Teach Soap

I know there are a few of you bee folks on the boards here. It would appear that years of produce gardening eventually leads one down a path with a beehive at the end of it! I am now at that point.

I recently discovered I can get top notch beekeeper training locally - and classes start NEXT January. I am SO THERE!

In the meantime, I want to start reading up. Do any of you have a "guru" - an author that has written on the subject that you really admire and would recommend? Ditto for websites and blogs.

Also, is geographical location relevant? I would imagine beekeeping would be different in Florida than where I am in the Pacific NW (south of Tacoma, WA). Does that need to be taken into consideration as well when choosing a source? I have found that with respect to gardening books - many are aimed at gardeners in the Northeast or Midwest.

Bees are fascinating! You're lucky to have a class to learn from. It will provide you with a wealth of info that is relevant to your area along with contacts. I have a top bar beehive. Have you decided which type of beehive you would like? I have found it difficult to find books specific to a top bar beehive. One of my biggest challenges has been trying to transfer a NUC to my hive. If I had a Langstroth hive my NUC would have fit right in it.

I bought a book by Ashley English called "Keeping Bees." It's a good overall book on bees. It doesn't go into great depth but provided enough without getting real technical. There is also a wealth of info on YouTube. I like 'outofabluesky.' He has some great info out there.

One tip for you, by the time I researched enough to feel confident and got all my beekeeping equipment, the bee packages were no longer being sold. They make bee runs from different locations and you need to get on the list early to get your bees. Look online for 'bee packages' to see what's available in your area. I luckily found a local beekeeper selling a NUC. You will want to get your bee package early in the Spring so the bees will have time to establish their colony and store enough food to get through the winter.

Good luck! It's truly a breathtaking experience at times.

_________________
I would answer that but my mind is giving me the silent treatment right now!

Thanks for the info Sammi! I'll check out that YouTube source.

I don't even know enough to know what kind of hive! We are on a budget, so a design that WE can build ourselves might be best. The Boyfriend has enough construction/woodworking skills to add to the mix, so we will try and save a few bucks that way.

I am looking forward to a positive working relationship with these insects! It will be a nice change from the more antagonistic "hunt down and kill aphids and mealybugs" mentality. Nice to have some bugs on YOUR side!

If I think of it, do you mind if I PM you months from now when the class starts?

Sigh...I want bees one day...Just dunno if I will ever be that brave....keep up posted as you make progress please?

_________________
Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

I decided to go with a top bar hive because I wanted a hive that would be easy for me to manage by myself. The Langstroth style can get quite heavy if you have to pick up the entire super to harvest the honey. I also didn't want to invest in an extractor as they can be expensive. Some bee clubs around here have an extractor that they will let members use. That's nice but I live too far from them to make it worth it.

You can get plans off the Internet to build one. I saved money by buying a kit and putting it together.

I almost forgot! If you live in bear country plan on investing in an electric fence too! This added about $300.00 to my expenses. Darn bears!

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

_________________
I would answer that but my mind is giving me the silent treatment right now!

Welcome to the passion!

Bees are one of those creatures that just grab hold & won't let go!

To answer a few of your questions, YES! geographical location is hugely important & makes a massive difference! Here in New Zealand we have had to 'write our own books' if you like, as there is limited value in what is written for other countries. As far as bee health etc, different diseases in different places (states? ), bee 'biology' is basically the same, but you will need to have different management practices depending on the 'breed' of bee you have.

The classes will be a great learning tool, as the information should be specific to your area.

Being small scale commercial (both hubby & I are full-time beekeepers) I would recommend the langstroth hive (particularly if you are purchasing a nuc) it is so easy when everything is interchangeable ( I'm betting you don't stay at 1 hive!) With the boyfriends woodworking skills it should be easy enough to build your own gear (even I can do it!) but do pay particular attention to the bee space, no 'near enough' approach, they will gum up any gaps that are too big or too little & make working the hive really difficult!

As far as extracting, if you use the plastic foundation you can scrape the honey off to the mid-rib without having to invest in an extractor. Of course your bees will have to re-draw the comb (we tend to protect our comb a lot!) but this is no different than what you would be doing in a top-bar hive anyway!

That turned out to be rather a long post! Sorry about that! Any questions I'm happy to help, as far as geographical location will allow