When do I begin??

[kevin]

Total Newbee here in Versailles, KY  but have quickly discovered there is a whole lot of beekeeping in the Bluegrass.  Going to the local association mtg on Tuesday and will join the state association.  We also have a Dadant branch in Frankfort . . .  I had no idea!

I am thinking I should read my "dummies" book and purchase one of the starter kits (Brushy Mnt. i think) and order some bees in Feb. and then hit the ground running (working with bees not from bees) and hopefully be enjoying some honey next year.  I have two black locust trees and the neighbor has fruit trees so I wish I had thought of this years ago.

Thanks for the site

[Keith13]

Watch buying some of the starter kits I did that and ended up with a bunch of stuff I don't use

[DaveKow]

Watch buying some of the starter kits I did that and ended up with a bunch of stuff I don't use

I agree.  Read, read, read before you buy equipment.

"Dummies" is the book that got me hooked.  Which was right around this time last year.  I have read a lot since then and still don't know what's going on.  Lucky forum members are always here to assist.  Kinda like "bee" tech. support.

Good luck!

Dave

[Ross]

Best place to start (other than a mentor) is http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm

[derrick1p1]

Yes, read read read.  Don't buy a starter kit.  Reading (and certainly checking out www.bushfarms.com) will give you a better idea of what you actually do need.  And keep coming back here.  You'll learn so so much by reading posts and visiting the archives. 

Best of luck, and Welcome!
Derrick

[Kathyp]

agreed.  no starter kit.  the things you  need to start are really basic.  use the money to buy extra supers so you'll be prepared for expansion or swarm catching  :-)  when you are ready to buy, post here.  you will get many good suggestions.  you can take what looks like it will work for you.

[tlynn]

From another new-bee...evaluate your hive location before you place them.  We don't have a very large back yard and I wanted to give them as much space between them and our walkways as possible so I located my first hive at the edge of a grapefruit tree.  Course I didn't really consider the 2 pound bombs that would later drop on the hive and also learned from local beekeepers that hive beetles like shade a lot more than sun.  So I had to move the hive south a couple feet away from the branches and into the sun.  Not a big deal but if I realized I needed to set it on the opposite side of the yard I would have to do it in 3 foot increments due to the bees' little gps that would keep bringing them back to empty space if I just up and moved it more than 3 feet.  Also I faced them southeasterly with a view of sky over our house which I guess has helped them to choose a flight path up and over our house instead of over our fence to the west and across the neighbor's back yard.  I don't really know how much you can influence their flight path but at least in our case being in a residential neighborhood it worked out well.  I'd rather them do cleansing flights over us than our neighbor's pool.

Tracy

[Robo]

Don't wait until February to order your bees.  Order them as soon as your supplier will take orders for next year.

[johnnybigfish]

 Hey Kevin!
I really like the dummy book! As a matter of fact, Its a good book to help you understand what all the other books are telling you!
 Ive said the same thing about wishing i has started this years ago. I feel that beekeeping is a hobby that you really have to have patience with. patience you dont get until you start getting older,..At least this pertains to my case. I'm ate up with this beekeeping stuff!
 I'm thinking about how youre going to bee thinking bees so hard till you get them, and thats when page 2 goes into your bee book. Getting bees, especially for people who decide to start before its easier to get bees, is something you HAVE TO wait for, usually...Its not like just pulling out a credit card and getting that new set of speakers, or going out and buying a car. These kinds of things take just a few minutes anymore.
Waiting for the bees all winter reminds a person that there are things in life you have to wait for.
 ...But the day you finally get your bees and hive them,.......Its like MAGIC!...Kinda like a MIRACLE!!....Its like there IS a Santa!!...At least thats how it made me feel!...And theres the aspect of how you will see all things that you never even thought of taking a second look at, like tiny flowers and other little bugs that you never noticed before! It presents a God experience sort of! You feel more in tune with living things in general!...Funny thing now for me...Every plant I see, I see as bee food now! Thats a trip, eh'?
  I come to this forum Every day after work to see new stuff people put here, you know, questions and answers.....For me, the people here have become a higher priority than most other people in my daily life!
I dont go to the local bee club much but there are occasions where I do call a member from time to time about one thing or another.
I just Luvvvvvvv evrybody here!! :-D
Ok,..I better cool it before I start asking everybody here for their addresses so I can mail them Christmas cards!!

