Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => GREETINGS/TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF => Topic started by: bearpaw on July 15, 2009, 11:25:36 pm

Title: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: bearpaw on July 15, 2009, 11:25:36 pm
Hi Everyone!

I've been lurking around for a little while and finally thought I'd jump in and get involved.

Bees seem to always have followed me in my life. I first went beekeeping with a family friend when I was 12. Being a city boy I didn't know much about bees. It was a very hot day and I was dying for a drink... so walked a few metres and took off the veil - only to have the beekeeper friend yell at me to "stick your head in the bushes, stick your head in the bushes!" I had no idea what he was going on about - until two seconds later this bee comes screaming along and decides to plant its rear end royally up my right nostril! Not a great welcome to beekeeping!

I stayed away from bees for a while after that episode... but they have come back into my life. About 10 years ago I moved across the country to Tasmania. Funnily enough we again befriend a beekeeper here. To cut a long story short we (that is my parents, sister and I) have for the past 8 years been operating a tourist attraction based on bees and honey. Very basically we buy honey from about 7 to 10 beekeepers and take care of the marketing side of things (ie. sell the honey to tourists). It has been great fun and a huge learning curve.

Finally I've overcome my fear of getting stung up the nose again and now have one beehive myself. I'm very much a novice at beekeeping and am looking forward to learning heaps. I get a real buzz opening my hive and having a look inside... I just love my girls!

I look forward to meeting many of you online and learning from you all!

Remmo

 
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: shemer on July 16, 2009, 06:58:36 am
Hi! The land down under ;)
I wander if you have winters at all. My guess is that Australia is like the paradise for bees where there is always something with blossom despite a season. Or isn`t it?
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: bearpaw on July 16, 2009, 05:57:08 pm
Hi Shemer,

Thanks for the welcome... and sorry to have to destroy your idea of a "perfect" Australia but yes here in Tasmania we do get winters. We are in one right now. In fact (it is early morning here) this morning all my hot water pipes were frozen because of the frost... cold (freezing cold) showers!

Australia is a pretty big country so we get all weather types here. Here in Tasmania we get all the four seasons. Beekeeping here is really about a 4 to 6 month affair as in winter there are not many flowers blooming and it gets too cold for the bees to fly. We also get a some snow here too. Although having lived here for about 10 years now I've only seen the snow fall but never settle where I live.

Also being an island it is not possible to move with the weather patterns and migrate your bees to the mainland. Beekeepers on the mainland however can migrate their bees with the seasons and therefore have a longer season.
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: Kathyp on July 16, 2009, 06:24:20 pm
hi bearpaw.  welcome.  don't know if you have had a chance to poke around, but we have several active members from Australia.  when we are beekeeping, you guys are jealous.  when we are snowed in, we live on your summer beekeeping stories!
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: Schoon on July 16, 2009, 09:58:28 pm
Welcome Remmo and good luck with the bees.
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: Scadsobees on July 17, 2009, 12:19:21 am
Mmmm...leatherwood honey!  :-D

Welcome to the forums!

My sister lives in Launceston, and my niece in Herrick.  From what I hear, you don't *really* have winters!!! 8-)

Maybe someday I can stop by when I finally get out to visit my sister! :)

Rick
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: bearpaw on July 17, 2009, 03:43:00 am
Thanks for the replies everyone!

OK so we might not have "real" winters here anytime it gets below freezing is too cold for me!

My bees don't like it too much either - had a look in the hive today just to check that they had enough food and my normally placid girls decided to send out an attack party! Well they had enough food so I closed them up will leave them for a few weeks.
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: Geoff on July 17, 2009, 05:37:14 am
G'day bearpaw.
                    Am just across the gutter in Gippsland. Most of my time with the forum is on Ventrilo with some of the greatest blokes one would want to meet.
                     Beemaster has put up a useful link to the Ventrilo program which is easy to set up. http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=5880.0
                     I was lucky enough last year to make a stop in the US on an around the world flight and the experiences there are some of the best in my life which included stays with buzzbee (Ken) and family, beemaster(John) and Tracey, pdmattox (Dallas. An accident going somewhere to happen) with his family Erin, Austen, David, and Emma (The brightest little star on the continent).
                     Missed out on the biggest star (Bud1). Thought I was in his home town but I was in one by the same name about 600 miles away, but hopefully may be able to make that connection with others also next year.
                     It doesn't seem to matter what the subject is you will get plenty of good advice here, of course especially about bees.
                      Good luck and welcome to another Aussie.
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: 1reb on July 17, 2009, 09:21:49 pm
Hello and Welcome Remmo
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   
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: bearpaw on July 21, 2009, 08:39:15 am
Hi Geoff and Johnny, thanks for the welcome. I've read a bit about you Geoff :-D - you seem to be quite active on the forum! Sounds like you had a great time in the US from what I've read. Meeting beekeeping folks from other places is always interesting. I was fortunate enough to be in Germany and Austria last year and met up with some great people... Looking forward to France in a few weeks for Apimondia.

I'll be sure to be asking lots of questions as I head along my great beekeeping adventure... looking forward to getting to know you all and maybe even meet up some time!
Title: Re: Newbie from Tasmania, Australia
Post by: Cindi on July 25, 2009, 10:27:46 am
Remmo welcome to our forum, great that you have found us.  Your introduction was great and quite humourous I would say.  So nice that that bee sting up the nose did not turn you off bees for your lifetime, smiling.  Stick around, you are up to some interesting stuff and we love to listen.  This will be a place where you can tell your stories, tales and experiences, and also make some new friends.  Have that wonderful day, to love and live, with the best of health.  Cindi