begining and needing advice .

thomast55 · February 03, 2008, 09:48:59 PM

I've been reading books and searching the internet for six months now and am anxious to get started beekeeping . I do not have any equipment at all and was thinking of starting out very small with one hive just to get some hands on . Any advice would be greatly appreciated .

buzzbee · February 03, 2008, 10:07:51 PM

Two hives would be much better than one for a variety of reasons.
You can share resources if needed,or just simply compare to see if one is doig better than the other.

dpence · February 03, 2008, 10:35:03 PM

Buzzbee is right, I started out with two.

CBEE · February 03, 2008, 10:35:56 PM

Like already said above. you are better off starting with at least 2 hives. You need to order you bees now. Order all your equipment and wooden ware now also. Find a bee keeping club or association close to you where you can get some hands on help if you want it or think you need it. These forums are great but there are times it is invaluable to be able to pick up the phone and get some quick help :-D

CBEE · February 03, 2008, 10:40:17 PM

One more thing.. post your location there so we know what part of the country you are in. It makes a great difference in the advise given due to many factors.. especially the weather :-D

JP · February 04, 2008, 12:02:12 AM

Definitely start with two.

.....JP

asprince · February 04, 2008, 06:49:33 AM

In addition, they both need to be in the same location.

Steve

BeeHopper · February 04, 2008, 07:31:55 AM

Check your State's Agricultural Extention office to see if they offer Basic Beekeeping Classes, join a local bee club or find a local Beekeeper. I would suggest you get some " hands on " before you go spending your hard earned money. :-D

Michael Bush · February 04, 2008, 07:31:56 AM

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm

Scadsobees · February 04, 2008, 02:46:48 PM

Quote from: thomast55 on February 03, 2008, 09:48:59 PM
I've been reading books and searching the internet for six months now and am anxious to get started beekeeping . I do not have any equipment at all and was thinking of starting out very small with one hive just to get some hands on . Any advice would be greatly appreciated .

The simplest thing to do is to go ahead and take out a second mortgage. You're going to need it. Contact a good marriage counselor(if you are married), and set up weekly appointments starting the week that you get the bees. Go ahead an coat everything in your house with spray-on plastic, so that the honey and propolis will clean off easily. Buy another set of pots and pans, and another set of kitchen utensils, because wax and propolis don't clean off so easy. Oh, and get a large loud dog so that the neighbors will be distracted by it and won't notice the growing apiary in the back yard. That was all of the important stuff. Now purchase equipment for 20 hives. That will get you through the first year, maybe.

All right, have all that done? Now you can get a beekeeping catalog order the rest of it and just sit back and wait for the packaged bees to arrive!!
:-D

Rick

SystemShark · February 04, 2008, 03:53:50 PM

Funny post above me =p Some truth in there though from what I've heard.

I havn't got my first hives yet but I've been researching about a year now. I plan on starting with two hives but I'm going to get enough equipment for three. I first started by contacting a bunch of local beekeepers till I found someone who let me come to their yard and was willing to show me some of the ropes. I also joined the local Beekeeping Association and went to a few meetings, a seminar, and a picnic. The 2 books I found most helpful was "beekeeping for dummies" and "the backyard beekeeper". The "ABC/XYZ of Beeculture" was less inspiring but a great resource too.

Equipment costs are undoubtly going to start adding up, buy building your contacts through the beekeeping associations will help. I'm planning on borrowing/renting some of my mentors extracting equipment when the time comes. I'd like to make a living of beekeeping but I don't think the profit potential is really there..unless you have like a few hundered hives. Renting them out to farmers seems to be where the big bux are at.

DayValleyDahlias · February 04, 2008, 04:15:31 PM

I am starting 2 additional hives this Spring. Using 8 frame deeps for brood, and mediums for the rest. I am going to shake them into boxes that have wired small cell foundation, and pray that they don't abscond. Bees are not inexpensive to buy, and I would sure hate to see the little dears take off...hhhhmm

I am hearing that using small cell foundation can help with mite control. Sounds good to me~*~*

Brian D. Bray · February 04, 2008, 10:59:36 PM

QuoteThe 2 books I found most helpful was "beekeeping for dummies" and "the backyard beekeeper".

They are both fairly good books for the beginner. I bought Beekeeping for Dummies for my daughter for christmas, along with her own smoker, and in reading it find it very simplist and full of one persons ideas, many of which I don't agree with.

thomast55 · February 05, 2008, 03:12:36 PM

Thanks everyone for the advice . I did read that it was better to have two hives . I live in South Central Kentucky . Right now it is 70 Degrees outside . I hope to get started within the month .
Thanks

thomast55 · February 05, 2008, 03:29:56 PM

This is very helpful . Thanks