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Author Topic: Getting ready for 2014  (Read 6588 times)

Offline rafsalazar

  • Brood
  • Posts: 2
  • Gender: Male
Getting ready for 2014
« on: November 08, 2013, 12:03:09 pm »
Hey guys,

I just ordered my bees for spring 2014! I live in the Augusta, GA area.

I am very excited to start next spring. I am starting with a TBH that I built with plans off the internet.

I have read a lot about beekeeping on a TBH, but I was wondering if there is anyone in the local area who keeps bees this way that wouldn' mind giving me a few pointers for our local area....really any advice would be welcomed, as I am a newbee over here  :)

Thanks!
"Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind." - Henry David Thoreau

Offline mikecva

  • Field Bee
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  • Posts: 983
Re: Getting ready for 2014
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2013, 12:45:32 pm »
Welcome to beekeeping and the forum.   :cheer: With reading, you are off to a good start.

My best suggestion is to look into joining a bee keepers club near you.
http://www.gabeekeeping.com/local_clubs.html

With winter coming on we try to read what we can, review our notes that we took on our hives (hopefully to improve for next year), and make final preparations for over wintering our girls (bees).

And please ask any questions that come up.   -Mike
.
Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results.
.
Please remember to read labels.

Moots

  • Guest
Re: Getting ready for 2014
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2013, 12:54:25 pm »
rafs,
Welcome to the world of being a Beek and the forum, lots of great folks on this forum willing to share their advice and experience, by all means, take advantage of it.  If you haven't figured it out already, you'll learn that being a Beek is more Art than science, so you'll find lots of strong opinions on issues that don't necessarily have one "right" answer.  The important thing is to find what works for you.

That being said...And not trying to rain on your parade...but I'm curious why you decided to go TBH?  I'm only in my first year myself but it seems that while TBH are a very popular trend they can be a little more difficult to experience success with...especially for newbies.

Good Luck!  :)


Offline rafsalazar

  • Brood
  • Posts: 2
  • Gender: Male
Re: Getting ready for 2014
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2013, 01:04:35 pm »
rafs,
Welcome to the world of being a Beek and the forum, lots of great folks on this forum willing to share their advice and experience, by all means, take advantage of it.  If you haven't figured it out already, you'll learn that being a Beek is more Art than science, so you'll find lots of strong opinions on issues that don't necessarily have one "right" answer.  The important thing is to find what works for you.

That being said...And not trying to rain on your parade...but I'm curious why you decided to go TBH?  I'm only in my first year myself but it seems that while TBH are a very popular trend they can be a little more difficult to experience success with...especially for newbies.

Good Luck!  :)



I decided to go with TBH really for the cost advantage oit. I know that it is not the easiest, but right now my wife and I are sending every bit of money we can towards student loan payments (just graduated last year, hope to be debt free by 2015). So there is a bit of a budget crunch for me. I was abl eto build my TBH for about $45, which was a lot cheaper than I could get into the Langs for. Just trying to get into beek on a budget

"Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind." - Henry David Thoreau

Moots

  • Guest
Re: Getting ready for 2014
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2013, 01:42:52 pm »
rafs,
Understood!  Debt free by 2015 sounds nice.    :-D

I like your priorities.  :)

Offline chux

  • House Bee
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  • Posts: 432
  • Gender: Male
Re: Getting ready for 2014
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2013, 02:25:14 pm »
rafs,
This has been my first year as a beek. I too started with a TBH. I also have 4 Langs now. I would suggest that you go ahead and build more than one TBHhive, if you can scrape the wood together. If you ask around, you may find someone with wood lying around that they would give you. (I did) Build more than one hive so that you have the option of catching a swarm. When word spreads that you keep bees, you may get a call or two to catch a swarm. Fun stuff. You need to have a home ready for them.

It will be good for you to run two hives. You can compare them to see problems sooner. Also, if one starts failing, you have another hive to help strengthen it.

I would also suggest building a smaller box to catch swarms, if you want "free" bees. A friend built a 2-foot long TBH for catching swarms. We could take the swarm to a hive and dump them in. In one case, he left a swarm in the box for a couple of weeks. They built out good comb. He then transferred the good comb bars from the short box, to a full size hive. Worked great. Cheap. Good luck. Have fun.

 

 

anything