Hi Fillycate!
Welcome to the forums!
Just GO for it!!
I also think you may go insane waiting so long! I just started last spring and Bees really do me good!!
Having bees will make you look at EVERYTHING on your land and on the roadsides and everywhere DIFFERENT.
I'm just barely keeping it together just waiting for SPRING!!
I just put out 5 more empty hiveboxes this past weekend in anticipation of me getting more bees, probably by catching them during the spring and summer.
My first swarm I caught was easy as pie! It was in my own back yard!I only got stung about 13 times(Its more fun battling with bees knowing that they STING).
Really, as mentioned before, this bee forum is a GREAT place to ask about bees and get answers.
The Beekeeping for Dummies is an excellent book! After you read this book, it opens windows to where you can understand what other bee books are talking about. I like doing bees for many reasons, but i think my favorite excuse is that theres not many people who are gutsy enuff to do it.
THERE WERE MORE THINGS i WANTED TO SAY BUT I forgot...I tend to loose track alot..And I tend to type to much.
In here, one minute its talking about bees, the next minute a person may ask what kind of wipers you have on your truck!
Anyways, I bet you can have bees going at your place in 3 months!
2 hives, a nice white suit, a smoker, and perhaps a helper to help you with your bees(if youre lucky, like me.)
Also You'll be strong enough to work your bees!...If you can handle bales of hay, and sacks of feed, and goats.....You're ready!!
Dont take my words as gospel...They're just "My words"....and theyve worked for me!
your friend,
john