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Author Topic: Hello from the midwest :)  (Read 2581 times)

Offline BeesNeeds

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Hello from the midwest :)
« on: October 19, 2010, 03:28:38 pm »
This forum was recommended to me, and I'm so thrilled it was!
I'm hoping to start beekeeping in the spring if we move in time, and I have a lot to learn :)

Hi all!!

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Offline winginit

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2010, 03:36:52 pm »
Hi BeesNeeds, welcome! I'm new this year, it's been great. Where are you?
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Offline BeesNeeds

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2010, 03:54:34 pm »
Currently I'm in Il, but hope to be moving to a few acres in southwest MI before spring :)
My hubby and I want to set up sort of a small farm, and become more self-sustaining than we are now. Lots of garden action, and I just can't imagine a happy garden without bees.
I don't want to have a lot of hives, just enough to supply the house with it's sweetener needs and hopefully enough wax to make a handful of candles every year. I plan on patronizing other local beekeeps when I start learning how to make mead if I need more honey than my couple of hives put out.


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Offline winginit

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2010, 04:03:36 pm »
That's great, sounds a little like what we're doing, though my garden is far from sustaining! Good luck and have fun.
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Offline AllenF

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2010, 05:17:36 pm »
I can not imagine bees with out a happy garden.   :-D
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Offline hardwood

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2010, 09:13:07 pm »
Welcome BeesNeeds! You're thinking just just a few hives now...we'll see how you feel about that next year!

Scott
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Offline Sparky

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2010, 09:45:02 pm »
Quote from: hardwood on October 19, 2010, 09:13:07 pm
Welcome BeesNeeds! You're thinking just just a few hives now...we'll see how you feel about that next year!

Scott
You said it brother. Is their such a thing as only keeping a couple hives ? If you get swarms they can force expansion quick.  ;)
WELCOME !! BeesNeeds to the forum. After they hook you the girls will reel you in hook line and sinker.
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Offline BeesNeeds

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2010, 10:01:02 pm »
Well, I do say only a couple of hives now.. but I do dearly love bees. And I really love using bee products.
But I do have to consider that there is a lot of other work to be done on a household farm, and that there's really only two of us that will be doing it. I wouldn't want to be a bad beekeeper because I let my love of bees outgrow my capability to care for them.
So now I learn.. and start off with a couple hives.. for now :)

I'm already burbling with questions that I'm only starting to scratch at the answers for in this forum. (So much to read!!) I hope to find a lot of other bee friends here :)
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Offline winginit

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2010, 11:25:39 pm »
Two is a great start (in my humble newbee opinion). I've learned what NOT to buy. Michael Bush's site has a good list of starting equipment, I looked earlier but I couldn't find the page for you. Maybe someone else has a good list. But basicallly, the beginning bee packages are pretty much a waste--you replace a lot of the items. I begged for one for Christmas, got it, then proceeded to spend hundreds more. Also, when you buy equipment, shipping is a big cost. Some shipping sales coming up, you might want to send Santa your list!
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Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2010, 10:44:26 am »
Welcome!  And welcome if you make it here to SW MI!

Read read read!  Your head will be so full of ideas swirling around that you'll think it will explode if you get near a beehive!  Try them out and see if it works for you...it took me 5 years to hit my groove.

I'd also recommend finding a local person to talk to and get experience with.  Reading is great, and ideas are fun, but trying to implement them all is sometimes a pain.  Getting a steady baseline from a mentor is pretty important to me even if the ideas don't jive with mine, I can adjust the process later when I'm familiar with it.

If you end up near me drop me a line!

Have fun!

Rick
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Rick

Offline Cindi

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2010, 10:54:44 am »
BeesNeeds, welcome to our forum, wonderful that you were told about it and joined in.  You have a wonderful aspiration for you and your partner to take on farming and beeing, smiling.  It will come to pass and you will be a busy gal.  Prepare well for the bees, by studying, reading -- one day you will have bees and then the adventure begins.  You will find how deeply they hold you beneath their spell, they affect most of us that way and it is a beautiful thing.  Stick around, we love new members, and remember to ask any question that comes to your mind, all questions are important, and we all began with beekeeping too, once upon a time.  Have a most wonderful and beautiful day, full of love and great health.  Cindi
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Offline greenbtree

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Re: Hello from the midwest :)
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2010, 02:25:32 pm »
I was planning on just two hives this Spring when I started... I have seven now!  I had nine but lost two.  Watch out - they are like cats and potato chips!

JC
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