Startup Bee Keeping
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Topic: Startup Bee Keeping
Posted By: Ted J
Subject: Startup Bee Keeping
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 8:22am
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Good Morning to ALL of you! A blessed Sunday and a great day to spend some time with the family. I am pondering another idiotic idea (According to the war dept)  . I am thinking about starting a bee farm.I haven't a clue about it and the only thing I know is that bees sting.  So just treat me like a newbie and tell me what I need to do. Does anyone have plans for the boxes?------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Replies:
Posted By: SLB
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 9:30am
| Hello, Well its a great hobby but it does take work. They make kits for you to make the hive box and frames. (Very easy.) You will need a full main hive box, a few honey supers, queen excluder, a feeder and smoker, bee suit of some sort. Finally, I recommend getting at least 2 swarms. Due to losses. Hope this helps. Steve |
Posted By: Reindeer
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:27am
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Easiest way would be to keep an eye on Craigslist for smokers, netting, supers, bases, even colonies, from other hobbyists. You will need to get some equipment to harvest honey as well, a hot knife, extractor, and then of course somewhere to put all that honey! ------------- |
Posted By: nella(Pa)
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:35am
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Join your local bee club, http://ccs.dogpile.com/ClickHandler.ashx?encp=ld%3d20180325%26app%3d1%26c%3dinfo.dogpl%26s%3dDogpile%26rc%3dinfo.dogpl%26dc%3d%26euip%3d70.15.225.46%26pvaid%3dcdd95fa5715b46ac8133787b7c335dc0%26dt%3dDesktop%26sid%3d1830193568.1200763887052.1521989963%26vid%3d1830193568.1200763887052.1521299143.20%26fcoi%3d417%26fcop%3dtopnav%26fct.uid%3d13b1c7be58e749a4910180d16c8e445f%26fpid%3d27%26en%3d0WEFU%252fZhSoTF%252fFm%252bpLeuVl4UPZzISdzyg%252baGYj7N8ISb7M1aTnzzgA%253d%253d%26coi%3d1494%26npp%3d2%26p%3d0%26pp%3d0%26mid%3d9%26ep%3d2%26ru%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.lacrossebeekeepingclass.com%252f%26du%3dwww.lacrossebeekeepingclass.com%26hash%3d528D088FAABDF18CB1215E3C5CE069BF&ap=3&cop=main-title&om_userid=ReTFL1QY9rAH8JitBAfS&om_sessionid=KBdoiJqSrmsDgJoc9Q0p&om_pageid=QTpGACN23bEpvMWue7an" rel="nofollow - la crosse - Beekeeping Class 2018 Find a good mentor. The aircraft carrier(war department, weall know that we only have a canoe), is somewhat correct. It is not as easy as it looks, a lot of new beekeepers loose their bees(money) until they gain experience. Old time beekeepers loose hives every winter in my area, 50% loss isn't uncommon and don't know why. It is very hard to make any money beekeeping, but it is a nice hobby. Building frames for in the hive isn't practical when you can buy them for about $1.25 each. I like Dadant equipment, WWW.dadant.com You must get on it very soon or you will be behind the curve for starting this year with package bees. Honey bees life is very weather related. Any questions just ask.
