Re: [unschoolingbasics] Bees WAS Re: pros-cons question for Kelly
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/12/2005 8:49:21 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
jnjstau@... writes:
Kelli!!!!
You do bees!!!
I want to learn bees so much. Could you recommend some websites, books,
etc.?
Thanks,
Julie S.<<<<
I have two hives. I got the hives themselves last Christmas and the bees for
the following (early) Mother's Day.
If you're going to have them *this* year, buy NOW! Get your hives asap and
paint them and get them ready for your "girls." You need to hive your girls in
March/April, depending on your location---so it's time now to start making
plans!
There are some awful pests and diseases that are attacking bees right
now---mites, hive beetles, and wax moths----just to name a few. Getting your bees
can be hard because there's a severe shortage. I'm trying to avoid chemicals
and pesticides, so I use teatree oil and powdered sugar and pipe tobacco to
keep them healthy. You don't HAVE to use chemicals!
There are TONS of books and websites . I use Brushy Mountain Bee Farm ---
_www.beeequipment.com_ (http://www.beeequipment.com) and their phone number is
1-800-BEESWAX <g> for supplies AND bees.
But my best advice is to find a local beekeeper who will help you. Our
beekeepers association has a monthly meeting with timely topics----and several
oldtimers volunteer to come out and help you set up or check your bees or be on
call for all sorts of pathetic questions! <g> They offer classes every
spring for new and potential keepers.
Ask around---maybe with your local Agricultural department.
I started with two hives, one smaller English Garden Hive and a larger
"regular" hive. I put 2 lbs of bees in the smaller hive and 3 lbs in the larger
one, with marked queens. All together, I spent maybe $300? A friend gave me her
heavy duty bee suit----but some thick cover-alls and duct tape will work.
My BEEginner's Kit came with gloves and a veil as well as all the hives tools.
They are (to me) absolutely the most fascinating creatures on the planet! I
can sit out there all day and watch them fly out to forage---and when I enter
the hives, I probably spend WAAAAY too much time just poking around! <G>
We didn't rob them last year because I was more concerned with their having
enough food through their first winter. But they had loads of honey in there
yesterday when I checked---AND are already foraging in this stupid SC weather
(79 yesterday----but it'll be down to 19 this weekend). But it's standard
practice NOT to rob them the first year. You get a little honey the second; the
third year on, you can plan on bumper crops! <g>
My gardens were more vibrant and productive last year than ever before (I
have fruit, vegetable, herb, and flower gardens) ----and I know it was due to
the girls. I'm the only one to have been stung (three times). The girls
haven't bothered the children/pets at all.
Your library should have numerous bee books, but if they don't, I'd ask
Brushy Mountain what they'd recommend. The web is chocked full, but I have none
bookmarked. But my best advice is another, experienced beekeeper. Jack and
Frank and Mike have been invaluable to me!
OH! and just DOING it! <g> You'll learn SO much just by being IN the hive!
~Kelly, happy beekeeper
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jnjstau@... writes:
Kelli!!!!
You do bees!!!
I want to learn bees so much. Could you recommend some websites, books,
etc.?
Thanks,
Julie S.<<<<
I have two hives. I got the hives themselves last Christmas and the bees for
the following (early) Mother's Day.
If you're going to have them *this* year, buy NOW! Get your hives asap and
paint them and get them ready for your "girls." You need to hive your girls in
March/April, depending on your location---so it's time now to start making
plans!
There are some awful pests and diseases that are attacking bees right
now---mites, hive beetles, and wax moths----just to name a few. Getting your bees
can be hard because there's a severe shortage. I'm trying to avoid chemicals
and pesticides, so I use teatree oil and powdered sugar and pipe tobacco to
keep them healthy. You don't HAVE to use chemicals!
There are TONS of books and websites . I use Brushy Mountain Bee Farm ---
_www.beeequipment.com_ (http://www.beeequipment.com) and their phone number is
1-800-BEESWAX <g> for supplies AND bees.
