[mickwood]

I find myself getting more and more into this 'good life business' and having started with a few chickens in the garden, then getting an allotment I now find myself on the brink of getting bees!

I wondered how many folks on this forum have them? or want them? If there was a substantial amount of beekeepers then it may be worth asking those in high places if we can have a new section in the forums on beekeeping?

But for now....just for interests sake...

Do you Keep Bees? 

[Yabba]

I'm "thinking about it" ... tad to much responsibility for my current level of commitment

¥

[poultrygeist]

Hi Mick

To quote the Hen House introduction...
Keeping chickens or laying hens is the next step from growing your own vegetables. Maybe you have ducks, geese or your own Christmas turkey. Perhaps you produce your own honey. This is the forum for help and advice and passing on your tips and knowledge rather than chatting.

QED 

Rob

[mickwood]

Ah....cheers rob, I've just not seen that much 'bee keeper activity' - best keep an eye on the hen house then eh? 

[poultrygeist]

There's one or two who set up some hives last year but I haven't heard from them for a while. I know there's a bit of interest for this year or next.

I'd love to but, like yabba, would only do it if I could give it the time and effort. Best thing might be to look up your local beekeeping group and get on a course. Roughlee has been attending one and I don;t think it was expensive. I'm sure he'd fill you in on some of the pros and cons, etc.

Rob

[mickwood]

Yeah, I seem to have missed all the courses around here. they tend to be run in winter - ready for the season ahead. I'm in contact with the local Beekeepers association and am gonna attend a meeting of their's on 2nd July.

[Babstreefern]

I was interested in bee-keeping, but found the cost was a leetle expensive for all the tackle.  But yes, the best place is to contact your local Beekeeping association.  They will put you in touch with people who can give you a queen and a swarm.

[LivvyW]

My OH is the beekeeper in our house. He had a yearning to keep bees for a while and we've had 3 - 5 hives for the last couple of years.
 
He's a carpenter so he makes a lot of the hives himself. Buying in the frames and more fiddly
bits.

To me, it does look like there is a lot to learn. He attends the odd seminar, and dips into two localish beekeepers associations. But mostly he reads and reads reads, but then i suppose i'm as bad with my veg mags.

Despite a few initial worries with a small child in the house, i have to say, the bees have been no trouble. Only the beekeeper has been stung. The hives are only about 35 feet from the front of the house.

The honey is wonderful. Extracting it from the frames is a messy business, my kitchen is sticky for days, but it's worth it.  Of course it's also worth it for the pollinating work they do in my kitchen garden.

He would certainly recommend it.

I'll dip into his favorites and see if i can do a link to his forum site

www.britishbee.org.uk