Any Bee Keepers Here?

[Seahawk]

My wife and I are looking into bee keeping on the farm. We start attending classes in a few weeks - we have been reading a lot ('The Beekeepers Problem Solver', 'Keeping Honey Bees", etc.) but I am looking for some practical experience.

We have been turning over parts of the farm to native grasses and flowers so this makes sense to us.

Any A students in the class?

[KFC911]

I'm just readin' ...my grandfather had a few hives as did lots of folks back when...y'all rock!

[Roswell]

Bee keeing is a great hobby. I have hives that have been handed down from my grand father - father to me. Contact https://www.mdbeekeepers.org. This is a great resource for you, members of these state associations tend to be very helpful and love to get newbies started.

[flatbutt]

subscribed

[livi]

Peter Sellers had a run in with a beekeeper once.

Good luck, sounds like a great project.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Roswell

Bee keeing is a great hobby. I have hives that have been handed down from my grand father - father to me. Contact https://www.mdbeekeepers.org. This is a great resource for you, members of these state associations tend to be very helpful and love to get newbies started.

That is perfect. The class we are taking are in Southern Maryland,

We are joining MSBA and will go to the 17 February meeting.

Thanks!!! Are you in Maryland?

And yes, Livi, my dog bites

[Crowbob]

Yes. Unintentionally.

A few years back my left leg got nailed by two of 'em mowing the lawn. Ground bees. Look like honey bees but a little smaller. Not aggressive except when you mow over their hole.

Like I got hit with a hammer twice.

Anaphylaxis.

ER.

Touch and go for awhile. Was just about to get intubated when the reaction lifted.

Hour later, back in the yard with a can of HOT SHOT or whatever.

[sixbanger]

I've got hives.Watch Don the fat bee man on youtube.He does blogs every other Thursday. You can join or just watch him. He's very good mentor.

[Roswell]

Seahawk,

In Georgia. You should enjoy the class. My hives are in north GA. Love the honey.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Yes. Unintentionally. Ground bees.

Hour later, back in the yard with a can of HOT SHOT or whatever.

When we moved here 22 years ago, I ran from more ground bees and wasps than I care to recount, including diving in the tobacco pond.

This pretty interesting: Bees have CO2 receptors on their antennae, which allow them to detect our exhalations, and respond aggressively. This ability developed to protect the hive against the threat of bears. Common folklore states that bees sense fear, but really they are sensing fear behavior. If one is nervous around bees, they may breathe more heavily, which can lead to stings.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Roswell

Seahawk,

In Georgia. You should enjoy the class. My hives are in north GA. Love the honey.

Northern Georgia is beautiful country, I've kayaked a lot of rivers there in the old days.

Well done and thanks for your link!

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by sixbanger

I've got hives.Watch Don the fat bee man on youtube.He does blogs every other Thursday. You can join or just watch him. He's very good mentor.

Thank you. I knew there would be folks here. Amazing.

[Crowbob]

I have no problem with bees unless they have a problem with me. In my twisted sort of self-preservation mode of thinking, I have declared chemical warfare a legitimate and reasonable defense so long as it is to maintain a well-defined perimeter or as a pre-emptive elimination of a threat.

It appears colony collapse syndrome has abated in recent years. I am thankful for that.

[JavaBrewer]

I am genetically disqualified from the job. Like Crowbob just one sting will send me to the hospital. BTDT, the anaphylaxis I suffered was no joke.

[Crowbob]

I'm pushing a 21" walk behind mower through some tallish weed/grass and I feel two thwacks. Hm. Musta got whipped by a stalk or hit by ricoched woodchips.

Whatever. Good time to stop so I kill the mower and go to the house for some water. My lips are numb.

Uh oh.

That's when the itching started.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

I have no problem with bees unless they have a problem with me. In my twisted sort of self-preservation mode of thinking, I have declared chemical warfare a legitimate and reasonable defense so long as it is to maintain a well-defined perimeter or as a pre-emptive elimination of a threat.

I actually made a belt for holding two cans of



It was constant chem warfare when we reclaimed the barns and telephone poles.

Mowing was a high risk endeavor even on tractors.

Better living through chemistry.

[Wyvern]

I am a "Hive Master" LoL

I have 5 Top Bar hives on my property and the hobby is really fascinating & rewarding.
Many yeas ago I went to an Ag Boarding school in Australia and the older boys had bees, I promised myself that some day I would do it . I am about 10 years in to it now.

Ill try to dig up and post some photos.

I do this mainly as a hobby and don't sell but gift and use loads of honey.
From honey being my choice of sweeter, to my now annual mead batch.

The world needs bees!
Using the very natural system of Top Bar hive ... I believe is better than the traditional Langstroth hives (the white boxes you see in fields and orchards)
These hives have no queen excluder and all the honey harvested is taken from virgin comb. I use the wax for candles and even made mustache wax when I had my handelbar.
The top bar is almost 4 feet long with the gueen laying brood and the males staying in about the first 18".
I have the last 3 years even been able to "grow" my own queens (that's where the $ is ! $250 for a mated queen and a package of 3 to 4 pounds of bees.)





I have an album on FB if you would like to look.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.268613316489576.87726.100000227304288&type=1&l=b99572e5e6

[Crowbob]

You got that right, Paul

Kinda a philosophical dilemma but practicality, safety and SURVIVAL rule.

The itching started in the groinal area, pacifically along the inguinal crease. Both sides. Intense I'm telling you. Abrasive scratching like a flea-bit hound in a field of stinging deadnettle.

[Seahawk]

That is so cool.

I am interested in the Top Bar hives because of my back...so much data.

I am a complete newb.

Thanks!


Friend request sent from my wife's Facebook - Rebecca.

Originally Posted by Wyvern

I am a "Hive Master" LoL

I have 5 Top Bar hive on my property and hobby is really fascinating.
Many yeas ago I went to an Ag Boarding school in Australia and the older boys had bees, I promised myself that some day I would do it . I am about 10 years in to it.

Ill try to dig up and post some photos.

I do this mainly as a hobby and don't sell but gift and use loads of honey.
From honey being my choice of sweeter, to my now annual mead batch.

The world needs bees!
Using the very natural system of Top Bar hive ... I believe is better than the traditional Langstroth hives (the white boxes you see in fields and orchards)
These hives have no queen excluder and all the honey harvested is taken from virgin comb. I use the wax for candles and even made mustache wax when I had my handelbar.
The top bar is almost 4 feet long with the gueen laying brood and the males staying in about the first 18".
I have the last 3 years even been able to "grow" my own queens (that's where the $ is ! $250 for a mated queen and a package of 3 to 4 pounds of bees.)

[Bill Douglas]

I only know about eating the stuff. I buy honey from a place that's on the edge of a rainforest. The honey flavors are fantastic. It contains that manuka honey that has supposed health benefits, but also contains a lot of natural flavors from the forest. Our cheap supermarket stuff is from hives in grass fields.