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Barnyard Buddies:  All things Bees  |
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magnoliakathy
True Blue Farmgirl
453 Posts
Kathryn
Magnolia
Texas
USA
453 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 25 2010 : 12:31:16 PM
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I use Mann, Dadant and Brushy Mountain, compare prices and shipping for the best deal. We use a queen excluder, because we left ours off once after we put small hive beetle traps in and three weeks later found eggs in both of our honey supers. It was painful to remove those eggs before we put the supers back on. The biggest problem here in South Texas is the summer heat, I make sure there is sugar water in a Bordman feeder and dishes of water on top of the hive and a picnic table near by.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
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EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2010 : 2:15:33 PM
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I got the garden hive from Brushy Mountain. I have it all ready for my bees. I go to pick them up April 17. I am so excited. But I have to share with you ladies the horrible experience I have had with the local bee association. I joined last year because I wanted to learn as much as possible before I actually got the bees. Wow that was a big mistake. I hope you don't mind but I am so put out right now I just need to vent. I went to 1 meeting after I joined and decided real quick that was not the place for me. There was too much politics going on. The bickering and ranting was just to shake your head at. I did not go back. Well about 2 months ago I started getting emails from people I have never met. There was some big squabble going on in the association and someone released the email address of all the members. I got email after email. About a month ago I got a notice from the club that annual dues were due. I did not rejoin. I kept getting the emails and finally sent the main mailers an email asking that they remove me from their mailing list. That was when all h#!! broke loose. You would have thought I asked them to sacrifice their first born. I got bombarded with horrible nasty obsene emails. I was called every name in the book. I then sent an email to the president of the chapter explaining what was going on and asked if they would remove me from their mailing list. Some how that email got forwarded to these nuts and again a overflow of nasty emails. And just a few minutes ago I check my email and whoever this person is has somehow put my name on a national list to get slammed with junk mail. I have to go through all the hassle of setting up a new email and changing all my contacts now. I am so angry I could spit. Thank you I just needed to vent.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
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dawnm
True Blue Farmgirl
92 Posts
Dawn
Blueridge Mts
Va
USA
92 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2010 : 8:06:32 PM
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Wow! My heart goes out to you. Sounds like that group raises hornets - not honeybees. ):
"though an old man yet, I am a young gardener." Thomas Jefferson |
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Chives
True Blue Farmgirl
232 Posts
Victoria
Shelton
Washington
USA
232 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2010 : 08:04:08 AM
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| I would like to get bees, but how do you get a bee mentor? Vicki |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2010 : 2:59:46 PM
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Victoria, that sounds dreadful! To be fair, there is a saying that "for every 10 beekeepers, you'll get 11 different answers" on how to raise bees (in other words, some beekeepers get picky or even opinionated on how to do things), but to be fair, that just sounds like some folks gone wild or political or crazy. Just not a nice scene at all, and that's too bad--I have to say, it's not always like that. There are some really great mentors out there.
Toby--I would suggest Russians for colder weather. They are a newer breed but have been touted as cold tolerant (from Russia or thereabouts)--although they may be hard to find and possibly expensive because they are scarcer.
Carniolians are good for overwintering too, but they are very prone to swarming, so you have to watch them.
Anyone wanting to start bees should check with their local extension agents or bee clubs--you can probably find out if you have one online.
Well that's my two cents, anyway :)
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View My Work:
art/dolls: www.vagabondcreations.blogspot.com
The Horse Drawn Project and Farming!
www.beyondvagabond.blogspot.com
View the blog and radio show!
Renegade Farming!: www.therenegadefarmer.com
NEXT RADIO SHOW: February 28th ~ Interview with Karen Keb of Hobby Farms and Hank Will of GRIT magazine! |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2010 : 5:57:01 PM
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Last year, we had this huge bee hive in the hole of a very tall cypress tree. The tree is in a lake behind our house. Sometimes around December, the bees all left. I wonder if they'll be back. Do bees return to their old hives, like the hole in the tree? I'm watching for them, but haven't seen them yet.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4538 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4538 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2010 : 6:33:15 PM
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Wow some interesting stories you have to tell! We don't have a beekeeping group around here. I don't blame you Victoria for quiting that bee group.
Dianne,I don't know much about switching hive boxes, just what I have read. Some people like it and some don't. Since this will be my first year, I have been reading alot on Micheal Bushes site, natural bee keeping. that is the way I am planning on going.
Itis the last weekend of March now. My husband has hive boxes done, and a hive stand. Also 16 frames. I have been there helping, and painting. Hopeing to get him to finish up the vent boxes, and boards. I have my bear cage all set up and some cement blocks sitting there too. April is coming fast.
