What to do this winter?

NevadaBlue · November 16, 2010, 07:09:52 PM

I'm new to the hobby and have purchased my woodenware and a couple of books. I need to inventory the goodies that came last week, but need recommendations on what to prepare for / study this winter.
Is there anything to do but read and get my bee packages ordered? I do plan on building a hive stand to hold the 2 hives I have and maybe a couple more.

Kathyp · November 16, 2010, 07:24:42 PM

keep on reading! one thing about the hive stands. don't make them to high. it might seem nice to not have to bend over to check brood boxes, but it sucks a lot to have to climb up to take heavy honey supers off!

AllenF · November 16, 2010, 08:00:49 PM

Make sure you don't wait too long to order your bees, or they may be sold out. In late winter, most bee seller have all their orders for the spring filled.

indypartridge · November 17, 2010, 07:49:08 AM

Are you near a bee club? Clubs are great places to find mentors and get connected to nearby beekeepers. Much of beekeeping is location-specific, so it's very beneficial to know local beekeepers who can recommend what works best in your area. There's a Northern NV Apicultural Society:
http://www.beeculture.com/content/whoswho/index.cfm?state=NV

Check your local library for books/videos on beekeeping. Plus, there are some great sites on the web. Be sure to check out Michael Bush's site:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

David Burns has over 80 online lessons on his beekeeping blog:
http://basicbeekeeping.blogspot.com/

tecumseh · November 17, 2010, 07:53:54 AM

as Indy suggest the first thing I would tell you to do is go find a local bee club. they are excellent sources of local information and are quite likely to be excellent sources of packages and nucs.

and good luck...

fish_stix · November 17, 2010, 11:57:11 AM

Anyone notice his location? Northern Nevada, population 200, plus coyotes! probably a good drive to find a beeclub. :-D

NevadaBlue · November 17, 2010, 08:50:27 PM

LOL, what's a bee club? :D We aren't near anything. I just returned from our first shopping trip in a couple of months, with a loaded truck AND trailer. Building supplies, food, feed, etc.
I did hear about someone within driving distance that keeps bees. The UPS man told about him when he delivered my stuff.

Yes, December 1, my supplier starts taking orders. I'll be waking him on the first. :) We missed out last year by waiting until WE were ready and when I went to order... all gone. :(

So, I'll keep reading and inspecting my new gear and learning what I can this winter. And, maybe start a bee club with a couple of the coyotes as assistants. :D There are plenty of coyotes, they come right up to our wolf pen. Lots of nerve.

Sparky · November 17, 2010, 10:57:11 PM

Winter is a good time to paint or what ever method of wood protection that you will be using. It is always better to have more than you think you need than to get caught with your pants down because you needed it and did not have enough ;) ready.

BeeHopper · November 19, 2010, 09:08:49 AM

Quote from: NevadaBlue on November 17, 2010, 08:50:27 PM
LOL, what's a bee club? :D We aren't near anything. I just returned from our first shopping trip in a couple of months, with a loaded truck AND trailer. Building supplies, food, feed, etc.
I did hear about someone within driving distance that keeps bees. The UPS man told about him when he delivered my stuff.

Yes, December 1, my supplier starts taking orders. I'll be waking him on the first. :) We missed out last year by waiting until WE were ready and when I went to order... all gone. :(

So, I'll keep reading and inspecting my new gear and learning what I can this winter. And, maybe start a bee club with a couple of the coyotes as assistants. :D There are plenty of coyotes, they come right up to our wolf pen. Lots of nerve.

:shock:

Wow, NevadaBlue, you're waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy out there. All I can say is order early and prepare to drive or pay a hefty shipping fee for your bees.

BjornBee · November 19, 2010, 03:57:43 PM

Two shoe salesman went to a tropical island.

One sent a message back to the office saying "Get me off this island, nobody here wears shoes!"

The other salesmen sent a message saying "You better send more shoes, everyone here needs them".

My point is.....200 hundred people and only one beekeeper. Hmmmm....great for your honey sales. But you also have 199 other people who can become beekeepers.

The heck with other clubs. Start your own! :-D

As for me this winter I have plans to bother John to within a hair of being thrown off the forum. Then I'll pick on M.B. awhile, and after that I see myself ticking off a few leftist liberal types down on the coffee house forum. Oh the fun that awaits..... :-D

NevadaBlue · December 14, 2010, 07:40:00 PM

Winter... the good news is that my supplier started taking orders today. His website was giving him trouble and I'm sure his phone was ringing off the hook. So, 2 packages of Italians due here next spring. The long wait begins... :)

backyard warrior · December 14, 2010, 08:55:31 PM

Bjourn, we all know you like to shake the bee hive then stand back and watch what happens among the chaos.

shorty3 · December 14, 2010, 09:28:31 PM

make sure you have lots of extra equipment they will find out you do bees and they will call,get your equipment ready. paint and bee ready

VolunteerK9 · December 15, 2010, 09:45:01 AM

Quote from: NevadaBlue on December 14, 2010, 07:40:00 PM
. The long wait begins... :)

And a loooong one it is.I know where you are coming from. This is my first winter with bees. I'm not sure it this one will be longer waiting to see if they survived it or the winter waiting on them to come was longer.

NevadaBlue · December 15, 2010, 09:48:29 PM

That's my next worry. I'm reading all I can about wintering. It is long here. Not really too cold for LONG periods, just a long winter.

VolunteerK9 · December 16, 2010, 10:58:01 AM

Our winters here are nothing like what you folks have north of us but I still don't care for the cold

Brian D. Bray · December 24, 2010, 05:56:46 PM

God made winter so beekeepers had time to refurbished used equipment, purchase and prepare new equipment, read up about the problems experienced last season, plan for the next season, and use up or sell all that honey.
A beekeeper who doesn't have a honey for sugar substitution chart in his kitchen is a yeni (Turkish for green, newbie, etc)
Never even think of entertaining the idea that you've learned all about beekeeping. I've been doing it for over 50 years, learned from a man who had been doing for over 60 years when I meant him (started in the 1890's) and I'm still learning things...mostly about how much we still don't know and how inadequate the scientific method can be when dealing with life.
You might learn enough to do an acceptable job but you'll never learn it all.