[Kate and her Ducks]

My mum has just started Bee School and is loving it. I'm really jealous but will have to wait till I have somewhere with a bit more space.
Will have to continue to dream of my orchard with bee hives in the corner and a couple of geese.

[Porffor]

I went to boarding school for a few years as a child and we did a few sessions on bee keeping - in full 'get up' smoking out etc etc.. I don't think i've ever been the same since! honestly, i don't mind them, but am not a lover of them. Don't kill them though, just open lots of windows if we get one in the house!

Hope you enjoy your course though i'm sure it'll be lovely to have your own honey, I love honey!

[Foxy]

My OH is dead keen to have a few hives so we have been looking a some bee keeping courses. It looks like a wonderful hobby!

pics of bumble bees please!!!    

PS: Are French bees the same as English ones?

[SnooziSuzi]

PS: Are French bees the same as English ones?

Yes, but they say 'les buzzzz, les buzzzz' instead  


Sorry - had to be done!  :clown:

[CMFAM]

we've been keeping bees for over 5 years now, we have 7 hives, and last year we had about 240 lb of honey in weight.  You can not beat the taste of your own honey, it is not as sweet as the shop honey.  My hubby taught himself bee keeping with the help of other local bee keepers. - he thinks its a great hobby, althou when we extract the honey once a year it takes all day to do, and i end up with a very sticky kitchen, but lots of honey for the year

[Porffor]

Sounds wonderful and very satisfying i'll bet.
Where abouts in Wales are you? I'm in the SW.

[CMFAM]

pembrokeshire, and if we have visitors and they show an interest in his bees, he is in his element and can talk for hours about them

[Porffor]

not that far then, we are in Carmarthenshire Not far from Llanelli.

lol at your hubby chatting for hours! lol my hubby is like that about music.. me.. animals!

[Fat Hen]

I would love to keep bees, however I live in middle of estate in Blackpool.  When I where a lad my school had a few hives and I loved to get involved in looking after them.

Past few years i've made "hotels" for solitary bees (with my daughters), and have had local kids coming to watch bees come and make their nests.

Though this year i've not seen any bee activity in my garden. :cry:

[peggyprice]

Just think how many bees you could keep!!!

Mmmmm - and of course I'd have to give them all names      

But ... still no answer ... how much space do you actually need for a hive?  I have a feeling it's not as much as might be thought ...

Kate, can you ask your mum??