Dennis, Hey neighbor. I can't wait for spring also. I got stung by the beekeeping bug this year, actually late December. I started doing some research and someone told me to contact Hardwood since him and I live in the same town (Deltona). I contact Hardwood on a Friday and was at his place on the next morning. I was a little cold that morning but Scott still opened up 3 hives. We found the queen in all 3 hives and saw some emerging brood. Scott also showed me some bees that had taken over a trailer owned by a woman who wanted them gone. Since the trailer was not in that great of shape, she gave Hardwood the whole trailer. Hardwood has since converted the hive into an observation hive. Really cool. Anyway after spending the morning in Hardwood's bee yard, I was even more addicted. I found that I could purchase MannLake supplies from a local dealer, D and J Apiaries in Umatilla. I went there the following week and purchased enough equipment to build 2 hives. I assembled all the hive components and painted the hive bodies that same weekend. The next week was spent waiting for bees and doing more research. Since I am getting 2 nucs from Hardwood in March, I thought if these girls take off, I don't have any extra supers to use to expand the hive. Another trip to Umatilla and now I have an additional 8 medium supers with frames waiting to be used. Everything is assembled and painting, just waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing so that Hardwood can supply me with my first bees.
Dean0