Courses / help

[daza]

When do courses start im in liverpool? Was supposed to start 3 years ago but work got in the way, ive now purchased a new national hive and ready to star again.
Thanks

 

[ericbeaumont]

Next spring, but plenty to prepare: have you been inside a hive of bees? It's not for everyone, so contact your local BKA for an experience session and find out if you like it.

Best not buy kit until after a course, which ought to explain what is essential and what is rubbish.

Dip into this book every week until next year.

 

[drdrday]

You'll get a lot of advice to do a course before you start (although I never did one), and getting the chance to actually be elbow deep in a hive with a face full of bees will really show whether this hobby is actually for you or not, but I would definitely suggest reading a few books over the autumn and winter, and reading a lot of this forum, particularly the beginner's section. You'll see all of the other issues and questions that come up for other new beekeepers so that by the time you start you'll already be pretty aware of everything the bees can throw at you. I often think one of the main reasons newcomers can get testy responses to their questions on this forum is because the established forum users are having to answer the same queries again and again and again - as a good read will show you!
Worth watching a few YouTube videos too, although be careful of what you watch. Stick to UK beekeepers, such as Norfolk Honey Company, who has a 'Starting beekeeping' series. There are loads of US videos, but they do things a bit differently, and not always in a good way!

 

[daza]

Been near a couple ot in one as yet but handle plenty of wasps and bees in garden, so no fear. I have wormerys and wasps seem to be attracted to them and always appear when im sieving them. My mrs thinks im mental i dont try move wasps away, i talk to them, they land on me then fly off. Guess been lucky upto now

 

[Gilberdyke John]

You'll get a lot of advice to do a course before you start (although I never did one), and getting the chance to actually be elbow deep in a hive with a face full of bees will really show whether this hobby is actually for you or not, but I would definitely suggest reading a few books over the autumn and winter, and reading a lot of this forum, particularly the beginner's section. You'll see all of the other issues and questions that come up for other new beekeepers so that by the time you start you'll already be pretty aware of everything the bees can throw at you. I often think one of the main reasons newcomers can get testy responses to their questions on this forum is because the established forum users are having to answer the same queries again and again and again - as a good read will show you!
Worth watching a few YouTube videos too, although be careful of what you watch. Stick to UK beekeepers, such as Norfolk Honey Company, who has a 'Starting beekeeping' series. There are loads of US videos, but they do things a bit differently, and not always in a good way!

Agree about the standard of many US YouTube videos with the exception of J P the Beeman. His confidence in swarm catching and cut-outs can be entertaining. He does have his funny ways and his humour can be off-puting. However he tackles jobs which would send bbka safety advisors dashing for the smelling salts.