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Barnyard Buddies:  Beekeeping - how much attention needed?  |
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mcorwin
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Megan
Ohio
78 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 11 2012 : 3:52:12 PM
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I really would like to keep bees for honey and wax. But my city does not allow them. (Boo!)
The good news is I own some property about an hour away where I could keep some bees. My concern is in the winter time I only go to the property about once per month to check in on it. And in the summer I am there about every 3 weeks.
Do bees need daily/weekly attention? Or would this schedule suffice?
Farmgirl #3285
http://www.heartlandhomesteading.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4241 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4241 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2012 : 05:32:48 AM
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Everyone does some thing different. I try to check on mine every couple weeks or so, after they are established. If you are starting out with a new hive, they would need to be feed sugar syrup to help get them going. Also you would maybe need electric fence or something to protect them from bears, and other varmint that love to wreck the hives. I would think it would be alot easier to be living by them. But you would have to decide yourself.
Michele |
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mcorwin
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Megan
Ohio
78 Posts |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1504 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1504 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2012 : 08:18:56 AM
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Megan, I keep my bees at another location because my HOA doesn't allow them. My bees are only about 15 minutes away and I also have my garden there. But I find that the bees need attention more frequently than every three weeks in the summer and monthly during winter. There are always checks to be made, feeding buckets to change, frames to add or rearrange, cleaning the bottom board, etc. Michele is right, you need to have them close enough that you can keep an eye on them. They really aren't as auto-pilot as you might think.
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
http://blueskyanddaisies.blogspot.com
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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YakLady
True Blue Farmgirl
652 Posts
Natalie
Montana
USA
652 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2012 : 09:10:57 AM
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Not to derail your topic, mcorwin, but I'd like to add a question, if that's okay... Anyone with a hive on their property- what's the minimum distance you'd recommend to have the boxes from say your house or your barn?
~Natalie~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana. http://mtnme.blogspot.com
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, and a few dogs. |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4241 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4241 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2012 : 04:52:36 AM
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Mine are right in my yard. Maybe 30 or less feet from the house. Same distance from the barn. My sheep pasture is right next to the bees yard. I have not had any problems with the girls.
Megan are your bees taking the syrup? Have you gotten into the hive and looked to see what is going on? I had purchases some pollen patties when I got my hives, and I just put one of those in for my girls. We are going to be warm this week, so it is a guessing game on what to do. I plan on checking the hive out on one of these warm days. I do have to clean out my dead hive. Hopeing to do a split earlier this year, if the old hive is going strong.
Michele |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4241 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4241 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2012 : 04:54:35 AM
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oh crud, I got confused here and wrote about the other bee keeping topic that is going sorry Megan! getting ahead of myself here.
Michele |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
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mcorwin
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Megan
Ohio
78 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2012 : 07:36:17 AM
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Sheila, I am near Columbus, but would be willing to travel a bit for good info. Thanks for the tip! I will have to look with the club.
Sounds like it would be best for me to be near to bees. I am so bummed I live in a suburb that won't allow hens or bees. And I am allergic to rabbits. :-(
I guess as much as I would love to be an animal/insect farmer, it just isn't in the cards for me right now.
Farmgirl #3285
http://www.heartlandhomesteading.com |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2012 : 09:20:41 AM
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Megan, We used to live in OH up by Bellefontaine, and I remember when we went to the fair there was a big display by the Columbus area beekeeping association (and they offer lots of classes, etc) their website is http://www.centralohiobeekeepers.org/ and the one in the Miami Valley is the mvbeekeepers.org They'd offer you lots of friendly helpful ideas. When we talked to the guys at the fair they seemed pretty open and friendly at least.
http://troutwife.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/brooktroutwife |
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mcorwin
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Megan
Ohio
78 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2012 : 10:05:10 AM
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Fantastic! Thanks, Sheila! Bellefontaine - one of those places in Ohio that is not at all pronounced how it should be. ;-)
Farmgirl #3285
http://www.heartlandhomesteading.com |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Jennifer
Altamont
NY
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2012 : 4:38:53 PM
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When I first started out I opened them every 1-2 weeks. It's good to get in the hives often to learn (but not too much - don't want to always be disturbing them). Now I usually go in them every 2-3 weeks. I do watch the entrances for a bit almost every day (except in winter). You can tell a lot just by watching them come and go!
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
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mcorwin
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Megan
Ohio
78 Posts |
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Barnyard Buddies: Beekeeping - how much attention needed? |
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Beekeeping - how much attention needed?
