Greetings from King George, Virginia.

[BeekeeperInKingGeorgeVA]

Hello world,

   Just saying hi from rural King George, Virginia.  For those who never heard of the place, which is probably 99% of humanity,  it's about halfway between Washington and Richmond, not far from a town called Fredericksburg.  By vocation I am a software developer.  /* (Insert gratuitous emoticon here) */

   I am about to be a new beekeeper, once my two packages arrive.  They are running a bit late, because the weather down in Georgia has been cool and rainy.  That's okay, though; more time to make sure all my preparations are in order- and to do some mushroom hunting (morel season is in progress again- yay!).

   So why am I getting into beekeeping?  To tell the truth, I'm not sure.  Maybe it's because I've always been interested in bees and the prospect of taking care of them.  And I will certainly appreciate their services for the blackberries and raspberries and other bee-pollinated plants in my garden.  And, yes, I do have a sweet tooth, so the honey won't be thrown away...

   I realize that beekeeping isn't easy and that success isn't assured; for example, the beekeepers of fifty years ago didn't have much of a problem with varroa or tracheal mites, or small hive beetles.  I hear that the rate of colony loss even among experienced beekeepers is in the neighborhood of 30%.  Nevertheless, by educating myself, by learning from my mistakes and those of others, and especially by persisting in the face of adversity, hopefully this will turn into a lifelong hobby.

   Gosh, writing this self-introduction feels kind of awkward and embarrassing, like leaving a message on a stranger's answering machine.  Anyway, enough of this long-winded introduction; see y'all in the posts.

Regards,
Tim

[1reb]

Hello and Welcome Tim
There is alot of great information on the forum !!
The members here are willing help and answer your questions, all you need to do is to ask
Johnny

[Cindi]

Tim, welcome to our forum, great that you have found us.  Don't be embarrassed, you are not putting information out to the internet without lots of people listening, we are that listening crew.  Wait until you get your honeybees, you will be entering a world that will hold you spellbound, the more that you are amongst them and learning, the more you will want to be there.  We are that group of people that will guide you, help you, our forum will be a place where you can tell your tales, stories and experiences -- we love to listen.  You will also make some new and wonderful friends.  Stick around, have that most wonderful and awesome day, life and health.  Cindi

[Rabbitdog]

Tim,
Welcome to beekeeping.  You're now officially hooked for life!
By the way, I know where KG county is.  I used to live in a small town up 301 from you called Sparta (Caroline county near Bowling Green).
All the best with your girls!

[fermentedhiker]

Welcome aboard.