New from the great State of Idaho

[Idaho Beek]

I have been keeping bees for 5 years now. Going on 6. Started with 5 hives and with splits and catching swarms have built up to 80 hives. Hope to get most through the winter and split again and hopefully end up with 140 to 150. If I can catch the swarms I usually catch that should put another 25-30 on that number. Things here in Idaho are going well with the winter so far being pretty mild. Although the harshest part of the winter is yet to come. Usually January and February. My mentor has been a commercial beekeeper and he has helped me tremendously. I will be sending my 80 hives to California for pollination with his. I enjoy hunting, fishing and spending time with the grand-kids. My wife of 35 years helps me with the bees. I have been on beesource forums and have learned a lot from others out there. I look forward to learning even more from those on this site. Let the fun begin.

[Joe D]

Welcome to Beemasters, there are lots of good people here that will help with most anything.

Good luck to you and your bees


Joe D

[Rurification]

Welcome to the forum!   Many great people here and very friendly.   

My husband hails from Idaho - he grew up in Moscow.  Very pretty there!

[BeeMaster2]

Welcome to Beemaster.
Jim

[BeeMaster2]

Would your mentor bee one of the Browing brothers? My wife and I visited there store a couple of years ago while on vacation to Yellowstone National Park. The 2 brothers run 30,000 hives.
Jim

[Idaho Beek]

No. The guy I work with is Barlow. He is a great guy. What part of the state are the guys you know from.

[BeeMaster2]

They are near Great Falls.

[GSF]

Welcome!

[Idaho Beek]

Great Falls is way up in Northern Idaho. I am in Southeast Idaho. But Great Falls is a beautiful place.

[Acebird]

If I can catch the swarms I usually catch that should put another 25-30 on that number.

Welcome to Beemaster.
What is your secrete for catching so many swarms?

[LKBruns]

Welcome

[Idaho Beek]

We have a commercial beekeeper that has 5000 hives. When his bees come back from California almonds in March, they place them all over our county. They have a hard time keeping up with all the hives. They are not interested in catching their swarms so I catch them for me. A lot of their yards border public ground and I find a lot of the bees in the sage brush and trees around them. Usually they are only 1-3 feet off the ground and easy to catch. 

[KeyLargoBees]

Welcome to Beemaster!!!