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Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 12:27pm
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Don't buy used equipment you're just bring their problems to your place.My wife got into Honey Bees a few years ago took all the classes read up etc but still couldn't keep the hives going thru the Winter.Last year there was a young fellow in my area looking for a place to put some hives he has about 10 here now and learning from what he does there is a whole lot more to the whole deal than what was in the classes and books anyway he has about 30 hives total around an only lost 2 this past Winter. |
Posted By: omahagreg
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 12:50pm
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In South Dakota-where I had a hive 45 years ago-they required a permit even if on your own property. They stated they were controlling the spread of disease. ------------- Greg Kroeker 1950 WD with wide front and Freeman trip loader |
Posted By: Tracy Martin TN
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 12:58pm
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There is lots of money in bees, if you can figure out how to get it back out of them!Lots of losses in this area. I wish I had the money back I have spent over the years. Illegal to sell used equipment with no bees on it here. Must register your apiary. Most folks won't respect bees and spray when ever they want. I love bees but they can be expensive. Find an older bee keeper and offer to help a summer free for the advice and learning. Bee keeping is like golf, aholes in it too! ------------- No greater gift than healthy grandkids! |
Posted By: Ken in Texas
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 2:57pm
| Start out with a PO #1 Allis Chalmers Bee |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 9:02pm
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Ted, Good luck we are hear for you. Your going to get stung at some point. Very interesting hobby. Love the honey! Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: drobCA
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 9:22pm
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we're only on 5 acres here, but let a guy set 3 hives in a far corner and had a plastic 50gal drum filled with water (it's desert here). he gave us a lifetime supply of great honey, but we eventually had to ask him to remove them because the bees were straying into the animals water pots & troughs. too bad - was a really nice guy and love that honey on biscuits!!! we gave away plenty and still have plenty left 10 yrs later. ------------- 3 Ford 8N's I loan to neighbors, but the '52CA, '41B and little B1 I do not. |
Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 9:27pm
| bees.....gary is absolutely right.DO NOT BUY USED BEE EQUIPMENT.smokers,bee suits and such equipment is ok.used hives carry foul brood.wax worms,hive beetles and numerous other problems.get two hives to start out with,you will be surprised at the times you can compare one to the other.the next thing is a must,THE BEEKEEPERS BIBLE,a very worthwhile and valuable book.also DO NOT PLAN ON GETTING ANY HONEY THE FIRST YEAR.i keep 2 deeps on mine over the winter.we don't get a great amount of cold weather here in texas.but I did not loose one hive this winter,in fact there was a large amount of honey in the deeps at spring weather.start small and work up.i have never paid for a bee.caught all mine in swarms .have about 9 swarm set out already this year.they are swqarming late this year.....good luck with your new hummers.....also read all the bee magazines you can get.good luck again..... |
Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 9:29pm
| ken you need some bees in your truck farm..... |
Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 9:32pm
| ted,keep us updated on your new venture..... |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:33pm
| Ted. I have been doing this over 20 years. You have some very sharp beekeepers in your state. I have been to many meetings where they have put on a program. Dadant, WT Kelly, Mann Lake are a few of the larger suppliers of beekeeper supply's. I have ordered stuff from all of these guys. Do not go to a big box lumber yard and buy lumber to make supers. They will be rotted out in 2 or 3 years, experience speaking here. You can buy packages of bees, if you do make sure you are getting a queen. These guys are telling you not to buy used equipment, I somewhat disagree with that. In Iowa we have 1 or 2 beekeeping auctions a year. Everything there is inspected by a state inspector. If any problems are found the equipment cannot be sold. I kinda like to order stuff from WT Kelly. The gals on their end of the phone line know their products and I sorta like their southern accent. The others are good too but no southern accent. You have already received some good advice. Google Wisconsin beekeepers association. I thing that is right. There are a couple of great magazines you can subscribe to, unfortunately my brain can't remember their names. You need to start out with 2 hives. |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:55pm
| Ted I forgot a couple of things. I detest plastic foundation. I am in the process of removing it from my hives. If you buy your frames from 1 company, always buy your foundation from them. I have found some company's foundation is about 1/4" shorter than some of the company's. It doesn't work well in some frames. I am in the process of doing that right now. I came home from church today, rested for an hour then went to the shed and installed new wax foundation in 50+ frames. I worked till 5:00, would have worked longer but I got cold. I had already cleaned up these frames and deep boxes. You will find yourself doing the hot heavy work in August. That is when the honey is capped and ready to come off. Do not put your hives where horses can get to them, once a dad ratted Ol hay burner gets a taste of honey, you will not be able to keep them out of your hives. They are as bad as bears. You will need some way to remove the cappings from your honey frames and some sort of extractor, or find a beekeeper that will let you use his or her extraction equipment. I set my hives on 4x8x16 cement blocks. You need to keep the grass and weeds mowed. I do not use chemicals in my hives for mite control. Dig gone it there was something else I wanted to post but I can't remember what itwas. Again Good Luck with your enterprise. I remembered, DO NOT work your bees when the weather is going to change, such as rain in the next 24-36 hours. Those darn gals get real nasty when that is happening. Also work your bees during the days, that way most of the worker bees are out gathering product. There is a very good DVD called a Day in the Life of an Apary by Dr Keith Dellaplane. We have used it to teach bee keeping classes. It pretty much tells you what to do. It tells you to use chemicals to control mites. We do not do that, the rest is good. |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 11:23pm
