[quote="Robo]You might want to consider doing splits from your hives, or put the word out and get some swarms if you don't have SHBs.[/quote]
I'd certainly like to split off my own hive. With having just one hive, I'm not assured that resource will be there for me after the winter. :-( Kind of a Catch-22 situation: if I don't order package bees in December/January, then if I discover my one hive didn't make it through the winter, it'll be too late to order. Because I'd like to expand my bee yard to 3-5 hives next year, two packages would give me insurance that, at the very least, I won't be stuck in the one-hive predicament next year. And if I can get one or two splits out of my existing hive, well then I'm right on goal! I'm also interested in trying my hand at comb honey, and I understand you need a strong initial colony when the flow starts in the spring. So I dunno yet, but I got some time to decide yet.
-- Kris