Anys, welcome to the forums!
Read lots of bee stuff!
 Watch bee shows on TV!
 Go rent "Ulees Gold"! (Theres bee stuff in the movie, along with a good story)
And, most of all, have fun!

your friend,
john

[annette]

John

You just have such a wonderful way of expressing yourself. You are right on the money!!! Yes, I also spend so much time just looking around me and noticing nature more. Listening more (especially if I hear a buzz!!) Looking at all the beautiful trees and bushes and flowers and wondering if they are of interest to the bees. Of course, when I do see the bees on the flowers/bushes/trees, etc. well it is like a religious experience and I feel all is well with the world. The little baby girls are happy!!

So Kevin good luck with your new adventure.

Annette from Placerville California where we will be into the 100's once again by the weekend. Yuck!!

[Sean Kelly]

Did you know that the cover picture on Beekeeping for Dummies was taken by our very own Beemaster?  Yep, it's true!!!

Why wait to get started?!?!?!  Swarms are running rampant right now!  Get a hive, a smoker, a suit, and a hive tool and go catch a swarm!!!  That's all you're getting when you buy a "package" is a ready made swarm.  Just go tell your local fire + police department that you want to be listed as a swarm catcher and the calls will ROLL in!!!

Good luck and welcome to this awesome hobby obsession!!!

Sean Kelly

[DaveKow]

I forgot to mention youtube videos.




And John, amen!

Dave

[derrick1p1]

johnnybigfish, hit the nail on the head imo.  Seems I look at many things differently now.  I look at people and nature (and how interconnected everything is) differently now as well. 

good luck!
Derrick

[rast]

 Don't make the mistake I made. Be consistant with whatever size box you start with for a number of reasons you learn down the road. I wish I had started with all mediums so I could have swapped brood and egg frames around. Most starter kits come with deeps and they are heavy when full. I would also inquire around about just buying a going hive from someone reputable.

[tadu]

Hi, read is ok but the best is to find someone close to you and help him for free. Old people needs a young person to carry uppers and talk....

[jojoroxx]

I too started with the "kits" and am beginning to regret it somewhat.

1.The deep bodies are extrememly heavy

2.The frames come with plastic foundation.

When I learned beekeeping many years ago it was with wax foundation that we wired in. It would sometimes collapsed during extraction...So when the kits came equipped with the plastic foundation I thought maybe it would be better. Then my mentor came to assist me one day and he grunted in disgust when he saw the plastic foundation. His words? "Is the whole da#n world made out of plastic now?"

Also if one wants to use crush and strain for the harvest, they would have to scrape the comb off the foundation. But with wax foundation we can just cut it away and have beautiful comb honey to put in jars whole...(i guess i scrape and strain 4 now... :'()

[Keith13]

I too started with the "kits" and am beginning to regret it somewhat.

1.The deep bodies are extremely heavy

2.The frames come with plastic foundation.

When I learned beekeeping many years ago it was with wax foundation that we wired in. It would sometimes collapsed during extraction...So when the kits came equipped with the plastic foundation I thought maybe it would be better. Then my mentor came to assist me one day and he grunted in disgust when he saw the plastic foundation. His words? "Is the whole da#n world made out of plastic now?"

Also if one wants to use crush and strain for the harvest, they would have to scrape the comb off the foundation. But with wax foundation we can just cut it away and have beautiful comb honey to put in jars whole...(i guess i scrape and strain 4 now... :'()

You are right about heavy. I'm 6'2" 215 and not a whole bunch of fat but the first time I picked up a full deep I thought it was still attached to something those suckers are heavy.

I use plastic and I'm not crazy about it I finally got the girls to draw it out but I had to pretty much dump the wax on em

I sorely wish I had ordered all mediums which I do do now( ha ha I said do do)

my opinion,
Keith

[jason58104]

Read, read, read,  The Hive And The Honeybee is a good place to start.  Subscribe to the American Bee Journal.  Join your local bee club.  There is so much to learn and so little time.  Enjoy your journey!

[klesage121]

I was told The Beekeeper's Handbook would tell me everything I would need to know but some of the stuff just goes woosh right over my head so I think as recommended I'll look into getting the dummy book cause right now I sure feel like I fall in that hole.

[Brian D. Bray]

I was told The Beekeeper's Handbook would tell me everything I would need to know but some of the stuff just goes woosh right over my head so I think as recommended I'll look into getting the dummy book cause right now I sure feel like I fall in that hole.

