Bee farming

[20 20]

Hey folks I'll try this a again. I just wrote a bunch just to have the site kick me out{arrgh!!!} Thanks for the info,
Dave1949 that hive is looks very interesting . Now my brain is going to have to think {hahaha}

Jstpssng, I was wondering how an electric fence may work against my land owners{bears}.

Gold Star, welcome to the site, I'll probably have questions for you

 

[forgeblast]

After seeing gold stars hives i became real interested in that design.

http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_67/815000/815182/3/print/How_to_build_a_TBH.pdf

also check out The Barefoot Beekeeper
I didnt realize there were so many different ways to keep bees. I though there way only the box type bee hives.
After checking out those sites i may start a bee hive this summer.....
after i finish the chicken coop, plant the garden, cut firewood, etc...lol one more project.

 

[dcyrilc]

Hey folks I'll try this a again. I just wrote a bunch just to have the site kick me out{arrgh!!!} Thanks for the info,
Dave1949 that hive is looks very interesting . Now my brain is going to have to think {hahaha}

Jstpssng, I was wondering how an electric fence may work against my land owners{bears}.

Gold Star, welcome to the site, I'll probably have questions for you

When our local bee club places hives in the mountians for the fire weed flow, they use battery powered electric fencing to keep the bears at bay. My understanding is that the only times they have had a problem, they have also found the battery or the charger to be dead. Hence, no active fence. They have never found the fence down or hives destirbed with a working battery and charger.

 

[heehaw]

just for info: in our area, if you want your hives to build up an be ready for the honey flow, its time to feed them some sugar water: 2 parts sugar to one part water: makes the queen start laying a lot more.
heehaw

 

[20 20]

Just wanted to update folks; My wife and I went to a bee class sat, it was very interesting. They didn't really know much about the TBH{top bar hive}. I did learn quite a bit which will come in handy. I also ordered a nuc of bees that should come be here in a few weeks. I also bought lumber to build a TBH. When I get it done I'll try to get some pictures.

Thanks again for all the info and ideas :thumbsup:

 

[dave1949]

Thanks for the update and good for you 20_20. Hope it goes well for you.

Just recently read the commercial bees continue to go downhill. Rural folks should all get into keeping a hive probably.
Dave.

 

[Mousefield]

Good luck with your new bees, there are sure needed for pollination purposes and that yummy :licking: honey to boot.
Just read a few weeks ago that about 90% of the bee colonies on our 12,000 sq mile island have died off. :confused2: Could be mites but no one seems to really know.

 

[20 20]

Hi Dave1949 and Mousefield. The instructor told us one of the reason for bee die off up here last year was starvation. With all of the rain and bad weather the bees could not get the food they needed.

I also saw a news clip on how many of the chemicals being used may be causing issue's with the bees natural immune system. There seems to be a very fine line on what and how many products{chemicals} should be used. This will be one of our hardest struggles, I'm sure????? One side says to use chemicals while the other say's no chemicals. I am going to try and go as natural as possible, let nature do what it has done for millions of years. I don't care for chemicals and if at all possible rather not use them. I think another problem in my area may be the hard winters. I will have to make sure the little guys and gals are wraped and warm through the tough winter months.

 

[dave1949]

Hi Dave1949 and Mousefield. The instructor told us one of the reason for bee die off up here last year was starvation. With all of the rain and bad weather the bees could not get the food they needed.

I also saw a news clip on how many of the chemicals being used may be causing issue's with the bees natural immune system. There seems to be a very fine line on what and how many products{chemicals} should be used. This will be one of our hardest struggles, I'm sure????? One side says to use chemicals while the other say's no chemicals. I am going to try and go as natural as possible, let nature do what it has done for millions of years. I don't care for chemicals and if at all possible rather not use them. I think another problem in my area may be the hard winters. I will have to make sure the little guys and gals are wraped and warm through the tough winter months.

Well, that makes sense now that you say it. Everything around us that is fruit and flower bearing did poorly last year. Blackberries, elderberry, wild flowers were all pretty anemic last summer. Garden was poor, stuff didn't ripen. I thought it was a pretty good year for hardwood tree growth, probably from the extra moisture and no heat stress.

Let us know how your new project goes every now and then please.
Dave.

 

[dave1949]

20 20
Any update on your bee project? I thought about this thread yesterday. I was outside surrounded by white and red clover on a nice sunny day and could only see 3 bees. Years ago there would have so many you could hear a constant background buzz.
Dave.