Snoozypaws3000
New Bee
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2012
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Colchester Essex
- Hive Type
- None
- Number of Hives
- 4
Hi All,
This is my first year keeping bees after dreaming of doing so for many, many years.
I have a 6 acre smallholding in Essex and at the beginning of the year managed to get a huge pile of WBC outer hive parts for about £60 on eBay.
They were very old with paint peeling off and a few repairs necessary but had been stored for 30 years in a dry barn so were actually in pretty good nick.
There's enough for at least 6 hives [with lifts etc to take 2 supers on top of a brood box for each hive].
Bought all the boxes, frames etc new
They took ages to renovate but 4 of them are now looking spankingly gorgeous in the garden and are housing 2 nucs and 2 colonies that I got at the end of June/beginning of July from a nearby beekeeper.
I still need to get 2 roof tops, one base and two stands for the remaining two hives but will hopefully get this done soon so that I can maybe get two more hives going next year.
All 4 colonies are thriving and I am now feeling fairly confident about inspections etc [although have had more than one or two painful stings on the bonce courtesy of being way too curious and "just taking a quick look about without putting my hair back or my gear on" I know...serves me right] but my nervousness about hearing them roar like a box of little lions when disturbed has diminished and happily three of the four colonies seem to be very docile.
So far the only downsides [apart from the stings that helped me invent a few of my very own swear words] are looking like Homer Simpson in his nuclear power plant safety gear when I go out to check on my bees [such a girly] and spending far too much time being mesmerised by their comings and goings [I've even installed a little stool down there so I can sit for a while and watch].
Am looking forward to doing lots of reading and researching on all the subjects that have been up for discussion and will try my best not to ask too many dopey beginner questions - although from experience the only thing that I really know is that I don't know as much as I think I know
I may have started off a bit weirdly with a question about my first honey harvest in the honey section though!
Am hoping to gain more knowledge and experience over the years so that I can eventually contribute answers and suggestions rather than just questions.
All the best
Sky
This is my first year keeping bees after dreaming of doing so for many, many years.
I have a 6 acre smallholding in Essex and at the beginning of the year managed to get a huge pile of WBC outer hive parts for about £60 on eBay.
They were very old with paint peeling off and a few repairs necessary but had been stored for 30 years in a dry barn so were actually in pretty good nick.
There's enough for at least 6 hives [with lifts etc to take 2 supers on top of a brood box for each hive].
Bought all the boxes, frames etc new
They took ages to renovate but 4 of them are now looking spankingly gorgeous in the garden and are housing 2 nucs and 2 colonies that I got at the end of June/beginning of July from a nearby beekeeper.
I still need to get 2 roof tops, one base and two stands for the remaining two hives but will hopefully get this done soon so that I can maybe get two more hives going next year.
All 4 colonies are thriving and I am now feeling fairly confident about inspections etc [although have had more than one or two painful stings on the bonce courtesy of being way too curious and "just taking a quick look about without putting my hair back or my gear on" I know...serves me right] but my nervousness about hearing them roar like a box of little lions when disturbed has diminished and happily three of the four colonies seem to be very docile.
So far the only downsides [apart from the stings that helped me invent a few of my very own swear words] are looking like Homer Simpson in his nuclear power plant safety gear when I go out to check on my bees [such a girly] and spending far too much time being mesmerised by their comings and goings [I've even installed a little stool down there so I can sit for a while and watch].
Am looking forward to doing lots of reading and researching on all the subjects that have been up for discussion and will try my best not to ask too many dopey beginner questions - although from experience the only thing that I really know is that I don't know as much as I think I know
I may have started off a bit weirdly with a question about my first honey harvest in the honey section though!
Am hoping to gain more knowledge and experience over the years so that I can eventually contribute answers and suggestions rather than just questions.
All the best
Sky