There isn't a book about beekeeping in print that will tell you everything.  Something always gets omitted.  In others the author is writing is like his method of beekeeping is the only way.  And almost all of them give bad info about queen excluders, feeding simple syrup, and removing queen cells.  Get 4 beekeeping books, read them all, notice the differences and similarities, then realize that there is even more left unsaid than was said.  But the combination of the 4 books should give you a good start of understanding your ignorance.

[klesage121]

I totally agree with ya Brian. With all the sites that I have come to just by doing a simple search on the net about beekeeping I have come up with conflicting statements and do and don'ts that are just all twisted around according to who's do's and don'ts your reading.  I got 2 books the handbook then the book called The backyard gardner and it pretty much follows along with the handbook with a few exceptions.  I am having to take a step back and re evaluate cause i'm just getting over whelmed.  LOL

[annette]

I started with the Beekeeping for Dummies and this book really inspired me and made me believe that I could do this.  After I finally got my bees and started learning and having some difficulties, well then, I got onto this forum and most of the answers I received were contrary to the book I had read. And contrary to a few classes I took as well. Believe me it was very confusing at first.

I think you just have to read many different ways of doing this and come up with the style that feels comfortable for you. I know an elderly beekeeping man (in his 80's) who lives about 1/2 hour away from me. He has been beekeeping for about 9 years and only has 2 hives. He doesn't do anything except place supers on top when he thinks they need more room. He never looks into the brood supers. He treats the hives with the usual standard chemicals for mites. He gets about 35 lbs of honey each summer from both hives. Not much, I think, but he is a very simple man and he is very happy going along like this. His hives probably swarm out on him every summer (he calls me to tell me a swarm has landed in his carport or on his shed - they are probably his bees) and he doesn't care or is ignorant. He is very happy to go along like this. Whenever I mention anything to him like - have you checked the brood nest to see if the queen has room to lay, he answers I didn't know you have to do this. He is so happy in his ignorance and really enjoys his beekeeping.
He only lost one hive to starvation last winter in all 9 years. Is it right or wrong how he does his beekeeping?? He has been making this work for 9 years. The only thing I am against is the chemicals he uses - you know the apistan or whatever it is called.

I have committed myself to doing this as natural as possible, without using any chemicals. I work much harder than he does. I am trying to do it right. Sometimes I think I would like to be like that elderly man and just relax more with the whole thing. I have had so many troubles with my hives and have gotten so little honey.

I am sorry for rambling, but I guess my point is there are many ways to do this beekeeping and the choice is up to each individual which route to take.  I have been unhappy with most of the beekeeping classes I took. I wish I could have learned this with a mentor right next to me who is in line with my beliefs.  It just did not happen that way. I have made the best of it and keep going on and learning from my many mistakes. Mostly I stay very upbeat and positive and enjoy the little creatures.

Good Luck to all who take on this venture.
Annette

[derrick1p1]

Annette, at least this way, the decisions and direction you are going is from your own experience.  Making decisions from your experience is much more rewarding (and yes, can be alot of work), but at least your not making decisions b/c some "said so".  Keeping bees naturally can take more work (beeKEEPING), learning and knowledge it seems, but it has many rewards.

Wish I had gone with all mediums and foundationless last year.  I'm headed that direction now. 


off topic: found my first wax moths couple of days ago.  (reduced size of colony, combined with queenless very weak colony) all is well now. Boy, those things are just nasty. 

Best,
Derrick

[annette]

Annette, at least this way, the decisions and direction you are going is from your own experience.  Making decisions from your experience is much more rewarding (and yes, can be alot of work), but at least your not making decisions b/c some "said so".  Keeping bees naturally can take more work (beeKEEPING), learning and knowledge it seems, but it has many rewards.

Wish I had gone with all mediums and foundationless last year.  I'm headed that direction now. 


off topic: found my first wax moths couple of days ago.  (reduced size of colony, combined with queenless very weak colony) all is well now. Boy, those things are just nasty. 

