Well a little bit about my beekeeping. This is just another hobby for right now. I am a member of our local club the Superiorland Beekeepers Association. I am in my first year with two hives currently. I started with a NUC in May 2016 they built up quickly and started bearding on the front of the hive when we started getting some warm temps (July). Well being new and not knowing what was going on they swarmed August 5th. I came home from work and saw a mass of bees hanging in one of my young apple trees. Well I built a hive body stuck some empty frames with foundation on them and swept the bees into the box. So I ended up with the two hives. Both hives ended up building back up and I was able to collect about 3.5 gallons of honey between the two of them. We have a long flow from about July to September. We use quilt/chaff boxes in this neck of the woods. I have fed them 2:1 syrup in the fall and give them some in the chaff box also. They seem to be doing fine yet as I just checked them a few days ago. This year has been fairly mild but we get temperature extremes it can be 80-90 in July/Aug but mid 70's most times then winters as low as -30 without wind chills. So far we have had just a couple day period with -2 degree nights but now around 20-30 F. Well if the hives make it through the winter I would like to split them and hopefully double my hives. I read up as much as I can and am learning more all the time. Right now I am treatment free and hope I can remain that way.
Welcome to Beemaster.
Sounds like you are doing pretty well.
If you want to stay chemical free, read Michael Bushes "The Practical Beekeeper".
Jim
Welcome, ditto what Jim said.
Welcome to the forum! Lot of great people here and many of us hobbyists, too, trying to go treatment free. Hope you have a good 2017.