OK more info, if you decide to use plastic foundation in your boxes, I had a world famous beekeeper tell me "there is a front and back to plastic foundation." She was showing the difference to some of the people at the meeting, I was not able to see the difference because I was out of the room when she was showing it to folks. If you are going to make your wooden ware, I suggest you buy 1 complete hive then you have a pattern for everything. Please check prices before you buy stuff. TSC and a few stores similar to them have started selling equipment. You can usually buy stuff off 1 of the major suppliers and get it shipped to you for less money than those stores. I am assuming you are going to be using standard Langstroth hives. If you are an older person like me you might want to get into 8 frame hives. These darn 10 frame deep hives are back breakers. Another thing I like to wear light clothing when I am working my bees, I don't seem to get stung as much when I have a faded out pair of blue jeans on. The old gal scoffs at that, says it is an old wives tale. She sure gets stung a lot. Some folks buy complete bee suits. I have a jacket with a hat/veil attached. You do not want a Vail that can blow against your face, those darn gals will sting you thru the vail if it does. I buy goat skin gloves, they seem to stay softer longer than the others. My hands are so large I have to try the gloves on. Most of the time the 2XX will fit me but not always. 
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Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 11:51pm
| hd6 tom,very good advise indeed for all around.do you people have thouble with skunks up where you are at?them devils will ruin a hive overnite.keep mine on 2 cinder blocks,they haven't found it yet.how about hive beetles?i brought some traps you put the oil in and I could mohr with my hive tool...what a joke.the Swiffer strips catch a large omuont of beetles.has any body in your area tried the oxaciilic acid treatment?i have been using vario strips seems to work.talked to a keeper from Nebraska at manns last week,that is all he uses on 500 hives.(the dribble method).lets keep in touch and exchange ideas and working procedures.the man from Nebraska just sent two semi loads to the almond groves in California...hope they don't come back as liberal bees.hd5 my email add is mailto:airplanefarmer@yahoo.com....keep" rel="nofollow - airplanefarmer@yahoo.com....keep in touch |
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 5:59am
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yeesh I never knew bee keeping was so 'intense' ! Maybe have someone else 'rent' your space for a few jars of honey? Seems to me to bee the easy way to 'test the waters' so to speak, without losing your shirt or getting stung. ------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: nella(Pa)
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 6:32am
| You can have used equipment irradiated which would kill all insects and organisms to make it safe if there is that service in your area and if cost effective. There is a place in NJ that dose it in my area and the bee club will get a truck to haul the palletized equipment. |
Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 7:59am
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Also if you have bears in your area you'll need some sort of way to keep them away from your hives like electric fence.Lots of bears here but i have Great Pyrenees dogs to guard the livestock so they keep the bears and everything else away from the hives. |
Posted By: Jim Hancock
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 9:28am
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Ted, the reason for wearing light colored clothing is that the bees see and think dark colors is a predator around their hive. I had a swarm take up residence here a few years ago and found this out the hard way. Only stung once. Then I found that tidbit, changed to light colors and never had a problem after that. Also, make slow and easy movement around them and don't exhibit fear when close to the hive. We could walk upon our hive to watch them work, 2 or 3 would come check us out and go on about their business. ------------- How blessed we are by HIS GRACE! |
Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 11:31am
| Also don't eat bananas before you work with the hives. |
Posted By: allischalmerguy
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 8:55pm
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I have kept bees on and off since 1980. Lots of good advice above. Start with at least 2 hives..do at least 2 hives for sure. It allows to compare. And I build my own hive bodies and save money. Mine do not rot any faster than the ones I had bought from the bee hive manufacturers. It is a lot different keeping bees today then in 1980 before mites and roundup used so much. Lots of losses. But it is still interesting. Best not to buy uses equipment unless it has been inspected by the state bee inspector. Make sure you locate them were they will not bother people. You will get stung. Don't ck bees on a rainy day or when weather is changing. Best to ck them on a sunny day. Do lots of reading on beekeeping. Get a mentor to help you. ------------- It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa, |
Posted By: MARK (LI)
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 9:34pm
