Long time coming...

[Newbee]

Hi again,

Been a while since I posted (been reading), been rather busy with work, life, family, all the little things... 

But my hive has finally arrived!

Slowmodem was thoughtful enough to invite me to a short-course put on by his local Beek's, and I purchased a package of Italian bee's from them due in approx. April 8th (great price, only $100!).

My hive is the starter kit from BetterBee.com, 2x 10-frame deep hive-bodies and 2 medium supers, feeder, cover, frames (w/ foundation) etc., the works! I've got to assemble and paint it, but there's a long list of honey-do's it will get added to.

We've got 17 acre's of woods here in Eastern Tennessee for them to make home. I've seen a few other hives in the general area, though nothing right nearby. Area is mostly woods and pasture, with water about 200 yards away from the sunny-spot I want to put the hive (year-round stream and Watts Bar Lake).

I've already got some seeds started for flowering plants, and planted a Tetradium thanks to Slowmodem, but figure I'll have to do some feeding for several years until I can improve the local flora. There are lots of flowering tree's and shrubs compliments of the previous land owner, but I'm guessing nectar will be scarce.

Looking forward to finally getting started and having lots of questions for the group!

- Kevin

[CBT]

If you get a chance go to google earth and look around about 3 miles out from your place to see what's really out there. Could be lots for bees to eat depending on what time of year the satellite took the pic.

[Perry]

  glad you found us.

I've always maintained that most anyplace can sustain a hive or two so I bet you will be just fine. Building your own hives will teach you a lot all on its own, things like bee space and stuff. Anything you stumble with just as Greg.
Ask him if he's ready to sell that old truck yet.

[Bakersdozen]

Been a while since I posted (been reading),

I've already got some seeds started for flowering plants, and planted a Tetradium thanks to Slowmodem, but figure I'll have to do some feeding for several years until I can improve the local flora. There are lots of flowering tree's and shrubs compliments of the previous land owner, but I'm guessing nectar will be scarce.

- Kevin

Newbee, congratulations on taking the plunge.  Glad to hear you are educating yourself before doing so.  Slowmodem is a good one to learn from.
The bee bee tree is a good one to plant.  It blooms around July-August.  As a beekeeper the goal is to have nectar sources blooming in succession.  In the early, early spring you want pollen available for brood rearing.  Then nectar sources for a honey flow.  Hopefully a long lasting honey flow.  In the fall, after honey is harvested, nectar and pollen for winter stores.  The willows, maple and elm buds are just about to burst here.  Those are some of our early pollen sources.  At least, that is how we do it in Kansas.  That may not be the way it's done in your area.
http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,2195.0.html  Here is a resource that will tell you which species offer food for honey bees.  I bet you will find lots of those growing in your area.  Your awareness will heighten once you become a beekeeper.

[Nugget Shooter]

Congrats and it will be a fun and educational ride, I am in my second year and so far so good..... 

[Lburou]

Congratulations Kevin!

I remember my first hive.  I learned so much.  So many mistakes.  That is why my hair is white now. 

If there was just one thing I could recommend to a new beekeeper, it would be to read and master the information at Randy Oliver's Basic Beekeeping Page.  He has spent time to organize and write an excellent starter primer for you Kevin.

Good luck!   

[riverbee]

congrats kevin!  and enjoy!  also, stay with us, read, ask questions, join in!

i don't think lee's hair turned white from bees, but okay if he says so!...............
(just picking on lee..... )

maybe perry's did!.............

[Lburou]

...i don't think lee's hair turned white from bees, but okay if he says so!...............
(just picking on lee..... )

Okay, I'm busted about my white hair...But those first lessons were painful.  Like the time my neighbor and I were moving the hive in the dark.  Bees crawled all over our hands and arms.  He was stung of course, and I removed the stinger with a tweezers!     I had 75 stings through my shirt.  Living now in the Internet era, we can learn from the experience and mistakes of others. 

[Perry]

75 stings!
I've found that if I get stung often enough, like over a dozen or more in one go, I start to feel funny and usually pack things up for a while.
I'm not allergic (knock on wood) but that much venom running through the bod has got to have some kinda bad effect.

[Lburou]

I guess it's time for full disclosure Perry, most of the stings were from bees stinging through my shirt without leaving a stinger.   

[Wandering Man]

Okay, I'm busted about my white hair... 

pssst ...
should someone tell Lee he doesn't have any hair?
 :eusa_think:

[neillsayers]

Okay, I'm busted about my white hair... 

pssst ...
should someone tell Lee he doesn't have any hair?
 :eusa_think:

Maybe he's talking about the beard.

[Perry]

Don't let them bug you Lee, God only made so many perfect heads, the rest he covered with hair.

[Lburou]

Well, maybe I should have referred to the wrinkles instead of the white hair...?   Either way, it is a sign of...maturity and all that goes with it.   

[CBT]

Oh my aching everything from time to time. Understand that Lburou.