SF BayArea Backyard Beekeeper looking for VHS Queens

[radu43]

I have been reading so much about VHS bees that I want to give it a try. Any idea where I can buy any in my area? Would like to avoid the shipping cost if locally available.
Thanks

[Charlie B]

I usually make a queen run to Orland in April. How many do you want?

[radu43]

All the way to Orlando? I'm but a hobby beekeeper looking for a couple only. Hope it is not to much trouble.

[deknow]

Betamax queens are better.

deknow

[odfrank]

All the way to Orlando? I'm but a hobby beekeeper looking for a couple only. Hope it is not to much trouble.

Ohhh what difference an O makes....
2,988 mi, 42 hours

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8...&ved=0CIYBELYD

[Gypsi]

Do you mean VSH bees?

[Charlie B]

radu,

Orland is bee breeder land in No Cal. 2 1/2 hours away. I usually consolidate orders and make one run a year up there. I'm assuming you mean VSH queens. Depending on the size of the order, I add up to $5 on top for gas but it's better than paying $25 for shipping and then getting a dead queen with USPS. (Their service is horrible here).

You'll have to pick up your queen(s) in SF.

[Charlie B]

Betamax queens are better.
deknow

[JRG13]

haha, i didn't get the betamax joke right off til I thought about it more... didn't even notice the VHS instead of VSH

[deknow]

... didn't even notice the VHS instead of VSH

That's known as lysdexia by us key beepers.

deknow

[odfrank]

Thanks for explaining it so the old guys can get the joke. Between missing o's and reversed s's and h's I am really confused by this thread.

[Charlie B]

Thanks for explaining it so the old guys can get the joke.

Us younger guys got it right away.

[KQ6AR]

Hey Charley,
What type of VSH queens are you picking up, & from who?
We drove up to the Oliverez bee day a few years ago, it was a fantastic day.

[Charlie B]

Dan,

I feel a field trip coming on! I usually stop in at whoever has them. Zbees, Koehen, Oliverez. They're all VSH. Zbees has great Carnie queens. We'll talk Uncle Ollie into going and buying us a taco lunch.

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

Charlie...Ollie... Come to Orlando, i will buy you a taco lunch.

cchoganjr

[Charlie B]

Cleo,

On the contrary, you need to move out here to mentor Ollie, he won't listen to us!

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

Ollie has forgotten more about beekeeping than I will ever know. I could learn from ollie.

cchoganjr

[KQ6AR]

A few dark VSH carnies sound good to me. Let me know what you decide.
I might be getting some NWC out of Vacaville haven't found out yet.

[Rex Piscator]

I got my order confirmation the other day from Koehnen's. My wife and I love driving the short distance to the 'Bee Country'.... We do the Saturday pickups, the first in April; the Mrs. will probably blow by your car, Charlie, on the way up...lol. Have a safe journey! We usually stop on the way home for a picnic by some stream we find along the way.

I just wish I had a better mortality rate...thru winter and didn't have to go at all!

[KQ6AR]

Hey Rex,
Phil at Noble apiaries in Dixon is a good guy, you might want to check them out some time. Its a lot closer to home.