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8 Posts
I am brand new to beekeeping and brand new to this forum. I've read a lot of posts covering every imaginable topic on this site and it looks like a terrific forum with very helpful members. In addition, I'm reading lots of books and subscribe to Bee Culture magazine.
My wife and I just purchased 130 acres of land in southeast Texas, specifically in Magnolia (near Houston). We are starting with 50 colonies and have already reserved the bees and ordered the woodenware, etc, so we should be up and running this spring. Our goals is to use the first year as a learning period and then next year increase the size considerably. Hence my first question. Are there any limitations on how many colonies can be supported on 130 acres? I realize that labor can be a limiting factor, but assuming for the momemnt that labor will not be an issue, I'm curius to know how many colonies the land size itself will accomodate. Incidentally, the entire surrounding area is rural including 4,000 undeveloped and heavily forested acres owned by a university trust directly adjacent to our proerty.
Second, I'd like to plant as many bee-loving plants/flowers/shrubs/trees etc as possble on our land. I realize that bees travel great distances to forage wherever they wish, but I'd still like to give them an opportunity to eat at home instead of always "dining out." In this part of Texas pollen is abundant (sneeze, sneeze) but plants high in nector are less abundant so it makes sense to plant high nectar producing vegetation as much as possible. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thank you...
Lee
(Lee's Bees)
My wife and I just purchased 130 acres of land in southeast Texas, specifically in Magnolia (near Houston). We are starting with 50 colonies and have already reserved the bees and ordered the woodenware, etc, so we should be up and running this spring. Our goals is to use the first year as a learning period and then next year increase the size considerably. Hence my first question. Are there any limitations on how many colonies can be supported on 130 acres? I realize that labor can be a limiting factor, but assuming for the momemnt that labor will not be an issue, I'm curius to know how many colonies the land size itself will accomodate. Incidentally, the entire surrounding area is rural including 4,000 undeveloped and heavily forested acres owned by a university trust directly adjacent to our proerty.
Second, I'd like to plant as many bee-loving plants/flowers/shrubs/trees etc as possble on our land. I realize that bees travel great distances to forage wherever they wish, but I'd still like to give them an opportunity to eat at home instead of always "dining out." In this part of Texas pollen is abundant (sneeze, sneeze) but plants high in nector are less abundant so it makes sense to plant high nectar producing vegetation as much as possible. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thank you...
Lee
(Lee's Bees)