Sitting here eating a honey comb...

[akane]

... for the first time since I was a kid when my grandpa raised bees and I realize I've forgotten what I was missing.  I've always loved honey and will down honey sticks by the dozen at a local festival every year.  Mmmm, mint honey sticks. There's something to be said for raw honey though.  It has something that's missing in the refined filtered stuff.  So after a trip to a local apiary I came home with a jar of raw honey, a chunk of comb, a small jar of lavender honey, and a new obsession.... 

I must have bees!  My self sufficient farm in process needs a supply of raw honey and honey combs to chew on.  Plus just what natural flavors can I create with my 10x10' herb gardens, 100x50' vegetable and flower garden, tons of landscaping with wildflowers and natives, and 80acres of fields!?  It could be even better than artificially flavored honey sticks!  I set off immediately on google to find out what else I've forgotten or never learned about bees and settled on here as my new home.   

So hello everyone from the middle of the midwest.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Welcome to Beemaster!  You came to the right place to begin your journey.  I recommend that you read all you can and also get two books; The Hive and the Honeybee, and The ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture.  These are the best books on the market for technical knowledge when you need info right Now.  Common sense information is available here at your fingertips but sometimes takes longer than actually looking it up in a book.  I also recommend Beekeeping for Dummies, a great little read in easy to understand language.

You are in luck if you want to get bees this year but you have to get busy if you are going to be ready when packages and nucs will be available in April.

I suggest that you find yourself and change your location in your profile.  The information that you seek is specific to location and time of year, so you will get better answers if we know where you are.  If you are smack dab in the middle of the country like I am, there are two worthwhile club meetings that you may want to attend in March, one in Olathe, Ks. March 6 & 7, and Tulsa on March 13th & 14th.

[Cindi]

Akane, welcome to our forum, you have found a great place to learn and spend time.  Sounds like you have a really nice place, and will have lots of food for the bees to forage on, when you get them.  Have a wonderful, awesome day, great life and health.  Cindi

[HAB]

Your at the right place, your gonna love it here!!
Honeycomb!! Gotta love it , nothing better. Especially when its from your own hive.
Get'ya a couple of hives going asap.  You won't regret it.
If money is tight, check out Top Bar Hives, (TBHs) they are the lowest cost and work well for beginners.  And you can build your own for all most nothing. :bee: :bee: :bee:   

[akane]

Unless I decide on a location close to the house for hives it probably won't happen this year.  Much of the land is set aside for wildlife and I have to get permission to do anything with it.  I'm sure putting bee hives out there would be allowed since it should only benefit the land and wildlife but it usually requires a 4month wait to get even a simple mowing job to cut down the thistles approved.  Which also means though that chunk of land is going to sit completely empty and undisturbed with flowering plants on it all growing season.  This way I actually get to make it productive while still leaving it alone for wildlife.  I'm also busy working on quail release for this spring.

[TwT]

welcome akane, please update your profile so we can know your location!

[HAB]

Put'em in the backyard.  That's where ours are.   We've got 135 acre of our own, but prefer to see them up close.  Ten hives and Kids all around.  No problems so far.  Usually no one is stung unless someone mashes one by accident.

[bigbike4]

From one newbie to another welcome.  This is a great place to learn, relax and talk about bees and a few other things.

[BjornBee]

Welcome to the site.

Big world of bees out there. I hope you meet some new friends, join a local club, and get involved.

[vermmy35]

welcome I live in Chicago and I am putting one hive in the backyard.  btw this will be my first year keeping bee's and I had a really fun time putting the hive's together with my wife and son, so make it a family affair and get everyone involved. :)

[1reb]

Hello and Welcome Akane 
There is alot of great information on the forum !!
The members here are willing help and answer your questions, all you need to do is to ask
Johnny

[akane]

Darn you all for feeding my obsession.  Everyone who knows me will tell you how dangerous that is.  I'm also running out of comb honey already. :( Now I have decided I can slip a hive at the end of the garden which backs up against the field.  South end of the property, some of the best sunlight, and it would also be inside the chainlink fence that keeps the critters out of my garden.  I have mutant 50lb raccoons, possums, skunks, and you name it running around out here so everything has to be locked up at night.

Now where can I get fairly inexpensive bees by spring....  I'm a broke college student that's also fixing up the old family farm.  :-P

[slaphead]

Welcome to BeeMaster.

With regard to inexpensive sources of bees you could knock up some swarm traps for next to nothing and bait them with lemon oil.  Set them up across your acres of wilderness and don't be too surprised if you net a swarm.  Or join a local bee club and see if a member would be willing to provide you with a split.

SH

[hongsi]

Welcome to beekeeping Akane from the west coast.  Stay with it you have bee fever for sure, and the comb honey?  This is the only way to eat honey as a therapeutic because it still has the bee venom sealed in the comb and the pollen and wax are separately beneficial to the system.  Still the best instant fix for hay fever/spring allergies and this supported by the US army no less amongst others.  Then too its great with right out of the oven hot buttered scones for brekky.  I love your prairey thunder and lightning storms.  Cheers.