Good Morning From Wisconsin

[BruinnieBear]

This is my first post on this board. I've been reading for quite some time, and I figured it's about time I jumped in with my two cents worth.

This Spring brought my wife's and my first adventures in beehaving (We'll see if we can over-winter our two colonies before we call ourselves beekeepers). We live about 30 miles from Milwaukee in rural Waukesha County, and have been gardening, and "green", since the 60's. Unfortunately, over that period of time, we've seen our rural setting become more and more developed. Seems like 4000 sq. ft. homes are easier to raise than alfalfa and corn.

Well, I just don't see the honeybees around here like I used to. For more than any other reason, this is the reason we finally took the plunge. Little did I know they were going to be such interesting little critters? They're alot more entertaining than anything in or on the media!

Looking forward to learning and participating!

BB

[MapMan]

Welcome, neighbor (relatively speaking). I hope you find raising bees soothing and productive! I know what you mean about Waukesha County. I was on a survey crew and also mapped out much of your area back in the '80's. Every year we saw much more development, and now, well, you described it all...

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask - even though I am from the other side of the state, we have those same harsh weather conditions -- perhaps colder in winter though.

MM

[reynoldg]

Hope you do well with your bees.It has been an awful spring for temps.I to started with 2 hives this spring-one is doing well and the other is struggling somewhat.

[MapMan]

Hello, reynoldg -

Wow! Another new member from the Great State of Wisconsin!

Boscobel, too - much closer than Waukesha... I get down to your neck of the woods every once in a while. Yes, these temps with the exception of last week when it was abnormally hot and humid, have been weird to say the least. But, so far no flooding like we had last spring!

Welcome! Let's hear from more Wisconsinites!

MM

[paulnewbee1]

Welcome for the Wisconsin bee people in southeast WI Think about joining a bee club in your area its a great help and you can learn a great deal and some people will help you out

[BruinnieBear]

I couldn't agree more about joining a club. It has been my absolute pleasure to meet so many people, from so many different walks of life, who share a similar interest. I started out early this year at a SE Wisconsin regional meeting hosted by the Dodge and Jefferson Co. club. At that meeting I was introduced to the president of the Milwaukee-Waukesha Beekeepers Assn.
Since then I haven't missed a meeting.

One of the great benefits of this club is they run a club yard, which I immediately got involved with. You can't learn better than by doing! The Head Yard Keeper has been fantastic, and couldn't be a better mentor!

I'd also like to mention Lee Heine at Dadants in Watertown and Dean Lapp in Reeseville. Both these guys have helped me immeasurably.

Love to hear from you Badgers!

BB

[luvin honey]

Wow!! This is great--so many WI beeks! Now I can pick your brains this fall when I get ready to try to overwinter my first hives :)

Dodge county--That's where I grew up. Lee from Dadant is probably the guy I was chatting with this spring when trying to figure out what packages to buy. The Italians I got through him are sure thriving!

I have family in Waukesha. In fact, they're probably in one of those enormous developments you're talking about. I was actually thinking about putting hives in my brother's yard because the developer left a LOT of wildflowers all over the development. It is so depressing to see things built up so much. Glad you have a chunk of earth to do your thing in, though, BB.