Worldwide Beekeeping

Announcements => Welcome => Topic started by: rt1068 on August 08, 2016, 12:03:05 pm

Title: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 08, 2016, 12:03:05 pm
Hello all,

I am very, very new to all of this.  I have not actually started keeping bees yet.  So far, I am just trying to be a sponge and learn as much as I can.  I live in Northern Indiana, almost Michigan, and plan to put a hive in my backyard.  I am looking forward to learning from all of the experts here. 

Thanks,
Rick
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Drbees on August 08, 2016, 12:24:10 pm
Welcome,  if you want to learn there is lots here to learn.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: iddee on August 08, 2016, 12:44:06 pm
Glad you came. Welcome, and hope you find reason to stay.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: neillsayers on August 08, 2016, 01:58:13 pm
Welcome aboard Rick,

I am not an expert but I am learning all I can also. I'm in my second year and have 5 hives I hope to get through winter. One thing I know about this forum is there are no dumb questions so ask away. Also the archives have a treasure trove of information, just use the search function. Look forward to hearing about your adventures. :)
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: kebee on August 08, 2016, 02:12:50 pm
 Welcome rt1068, glad you found us here on the forum, great place to get your question answer on bees.

Ken
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 08, 2016, 02:27:17 pm
Thanks for the warm welcome.  I have to say I am pretty relieved.  I was on another unnamed forum previously and it was definitely not a welcoming community.  I would have never dared to ask a question due to the condescending negative responses that were all too present there.  I have been searching threads here and have found nothing but supportive, helpful information.  I think I am going to like hanging out here!
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: tedh on August 08, 2016, 04:20:48 pm
Yeah boy!  Easy people to "talk" with here!  That and LOT'S of experiance they are willing to share.  Welcome to the forum, I think you're going to dig it here!  Ted
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: apisbees on August 08, 2016, 04:46:27 pm
Welcome Rick Ya A pretty laid back bunch of beekeepers here that are willing to help and give advice.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Perry on August 08, 2016, 05:24:57 pm
We've all tried the rest, and then found the best!  ;D Bees and fun, that's what we do here.
PS, anyone who can grow a beard like that is gonna fit right in! :laugh: You look like a young riverrat.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 08, 2016, 07:10:04 pm
Thanks, something tells me that growing the beard will turn out to be much easier than beekeeping. But, I look forward to the adventure.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: CBT on August 08, 2016, 09:06:04 pm
We bee happy folk round here. Welcome :yes:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rwlaw on August 09, 2016, 07:58:25 am
Welcome Rick! Check out the Michiana beekeepers Association, they might be in your neck of the woods. I've been to their meetings before, good solid folks.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Mikey N.C. on August 09, 2016, 08:03:48 am
Welcome ask anything
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 09, 2016, 09:24:25 am
Welcome Rick! Check out the Michiana beekeepers Association, they might be in your neck of the woods. I've been to their meetings before, good solid folks.


Thanks, I have sent a few emails to the contacts that I could find online.  So far, no response.  Hopefully I hear back from someone as I am sure I could benefit greatly from an association.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: apisbees on August 09, 2016, 12:43:50 pm
Summers are a busy time most groups take the summer of other than field days but start again in September.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 09, 2016, 01:28:57 pm
Summers are a busy time most groups take the summer of other than field days but start again in September.

Thanks, that is good to know.  I thought maybe it was just me. :D
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Les on August 10, 2016, 02:11:53 pm
Welcome Rt, this is the place to bee for picking the brains of very knowledgable folks.  I am a 2nd year beek, lost both my hives in late February but I am back at it again.  If you can find a mentor, that will be a big help!
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: LazyBkpr on August 10, 2016, 05:45:55 pm
Well Met! When i saw his Pic I also thought maybe he was a relative or RR's  :)
   Don't get discouraged by information overload while you try to learn how to keep bees.  Prepare to make mistakes, we all did. Usually, the bees are capable of fixing whatever we mess up.
   Check out my site as well if you get time, I hope it helps give you some confidence about getting started, and keeping bees in a simple basic manner that first year.
   http://www.outyard.net/index.html
   There are a LOT of experienced beekeepers here, and they/we are willing to help when you do have questions.   Already looking forward to your pictures and questions!!!
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 10, 2016, 08:47:59 pm
Well Met! When i saw his Pic I also thought maybe he was a relative or RR's  :)
   Don't get discouraged by information overload while you try to learn how to keep bees.  Prepare to make mistakes, we all did. Usually, the bees are capable of fixing whatever we mess up.
   Check out my site as well if you get time, I hope it helps give you some confidence about getting started, and keeping bees in a simple basic manner that first year.
   http://www.outyard.net/index.html
   There are a LOT of experienced beekeepers here, and they/we are willing to help when you do have questions.   Already looking forward to your pictures and questions!!!

