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Author Topic: Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?  (Read 3822 times)

henryrich

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Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?
« on: February 08, 2006, 02:44:00 pm »
Hey folks I am new to the board. I want to say first that I am very grateful for this forum and all the information it has already provided to me. Thanks!

My girlfreind and I are about to move in to a new house with 4 acres of rolling grassy hills just a bit north of Asheville, NC. It seem perfect for a large garden and .. perhaps some BEES! I may not 'bee' prepared to start a hive/s this season but I am thinking about it. here are a few questions I am hoping someone might be able to answer:

Is it ok to use used hives? ( possibility of disease? even if there have been no bees in them for years?)

How about used smokers/protective suits? (any reason I shouldnt save a few bucks?)

there are several beekeepers in the area.. should I try and acquire a queen and bees from them? or order them via mail..?

Thanks a ton !

Henry

Offline Jay

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Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2006, 06:24:20 pm »
Hi Henry,

Welcom to the fray!
The problem with used boxes is as you suspect American Foulbrood spores can hang around for as many as 50 years. However you can have them irradiated (treated with radiation) which kills the spores.

Used frames with drawn comb not only have the AFB problem, but also chemicals used in hive management tend to accumulate in the wax. So you may have a buildup of all the chemicals that the previous owner has used over the years (may also be the reason said person wants to get rid of said frames).

There is however no reason why you should not be able to pick up and use a second hand smoker, veil, jacket etc. It all depends on the conditions of these items. ie. you don't want a used bee jacket with a bunch of holes in it kinda defeats the purpose!

With all this in mind and money in hand, go check out the prices of a bunch of different bee equipment suppliers and see what these things cost new. The little bit you save may not be worth the usable years that have been taken off the equipment :wink: . Good luck!
By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Their flag to Aprils breeze unfurled
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world
-Emerson

Offline Michael Bush

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Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2006, 07:59:52 pm »
http://www.wncbees.org/

I'll be speaking in Asheville, NC on the 6th.  Look in the "advanced outline" of the above link if you're interested. :)
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Benva

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Great!
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2006, 11:38:54 am »
Thanks for the advice and links - I hope to see you at Bee school.

I have been looking at some books and have ordered 3:

The Beekeeper's Handbook
by Roger A. Morse

Beekeeping for Dummies  [hate that title]
by Howland Blackiston

A Book of Bees : And How to Keep Them
by Sue Hubbell

anyone have any thoughts on these titles.. or suggestions of better books to get a hold of?
Thanks!
Henry
[changed my user name ;) ][/b]

Offline Chad S

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Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2006, 03:24:34 pm »
Bee Keeping for Dummies is not that great.  There is another beginer book out there that is much better, but of course I can't remember the name of it off hand.

The general rule of thumb is that it is better to get new than risk possible disease transmition with old.  Having said that I have all used gear.  No problems.

Thread drift:

In fact I would be interested to know if anyone in the MA area wants to un-load some used gear.  I am looking for hive bodies supers bottom boards inner/outer cover etc.

Chad

Offline Ruben

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Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2006, 06:55:43 pm »
I read Beekeeping for dummies back in the fall and when I was finishes with the book I felt I had learned a lot, then I found this forum and it seems seems a bit of what I learned from the book differs from what a lot of people in this forum talk about. I also would like to know of a good book, but this site has been the most helpful. I told my wife last night that I feel like I eliminated 5 years of trial and error just by talking with people in this site. Hopefully I am going to move to Ashville, NC when I win the HGTV Home Giveaway :D

Offline Jay

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Beginner -Asheville, NC used equipment?
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2006, 10:59:14 pm »
Have a look at this thread if you would like some good book recommendations:

http://beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=1564&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=richard+bonney
By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Their flag to Aprils breeze unfurled
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world
-Emerson

Offline Jack Parr

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BOOKS ON BEES
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2006, 08:04:59 am »
I have bought several

The Beekeeper's Handbook, Third Edition
Diana Sammataro et al
Is vey good.

the dunnies book is good and the title is what got me to buy it but I don't like the idea of " dummies ", There are many dummy books on a lot of subjects and it's marketing ploy so...

Sue Hubbell's book is a narrative of her experiences as a beekeeper in MO and really not a very good " how to " book although it is very well written and an easy read.

Roger Morse has some good books availavble.

I have others but I loaned them out and don't recall the exact titles.

You can find all the information you need on these boards if you follow up on the many many links posted and print the offerings. You can really create your own manual if you so desire. Spending some time going back to the first threads  will reveal that the same questions pop up over and over, including yours. Worth while though.

www.beesource.com is a competitor ?  of this board but does have a wealth of info just for the clicking.

Finally the two bibles of the bee world " The ABC-XYZ  and The Hive and the Honey are of course very good. Not really needed though with this medium, the internet available.

I wouldn' t spend any money for videos unless you have a bundle-o-bucs.
Usually bee clubs have the videos in their library for member use???

Hope this helps.

 

anything