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Offline MissBee_Haven

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Greetings and Intro-
« on: February 20, 2009, 04:57:44 pm »

Greetings! I am new here and just wanted to drop in a quick hello.
I have been interested in beekeeping for quite some time and would like to learn more about it.

Thanks and take care,

Warmly, Lara

Offline Conchis

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2009, 05:02:13 pm »
Hi Lara,

I'm new too. Welcome, there is soooo much information on this site.  Good luck

Mike

Offline Robo

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2009, 05:04:46 pm »
Welcome Lara,

You have come to the right place.  We have many hobbyist and beginner beekeepers who are always looking to share their experiences and help others out.   Feel free to ask questions that you might have,  you'll get plenty of answers :?

Please take the time to update your profile with your location,  it will help us better answer your questions as climate is perhaps the biggest variable in beekeeping.

BTW,  I went to high school with a girl named Lara,  you don't run into them too often :-D

rob....
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline MissBee_Haven

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2009, 05:17:53 pm »
Thank you both for the warm welcome!  :-D

Offline Keith13

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2009, 05:28:33 pm »
Lara,

From Washington huh? There are a lot of PNW guys and girls on here you should fit right in. Welcome aboard.

Keith

Offline Cindi

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2009, 07:15:47 pm »
Lara, welcome to our forum, so nice that you found us.  This will be a place where you can spend time and learn lots.  We love to help out with answers to questions.  Stick around.  Have a wonderful and awesome day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline 1reb

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2009, 08:39:21 pm »
Hello and Welcome Lara
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   

Offline annette

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2009, 11:00:06 pm »
Hi Lara

Welcome to yet another women beekeeper to our forum. What is that your avatar is holding???? Could it be an umbrella???? OH my, another umbrella holding women here. 

Just kidding around like we all do here. Seriously though, this is a great place to learn about this wonderful hobby. I have been beekeeping since April 2006 and just loving it. I got all the help I needed right here on this forum. You have a problem???Just post it and so many responses come flying down.

How are you planning on learning this art besides this forum. Have you taken any classes yet??? That would be a good idea. Also read lots of good books on the subject. Beekeeing for Dummies is the one that did it for me and now they have come out with a second version (which you should look for). It inspired me and made it all seem very simple.

Good luck and stay in touch
Annette

Oops!! Just took a better look and see she is holding a sword.


Offline poka-bee

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2009, 11:35:33 pm »
Welcome Lara! What a pretty name!  I too am WA, we have quite a few here!  Like Annette said, it's great to have more women!  PCBA has beekeeping classes, before the meeting in Puyallup if you are close. The meetings are the 1st Mon of the month. This was my 1st winter & the girls made it so far.  This place is wonderful for information & encouragement.  There is nothing someone here hasn't been through & there will be many answers & opinions for a problem! Again, welcome J
I'm covered in Beeesssss!  Eddie Izzard

Offline MissBee_Haven

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2009, 11:50:42 am »
Hi Lara

Welcome to yet another women beekeeper to our forum. What is that your avatar is holding???? Could it be an umbrella???? OH my, another umbrella holding women here. 

Just kidding around like we all do here. Seriously though, this is a great place to learn about this wonderful hobby. I have been beekeeping since April 2006 and just loving it. I got all the help I needed right here on this forum. You have a problem???Just post it and so many responses come flying down.

How are you planning on learning this art besides this forum. Have you taken any classes yet??? That would be a good idea. Also read lots of good books on the subject. Beekeeing for Dummies is the one that did it for me and now they have come out with a second version (which you should look for). It inspired me and made it all seem very simple.

Good luck and stay in touch
Annette

Oops!! Just took a better look and see she is holding a sword.



LOL, yes it is a sword. Those silly Victorian Ladies and their costumes, I think she is supposed to be a Pirate  :) I will look for Beekeeping for Dummies. Thanks for the tip!

Have a great day and take care, Lara

Offline beemaster

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2009, 04:40:39 pm »
Hi Lara:

As everyone said, you found a fun place to learn all about beekeeping and a great place too to make friends along the way.

Beekeeping for Dummies 2nd edition is out soon, I did the photo for the original printing in the first edition which came out in 2001 and got to know the author quite well - within a month edition 2 should be everywhere - I think Amazon is doing preorders and have competitive prices, so wait for the new edition release  unless you can borrow a copy of printing no.1 :)

The Author Howland Blackiston is a member of the forum, although not very active - he and I have talked hours and hours over the phone since our photo project for the first book and as recently as a few weeks ago. I received my payment from Whiley Publishing (the printers of all Dummies books) for 5 images that they have reused, so I know my complimentary copy will be coming shortly - just an interesting note: I actually had a full copy of the first edition in PDF format as Howland and I worked on the photo needs for the book, I need to search my old laptop for that digital version, it is (at least to me) a real collectors item - I think I had 23 photos in the first printing total.

My point though, beekeeping has changed a lot since 2001, with topics like CCD (colony Collapse Disorder) and more current info on all topics, it should be a GREAT book to have.

But nothing beats the interactiveness of the forum, where we also have VOICE and TEXT chat. It is a blast actually talking to members around the globe in near FM quality live voice chat. See our Voice chat forum on the main page to get all the details if you are interested, it is free of course, easy to install and setup - you'll be talking in minutes. Even you you prefer to just listen in or type rather than talk, everyone here is always welcome to participate.