Thanks so much; I have been pouring over your site as well as the forum. I am actually getting closer to thinking this might be something that even I can do. Hoping to hook up with a local experienced keeper to mentor me also. It is very exciting to think about and I really appreciate the warm welcome here.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Nugget Shooter on August 10, 2016, 09:36:42 pm
Howdy Rick, new here today also got a warm welcome.... Also new to beekeeping this year and did same as you, spent several months learning and deciding if it was for me. It was......
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Green bee on August 10, 2016, 09:49:15 pm
Hi rt1068 , I to am new at beekeeping . In fact I don't even have any bees yet. There is a lot of nice folk here that are more than willing to help , so welcome aboard . Have you read any good books yet? If not I highly recommend (First Lessons in Beekeeping) by Keith Deleplane. He also has lots of videos on YouTube that are very informative.  :welcome:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: iddee on August 10, 2016, 10:29:35 pm
There's a good series of his videos here.

http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,5722.0.html
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 11, 2016, 05:44:07 pm
Hi rt1068 , I to am new at beekeeping . In fact I don't even have any bees yet. There is a lot of nice folk here that are more than willing to help , so welcome aboard . Have you read any good books yet? If not I highly recommend (First Lessons in Beekeeping) by Keith Deleplane. He also has lots of videos on YouTube that are very informative.  :welcome:

So far, I have only read Beekeeping for Dummies. As I said, I am very new to all of this and I certainly fit the criteria of a dummy, so I thought that would be a good place to start.  :laugh:

Thanks for your suggestion, I will definitely check it out.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 11, 2016, 05:44:56 pm
There's a good series of his videos here.

http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,5722.0.html

Thank you so much. Good stuff, very informative!
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: efmesch on August 12, 2016, 01:26:51 am
Welcome to the forum RT.  Anyone smart enough to decide to learn about beekeeping before starting, is beyond the "Dummy" category.  When I first started with bees, (before "Beekeeping for Dummies" existed), I read through everything I could lay my hands on.  Those same books, and many more, are still my good "friends" over 40 years later. No forums in those days either.  Gosh!  that's pre-history.
We're glad you found your way here and will be happy to be part of your progress with bees.
 :welcome:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: apisbees on August 12, 2016, 03:22:27 am
I started the opposite way from Efmesch. I did it on a spur of a moment. Was driving down the road by Perry's uncle Leos house, Honey house and he was out in the yard so stopped and asked what it took to get a hive of bees? He let me know that his son Ernie would be coming thru with another load of package bees the following week. Showed me what I would need Bottom board, Super, Frames, Inner cover, Top cover, Feed pail, Sold me 20 sheets of foundation, gave me enough wire to cross wire the frames, and told me the bees would be there next week to pick up. 5 days. He gave me a top, bottom, and end bar, for templates to take with me so I could machine and manufacture the frames. 5 days later I went back to pick up a package. He had an extra that hadn't been picked up so I went home with 2. Installed the 2 packages with out protective gear and no smoker. built a smoker and an extractor the first year. My dads mom, as well as my wifes grand father on her dads side kept bees. They were not much help as all my dad could remember was knocking the hive over with the one wheel of the rake and then getting the wheel on the other side hooked behind the gate post when using the drop rake with a team of horses. And my wifes father was not much more help as he only remembers having to go out and set the hives back up after being knocked over by a cow
Learned by observing what was happening in the hives. never read a book till 1/2 way through the 2nd year. Didn't know about a local bee club until the spring of the 5th year. Mind you I have always been a just do it and figure it out as you go along. type of person.
I do believe it is possible to get to many theories and ways to do it and it can make the whole process more challenging and confusing than it needs to be. It is good to have a mentor in your area that has good success with his bees and keep your bees the way he keeps his. Once you learn how to keep bees one way then you can experiment with other systems and techniques to develop your own way of beekeeping.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: efmesch on August 12, 2016, 03:54:11 am
Any way you go at it, be sure to follow advice given by apisbee.. . His words are worth gold.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Perry on August 12, 2016, 06:46:39 am
Any way you go at it, be sure to follow advice given by apisbee.. . His words are worth gold.