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Honey is the only food in the world that will never go bad ------------- Live and let Live |
Posted By: Nathan (SD)
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 12:00am
I have made the Perma-Dent foundation for 29 years. There is no front or back or top or bottom. They will work any direction that they are installed. This goes for all brands of plastic foundation. |
HD6GTOM wrote:Posted By: allischalmerguy
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 9:59am
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Honey won't go bad as long as the moisture level in it is low enough. Honey that is harvested with too high of moisture level will ferment. Mike ------------- It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa, |
Posted By: allischalmerguy
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 10:00am
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Nathan what is perma dent foundation? I have not heard of it. Mike ------------- It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa, |
Posted By: tadams(OH)
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 2:16pm
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Very good advise here. I had to quit because I developed a allergi to the bee sting and it made made me swell up. I went a local bee club and learnt a lot from them and their meeting . Enjoy Tom
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Posted By: Nathan (SD)
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2018 at 5:23pm
Just one more brand of plastic foundation. We sold to small independent dealers and to beekeepers also. Mostly to Canada. Made in Webster SD. Walter T Kelly sold our sheets too. Most people just assume that Kelleys made them themselves. |
Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2018 at 8:50pm
| bees.....don't ever try to work your bees if you have been drinking beer...they will chase you across a 20 acre field.....bad as bannas..... |
Posted By: Ray54
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2018 at 11:24pm
Well Ted what are you up to  ????????? You have plans other than bees making honey???? No questions? Maybe some Yellow Jackets are what you need for placing by the "pretty" machine. Well hope it works for you if decide to invest in the equipment and all. An the not having beer or bananas? Sounds like a lot of hard work.
If there is feed always wild bees in my yard. Last year with lot of rain had 4 swarms that where collected in my yard. Flowers are just starting here this year,and today small swarm landed in a flowering plum tree. The couple that got one swarm last year had left a box near a tree that had a hive in it. So son moved it by this swarm,an hour latter they came out put fresh lure in it by evening they seemed to have moved in. Maybe the wild ones do so good because they are inside a tree 30 feet up nobody steals any honey from them. |
Posted By: Bob-Maine
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 2:37pm
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I don't know about California bears, but Maine bears can climb a tree (:>). My wife and I are going to have just one hive in our first year. This can be an expensive hobby. We just finished bee school at our HS adult education. Our maple syrup production should end next week so I can start painting supers, etc. Then off to Tractor Supply to but a solar fence charger and tape. Is there no end? Bob@allisdowneast ------------- I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not sure. |
Posted By: mdm1
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 5:08pm
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Ted I talked to a guy on the job today and he has the same idea. He mentioned he heard there was a ag program for bees because of the decline. Something to check out. Also he said to start the hive in the fall. Just passing it on as all I know about bees is their honey comes in a little bear shaped bottle and they sting! ------------- Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK! |
Posted By: Dusty MI
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 7:00pm
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I've raised honey 2 different times. I enjoyed doing it but found that when you have too many irons in the fire, your bees are usually the first to get ignored. Also flying stinging insects, follow air currents. If one starts to circle around your head, the worst thing to do is to swing at them with your hands. The best to do is walk slowly to a tree with low hanging limbs, and walk under it. When it's threatening to rain, the bees stay near home and ornery if bothered. Dusty ------------- 917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express" |
Posted By: Ray54
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2018 at 11:02am
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The bees seem to have settled in the box. The boxes owner will be back after Easter to remove them from my front door. To now run this off track,cause of Bob
 . No bears around,20 miles away lots of bears. About 20 years ago some move in and did a bit of damage to bees.But no more reports of them more than passing by. |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2018 at 8:56pm
| I just came back to this, more good advice being given. As to starting the bees in the fall. That might work down south, but those girls have got to make enough honey to last them all winter. I am in south central Iowa and have never been able to keep them alive, starting them that late, even with feeding them heavy. You need at least 2 full deep hive body's full of honey here in South central Iowa to keep them alive. You might need 2.5 up there. I will pull the 2 deeps apart in the late fall and look for my bees if they are in the top box, I switch boxes and put them on the bottom.. Then I put 2 or 3 pollen patty's or winter patty's, depending on how late in the year it is, in between the two boxes. We are getting in 30 more bunches of bees the end of next month. I would not like to start them any later than that here. Good luck with your venture. |
Posted By: nella(Pa)
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2018 at 1:32am
X2 You would never start a hive in fall in Wi, it would take very special management to do so.
