Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?

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rileyfin

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Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« on: December 27, 2011, 12:04 »
I live in a rural area on the edge of woodland, I have a small garden where I keep silkie chickens but am very interested in branching out into bees.
I have spoken to my landlord and they are fine with it, there are plenty of fields bordering on the edge of the wood. I have been given a couple of very good beekeeping books for Christmas and have researched a couple of courses in my area one of which I hope to attend.
I like bees they do not worry me however I need to find out how I feel when faced with a few thousand! :wacko:
I am leaning towards a cedar national hive, I have seen pine/white wood hives are the cedar better? Also my friend got talking to an oder gent who has been keeping bees for 30 odd years and has approx 25 hives, I am hoping she will introduce me to him for advice.
Any advice would be much appreciated - best site, best hive/type and wood, pitfalls etc.
Look forward to hearing from you, MERRY Christmas :happy:

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smud6ie

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2011, 14:04 »
I live in a rural area on the edge of woodland, I have a small garden where I keep silkie chickens but am very interested in branching out into bees.
I have spoken to my landlord and they are fine with it, there are plenty of fields bordering on the edge of the wood. I have been given a couple of very good beekeeping books for Christmas and have researched a couple of courses in my area one of which I hope to attend.
I like bees they do not worry me however I need to find out how I feel when faced with a few thousand! :wacko:
I am leaning towards a cedar national hive, I have seen pine/white wood hives are the cedar better? Also my friend got talking to an oder gent who has been keeping bees for 30 odd years and has approx 25 hives, I am hoping she will introduce me to him for advice.
Any advice would be much appreciated - best site, best hive/type and wood, pitfalls etc.
Look forward to hearing from you, MERRY Christmas :happy:
Beekeeping is a very facinating and  rewarding hobby but before you buy any sort of hive I would seek out that local beekeeper and help him with the bees next spring to see how you get on with them.
Beekeeping groups are a friendly bunch and really helpful in getting new folks started .
smud6ie

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Yorkie

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2011, 15:56 »
Definitely go on a beekeeping course first.  They give you so much information, as well as mentors / contacts, and access to insurance.

There are some other bee threads on this board, if you scroll down the list of threads, so you should get some more info there.
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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spottymint

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2011, 10:34 »
Speaking to my sister about bee's the other day, you really need to do a bee keeping course.

Lots of things that need doing properly, like treating for Varoa mite & keeping records of any medications given for 5 years ( bees are a bit like livestock, as the honey enters the food chain).

Bees can contact notifiable diseases & you will need to learn about the production of queen cells & swarms.

People think my lizards are hard to keep, seems a lot more to be keeping, but with the right training & bee keeping friends you will make, it will become easy.

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mumofstig

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2011, 10:49 »
this site has previously been recommended on the Forum.

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Kate and her Ducks

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2012, 00:12 »
I'm in my first year of keeping bees and I love them.
As someone who was shanghaied into it without much preparation - (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=75852.msg859402#msg859402) I can only agree with all that has been said about going on a course and joining your local beekeeping group. Take it from someone who didn't! I know that really sounds like "Do as I say, not as I do" but having other Beeks about makes a real difference. I have my Mum I can phone if I need help or don't know what's going on and need another opinion (and she talks to Cyril, her bee mentor who tells us what we should be doing!).

It's a really steep learning curve and get used to the stings but I love my bees and am so glad that I started. That being said, winter and not being able to check on them is killing me with anxiety!
Be like a duck. Calm on the surface but always paddling like the dickens underneath.

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darren64

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2012, 16:12 »
by joining an association you will meet experienced beekeepers and be able visit members apiaries,its the best route to go down.

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drypulse

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2012, 15:41 »
It sounds as though you have a good location to suit bees, if you haven't already, I would recommend buying Ted Hooper's book, guide to bees and honey. Also definately join a course, not only will you learn a lot about bee keeping but it will let you handle bees and see if you are comfortable being around them before you splash the cash!

I have a cedar national and personally think they are the best, cedar is the best material to go for, had to do very little mainteance on mine and needs no treating - which can damage bees. Fragile planet do some good starter kits, but at the end of the day if you know someone using another type, it might do better to follow suit, as you may one day need their frames or supers urgently!

