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Author Topic: Greetings from Southern Illinois  (Read 3635 times)

Offline KES

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Greetings from Southern Illinois
« on: May 17, 2007, 08:17:57 pm »
I'm Ken and I've been reading everything I can get my hands one when it comes to beekeeping over the last few days.  I'm just getting started and am sure to have a ton of noobie questions.  I think my first one is about a start-up kit for my first hive.  Does such a thing exist?  Something with just the bare essentials.

This looks like a great site and I'm excited about getting started.

So.....well...uh...  Hello!

Ken

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2007, 11:24:57 pm »
>I think my first one is about a start-up kit for my first hive.  Does such a thing exist?  Something with just the bare essentials.

All the suppliers have them.  I would not buy any of them.

If you read this you'll see that hardly anything I WOULD buy is in a starter kit.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm

Basically the starter kit is almost always deeps, and I would only buy mediums, ten frame and I would only buy eight frame, a standard hive tool, and I would only buy the Italian hive tool, a small smoker and I would only buy a large smoker, a veil with a hard hat, and I would buy a bug baffler for just a veil and a jacket with a zip on veil for most of the time, the foundation is the wrong size (5.4mm instead of 4.9mm) the feeder will be a boardman, which I won't use, the bottom board will be solid, and I'd probably buy a SBB, the top will be an inner cover and a telescopic cover, and I'd make my own top with a top entrance, the supers will be shallows and I'd buy mediums, long guantleted gloves, and I only wear regular leather gloves tucked into the sleeves so I can get them on and off easily...

The bee brush, I would buy.  :)  But that's probably the ONLY item in a typical starter kit that I would buy.  Everything else is not what I want.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline KES

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2007, 04:55:15 pm »
Wow, thanks for the info.  Seems I have a lot of research to do before I start buying equipment.

Thanks again.

Offline Moonshae

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2007, 04:33:55 pm »
It's a little overwhelming at first, but picking up a book (Dummies is a good one) can point you in the right direction, then Michael's help above will be much clearer when you put together your list.

"The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with beer." - Egyptian Proverb, 2200 BC

Offline KES

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2007, 03:00:13 pm »
Well, here's a quick update.  Reading Michael's post carefully about a dozen times and reading a truly overwhelming amount of information, I've selected my hive componets, put everything together and located my spot.  My friend Mike helped me by giving me a nuc colony and everything seems to be going well.  It took a few days of orientation for the bees, but this morning I noticed that almost every returning bee is packed full of pollen.

Kes

Offline Cindi

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2007, 10:24:11 am »
Ken, right welcome.  It has been almost a month since your last post, how are your bees doing?  Tell us about them.  Have a wonderful day, best of a beautiful life.  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 KES

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2007, 11:24:02 am »
Hi Cindi, I've been posting about some queen cells in some other threads (thanks for your input).  The bees are doing pretty well I think.  I'm trying hard to not look into the hives, it's soooo interesting and temping.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2007, 11:19:31 am »
Ken, hey, you know what, I think that when people first start beekeeping that it is a good idea to look in the hives alot.  I think that it is more important that you really get to know what is going on in your hives, so you can understand this wonderful world better.  If you don't go in there and look around alot, then you can't tell first hand what is going on.  REading is great, but you need to see what is up.  My first year of beekeeping I went in the hives all the time.  My mentor told me that it was more important to look in the hives lots, the bees will do OK regardless.  Of course, letting the bees do their thing is important too, but us as the caregivers really need to know.

My opinion, for all it is worth, go into your hives lots, get to know them up close and personal, they will be OK.  Of course, they are slightly set back (and I mean slightly) every time a beekeeper noses into their home, but you need to know them well.  Go in as much as you want, Ken, they will be fine.  Others may disagree, but that is my story, and I'm stickin' to it.  Know your bees.  Love your life you're livin', yeah, the fascinating world of our dear little girls (and some big boys too), the honeybees!!!!!  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 KES

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2007, 11:28:13 am »
Thanks!  I have two hives and so far have been taking a look in each one about once a week.  My biggest concern has been hurting the queen, I still feels akward when removing frames but I'm getting better.  I really like observing them, it's really unbelieveable.  Thanks!

Ken

Offline Cindi

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Re: Greetings from Southern Illinois
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2007, 10:15:11 am »
Ken, have you had the glory of seeing the queen yet?  Wait until you do, if you haven't, there is nothing more beautiful than to observe this wonderful lady that walks over the comb in all her glory, attended to so dearly and deeply by her loving girls.  Queens are are beautiful sight to see.  Have a wonderful day, beautiful life in this life we're all livin'.  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