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Posted By: mdm1
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2018 at 5:52am
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Hey I am just the messenger! Didn't make sense to me either but! Thanks for your knowledgable replies. Should help Ted out. ------------- Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK! |
Posted By: nella(Pa)
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2018 at 6:22am
Your are lucky we didn't send a swarm of Africanized girls to see you, we all heard horror stories of what they can do. And if that isn't bad enough we could send a Queen Bee, research what happens to a drone after the queen picks him to mate with her, he really rolls over and takes a nap, a dirt nap.
  Oh my!!! |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2018 at 9:09am
Well THANKS for all the info guys!!  Since It's too late for this year, I'm gonna start doing things NOW for next year. I had checked on bees and found that I missed the deadline of ordering so I HAVE to wait till next year. So for now, I'll just get my Thanks for all the input and I think that the idea of the class is a great one. If you didn't go look, the class here in La Crosse starts in February, so I'm late for school again.  I never thought that this would be so much work!!  I've got a LOT to learn!!THANKS for EVERYTHING!! If nothing else, I'm getting smarter every day!!  ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2018 at 9:22am
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I might be in trouble,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I like to have a banana on my cereal in the morning and I gotta have my beer later in the afternoon.... What's in em that the bees don't like?? Is it the smell of your breath or do you exude something through your pores? I remember once when I was little,,,,,,,,in the 8 year old range,,,,,,when I was out helping my cousin fixin fence. A big ole dead tree had fallen down across the fence. Well, you just go and take the chain saw to it and get it out of the way ,,,,,,,, right? Well, half way through the second cut,,,,,,,,,,,yup, you guessed it. A BIG AZZ SWARM of bees!! You never was two guys run DOWN the side of a bluff THAT FAST!!! Across the gravel road and into the creek and under water!! Sure wish there was a movie camera going at the time... I'd a probably laughted till I split a gut on that one. I only got stung about 20 times. My cousin Tom got about 80 though. He had to go to the doctor he was swelling up so bad. He got that many more, cause he was about 20 at the time and a LOT bigger target. Now that I mention that story and then think about it,,,,,,,,,,I ain't too keen on gettin stung.... It's kinda like putting your hand in a snake hole and hoping they don't bite ya... Maybe I better rethink this......  ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Posted By: nella(Pa)
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2018 at 9:29am
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You still have a few options. Go to the bee club meetings and ask questions. too much to explain here and info should be geared for your area. Find a mentor, you will need him, most beekeepers are willing to help a newbie. You can buy a nuk, you have about until the end of May for this. If you are lucky you might get a swarm(free bees) You can advertise in local papers for swarm removal(free bees). Beemaster.com is a good website for bee keeping. Ask any questions here and we will try!
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Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2018 at 8:42pm
| you talk about late in the year hive start up.2 years ago my son found a colony on a tree limb.could not get any local keepers that would accept them.got an old nuc box and put them in it after dark.brought the bees back to texas,fed them during the winter,and they turned out to be the best hive I have,at least I give them a fighting chance at life.theywere caught in mid November on my farms in Indiana,still doing great..... |