Our new bee hive
- Thread starter Tororider
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Tororider
Veteran Member
The first picture is our new hive at its final location on our property. The second one is of the field trip that we took our kids on that got this whole thing started.
We had taken the kids on a field trip to a farm that does bees as part of our homeschool group. The kids had fun, but I think I had more. After talking to the guy I was pretty interested. I signed up for their more intense adult beekeeping class and after that I ordered the hive. The setup comes with everything you need to get started. We get six medium boxes with frames and foundation, bottom board, top board, hat and veil, gloves, hive tool, queen excluder, entrance feeder, a book on beekeeping, a smoker and fuel.
The bees seem to be happy at their new home and hopefully productive enough that we get some honey this year.
Oh yeah, that second picture... We had about 15 adults and 25 kids around those bees, no one in protective clothing. Bees swarming all around us, and no one got stung. It was pretty cool.
We had taken the kids on a field trip to a farm that does bees as part of our homeschool group. The kids had fun, but I think I had more. After talking to the guy I was pretty interested. I signed up for their more intense adult beekeeping class and after that I ordered the hive. The setup comes with everything you need to get started. We get six medium boxes with frames and foundation, bottom board, top board, hat and veil, gloves, hive tool, queen excluder, entrance feeder, a book on beekeeping, a smoker and fuel.
The bees seem to be happy at their new home and hopefully productive enough that we get some honey this year.
Oh yeah, that second picture... We had about 15 adults and 25 kids around those bees, no one in protective clothing. Bees swarming all around us, and no one got stung. It was pretty cool.
dreamer
Member
Do you have a link to the company you bought the hive and supplies from?
Thanks, dreamer.
Thanks, dreamer.
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
Turtlebee Farms
They aren't a big shipping company. They mostly work with local people I think, but they are a great family and you could definitely call them and see if they can help you out.
The part that I like is that they have a one year guarantee. Meaning if I do my part, and don't take the honey from the brood boxes that the bees need to survive the winter, if my bees don't survive anyways, they will give me new bees in the spring.
They aren't a big shipping company. They mostly work with local people I think, but they are a great family and you could definitely call them and see if they can help you out.
The part that I like is that they have a one year guarantee. Meaning if I do my part, and don't take the honey from the brood boxes that the bees need to survive the winter, if my bees don't survive anyways, they will give me new bees in the spring.
RTII
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Congratulations on the new hive.
We just started beekeeping ourselves begining of May with two hives. Absolutely facinating endevour so far. I don't expect we'll get much honey this year if any. Probably let the bees keep it for this winter and harvest some next year. Already making plans to expand with more hives as well next year. Trying to learn as much as we can with these first two hives.
Do you know what strain of Bees you've got?
We just started beekeeping ourselves begining of May with two hives. Absolutely facinating endevour so far. I don't expect we'll get much honey this year if any. Probably let the bees keep it for this winter and harvest some next year. Already making plans to expand with more hives as well next year. Trying to learn as much as we can with these first two hives.
Do you know what strain of Bees you've got?
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Tororider
Veteran Member
I believe we have Italian hybrids. I believe the queen is Italian and then you get crossed with whatever Drones she mates with on her mating flight. It is quite interesting stuff. Next weekend I need to add on the last brood box.
RTII
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- Brazos and Robertson Counties, Texas
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- Kubota GL 3940, Kubota M5 111
Mine are Italian as well crossed with Carnolian. It's amazing how calm they are. I've yet to try handling the frames without a veil though like y'all are doing in the picture. I will feed and approach them and pop the lid off without one but when we hived ours from nukes and when handling the frames for inspection I wear a veil.
OP
Tororider
Veteran Member
I will probably check the frames without the veil. I actually need to pick my smoker up next weekend, they didn't have it, but I wanted to get the hive set up. That is why I haven't added the third brood box yet, wanted the smoker first. But I was amazed that no one ever got stung at the field trip or the class. It is pretty cool.
I actually have a video of Tim getting the bees out of a mailer pack by beating on it. But the bees didn't have a hive to protect so no one ever got stung. Pretty cool. I will see if I can find a way to load it.
I actually have a video of Tim getting the bees out of a mailer pack by beating on it. But the bees didn't have a hive to protect so no one ever got stung. Pretty cool. I will see if I can find a way to load it.
RTII
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- Joined
- Nov 29, 2009
- Messages
- 338
- Location
- Brazos and Robertson Counties, Texas
- Tractor
- Kubota GL 3940, Kubota M5 111
I am just running one deep brood box and added a medium honey super to each hive a couple of weeks ago after all the brood frames were mostly filled. Been away for a while so I'm anxious to see if they've drawn any more comb in the upper supers. It'll be 2 weeks until I'm able to though. Pictures of my hives. 1st picture shows some new honey comb being drawn. if you can zoom in on the 2nd picture you'll see our queen which is marked with a red paint mark. 3rd picture is just of the hives. The feeders are empty because we stopped feeding after we added the supers.
