Hello from Michigan

[MrJeff]

Just signed up wanted to say hi. Kept bees off and on for years. Doing it again a little more permanently now. Not really a hobby for people who have to move around, like the military. Glad to be here, and hoping it finally warms up for good in Michigan.

[harvey]

Hello from Lapeer!  This is my second year with bee's.  I just put two packages in yesterday.  My original hive is queenless and I can't find a queen so I am waiting and hoping to steel a frame from one of the new hives if the original lasts that long, or I will try a split later.  If nothing else the field bee's in the original hive are providing frames of honey for the two new hives! 

[MrJeff]

Hi Harvey. Thanks for the welcome, you're not all that far away from me. Where did you get your packages from this year?

[harvey]

Not really sure?  A friend of mine that lives down near owosso gets a lot every year and he picked up two extra for me.   I just went down and checked on em.  One queen is released the other still in her cage and she don't like it.  I started one hive on foundation less frames.  That hive in about 24 hours has two pieces of comb already about 6 inches by 6 inches.  The other hive I put on Dadent plasticell.  They haven't acomplished anything as far as drawing out so I went down today and swapped out most of the plasticell for foundation less.  I put two combs of honey in each deep.  They are going to town on that.  Hope it keeps them for a while.  I still have four more frames that I can take from my third hive that lost it's queen.   How many hives do you have?  or are you looking to get?   I am thinking five is all I want.  Looks like I might be going all natural this year.  I am going to try and catch a couple of swarms to get me up to five hives if I am lucky.   Or maybe later this year I will try a split.  Guess that depends on how good these queens are.

[MrJeff]

I started back up again this year with just two packages. I am experimenting as well with foundationless frames, paint sticks fit pretty good into the top bar so thats what I am using for comb guides. It caused alot of consternation at Home Depot when I went in asked for a hundred paint sticks(I didn't know how many I would need). Using foundation as well and an early side by side comparison has them drawing out the foundationless faster. That said, they have drawn out the foundation really well too. They're bringing in loads of pollen right now and I am supplementing with syrup. Lots of capped brood right now too, so it's looking pretty good. Love to be able to do a split, that hive will go to my son. He's in love with the bees and he's old enough to learn how to manage them.

I don't know where you go for equipment, but I know a guy in Almont who make great woodenware at really good prices. I like to spend money locally, and I especially like to not pay freight.

[regrahc]

Hi from Luna Pier.  I have 2 hives I inherited at my father's farm after he passed away. I have 3#'s with a queen coming on Saturday for the empty hive. I'm going to ask alot of questions when I pick them up. Need to know what basic stuff to get (food, medicine, etc). Do I leave the hive opening open, or wait a few days? I did buy a hood (after 10-12 stings).

Later.

[Cindi]

Mr. Jeff, welcome to our forum, wonderful that you found us and wonderful that you are getting into the bees again, have that beautiful and greatest of days, and health too.  Cindi

[harvey]

Hello again,  It is to late this year but found out that a guy in Swartz Creek handles packages.  He gets a semi load each spring and it is first come first serve,  You can put your name on a list.  His last name is ? I forgot?  but i have it around here somewhere.  He is off of Nichols road.  Took the Morrish road exit north to Corrunna rd then headed west for 3 miles and turned north on Nichols rd.  He was down about a half mile.  Real big set up he has a couple thousand hives and has nuc for sale right now.

[MrJeff]

Hello again,  It is to late this year but found out that a guy in Swartz Creek handles packages.  He gets a semi load each spring and it is first come first serve,  You can put your name on a list.  His last name is ? I forgot?  but i have it around here somewhere.  He is off of Nichols road.  Took the Morrish road exit north to Corrunna rd then headed west for 3 miles and turned north on Nichols rd.  He was down about a half mile.  Real big set up he has a couple thousand hives and has nuc for sale right now.

Sounds like you are talking about Anthony Bee Farm. That's where I ordered my packages from this year. It was alot of fun watching them unload all those packages off the semi, I think there was two or three thousand packages on that truck.

[danno]

Hello from Ludington.  This should be a good year to start (again) here in Michigan.  The bees have had good weather this year.  So many early blooms happen that our bee's never get to see them. Not this year

[harvey]

Yup it was anthony's bee farm!  Now that I know of the place That is where I would order from now to as it is only about twenty miles away.  I am going to try and build a few more boxes from scratch but would be interested in learning about the guy in almont that makes boxes. and or frames.   That is only about twenty mile east of me also.

[MrJeff]

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