New to AZ white mtn area

[AZbeenatural]

Hello all I was a keeper of 3 hives back in Georgia and would like to get started here. I tried to get some info from ASU but apparently are too busy to reply to me. I'd like some advice on overwintering colonies here (GA's mild climate was a no brainer). And a local farmer has graciously allowed me to place hives on his property and has also offered to plant crops for honey production...as long as he can harvest for cash so I'm also looking for advice there, and what are the local disease/parasite problems I'll face here.
Thanks,
Chip

[tecumseh]

azbee sezs:
as long as he can harvest for cash so I'm also looking for advice there

tecumseh replies:
I am not sure what you are asking here????

as far as your other concerns I would think some sw us of a bee keeper should be able to give you some idea of the idea weight of your winter food chamber and the bioliogical markers that indicate spring has sprung... plus the plants that you might look for that provide significant nectar flow.

snowflake arizona? like that name.

[spunky]

Hello all I was a keeper of 3 hives back in Georgia and would like to get started here. I tried to get some info from ASU but apparently are too busy to reply to me. I'd like some advice on overwintering colonies here (GA's mild climate was a no brainer). And a local farmer has graciously allowed me to place hives on his property and has also offered to plant crops for honey production...as long as he can harvest for cash so I'm also looking for advice there, and what are the local disease/parasite problems I'll face here.
Thanks,
Chip

Lucky dog, I am jealous. Nice part of the country, at least it was when I visited in 88' . Good luck

[Barry Digman]

Hello all I was a keeper of 3 hives back in Georgia and would like to get started here. I tried to get some info from ASU but apparently are too busy to reply to me. I'd like some advice on overwintering colonies here (GA's mild climate was a no brainer). And a local farmer has graciously allowed me to place hives on his property and has also offered to plant crops for honey production...as long as he can harvest for cash so I'm also looking for advice there, and what are the local disease/parasite problems I'll face here.
Thanks,
Chip

Snowflake is similar to the climate here, and the elevation is pretty close. You'll want a minimum of a double deep, more if you can. Will the hives be down low or up in the mountains? No small hive beetles that I'm aware of, but all the rest of the pests and diseases are here. You're also in an area with Africanized bees close by. I think there are some beekeepers northeast of you around Spencer and St. Johns. "buz" is also over there, south west of you I believe.

[AZbeenatural]

The hives will be in the Taylor area, around 5500 to 6000 FT. I wasn't aware that AHB could survive at this elevation, thought the winters were cold enough to keep them at lower els.
I had heard that there were other beeks in the area but they don't seem to be as social as in GA. Back there I knew who and where all the other beeks for 50 miles around were.
It would be nice to meet a couple of the locals here to shorten my learning curve in the new environment