But my best advice is to find a local beekeeper who will help you. Our
beekeepers association has a monthly meeting with timely topics----and several
oldtimers volunteer to come out and help you set up or check your bees or be on
call for all sorts of pathetic questions! <g> They offer classes every
spring for new and potential keepers.
Ask around---maybe with your local Agricultural department.
I started with two hives, one smaller English Garden Hive and a larger
"regular" hive. I put 2 lbs of bees in the smaller hive and 3 lbs in the larger
one, with marked queens. All together, I spent maybe $300? A friend gave me her
heavy duty bee suit----but some thick cover-alls and duct tape will work.
My BEEginner's Kit came with gloves and a veil as well as all the hives tools.
They are (to me) absolutely the most fascinating creatures on the planet! I
can sit out there all day and watch them fly out to forage---and when I enter
the hives, I probably spend WAAAAY too much time just poking around! <G>
We didn't rob them last year because I was more concerned with their having
enough food through their first winter. But they had loads of honey in there
yesterday when I checked---AND are already foraging in this stupid SC weather
(79 yesterday----but it'll be down to 19 this weekend). But it's standard
practice NOT to rob them the first year. You get a little honey the second; the
third year on, you can plan on bumper crops! <g>
My gardens were more vibrant and productive last year than ever before (I
have fruit, vegetable, herb, and flower gardens) ----and I know it was due to
the girls. I'm the only one to have been stung (three times). The girls
haven't bothered the children/pets at all.
Your library should have numerous bee books, but if they don't, I'd ask
Brushy Mountain what they'd recommend. The web is chocked full, but I have none
bookmarked. But my best advice is another, experienced beekeeper. Jack and
Frank and Mike have been invaluable to me!
OH! and just DOING it! <g> You'll learn SO much just by being IN the hive!
~Kelly, happy beekeeper
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Danielle Conger
Bees, mud wrestling, animal strewing, conferences...
Go ahead and laugh, but those Funshops plant seeds! I've wanted to
beekeep for ages; now, I know some one to turn to when we have the space.
This Christmas we got a belly dancing DVD set (thanks to Mindy!), and
I'm seriously considering working with service animals (thanks to
Kelly!) if we move to a larger property--and getting bees, too, of course.
You never know where these things will lead. Isn't that WONDERFUL!
--Danielle
http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html
kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
Go ahead and laugh, but those Funshops plant seeds! I've wanted to
beekeep for ages; now, I know some one to turn to when we have the space.
This Christmas we got a belly dancing DVD set (thanks to Mindy!), and
I'm seriously considering working with service animals (thanks to
Kelly!) if we move to a larger property--and getting bees, too, of course.
You never know where these things will lead. Isn't that WONDERFUL!
--Danielle
http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html
kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
> In a message dated 1/12/2005 8:49:21 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> jnjstau@... writes:
>
> Kelli!!!!
>
> You do bees!!!
>
>
mamaaj2000
--- In [email protected], Danielle Conger
<danielle.conger@c...> wrote:
Nat'l Guard Logistics Officers from mud wrestling. He wouldn't ask
why even when I dared him!
Now this is, of course, directly on subject: how to win over spouses
and others who don't immediately leap at the chance to just sit back
and enjoy whatever subjects happen to come up. I mean, it can't be
that easy, can it?
--aj
<danielle.conger@c...> wrote:
> Bees, mud wrestling, animal strewing, conferences...Yeh, but I just frightened dh by telling him I got on the subject of
>
> You never know where these things will lead. Isn't that WONDERFUL!
Nat'l Guard Logistics Officers from mud wrestling. He wouldn't ask
why even when I dared him!
Now this is, of course, directly on subject: how to win over spouses
and others who don't immediately leap at the chance to just sit back
and enjoy whatever subjects happen to come up. I mean, it can't be
that easy, can it?
--aj