 :yes: :yes: :yes:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: brooksbeefarm on August 12, 2016, 10:44:44 am
Welcome Rick, looking a bit like riverrat would be alright, But looking a bit like perry with a beard would be scary. :laugh: :laugh: Jack
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 12, 2016, 11:56:46 am
Welcome Rick, looking a bit like riverrat would be alright, But looking a bit like perry with a beard would be scary. :laugh: :laugh: Jack

I'm pretty sure I am just going to stay out of that debate.  ;D
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Perry on August 12, 2016, 04:15:13 pm
Jack is just being Jack  :laugh:
Jack goes back a ways, a looooooooooooooooooong ways. He used to drink his shine out of a mason jar, but realized he liked drinking from a plastic cup better, figured it added a little something extra. ;)

(https://s10.postimg.cc/3x6efmvyd/Cowboy.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/3x6efmvyd/)
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: brooksbeefarm on August 12, 2016, 04:26:47 pm
Hey where did you find my sixth grade graduation picture  ??? Jack  :laugh:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: iddee on August 12, 2016, 04:28:45 pm
And he used clay cups before they invented glass.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Perry on August 12, 2016, 04:36:02 pm
And he used clay cups before they invented glass.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: efmesch on August 13, 2016, 02:55:10 pm
Welcome Rick, looking a bit like riverrat would be alright, But looking a bit like perry with a beard would be scary. :laugh: :laugh: Jack

I'm pretty sure I am just going to stay out of that debate.  ;D

Wise move,  It looks like you're not a dummy in human relations too, not only in preparations for beekeeping.  :yes:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 13, 2016, 08:00:25 pm
Welcome Rick, looking a bit like riverrat would be alright, But looking a bit like perry with a beard would be scary. :laugh: :laugh: Jack

I'm pretty sure I am just going to stay out of that debate.  ;D

Wise move,  It looks like you're not a dummy in human relations too, not only in preparations for beekeeping.  :yes:

I have learned a few things along the way.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: CBT on August 13, 2016, 09:30:43 pm
Congratulations you have found it. The place you can have many thoughts pondered, questions turned inside out and get options from a questionable group of wild insect raising folks called bee keepers. welcome
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Perry on August 13, 2016, 09:39:50 pm
Just for you Jack.  :D

(https://s3.postimg.cc/qyw717hj3/Mugshot.png) (https://postimg.cc/image/qyw717hj3/)
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: brooksbeefarm on August 13, 2016, 10:50:15 pm
rt1068, i rest my case :yes: That's Scary Perry :o and for some unknown reason he has threaten to cross the border and beat me up ??? Jack  :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 14, 2016, 07:05:44 pm
On a non beard related note :D, I just heard from the local beekeepers association and I am planning on attending their meeting coming up next Saturday. I am looking forward to it.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Green bee on August 14, 2016, 08:29:24 pm
Let us know how it goes, hope you make lots of new friends!
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: Lburou on August 14, 2016, 08:48:08 pm
Welcome RT!
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: BoilerJim on August 17, 2016, 12:55:01 pm
From one Hoosier to another Hoosier, welcome to the fold. Many of us started out on another forum and like you felt a little intimidated and ultimately found greener pastures on this side of the fence. Good people here always willing to listen and help.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 18, 2016, 12:18:13 pm
From one Hoosier to another Hoosier, welcome to the fold. Many of us started out on another forum and like you felt a little intimidated and ultimately found greener pastures on this side of the fence. Good people here always willing to listen and help.

Thanks, it is definitely a different vibe over here, and that is much appreciated.
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: CBT on August 18, 2016, 04:16:08 pm
We have greener pastures cause we talk on fertilizer in its raw form. :laugh:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: efmesch on August 18, 2016, 10:05:18 pm
Greener pastures or browner shoes??😷
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: riverbee on August 18, 2016, 10:18:02 pm
hi ya rt!  and welcome!

reading ef's post and apis posts on how they got started?! well i won't say how many years ago like ef did, but i was in college in montana, and the boys i knew had fathers that were commercial beekeepers, well what do ya do?  ............... :D  ya follow the boys and the bees......... :D :D :D

"Learned by observing what was happening in the hives."

pretty much what apis said, when i lost interest in the boys........... :D

you have come to a great place and a great forum, lots of awesome folks here for the love of bees. 
fire away, don't be shy! ask questions and join in the fun...........errr.......addiction/obsession!.................. :D
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: rt1068 on August 19, 2016, 10:03:41 am
hi ya rt!  and welcome!

reading ef's post and apis posts on how they got started?! well i won't say how many years ago like ef did, but i was in college in montana, and the boys i knew had fathers that were commercial beekeepers, well what do ya do?  ............... :D  ya follow the boys and the bees......... :D :D :D

"Learned by observing what was happening in the hives."

pretty much what apis said, when i lost interest in the boys........... :D

you have come to a great place and a great forum, lots of awesome folks here for the love of bees. 
fire away, don't be shy! ask questions and join in the fun...........errr.......addiction/obsession!.................. :D

Thanks for the warm welcome; I am really enjoying my time here so far and have already learned a great deal.

Since I dont have much interest in boys, I suppose I will just follow the bees :laugh:
Title: Re: Hello from Northern Indiana
Post by: riverbee on August 19, 2016, 10:27:34 pm
"Since I dont have much interest in boys, I suppose I will just follow the bees :laugh:"

LOL! well, what can i say?!  too funny rt,  you fit right in here and appreciate some humor and can throw some back !!!!