Good luck to all
Michele |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 01:47:54 AM
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Hey Marly, usually if the bees leave, they've left because there is some problem with their current housing situation...maybe the tree hollow is now too small/hot/cold/crowded/drafty/moist, etc. Bees are smart this way in that they will not tolerate conditions that will not allow them to prosper as a hive. So I doubt that they will come back to that tree. Hopefully by now they've settle for some place better 
Hmmm...lots of advice to give, maybe I should put this up on the radio show 
By the way, I am a fan of Brushy Mountain and I've used Dadant products as well
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View My Work:
art/dolls: www.vagabondcreations.blogspot.com
The Horse Drawn Project and Farming!
www.beyondvagabond.blogspot.com
View the blog and radio show!
Renegade Farming!: www.therenegadefarmer.com
NEXT RADIO SHOW: February 28th ~ Interview with Karen Keb of Hobby Farms and Hank Will of GRIT magazine! |
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textilelover
True Blue Farmgirl
557 Posts
Dianne
Middletown
NY
USA
557 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 03:39:53 AM
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Marly, We got into beekeeping partly because a swarm took up residence in a tree on our property. About 2 years later that colony swarmed, but some stayed. This spring when my hives were flying we didn't see any bees in the tree (we left them thinking Mother Nature knows best), so I doubt they'll be back. Dianne
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." --Leondardo da Vinci |
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textilelover
True Blue Farmgirl
557 Posts
Dianne
Middletown
NY
USA
557 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 03:46:58 AM
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Victoria, Unfortunately, any club or group of people is prone to politics (and I sometimes believe men are worse than women!), but there is no excuse for their behavior. Contact your local Cooperative Extension for information and there are plenty of online sites and videos and books to educate you. It's actually more confusing sometimes to belong to a beekeepers' club because of all the different opinions about approaching beekeeping. Did you meet anyone there that you could ask to mentor you privately? Good luck! Dianne
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." --Leondardo da Vinci |
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textilelover
True Blue Farmgirl
557 Posts
Dianne
Middletown
NY
USA
557 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2010 : 03:49:50 AM
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Michelle, Forgot to mention that even if you have a bear cage set up, strap your entire hive to your cement blocks (it helps to cement those into the ground as well as bears can push the hive over and damage it) so the bears cannot rip it apart. There is nothing sadder than seeing your girls' home destroyed! Mann sells excellent straps I am told. Dianne
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." --Leondardo da Vinci |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4538 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4538 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2010 : 04:30:29 AM
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I have seen the straps, thought maybe they were for moving the hive??? So do you strap your hives down all the time? I have seen pictures of hives with a rock on top.
I do have electric fence all around this bear cage. I am hoping that will deter the bears. We have had a few in the yard over the years.
We finished putting together all the frames yesterday afternoon. Hoping to get the top and bottom boards made today. By the time we are done, We will have enough for 2 hives. Just getting one package of bees this year. All you read says to start with 2 hives, but only doing one.
Michele |
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dawnm
True Blue Farmgirl
92 Posts
Dawn
Blueridge Mts
Va
USA
92 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2010 : 11:26:15 PM
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I have my bees and my hives coming. I am so excited. The local bee group here are very helpful and want to encourage new bee keepers. I am thankful for that, other wise I am not sure I could do it. I have a friend who has been raising bees for a long time. He has offered to help me.
Dawn
"though an old man yet, I am a young gardener." Thomas Jefferson |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1515 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1515 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2010 : 8:57:33 PM
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I am going to start my own hive this spring, too. A friend of mine keeps bees and he donated a "year of bee keeping package" to our Rotary club auction that I bid on and won last weekend. He says the bees will be ready to pick up at the local supplier the third weekend of April. He is providing protective gear, hive setup, bees, queen and all the other equipment necessary to get started as part of the package. I have been wanting to try bees for a long time so I am really excited about this! My great uncle had bees when he was alive and I really miss the fresh honey.
Vicki (Chives), you can go to the Washington State Beekeeper's Association website. There is a tab near the top that says Local Organizations. If you click on that tab, you can select your area and get contact information for Bee Keeping chapters near Shelton. Then you can contact one of them to find out if anyone in your area does mentoring. Good luck!
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2010 : 09:59:40 AM
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Victoria thats horrible. Their should be someone you could turn those crazy people into. I am so sorry you have had to deal with that. Maybe you should turn them into the police and show them what they are doing and all the horrible emails they are sending you. They would probably put a stop to it. Goodluck on that.
