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Barnyard Buddies:  anyone keep honeybees?  |
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QueenofQuiteAlot
True Blue Farmgirl
865 Posts
Dalyn
Milk 'n Honey Ranch
Central, WA
USA
865 Posts |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4269 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4269 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 04:43:22 AM
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there are quite a few of us that are beekeepers. I have all medium, 8 frame boxes. I did modify, and have vent box, as my mentor does. This is their second year. I hope they make it through winter for me again.
I like the size of my boxes, as they are heavy when full of honey.
Michele |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 06:47:10 AM
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michele do you sell your honey? i love honey. it is surely something i would do if papa john was not allergic. honey is such a miracle. lucky girls you are. sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 08:05:43 AM
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We started out with two top bar hives and two packages. We installed the two packages into their hives and one package immediately absconded (moved out to destinations unknown). The remaining hive prospered throughout the season and surprisingly survived over last winter, when many colonies did not. We did not remove any honey from their hive though. This year I started a Warre hive and it has been doing so well. We are getting ready to pull the top box off to extract honey from the Warre hive. There is one remaining box that we will remove before winter. So we plan on getting two full boxes of honey out of one hive this year. I could have probably added another, but it was so stinkin' hot this summer that we didn't get around to it. The nectar flow is still very strong here so they could have filled another box, if I had timed it properly. I plan on adding another Warre hive next year. In my opinion, top bar hives are great for keeping a strong colony of pollinators, but I didn't feel comfortable pulling honey from it due to the limited size of the hive. The Warre Hive allows the bees to build their own comb and therefore build a healthier colony, but it also seems to be more conducive to harvesting honey.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
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Lady Woodworker
True Blue Farmgirl
259 Posts
Karen
Chamberlain
Maine
USA
259 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 1:52:46 PM
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This is fascinating...
I do not keep bees but I would be interested to know more.
Can anyone tell me where I might begin? Books? Courses? I know NOTHING other than I really love honey--especially raw honey.
What a neat thing to do.
YUM!!!
Karen
Farmgirl Sister # 2419 |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 5:08:25 PM
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My neighbor and I are taking a beginners bee keeping class in November. I am so excited. I will ask the instructor about the Warre Hives and see what they are using. Dalyn there are MANY books and magazines on bee keeping.
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 5:20:49 PM
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We use topbar hives for our bees. We started last year with 2 hives and 8 pounds of bees but they all left after a bit. This year we set up 1 topbar and got a 2 pound package and they are doing exceptionally well so far.
You might try looking up beekeepers associations in your state or even check with your local county extension office or 4H for info. You might also check out The Barefoot Beekeeper, Rossman Apiaries, Brushy Mountain Bee Farm. We get our bees from Wilbanks (as they are right down the road) but you should make sure you get your order in asap, they tend to go rather quickly.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 5:25:13 PM
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Dalyn, I just looked a your blogs and I must say you are a VERY busy woman. I would love to have a farm like yours. My husband and I havent decided on to have either cows or goats. Can you tell me what kind of fence you have to have? Wonderful things you are doing and I bet yummy too.
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
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Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 5:31:41 PM
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I'm so interested in doing this. Although I must admit I am hesitant because I know nothing about bees or their care so I need to learn so much before I attempt that. Keep us updated on how it goes and we can learn with you.
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
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QueenofQuiteAlot
True Blue Farmgirl
865 Posts
Dalyn
Milk 'n Honey Ranch
Central, WA
USA
865 Posts |
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QueenofQuiteAlot
True Blue Farmgirl
865 Posts
Dalyn
Milk 'n Honey Ranch
Central, WA
USA
865 Posts |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1507 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1507 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2011 : 9:37:48 PM
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I currently have two beehives and plan to expand to a third one next year as my colonies grow large enough to split. I started both hives from package bees this spring. Since the bees spent most of the summer building comb I won't harvest any of their hard-earned honey this fall. But they have been busy building up a good winter store for both hives so I'm really pleased that I won't have to feed them sugar syrup.
I'm using traditional 10-frame Langstroth hive equipment for now. I use deep boxes for brood and mediums for honey supers. I also use a slatted rack at the bottom of my colonies and a vivaldi board (vent box) for ventilation. I'm also experimenting with drone comb to help keep varroa mites in check.
If you haven't already done so, I recommend ordering catalogs from several beekeeping suppliers and joining websites like Beesource. You can get lots of ideas on different ways to set up your hives and it is very helpful to know what kind of equipment is available when the time comes to need it. I found that my curiousity about the various types of tools and equipment helped open my eyes to things I needed to know during my first two years.
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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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4269 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4269 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2011 : 04:10:57 AM
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I started out by reading books at the library! Go through them and see which if any you would want to buy, to have for reference. I forgot to add that I am foundation-less. This has worked out great, and I am in awe of how much those gals work. I did split my one hive this summer, and I let them raise their own queen. The original hive also swarmed, and we were just ready to catch them and they took off. So hopeing both hives make it through the winter.
Sherrye I don't sell any honey. I have not gotten enough, as I use quite a bit. I also make sure to leave alot for the girls to overwinter on.
Michele |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
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QueenofQuiteAlot
True Blue Farmgirl
865 Posts
Dalyn
Milk 'n Honey Ranch
Central, WA
USA
865 Posts |
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Barnyard Buddies: anyone keep honeybees? |
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anyone keep honeybees?
