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Any beekeepers out there?

Scarpozzi

Scarpozzi

Lifer
My neighbor invited me to a beekeeping class that's put on by the local association here. I thought, 'what the heck?' and talked my parents into going with me. It turns out they were giving away a free hive starter kit in a drawing and we were selected out of 115 people... We've ordered some bees that are to come in next month...so it looks like we may be harvesting honey this Fall.

The hive came unassembled and it was a fun woodworking day on Saturday gluing and nailing it together with the fam.

Any one else do this?
 
No, but it's something I've always been interested in. I'd like to hear your experiences along the way, and how you make out with it.
 
I have a couple of wild hives. I have a lot of the equipment available now, and will be attending a class in April with some experts so that I don't screw things up when my hives divide this year.
 
lxskllr said:
No, but it's something I've always been interested in. I'd like to hear your experiences along the way, and how you make out with it.
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Sure...I'll keep you posted. I'm looking forward to standing in a bunch of bees and trying not to end up like that kid from 'My Girl'.
 
I had my first hive this past summer. Had a lot of fun with it. A buddy and I both got our own hives. Learned a lot, my hive swarmed in the early summer so I didn't get the honey I probably should have, but we got 90lbs between the two hives.

Are you going to keep the bees through the winter? Guess it depends on where you live. I'm in MN and thought about keeping them but heard bad things about the wintering process. Decided to sell them to a guy that took them down to Oklahoma for the winter.
 
My neighbor across the road does. Huge shop with over one thousand hives in it when he brings them all in from the orchards. He brought me a jar the other day and the taste was fantastic. The stuff they sell on the side of the road out here is cut with syrup. Really watered down taste and thinner consistency.
 
One of my old highschool teachers used to have some hives on my friends land. Seemed pretty cool, his got attacked by animals a few times though as it was kinda secluded.
 
There's fresh honey (and almond butter) in my local grocery store. The sign on the hive says to not remove the lid. Fuck all if I want to lift it EVERY single time... :biggrin:
 
I have some land now and was thinking about getting one.
Major questions:
1. I am in Ohio, so how do I winter protect it?
2. Where do you get the bees and queen?
3. How do you remove the honey from the comb without a centrifuge?

Thanks!
 
My father had a few supers. We never got honey out of it, but I remember when he donned his gear and got the smoker out and would take a look at stuff. My mom was always freaked out about it.
 
I don't have enough land to consider it.... but I would if I had several acres.... I would grow sour cherry trees and make cherry blossom honey .... it would make fvcking godlike mead....
 
BurnItDwn said:
I don't have enough land to consider it.... but I would if I had several acres.... I would grow sour cherry trees and make cherry blossom honey .... it would make fvcking godlike mead....
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It doesn't require anything in the way of land. As long as they have a food source somewhere nearby, you can keep bees almost anywhere.
 
edro said:
I have some land now and was thinking about getting one.
Major questions:
1. I am in Ohio, so how do I winter protect it?
2. Where do you get the bees and queen?
3. How do you remove the honey from the comb without a centrifuge?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Raised with bees - stung so many times that I am immune.

1. As long as you have some type of wind break around the hive and ensure that the entrance is clear of obstacles to allow air movement the physical hive will be OK. Dampness will kill a colony.
A strong colony needs at a minimum 1.5 large supers (better for 2) full of honey to survive 4 months of winter.

2) You can purchase via mail a starter kit from aviary's for around $100 now. They will contain a queen and workers. Have a hive (.5 - 1 supers) already available to release them into. Instructions should come with the starter kit. Any beekeeper will provide you with guidance - a personal use will not be a thread to anyone's business.

3) You can use the drip method. For each frame, take a hot knife and melt off the wax seal and then let the honey drip out onto pan. This take a long time and could waste a lot of honey. The only benefit is that you have a starter frame that can be reused (if kept clean and safe).
 
BurnItDwn said:
I don't have enough land to consider it.... but I would if I had several acres.... I would grow sour cherry trees and make cherry blossom honey .... it would make fvcking godlike mead....
Click to expand...
For land, you need about a 4' by 4' area for each hive. as long as there is food within a 1-3 mile radius, you will be OK.

Your concern would be children and pets checking out the hive and getting stung.
 
EagleKeeper said:
For land, you need about a 4' by 4' area for each hive. as long as there is food within a 1-3 mile radius, you will be OK.

Your concern would be children and pets checking out the hive and getting stung.
Click to expand...

Yea, I know they don't "need" the room, but, I can just buy clover honey which is better than "miscellaneous" honey from the neighborhood... I'd only get the bees if I had an orchard 🙂

And I don't mind getting stung, but, I do have some pretty big BBQ's in the summer, and my back yard is like 50 feet wide by maybe 75 feet deep .... no matter where I were to put the hive(s), it would be close to the property line, or close to my shed, or close to my deck .... or too close to my fire pit, etc...
 
edro said:
I have some land now and was thinking about getting one.
Major questions:
1. I am in Ohio, so how do I winter protect it?
2. Where do you get the bees and queen?
3. How do you remove the honey from the comb without a centrifuge?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
What beekee, er, eaglekeeper said. We have a Clemson University extension office that gives classes. My wife's family does it. They learned from the classes.

Edit:BurnIt, friend has 3 hives in his average sized backyard. They spend a lot of time out there without any problems.
 
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