Best,
Derrick

Yes, read my post on the wax moth problems I have been having. And also Derrick, thanks for the pep talk. Yes I have truly learned so, so much about this hobby and will continue to learn.
Annette

[qa33010]

   I did start out with a BetterBee, all wood, starter kit (without suit)  The only thing I didn't use as is was the foundation.  I used starter strips using the medium foundation for melting and securing the strips and the deep foundation (cut into 10) for the strips.  The hive tool I do use and also bought a Maxant hive tool that I like better.  I am looking at an Italian tool to try.  I used the top feeder (polystyrene) and it was borrowed by new folks, when I can I will order more.  The gloves I don't use after the middle of last year, though I do keep them handy.  The book was good and is welcome in my library.  The stainless steel smoker is now too small for my use but is good if I need to get into only one or two hives  Too bad we can't get a 'pick and choose' in the kits they sell.  I wouldn't start with a kit now but at the time it was the most economical way for me to go.

    I'm a firm believer in local clubs even though there may be those who believe their way is the only way, there may very well be others with a different slant that don't vocalize at the meetings.  The clubs I'm a member of seem very diverse.  The extension office may not have someone to answer questions, but may have free useful literature for you (ours does).  This website and some others are AWESOME and very helpful.  But nothing beats hands on.  Also look for any beekeeping courses that may be available (this helps me at times with the books)

     Definitely keep an eye out for when suppliers are starting to take package orders.  You may also want to check and see if they 'grow their own' or get them from someone else.  If they do the later you may want to try and contact their supplier directly and see what kind of price you can get.  Don't forget to find out if they ship (take into account this cost varies) or if they require pickup.

    I think I've babbled on enough.  Hope I was at least a little helpful. :?

[johnnybigfish]

Hey Annette!
 Just wondering,...Did you do like me and take the book outside with you when you installed your first bees?
 I even have pages stuck together now because of the syrup I was squirting all over everything!! :-D

your friend,
john

[annette]

Hey Annette!
 Just wondering,...Did you do like me and take the book outside with you when you installed your first bees?
 I even have pages stuck together now because of the syrup I was squirting all over everything!! :-D

your friend,
john

You got it my friend. I had a very good friend reading from the book as I was doing the installing. Ha! Ha!

[johnnybigfish]

Yeh, same here!! Paul and my wife were reading and pointing out pictures for me to see!
HEH HEHE HEH!! :-D

your friend,
john

[Michael Bush]

I would not buy a starter kit.  I would do a lot of homework.  Personally after many years, I cut down all my deeps to mediums, cut down all my ten frame equipment to eight frame equipment and am much happier with all the same size and with lighter boxes.

There actually isn't anything IN a starter kit that I'd buy except maybe the brush, and you can get by without that.

I use a different hive tool, a jacket with a zip on veil, instead of a veil, all eight frame mediums, mostly foundationless (they all come with plastic in a cell size I don't want), I like a screened bottom board, instead of the solid one they sell you, I don't see any point to their hive stand, a couple of bricks or four by fours will work better, I hate deeps, I hate different sized boxes.  The smoker in the kit is the small one and I'd prefer the larger one (easier to keep lit).  And the list goes on...

[kevin]

I came across this post of mine from last year.  Lots of good advice.  Instead of waiting til spring this year  we purchased, last July, two full hives from a local beekeeper and he continues to this day to be valuable resource. One hive died (we had 9 weeks with no rain in Versailles, KY last year).  The survivor came back with a vengeance this spring and I have to stand on block to get her top box off (I am 6' 1")  and this is after spiting her twice with help from the local beek.  I also caught two swarms this year, one of them in the backyard of my dentist in Lexington, KY.  My co-workers were a little concerned that day to see me leave work early with a cardboard box announcing I was heading out to catch a swarm of bees, but it was more fun than one should have.  One of my biggest problems this year was having enough equipment as we had planned to have three hives,  one spring split and a nuc we were going to buy but ended up with five.  The question is "am I keeping the bees or are the bees keeping me?"

Thanks again

[sc-bee]

>Watch buying some of the starter kits I did that and ended up with a bunch of stuff I don't use

Ditto

As stated above I wish I had started with all mediums --- 8 frame. The drawback that big operations give is cost of equipment compared to bees in hive( deep and medium boxes about the same price). Some pollinators are converting to 8 frame because I understand they can utilize the space on the truck bed better??? But for the hobbyist I see no drawback except locating medium nucs if you want one.


You also have a Walter T Kelly Bee Supply in Clarkson Ky. Brushy does have free shipping usually the first of Dec. for Santa!!!

[bailey]

why not get bees now?
you can get a nuc from a local beek and have a hive or two going in the early spring.

you can feed them until the fall flow and they should be fine.

bailey