My son and I have bees. We had 4 hives and lost one over the winter. They had plenty of food but still parished. No diseased that we could find. We don't always get honey every year but last year we harvested some really delicious honey !! The foraging in our area is not very plentiful some years. The area we live in is full of cedar and rocky hills.
The company we have used allot if Walter T. Kelly. They are based in KY. They have been a great company and seem to have some of the best prices and service. They are also online.
Honey is kinda like goat milk for me. They are both really delicious and special to have. I feel rich when we have goat milk and honey . You can do alot with them. I love using honey to make Pb power balls. The are really a good snack.
recipe: Peanut Butter/Honey Power Balls
1 cup of natural peanut or almond butter
1 cup of honey
1/2 cup of toasted wheat germ or flax meal
2 cups of powdered milk
1 tsp. of vanilla
mix in a mixer or by hand until co whichever you like best. Keep them refridgerated in a sealed container. I line mine with wax paper.
These pb balls taste great and are packed with energy. If I am in a hurry and don't have time for breakfast I grab 2 of these and go. They really hold me over for quite a while.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2010 : 11:54:25 AM
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Zan:
Thanks for the reply. Since my last post, I've been really thinking what could have disturbed the bees to leave the hole in the tree. Well, it is a big, big hole, but not 20 feet from it is the "burn pile". Could the smoke from the burn pile disturb them so much that they up and left? Sometimes there is a lot of smoke bellowing up. I don't know if it smoked high enough to get to where the bees were. Let me know what you think, Zan? Thanks.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2010 : 2:57:25 PM
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Hey Marly...hmm, that's a tricky one. Smoke is usually used to "calm" bees by beekeepers, but what actually goes on is that they retreat further into their hive once the keeper applies smoke, and they supposedly start eating their own honey in order to flee, because they think there is a fire happening.
So I don't know if these wild bees wouldn't retreat, or if the burn pile has been happening often enough, or smoking long enough that they finally did flee--but then you would probably see them fleeing as the burn pile burned.
So--I guess my short answer is, I don't know--Doh! 
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View My Work:
art/dolls: www.vagabondcreations.blogspot.com
The Horse Drawn Project and Farming!
www.beyondvagabond.blogspot.com
View the blog and radio show!
Renegade Farming!: www.therenegadefarmer.com
NEXT RADIO SHOW: February 28th ~ Interview with Karen Keb of Hobby Farms and Hank Will of GRIT magazine! |
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dawnm
True Blue Farmgirl
92 Posts
Dawn
Blueridge Mts
Va
USA
92 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2010 : 5:11:43 PM
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My beehives are sitting in my backyard and buzzing away. Many thanks to my DH for helping make it happen.
Dawn
"though an old man yet, I am a young gardener." Thomas Jefferson |
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Chives
True Blue Farmgirl
232 Posts
Victoria
Shelton
Washington
USA
232 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2010 : 09:52:28 AM
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| Thanks Marilyn. I am jealous of your bees. I am excited for you. Does your club have mentors? I hope they all do. Vicki |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2010 : 4:20:29 PM
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Zan: Thanks for your information. We did burn often at the sight I mentioned. I keep checking to see if any of the bees returned, but I don't see any around that cypress tree. I do see bees all over the yard, buzzing around the clover!
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2010 : 6:41:09 PM
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Zan:
Oh, that's a loaded question!!! LOL. I don't mind the bees hanging around, but to do what you do with the bees, I don't know. I think they'd know by all the shaking I'd be doing, that I wasn't the best bee keeper! LOL. When the bees in the yard get too close, I do send them love. They never bother me, but to go out and be around a hive of them........ I am not that brave.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2010 : 04:41:23 AM
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Marly--oh dear! Well, I understand...some people don't like getting stung so I don't blame you :) Still, it's great that you have so much care for the wild ones around you 
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View My Work:
art/dolls: www.vagabondcreations.blogspot.com
The Horse Drawn Project and Farming!
www.beyondvagabond.blogspot.com
View the blog and radio show!
Renegade Farming!: www.therenegadefarmer.com
NEXT RADIO SHOW: April 11th ~ Interview with Katherine Dunn, artist and farmer of Apifera Farm! |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4538 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4538 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 4:19:51 PM
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We will be picking up our package of bees tomorrow! I am excited, but worried!
We have everything all set and ready to go. So should be interesting.
Michele |
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Chives
True Blue Farmgirl
232 Posts
Victoria
Shelton
Washington
USA
232 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2010 : 7:39:17 PM
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| How exciting Michele. I want bees. But not yet Iam still reading and did fine a bee class in olympia wash. I am reading bees for dummies. Does anyone recommend any books for starting out?? Thanks Vicki |
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Barnyard Buddies: All things Bees |
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All things Bees
