Beekeeping

[muffin]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone on here is into beekeeping? I'm really interested in it but I don't know where to start.

[LuckyStrike]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone on here is into beekeeping? I'm really interested in it but I don't know where to start.

I am interested as well, thankfully I have a friend of the family who has had bees for several years now that I am planning on buying bees from and getting advice come spring.

Good luck.

[muffin]

I'm wondering, do you have your bee box set up yet?

Err I mean, beehive...

Ok, thanks, EE. I'll keep that in mind. We have 20 acres. I was thinking over by the garden which is quite a way from the meter....

[EE_]

Don't put you bee box near your smart meter...that's what I've heard.

[Dogman]

Had a neighbor, that kept bees. Very interesting critters, he was an old man and worked his hives in his backyard with out anything other than a smoker. We had all of the free honey we wanted. He even got me after a few years (I was very interested) to help him with the hives. Before he died I was working the hives with him just like him, only a smoker. Got used to being stung and after learning not to fear them. It was only because of my own dumb mistakes I would get stung or even notice.

Bees are great, and I highly recommend if you have the time and the heart, plus good neighbors if in town to play beekeeper. There are lessons in life those critters can teach you, only if you listen.

[milehi]

Don't put you bee box near your smart meter...that's what I've heard.

I have a swarm of bees living inside the wall, right next to the smart meter at the house I recently moved to. They've been here at least a month and don't bother me, and since they're close to my garden, they can stay until I build a hive.

EDIT- You can see where the previous occupant tried to use foam to seal in the bees; like that would work. The fuse box with the meter is just visible in the top of the photo.

[big country]

Muffin,
I missed this thread earlier...sorry.

I would suggest getting in contact with your local bee keeping club. I'm sure you have one somewhere nearby.
Here is a site that lists a lot of them by state:
http://www.bees-on-the-net.com/beekeeping-clubs.html
Also usually the state agriculture department will know about the local clubs. Usually, in most states, the State Ag dept licenses beehives and inspects them.
(In WV all "captive" beehives must be registered the the state bee inspector is allowed onto your property at any time to check your hives)

I recently joined my local bee keeping club and I'm learning everything I can. I plan on starting next spring with my first hives. If your interested in this year you should move fast as the season is very quickly approaching. I have 18 acres and I'm planning on starting with 3-4 hives. One of my "neighbors" is also in the bee club and they have 2 hives. They live about 2 miles away.

It cost me $20 to join my local bee club for the year. In my first meeting I recieved the latest copy of two magazines (American Bee Journal and Bee Culture) a local bee keeping guide for the state of WV (from the AG Dept) and about 120 pages of material the local bee club has written and complied (all localized stuff...like what week on the year the poplar trees bloom, locust trees, all the local nectar flows and pollen booms). If I never set foot in the club again all of that relevant local info was VERY MUCH worth my $20 fee. In other words seek out your local club!!!