New Guy Thinking About Beekeeping

[Arlo]

Howdy everyone new guy looking at starting a few hives in the spring I figure I have the winter to read up and build a few hives. Great site hope to learn lots from, will be researching to see if I can give it a go. I live in Missouri so hopefully there are a few folks for the "Show Me" State.


Thanks Again for the site.
Arlo

[indypartridge]

Hello and Welcome!

This is a good forum for learning more about bees and beekeeping. Be sure to check out the "How to start beekeeping" sub-forum: lots of good info there.

Check your local library for books & videos on beekeeping. And check into a local beekeeping club:
http://www.mostatebeekeepers.org/local_associations.htm
Clubs are great places to find mentors and get connected with local beeks. Plus, they often offer beginning beekeeping classes.

[Apple Farmer]

Welcome,
Prepare yourself for becoming an addict! I think bees could possibly be more addicting than heroin. I started with 2, have 8 now and will be starting more in the spring.

Best of luck!

[timgoodin]

Definately addictive, started with two, then 12 or so now 20 some odd. I'd recommend starting with nucs in the spring. See if you can line up a couple this fall with some local beek. They should explode in the spring and you might have honey next year depending on the year.

Good Luck.

Tim

[Rohe Bee Ranch]

Great fun the girls are! As mentioned, start with 2 hives, and join a local beekeeping association and get onto a swarrm collection list. Good luck!

[KQ6AR]

Go For It

[chevydmax04]

Start with NUC's, I am just finishing my first year and to say the least I learned a ton. I was just like you last year at this time contemplating getting bee's. I just one night decided I am getting bee's, my wife looked at me and said "your what? are you crazy?" I found a beek a few miles from here and ordered three NUC's for spring delivery. I have never regreted that decision, they are amazing to just sit and watch, I spent hours just watching them come and go from the hive. And today my patience paid off, I pulled two full frames of honey from my strongest hive and it is draining into a pan right now. It is like anything you grow or raise yourself, it is the very best you have ever tasted. I tasted some as it was draining and it is without a doubt the VERY BEST TASTING HONEY I HAVE EVER HAD! While working the hive, you will find burr comb that is full of honey, scrape it off and save it in a container. When your done pop the whole thing in your mouth wax and all and chew it like gum, the taste is indescribable delicious!

Take my word, stop thinking about it and just do it!

[PPbeekeeper]

All the warnings about beekeeping becoming addictive is true. Last year I was thinking about just finding someone to site their hives on my property. I went to a local beeschool in the winter to just learn about bees with no intentions of starting my own hive. Then one day I went out with our state bee inspecter and inspected about 50 hives and was hooked.

My mistake: It was too late in the season for me to start a colony so I decided to buy an existing hive from someone highly recommended who was downsizing. I liked the one hive so much I wanted to expand.

About a month later while visiting a friend in upstate NY I was referred by a former NY state bee inspector to someone out there who was also downsizing. The former NY bee inspector checked the hives and I brought them back to Massachusetts.

A few weeks later when the Massachusetts bee inspector was making his rounds in my area he found that my hives from NY had American Foul Brood (not good!!!) and ordered me to exterminate all the bees and burn the bees and woodenware. It was heart breaking.

I am now down to one hive and am buying 5 (to be delivered next spring) from the original local beekeeper who is still downsizing. I will also be starting a few more colonies.

American Foul Brood is out there and you don't want it. For a new beekeeper it's not the easiest to detect and there are ways to medicate and hide it but it is VERY contagious.

Be very careful who you listen to. Not everyone knows what there doing, especially me.

Dave