New member from Lancaster County, PA

JulieBaby · February 11, 2013, 01:02:11 PM

My name is Julie and my husband, Bruce, and I recently moved from the Victorian home in a quaint, small town where we raised our children for 25 years. Our new place is in a village a few miles up the road in a more rural area. Our new house is smaller, but we have gone from a smallish, in-town backyard to 3+ acres with a large pond and a wooded area at the back. In our mid-fifties, we are building a homestead on this place. My husband grew up on a farm, so he is well acquainted with the work we are taking on. Me? Maybe not so much. We've always lived a simple and frugal life, homeschooled the kids for twenty years, doing a lot of canning and making my own detergent and stuff, but gardening and all that are new to me. I generally dislike being dirty and sweaty, but I guess I'm going to have to get used to that. We recently acquired a small flock of chickens (Golden Comets) who have pecked their way into my heart. I am very interested in learning about beekeeping and look forward to reading the things you all share.

Moots · February 11, 2013, 03:59:05 PM

Julie,
Welcome to the forum, if you update your location in your profile it will display to the left of your post and make it easier for anyone giving advice that may be specific to your region.

I'm a newbie with bees myself, got interested a few months ago and got my first bees a little over 3 weeks ago. I've been LOVING it! They're fascinating little creatures, I can't get enough.

Good luck! :)

Vance G · February 11, 2013, 05:15:59 PM

Welcome young lady. Much to learn here and most, if not all of it is in the old threads already. My advice is to make friends with the search function. I would also advise finding a local bee club or long experienced beekeeper to learn from. Local advice on many things is the best because conditions vary so much. We have beekeepers on this forum already actively working their bees and we have beekeepers who won't see the snow around their hives gone for two months! If you plan on keeping bees this year, it is already getting late to decide what kind of bees to get and more importantly where to acquire them.

Joe D · February 11, 2013, 07:20:17 PM

Welcome to the forum, Julie. Beek is addicitive. When you get into tilling and planting it can be also. The smell of fresh plowed dirt, and eating veggies that you grow a long with the honey from your bees nothing better. Good luck with your new adventures.

Joe

hardwood · February 11, 2013, 08:40:09 PM

Welcome Julie! You'll find that a bunch of us here are in love with our chickens too :-D Enjoy the learning process in all of your new endeavors...that might seem a little overwhelming, but it's really the best part!

Scott

BeeMaster2 · February 12, 2013, 06:47:16 AM

Welcome to the forum Julie. I love that area you are in. I grew up in Levittown PA. Visited Lancaster just last year.
Jim

AllenF · February 12, 2013, 09:25:21 PM

Welcome to the forum.

buzzbee · February 12, 2013, 09:57:52 PM

Welcome to the forum. Beemaster,Robo and I were in Lancaster last summer to see Jonah at the Site and Sound theatre. We had a great weekend meeting up and hanging out. We may make another trip and meet up in the future.

VolunteerK9 · February 13, 2013, 06:14:00 PM

Lancaster County is a beautiful place...bought quite a bit of horse drawn farm machinery there. Welcome

jmblakeney · February 13, 2013, 08:25:03 PM

Welcome,
I agree with the others Lancaster is a beautiful place and by the description of your new homestead, I am very envious. I love being in the country and a small farm place is my dream.
Hope you enjoy your new hobbies and lifestyle.

James

Georgia Boy · February 17, 2013, 10:36:36 AM

Welcome!

I am afraid that once you start researching about bee keeping, you will be buying you first two hives.

I live on a small farm outside of Atlanta. My wife mentioned bee keeping in November and that tweaked my interest. Started researching and now I am waiting for my first hives to be delivered at the end of this month and my bees will be here in April.

This is addictive and I think I'll love it.

Good luck and hope you will get bees soon.

Moots · February 17, 2013, 11:46:24 AM

Quote from: seag2425 on February 17, 2013, 10:36:36 AM
Welcome!

I am afraid that once you start researching about bee keeping, you will be buying you first two hives.

I live on a small farm outside of Atlanta. My wife mentioned bee keeping in November and that tweaked my interest. Started researching and now I am waiting for my first hives to be delivered at the end of this month and my bees will be here in April.

This is addictive and I think I'll love it.

Good luck and hope you will get bees soon.

2425,
We're pretty much on the same schedule...the thought popped into my head after seeing some photos of a friend of friend on facebook working his hives. I've been wide open ever since. Lucked out and found Bailey as a source for Medium Nucs and got real lucky when he told me he had a few Nucs ready to go if I didn't mind feeding them to finish getting through winter. Picked them up January 12th and have been loving it ever since. Hoping April gets here in a hurry for you, I'm anxious and excited for you! :)

Georgia Boy · February 17, 2013, 12:52:50 PM

To Moots:

Soooooooooo jealous..... I can't stand the waiting but , I am forced to. But time will pass quickly. I hope. :)

In the mean time will continue to watch videos and do research. Hopefully it will help me not to screw up too much.

Let me know how you are getting along please.

Wishing you great luck.

VolunteerK9 · February 17, 2013, 11:26:42 PM

That cat in your avatar must have finally passed the peach seed and the bologna string as he sure looks relieved.