Q&A with a Treatment-Free Beekeeper

[Brother Dave]

Hello I have been beekeeping about 1.5 years. I have three hives and have been not using foundation. So my hives are langstroth boxes. with standard frames with comb guides. I am excited to join this forum as my work schedule does not allow me to go to my local beekeeping meetings.

[T Beek]

Welcome Brother Dave! 

I'm nearly two hours from the closest beekeeper meetings so can appreciate the inability to attend them.  This forum can often take the place of a meeting or many meetings, depending on how much one can absorb at a sitting.  Having the ability to come and go is a real pleasure.

[charlie b]

Hello Bro. Dave,
Welcome to the forum and I am excited to hear that you are also foundationless. Have you had a good experience with them? I  have recently bought used hives and have roughly 1200 frames, which I am cleaning and putting starter strips in. Getting ready for the 014 season. Excited!

[merince]

Hi Brother Dave!

Welcome to the forum. I use a mix of foundation and foundationless. Usually, when putting a new super, I will use foundation to reduce the risk of having to do a "cut-out". I use foundationless if I have enough brood frames to interleave the new super.

Good luck and remember to keep the hives level!

[Brother Dave]

Hello Bro. Dave,
Welcome to the forum and I am excited to hear that you are also foundationless. Have you had a good experience with them? I  have recently bought used hives and have roughly 1200 frames, which I am cleaning and putting starter strips in. Getting ready for the 014 season. Excited!

I have had good luck so far It helps to really crowd them together in the middle of the box for me also adding a new frame between two good strait ones works. I did put some effort into leveling my hives that also may have helped. I also do not expect perfect looking comb.   good luck Dave

[Dallasbeek]

Wondering if Solomon is still on the forum and ready to answer questions.  Seems the thread got way off topic last year.  Did Solomon give up on it?

[sterling]

Wondering if Solomon is still on the forum and ready to answer questions.  Seems the thread got way off topic last year.  Did Solomon give up on it?

I think you can find him on facebook. At least that's what I've been told.

[Solomon Parker]

I'm here.  Always interested in answering questions.  We do have a Facebook group now, also a Treatment-free beekeepers podcast (tfb.podbean.com) and a forum, of which I won't post a link because it's probably not respectful to do on someone else's forum.