Author Topic: Young woman looking to join the beekeeping world! (Read 35995 times)

LindsayBrower1 · « **on:** January 06, 2014, 09:06:10 pm »

Hello! My name is Lindsay I am 23 years old and live in Catskill Mountains! I recently had the pleasure of taking a beekeeping class with Rob Overton! I have undeniably caught the bee fever. I have not had any real life experience with beekeeping YET but am very anxious to absorb and much information as possible. How long have you all spent caring for bees? Do any of you consider beekeeping as part of a self sufficient lifestyle ?
Happy New Year!

Slowmodem · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2014, 09:15:58 pm »

Welcome and enjoy your stay! Lots of good knowledge, good experience, and great people here on this forum!

Perry · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2014, 09:17:44 pm »

Hi Lindsay, and welcome to our friendly part of the beekeeping community here.
I've kept bees for close to 15 years I guess. Yes, if you want to be truly self sufficient, I think bees need to be a part of that.

LindsayBrower1 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2014, 09:23:20 pm »

Thank you! I am working towards being as self sufficient as I can possibly be! It's a long term goal of mine, but an important one.. My biggest priority is making this impact on my children! The world needs to get back to it roots.

robo · « **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2014, 09:38:25 pm »

Hey Lindsay, glad you found your way here. You already know my story, but there are lots of folks here who will share their experiences. They will provide you with plenty of input and give you plenty to think about as you decided what beekeeping will be for you. Once you get the fever, it is almost impossible to get rid of it.

iddee · « **Reply #5 on:** January 06, 2014, 09:42:08 pm »

Welcome, Lindsay
Hope you enjoy it here. We can get serious where bees are concerned, but we like to cut up and play a lot, too. Join in and have fun until warm weather, then make Rob take you into a few hives. Then the REAL fun will begin.

How long have I been playing with the bees?? I think a couple centuries. Since 1976.

Finally Home · « **Reply #6 on:** January 06, 2014, 09:50:39 pm »

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy yourself

riverbee · « **Reply #7 on:** January 06, 2014, 10:03:12 pm »

lindsay, greetings and welcome!!! rob is a great guy and very knowledgable, and like he said "bee fever" really never goes away. for me keeping bees has always been a great passion! lot's of experience here, and as iddee said, we are a fun bunch. when it comes to bees, we might fun around but we all are more than willing to help another out and share or 'teach' what each of us have learned.

happy new year to you as well!

Marbees · « **Reply #8 on:** January 06, 2014, 10:13:49 pm »

Usually I don't respond to posts that start with " Young woman looking"....

Welcome to the best beekeeping site Lindsay, glad you are learning from Rob.
We need young beekeepers. Enjoy your journey

pistolpete · « **Reply #9 on:** January 06, 2014, 10:43:49 pm »

Welcome Lindsay,

If you mean self sufficient in a Apocalypse prepper kind of way, then bees are definitely a good ingredient in the mix. My family has gone away from using refined sugar almost entirely. We use about 80 Lbs of honey each year and maybe 10 Lbs of sugar. I think my kids are growing up a little bit healthier for it. As long as you don't mind getting stung once in a while, you will enjoy bee keeping a great deal.

Riverrat · « **Reply #10 on:** January 06, 2014, 11:08:56 pm »

welcome aboard post away you couldn't have found a better place to learn about bees and becoming self sufficient Hey Iddee their may be a future group to start on how to be self sufficient since bees play a big part in that

BoilerJim · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2014, 11:43:37 pm »

Glad to have you on board, Lindsey. I am starting my 4th year in Beekeeping which I still consider myself a pup among the the beekeeping vets on this board. You will find them very helpful and friendly.

kebee · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2014, 07:27:17 am »

Welcome Lindsey, glad you are with us on the forum, I am going into my 3 year with the bees and still have a lot to learn, but I am planning to stay with them until I can't anymore. I think you will enjoy the bees.

Ken

apisbees · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:21:45 am »

Hi Linsay welcome into the life of bees, beekeeping, and all the good products of the hives. Your kids look as sweet as the honey your bees will produce. With the years of experience of members on the forum and a mentor like Rob you will have lots of help and direction. May be to much at times, what I am doing with my hives in BC Canada may not be the best to follow but advice from a local mentor who knows the flows, is living thru the weather, has his own hives so he is aware of how the colonies are progressing, is priceless.

efmesch · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:31:07 am »

Hi Lindsay. Welcome. It may sound good, but I don't think beekeeping is an occupation to make one self sufficient---unless you plan on making all your own hives, equipment, bottles, medicines......
You might not have to buy honey (forget sugar, live without it), but beekeeping will put you in mutually beneficial contact with a lot of others and lead toward MUTUAL sufficiency.
If I sound like a nut, it might be because I've been addicted to bees since 1972. The years have taken their toll.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:44:23 am »

Good for you!
I have been HELPING keep bees for many years, but have only had my own hives for a couple.
Keeping bees can be a good part of being self sufficient. Using the honey for sweetener in everything from coffee to baking. Using wax for candles, soaps and balms, and using other hive products for antibiotics for wounds etc all can be made a part of being self sufficient. I am not entirely sur of your reasons to become self sufficient, but in the event the economy crashes, Honey will be in high demand, and will maintain its "trade" value.
I already use my local honey in my morning coffee instead of sugar. I use it for some baking instead of suga, and find it in some cases to be much preferable!!
Also.. with this crowd... DONT be afraid to ask questions, no matter how silly. These guys are awesome!!!!

Slowmodem · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:56:11 am »

Quote from: LazyBkpr on January 07, 2014, 09:44:23 am

I am not entirely sur of your reasons to become self sufficient, but in the event the economy crashes, Honey will be in high demand, and will maintain its "trade" value.

I read a book several years ago that, although fiction, made a big impact on me. There was a lot of truth and a message in that book, Alas Babylon. The bottom line is, if you can't eat it, if it doesn't keep you warm, if it doesn't keep you dry, or you can't drink it, it is basically worthless.

blueblood · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2014, 01:01:40 pm »

Welcome Lindsay! It's a wonderful craft to become addicted to and addicted to you will be. Hey, Ef, not to make ya feel old or anything, but I was born in 1972.

LindsayBrower1 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2014, 07:30:58 pm »

Thank you all! I have read each of your replies and I am thankful for everyone's input! Very inviting group

I'm sure I will have a lot of questions soon! I forced myself to hold off on pre ordering my bees and going too crazy until after I take the second part of my bee keeping class lol! And as far as being self sufficiency , some of the reason I am passionate about this is the quality of health my family has and in case god forbid the economy crashes. Which also got me into canning, gardening, dehydrating , seed saving etc. I'm also a stay at home mom so this is a great way to try to save some expense for my family. Additionally I just love this way of life it makes me feel very accomplished. If I had it my way I would own a huge farm! Thankfully my husband is a very hard working support for us and motivates me to become less dependent on society.

tecumseh · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2014, 09:00:21 pm »

HOWDY from Central Texas and welcome.

I have on occasions visited up in the Catskills with in laws and that is quite a pretty landscape you have there. I would suspect where one might one to place hives given the terrain and the bears would be something you do need to consider properly.

I have been keeping bees a bit over 50 year.