[xbted]

Greetings from Garden City, Kansas. I'm seriously considering starting my own hive for the first time now that I have my own house, and a backyard to put it in. I've taken honeybee biology and entomology courses in college, and have done a bit of research regarding wild bee populations (sweat bees, carpenter bees, etc.) I've wanted to start my own hive for years, and I'm looking forward to getting started, though I'm a bit worried due to all the hardships bees are going through right now. I'm just going to start out with one little hive in the backyard- I live in the middle of a pretty 'urban' area, only a couple blocks from numerous parks and a zoo, and our neighborhood has numerous fruit trees and gardens. So I've decided to try out urban beekeeping first, and then if things take off, I may put a few hives out on some friends' farms.

 

[Swobee]

Welcome - just a note, the Kansas Honey Producers Association spring meeting will be held here in Hays. A plethera of beginning bee keeping courses is planned after requests from a nearby extension office. I can check to see if any bee keepers are in your immediate area, but I don't know of any off hand. Enjoy your study of this great hobby and best luck in the endeavor. A good mentor will be valuable and I bet we can find somebody not far away to call upon.

 

[Merlyn Votaw]

I have only had bees for 3 yrs so I still got a lot to learn but most of the Beeks around here sugessted starting out with 2 hives.the reason for 2 hives is you have something to compare with.I have found 2 hives can set side by side and are treated the same but one hive might produce a lot more honey than the other.Alsocheck with your county Ag Extension agent for local classes

 

[xbted]

I may have to check out that meeting. I've heard that there are a couple of beekeepers around here, but I don't know any of them personally, so any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated. I had some experience back in Lawrence, but this will be my first time that I set up my own hives from scratch, so it would be great if I had someone around to ask questions.

 

[Swobee]

I've got a membership list at the office, I'll check it and get back to you if we have any members nearby. I know of a couple in Scott City who run quite a number of colonies. That's not too far away. I'll see about contact information and get back to you by sending a PM.

 

[runner_114]

Hi If you get thing up and going enough to put hives out of town you should have good yellow and white clover in you neck of the woods. Usually starts mid to late may good luck.