Well now i have enough boxes for three hives, I just received four deep brood boxes, four medium supers and bottom boards and tops to go with them. Now I have to wait till spring to get me some more bee's! In the meantime I will just build them some nice stands to sit on. Kinda of a bummer. This is my first winter with bees and seems kinda wrong not to go down and check on them. All I can do now is plan on my food plots, for the deer pheasants and of course the bee's. Alf Alfa, clover, white and yellow, buckwheat, some sunflowers for looks, what else? any ideas? And I started with one little swarm that landed on my plum tree. I know I am small time but so far it has been a lot of fun and for the first year I ended up with four quarts of honey after leaving them full in the two deeps. I also let them take back six full frames from a medium super. Only took three days from time of order to get stuff from dadent and yes it was free shipping.
Congratulations Harvey.
There's a lot of fun to have with all the pre-planning and prep. work. Have you joined a local bee club? They generally a great source for tips for successful beekeeping in your local area.
SH
I have two hives, but my neighbor has about thirty. He planted buckwheat. I love that honey. He planted about six acres total and planted two acres each about two weeks apart. I worked out really well since the buckwheat seemed to stay in blossom for weeks and the bees loved it.
Congratulations Harvey,
Glad you had a good first year hope you can have 50 or 60 more good years in beekeeping.
:pinkelephant: And happy birthday to you :pinkelephant:
BEE HAPPY Jim :)
Harvey. Did you plant your Clover and Alfalfa in the fall ? Pheasants ? We had a bunch when I was younger but now see none. Sure miss them and the quail. Plenty of deer and turkey to the point they eat the buckwheat so fast it hardly gets to bloom for the bees. As far as enough boxes for three hives, you may need a few more supers if you do not have any stashed that you did not mention.
Harvey
If you want alittle bee fix over winter, go to your local drug store and buy a cheap stethoscope. On windless days you can go out and listen to them buzzin. Its a good feeling to hear the hum after a couple of months of our winter. This winter wont be as long as last years but you should still be ready for some kind of emergency feed come the end of Feb - march. Maybe a sugar board or a block of fondant. Dont rely on just lifting the back. Some times they will feel heavy but all the weight will be in the bottom and they will starve