The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Bees & Beekeeping => Topic started by: ponylady on July 13, 2014, 04:39:16 pm
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I am thinking about looking into bee keeping.
Not thinking about keeping bees yet!
What advice do you have/would you offer to someone thinking about bees?
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Find your local association and tip up to some meetings so that you can meet some beekeepers in your locality. Most associations are very good at welcoming new people and you can probably go along to some apiary visits to see what it actually means to handle bees. It is VERY helpful having a mentor who can guide you along with your first colony when you do get them.
Our association recommends that everyone goes on a beekeeping course before getting bees - but not everyone does this.
DON'T spend any money on equipment until you know what you need - I made that mistake and you end up wasting money.
Otherwise GO FOR IT, it's fascinating :excited:
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Your local association will do or will know where there is a beekeeping course. Go on a few apiary visits with them first to see if you want to take the plunge. I have done a theory course (two six week sessions) with my OH run by Quantock Beekeepers. The course was excellent and it opened our eyes just how much there was to learn to keep bees responsibly. We are now on their rent a hive programme which takes novices who have completed the course through building a hive from a nucleus. You get to take the bees home at the end of the summer for a small fraction of the normal price of buying a hive. You also have a lot of help which is very reassuring. Beekeepers are a friendly lot. I can thoroughly recommend this route into beekeeping.
:thumbsup:
Helen
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Thank you!
Excellent advice,
I will definitely be finding my local association.
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Definitely get in touch with your local BKA if you're a total beginner. But remember there are as many "expert" opinions as there are bees in a hive. Also bear in mind that you can't become a competent beekeeper overnight it takes a long time to learn all the ins and outs and a lot of lessons are learnt the hard way. It is incredibly satisfying to see your own honey in a jar though.
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As someone who has completed a course this year and has just got their first bees I'd definitely say do a local course, it's a great source of information and expertise, not to mention back-up. There are some really good books out there too, for example the Haynes bee keeping manual is a good starting point (though no substitute for the course).
If you would seriously like to keep them yourself I'd say that the first thing to consider is where you might like them and if it's a suitable site, plus the availability of forage.
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Get in touch with your local association. Don't buy any equipment until you have handled bees, as it doesn't suit some people.
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There is a branch of the BKA here in Eastbourne .. good start!
If I do go into bees, the hive(s) would be on my field .. near to clover, bramble, blackthorn, mayflower, and more
But its still early days.
Very early days.....
The bee prog on bbc2 last night was interesting