honey bees, how to start

[ticks]

I will try to find a book site that might have it. Maybe a Storey's guide

 

[ticks]

I found all of these books on BARNES AND NOBLE oops hit caps lock
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Bee+Keeping

 

[ticks]

I liek the beekeeping for dummies.
all of the For dummies books are really good and detailed.

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks, ticks! I will look into them

 

[reinbeau]

Hi Ann, I am considering keeping bees next year. Have been reading up on it. Care to tell us what your take on it is. The amount of work etc.
I know there is a club in Hinham, which is the next town over from me.Thinking of checking it out.

Hingham? No club there that I know of, please tell me more about it. The Plymouth County Beekeeper's Association is the local club, and they meet the fourth Wednesday of every month (as a matter of fact it's a week from tonight, on 7/23/08). We meet at the Plymouth County Extension Service building on High Street in Hanson. Let me know if you want to go and I'll give you better directions.

Amount of work.....well, it goes in spurts (and it's far less than having chickens). When you do your first install, it's exciting, some may say terrifying, a bit, until you realize they're so confused, all they want is a home.....you have to check for queen release in a few days, if she isn't out, you release her, feed them with a hivetop feeder (you need to feed them during their first spring, at least, to help them get established, they've got nothing to eat other than sugar water to build comb with and to keep themselves warm during our wonderful warm springs). Then during the season you have to add supers, stay ahead of the flow, harvest honey in the late summer/early fall, then get them ready for winter. It's not a lot of work, but the learning curve is interesting. If you get them through the winter, the spring of the second year is a bit easier, you may have to feed them a bit over the winter (or a lot) and then in the spring start adding supers as the flows happens. I've simplified it a bit.

What you really need to do is to get a mentor, and the best way to do that is to join the club. It's cheap, I think it's $15 a year, or $18, and that's a full family membership. Great group of people - I hope you decide to join us!

 

[the simple life]

Hi Ann,
That would be great, I would love to go.I had found this through a link you had posted the other day and thought it was in Hingham, that must just be his contact info. What time do you meet?
I would love to have some fresh honey, I make my own granola and have to buy alot of it.
Its not the only reason though, it just interests me, and although some bees make me nervous flying around if I don't know what they are, I want my kids to understand the way the whole thing works, its really quite amazing.
It will be great to meet in person, I am terrible at directions but my husband will drive me.(otherwise is only option is to stay home with the kids)

Plymouth County Bkprs. Assoc.
David W. Hayden - President
186 New Bridge St.
Hingham, MA 02043
Email: Beemandwh@aol.com

 

[reinbeau]

Ah, that explains it. Old info. Dave was our President a few years ago - he isn't computer literate at all, so no doubt this link has been forgotten!

High Street in Hanson is off of Route 58. You'll probably be coming down Route 58 from Weymouth. When you get into Hanson you'll go by a Shaws on your right. At the next set of lights, take a 'soft' right - hard right will take you down Route 14, you don't want that. Go up High Street probably a mile and a half and the Plymouth County Extension Service building will be on your left. Watch for a white sign on the street. Come on in and join us! I will be late, I've got a class to teach from 6-7 so I usually get there around 7:20. It'll be neat to meet in real life! And they're a great bunch of people. You'll be getting your bees in the spring (July isn't the time to start a hive, it's too late) so you'll have plenty of time to learn, and the beekeeping school starts in January.

 

[reinbeau]

I liek the beekeeping for dummies.
all of the For dummies books are really good and detailed.

Beekeeping for Dummies is a great book, and the cover photo was shot by John, the forum owner of Beemaster.com. It's a great place to start.

 

[ticks]

I liek the beekeeping for dummies.
all of the For dummies books are really good and detailed.

Beekeeping for Dummies is a great book, and the cover photo was shot by John, the forum owner of Beemaster.com. It's a great place to start.

Thanks!

 

[the simple life]

Thanks Ann, I 'll see you there.