tefer2

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2009, 10:02:14 pm »
I guess I can try the scorch and paint on a few of the deeps that are sturdy. I really don't know how much fire and how long to kill spores. Are you talking a few pieces balled up or a full box of them?  I think that if they are all black inside that could do it.
It would special to use some of boxes that he had used for his bee's. I just don't want them to spoil my start.
I'm feeling that with all the bug's I have to battle already a guy needs all the help or rabbits feet he can get.

Offline danno

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Re: Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2009, 08:50:59 am »
I guess I can try the scorch and paint on a few of the deeps that are sturdy. I really don't know how much fire and how long to kill spores. Are you talking a few pieces balled up or a full box of them?  I think that if they are all black inside that could do it.
It would special to use some of boxes that he had used for his bee's. I just don't want them to spoil my start.
I'm feeling that with all the bug's I have to battle already a guy needs all the help or rabbits feet he can get.
Terry
It doesn't take much paper.  The wax will light up quickly.  Try a few rolled up balls of paper.  If it doesn't char the inside you can do it again.  Just make sure that you can cut off the air supply fast or they could burn in just a few minutes.  Put them on a flat surface so no air gets in the bottom and have your tight fitting cover handy

 

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