Bee Keepers ?

[troutsqueezer]

I've been keeping around 7 hives for 10 years. I wear a simple nylon jacket w/hood plus gloves. Haven't been stung yet.

I typically get around 300-400 pounds of honey per year.

Most experienced beekeepers these days don't even try to catch swarms. It's not worth the effort. Much easier and more reliable to split hives, grow queens (or buy queens) if one needs to expand the apiary.

 

[BuzzardA91]

I keep 2-3 hive for the past 3 years. Between bears and weather I have t had much luck but I keep on trying. My two hives made it through the winter into their second year and appear strong. I have one more package coming in May to start a third.

 

[Rayster]

When I was a kid, Dad & I found a bee tree one day while squirrel hunting. Dad went and bought a hive and borrowed a smoker. I had to help him cut that tree down, move honeycomb into the hive, find the queen and move her into the hive, etc. The next day we moved the hive closer to the house, actually out close to the barn and garden. Then Dad decided to buy 6 more hives of bees. Dad never used any kind of protection at all; just worked quietly around the bees and I don't recall him ever getting stung. I wasn't that lucky, although I did work with him robbing the honey, moving the hives to a clover & vetch pasture in the winter, back up by the garden for the summer, etc.

HOWEVER . . ., I vowed years ago to never eat another bite of honey if I had to take it away from a bee!

That's really incredible

 

[Rayster]

I hear of small black bear sightings not far off now and then. I can't imagine having bears as a concern on a regular basis.

 

[GaryS]

I started with 1 hive and as folks have said, that was a real mistake. The next year I started two and only had 1 last the following winter. I went into the winter with 5 hives but this winter has been long. I think I've lost 2.

The more hives you have, the options you have for management. If I go into fall with a couple weak hives, I combine them to give them a better chance of surviving the winter.

I started with bees because I have apple/pear trees and grape vines. I was only going to be a bee-haver and use them only for pollination. But the little buggers got the better of me and I've paid more attent to the bees and have ignored the trees

My first years were learning years and many bees died because I didn't do the right thing. I'm not saying I figured it out but I now have more bees living than dead!

 

[Gil A]

Check with your Extension Office and see if there is a "BeeKeepers" group in your area. Believe there is one in Springfield. I am member of "Golden Valley" which meets once a month in Clinton. You meet other Beekeepers and learn from them. Been into beekeeping over 35 years and still learning. Just a hobby. Have two hives now, most ever had at one time was six. Should you need swarms or Queens, Neil Brunner (Green Thumb Farm), Stockton, MO, is a good source. He's listed or contact me for address.
Regards,
Gil Alligood

 

[Rayster]

The club here is "The Bee Keepers Society of the Ozarks" I believe. Lisa signed us up some time back. That's pretty close, I will write down Neil's info, thanks for the tip.

 

[Gander]

We will be keeping bees here next year. This year we contacted a local honey company and said they could put hives on our property. In exchange, they teach us how to care for them and also hook us up with free honey. Not a bad deal.

 

[shysterk]

My second year having 'em and I have a long way to go before I can call myself a beekeeper. I lost one hive over this winter and I was bummed. I hope to be a better bee keeper this year and not at their expense. I do wear a bee suit and face net, they leave me alone but just from cutting grass or walking by I've learned they get a little moody sometimes. I have opened the hive up before and they could care less I was there. Other times just walking 10 ft near the hive and five or six start buzzing after me. Then there was this time where I was just chilling in a chair outside and this little honey bee lands on my wrist and I just stayed still, let it check me out and really got a good look at it. Very fuzzy, gentle looking thing. Then it lifted off to fly away and my girlfriend swatted at it and knocked it right in my lap and it stung me in the wrist. Be kind, be gentle, and be fast!

 

[Redneck in training]

I am retiring in about a year from now and planning to have few bee hives. There is a hollow tree on my property that houses a bee hive about every other year.

My brother is a beekeeper for many years but lives in Czech Republic. Beekeeping is very popular hobby among village folks there. Here is a link to their web page. Medový den Mlado It is in Czech language though but there are bunch of pictures. The club just celebrated 80th anniversary last year.