If you live in a rural area you might want to think about protection against woodpeckers. They can do a lot of damage especially over winter. Wrapping chicken wire round it in winter I find does the trick!

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rileyfin

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 20:39 »
Thank you so much for all your advice.
Definately going to sign up for the course that starts in march and join Hexham beekeepers association.
My friend got talking to a gent in the pub the other day, he has 25 hives so she is going to introduce me and hopefully I will be able to help him this year.

Really good advice about the possible woodpecker problem, thank you, as I live on the edge of woodland there are alot of woodpeckers who frequent my garden so when I eventually get round to it I will make sure the hive is protected.

As with any live stock keeping bees is quite a responsibility so I want to do it properly. I think if I do a course and help someone this year and them aim to set up my own hives next year would be the most sensible thing to do.

Thanks again  :)

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drypulse

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2012, 17:39 »
Definately sounds like the best course of action. I wish you the best of luck, keep us posted!

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SnooziSuzi

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2012, 18:14 »
good luck with it Rileyfin,  I am in my second full year of beekeeping now in Durham and I can say it has been one of the most worthwhile things I have ever done in my life!

I joined our BKA before getting my bees and I did the introductory course with Durham BKA and last year I did the beginners course (confusing I know, but that's how they label them!).  I hadn't been stung by any bees ever until I did the beginners course and that was because the bees were angry and had just been ripped open without any warning by the course leader, but that's a different story!  my point to that is that you will innevitably be stung by your bees but it's not that bad.... a wasp sting is twice as painful and you are more likely to be stung by a wasp than a bee!

One word of advice, taken from my own experience:  whatever your landlord says about being happy to keep bees on his land make sure you get something in writing about it.  I keep mine on my allotment but have been ordered to move them off site following a complaint by a woman that is scared of any flying creature (apparently she can't even leave her house, she is that scared) and despite the fact that she was unlikely ever to come into contact with my bees the committee still decided that she was the rational one and not me and I had to find somewhere else for them to live  :mad:

Anyhooo,  don't rush into it; it can be an expensive hobby, and take every opportunity you can to help the older gent with his hives - not only will he be glad of the help if he has 25 of them, you'll gain a lot of valuable knowledge too :)

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Kate and her Ducks

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2012, 20:05 »
Suzi's right, the old gent with 25 hives would be a great opportunity to learn and I'm sure he would be glad of the help.

I'm only in my first year and grateful for every bit of help I can get so look for all the help you can get.
Books are good, people are better but now is the time of year to get a good beginner book and start reading up in advance. And collecting bee books seems to be the second hobby you start when you start bee keeping!

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rileyfin

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2012, 09:04 »
Thanks guys, going to try and get an introduction to the older gent in the next couple of weeks, good excuse to visit the pub lol  :tongue2:.
I will speak to my landlady again before I go ahead, dont think I will have any problems though there is nobody around for a few miles. I live in an old gate house which is the entrance to a big hall, it is mostly parkland around me.
Also the farmer where I keep my horse is keen for me to put a hive on his land, I just need to make sure, if I go ahead, that it is protected against the cattle and sheep bumping up against it. He does have a field where there is a walled off area which used to be a small wood, still the odd tree and the cattle and sheep are never in there, would still need to set up a few panels but I think it would be ideal.

Really appreciate all the advice, gona post my BKA application next week and will keep you informed!  :D

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SnooziSuzi

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2012, 12:16 »
...there is nobody around for a few miles. I live in an old gate house which is the entrance to a big hall, it is mostly parkland around me.

Before you ask, no, nobody on here would be remotely jealous of this at all.   Not one bit.  humph!   ::)

Good luck with the bees; sounds like you have an ideal location for them and you are right to be aware to keep them protected from sheep and cattle;  they just can't resist having a scratch against a nice wooden box!

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Yorkie

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Re: Thinking of keeping bees, any advice?
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2012, 18:44 »
If you're in rented accommodation, rileyfin, it might be worth getting her consent in writing if you need it.  You don't want her to go back on a verbal agreement if you've just spent lots of money ...



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