Best wishes and all of us will tell you it is an amazing hobby which is very relaxing and quite meditative at the hobbyist level. It does have its trying moments because you are dealing with living creatures and many uncontrollable conditions like weather, hive preditors, mites and diseases to name a few. But through all these experiences you become a better beekeeper and with the support you have here, you are NEVER alone.

And to expand on what Annette said, we have many wonderful lady beekeepers here, so many that we could easily have the Beemaster Forum Ladies 2009 Calendar, I can see Annette now scadily dressed in her beesuit and umbrella - what a centerfold that would make - hubba hubba  :yippiechick: as she said, we sure do have fun here too!

Thank you for joining us, you are one of the first members in our FIFTH year as a forum.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2009, 04:53:49 pm by beemaster »
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Offline Robo

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2009, 05:14:56 pm »
Lara,

Before you go out and buy new books,  I would suggest borrowing them from the library and see if it is something you would really want to own and keep referring back too.   The problem I find with most beginner books is that they commercialize the whole deal and make it seem like you need to buy "special" equipment for everything.

What I like about John Vivian's book is it is more of a homesteading approach to beekeeping and he shows you how to keep bees by making or using general tools and equipment.   He doesn't sell any "specialized" equipment, so he does not try to sell you on using it in his book.  Some of the specialized equipment being sold is no better at doing the job and ordinary things you have laying around the house.  But it is marketed so people think it is needed and they make a buck off of it.   Take feeders for example,  personally I find the best feeder to be a gallon glass pickle jar that is free from your local deli.  Yet there are many books and supply places selling feeder that cost as much as $40, why?   You can see my comparison of feeders here ->  http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/feeder-compare/

Even a book being released now,  is already behind the times with the fast paced pests/diseases issues that we are facing on a daily basis.  You will not find any book that is as good as the web for current information.

So if your not into the commercialized and/or so-called standard methods of keeping bees,  make sure you review any book before you buy it or you may be very disappointed.

rob.....

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline annette

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2009, 07:33:02 pm »
Listen John

What do you mean "beesuit and umbrella'? Just the veil and umbrella. Gotta you going now right!!!!

But seriously the guys will have to go first.

See Lara, can you stand it????


Offline beemaster

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2009, 01:32:51 am »
Listen John

What do you mean "beesuit and umbrella'? Just the veil and umbrella. Gotta you going now right!!!!

But seriously the guys will have to go first.

See Lara, can you stand it????



NOW I KNOW YOU 'VE SEWN UP THAT CENTERFOLD - ummmmmmmmmm - wooooooohooooooooooooo!!!!!!
NJBeemaster my YOUTUBE Video Collection

Please enjoy the forum, and if it has helped you in any way, we hope that a small donation can be made to support our FULLY member supported forum. You will never see advertisements here, and that is because of the generous members who have made our forum possible. We are in our second decade as a beekeeping forum and all thanks to member support. At the top right of every page is a donations link. Please help if you can.

Offline MissBee_Haven

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2009, 05:34:43 pm »
Listen John

What do you mean "beesuit and umbrella'? Just the veil and umbrella. Gotta you going now right!!!!

But seriously the guys will have to go first.

See Lara, can you stand it????



LOL!

Offline MissBee_Haven

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2009, 05:36:51 pm »
Lara,

Before you go out and buy new books,  I would suggest borrowing them from the library and see if it is something you would really want to own and keep referring back too.   The problem I find with most beginner books is that they commercialize the whole deal and make it seem like you need to buy "special" equipment for everything.

What I like about John Vivian's book is it is more of a homesteading approach to beekeeping and he shows you how to keep bees by making or using general tools and equipment.   He doesn't sell any "specialized" equipment, so he does not try to sell you on using it in his book.  Some of the specialized equipment being sold is no better at doing the job and ordinary things you have laying around the house.  But it is marketed so people think it is needed and they make a buck off of it.   Take feeders for example,  personally I find the best feeder to be a gallon glass pickle jar that is free from your local deli.  Yet there are many books and supply places selling feeder that cost as much as $40, why?   You can see my comparison of feeders here -> 

Even a book being released now,  is already behind the times with the fast paced pests/diseases issues that we are facing on a daily basis.  You will not find any book that is as good as the web for current information.

So if your not into the commercialized and/or so-called standard methods of keeping bees,  make sure you review any book before you buy it or you may be very disappointed.

rob.....



Thank you I will keep that in mind! Take care, Lara

Offline slaphead

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2009, 11:03:38 pm »
Hi Lara,

Welcome to the Beemaster forum.  I'm one of the PNW beekeeps mentioned earlier and a newbie to boot.  Though the weather west of the cascades makes life a little more "interesting" for bees in that area there are many great beekeepers who can help you get started if that happens to be your zone.  Several post here regularly (Brian being an excellent example) and they seem to regularly provide PNW-specific insights.

Happy beekeeping!

SH
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Offline TwT

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #17 on: February 24, 2009, 06:42:59 am »
Welcome to the forum Lara  :lol:
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Offline Cindi

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Re: Greetings and Intro-
« Reply #18 on: February 24, 2009, 11:59:46 am »
Lara, you're gonna love it here!!!  WE do have some very interesting people in here, hee, hee, smiling.  Have that great, most wonderful day, livin' and lovin' this great life we all truly live, love and share.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service