Bee keeping

[Headfry]

Well, lesson 2!
What a smashing evening it was.....so laid back and friendly! what a brillianat way to learn.It's like chatting to an old friend, we learn as we go along, see what happens and learn from that too! great if you are a little nervous! there is no pressure at all, just kindness and fun!
Last night we kitted up and opened a hive! thousands of lovely happy bees, all very busy.
found the Queen and learnt how to clip her wing! she seemed not to even notice!
Put on a new 'super'
I got stung.....my fault, I squished the bee in the fold of my jeans...poor little bee.
OH has said I can order a hive!!!! how excited am I.... x millions!
2 weeks till the next meeting...cant wait!

[sanman]

Hi Headfry

I start my course next week. There were several options but I chose the one where you get your bees and hives included with the course. This means you actually handle your own bees whilst learning and then take them home at the end of the course. I'm very very excited

[yoanbob]

ooooh sooooo jealous!!!!!!

[Headfry]

Ordered hive yesterday....going to get a National! collect it in 2 weeks!
course is really good! got stung last week, not so bad! poor little bee though.
The Hive will come as a 'flat pack' OH said he will enjoy building it, thats a good start, he is not so sure bees are for him......yet

[sanman]

Headfry

Where are you keeping your hive?

Cheers
Mark

[TonyF]

Advice please. My intention is to locate 4 hives which my chum and I will look after between us, in a walnut grove, 140 walnut trees, the grass and flowers in which will be cut twice a year.

The grove is surrounded by open fields or quite thick woodlands.

Plenty of room for the bees to leave the hives, lots of room to fly around but as the walnuts don't flower as such, would this be a problem?

We're not looking for specialist honey, just mille fleur.

[Headfry]

TonyF, hi, I am sure your site will be fine. I am told there are hives on top of roofs in the city! (London) and they still get plenty of honey!
It sounds beautiful there! I would love to see a picture!
Possibly, I would try and go for the most open area you have.
Will you buy your hives in France? how lovely!
sanman, hi, I got permission a while ago to have them on our allotment. The people near us are more than happy. We will take every care possible so as not to cause any problems! They will be right at the far end away from most people surrounded by high screens to make the bees fly upwards. I would like to end up with 3 hives, incase something goes wrong, at least I will have an option to bread a 'new hive' of bees.......when I know how to of course!!

[TonyF]

My long term ambition with bees is to be one of the bee people that get called out to deal with swarms - they're like gold dust round here, used to be a fireman's job but they don't do it now and the apiarists are all giving up, mainly because of their ages!

[Headfry]

Are they any shops for you to buy your 'kit' from out there?

[TonyF]

Lots, there is a huge bee farm about 10k from me though my chum has hives but the farm sells at reduced prices to people in the local bee keepers group.

It's quite rural here and the honey shops do a roaring trade so getting kit isn't a problem - and from what I see online, it's a lot cheaper here than the UK because it's a low wage economy.

[sanman]

Started my course last night. First hive had been split the week before (artificial swarm) because queen cells were present. We split it into two nucs which eventually go to people on the course at the end. The bees were lovely and quiet (canolian). We then did an artifical swarm on the second hive, these bees were much more active. It just the difference you can get between hives Can't wait till next week

[Headfry]

sanmam, Hi - glad you are enjoying your course! do you have bees or will you you be getting some?

[sanman]

Hi Headfry

My course includes cost of bees and hive which I'll be getting on my last day. I just hope I get one of the carnolian nucs as they really were extremely placid bees. Having said that even though the other hive was far more active nobody got stung.

[Headfry]

What type of hive are you going for?

[sanman]

I'm going for a National as it seems the most popular in the UK.