Newbie - Panama City, Florida

[genehil]

Well... Lynn Haven, Florida, actually... but nobody seems to know where that is. It's part of the "Greater Panama City" area. I'm attending "Beekeeping in the Panhandle" at the University of Florida's Extension Office in Panama City. I think I'm just going to spend the next 10 months reading, reading, reading and plan for a spring 2013 effort to become a beekeeper. Hopefully, by then I will have a decent grasp on things and maybe some "hands-on" experience from locals.

[Specialkayme]

Welcome to the site!

I'd recommend spring 2012, not 2013. You can only learn so much by reading. Beekeeping is very much a "doing" activity.

[lavert5]

I second that suggestion! Lots of info on this site and many others and plenty of time to read between now and spring. Now is the time to order packages or nucs depending on which way you wanna go.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Welcome Gene! Consider attending the Florida Bee College in St. Augustine (actually Marineland) Florida in March. It is three days of beekeeping lectures and practical experience. I have to agree with the other responses - get bees sooner, not later.

[Baldursson]

Hi welcome to the forum. hahahahahahaahaha you sound so much like me. I am just up the road from you in Dothan, Al. And it is funny I said the exact same thing last year as you are saying now. I was going to wait because I was in an apartment and could not have the bees. I would echo everyone else and say jump in if you are where you are going to be living in a year. This past year of waiting has been rough. I have become really obsesed. I went to a local county extension course this past spring here. I am so excited to get my girls in April

[marenostrum]

Hello Genehil!

A warm welcome from a newcomer to another!

I second the idea starting in 2012 spring. Given the fact that you have the very basic knowledge -and maybe some more- no need to wait.You can keep on -and you should- reading all your life long and change preferences, ways of practices any time.