I was hoping to come on here or join a local group to ensure I can get the best advice on all this but the willingness here to add uninformed comment and outright distaste for anyone willing to put their time and money into the hobby has me getting second thoughts of engaging at all.
Well, you've now chosen to 'engage', so good luck to you with your project.
A lot of people have fond memories of watching, or helping, with bees when they were children, it's as good a reason as any to start beekeeping.
You will be at the sharp end of a fairly steep learning curve because not only will you be new to beekeeping but you will also be using novel equipment you've only seen in a video, and seen described in written comments online.
There are plenty of beekeepers who use non-standard equipment, some make their own, some buy innovative and expensive products. It doesn't matter much whether bees are kept in a top bar hive made from scaffold boards or something very much more expensive - as long as the bees are happy, and healthy.
Exactly. One of the reasons I don't feel my £450 (inc P&P) [(including a brood box and queen excluder, just so you know).] would be all lost if the various experts who have tested it out are wrong. I don't know how common Longstrath supers are in the UK though? ...
With regards to the ill-informed comment, I don't intend to question people's knowledge of general beekeeping but rather knowledge of the FlowHive, since many of the 'issues' raised are well covered on the main indiegogo page. There are outstanding questions ...
Unlike the common characterisation of thinking the 'difficult' bit has been taken out of the equation I felt the saving of money and space for honey processing equipment worth the extra cost and risk of the system.
Anybody can read the information on the IGG pages and watch the videos, but somebody who has no experience of bees or beekeeping may not be aware of the potential pitfalls and might not have noticed things that seem to be missing from, in particular, the videos - bees.
The IGG page suggests that the hive boxes/floor etc will need painting, so it is unlikely to be cedar. A lot of UK beekeepers use Langstroths. You can buy cedar Langstroths, including two supers, for much less than £450. Polystyrene hives are even cheaper. You can buy budget starter kits, which include protective clothing, for less than £450.
Not all beekeepers have their own extractor, many will hire one for a couple of days from their BKA. Some don't bother with an extractor, they use 'crush and strain' and a sieve or colander, something that would be quite difficult to do with a flow frame.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks as if you may have bought a setup that includes a single super containing either 6 or 7 "flow frames". Most colonies will fill more than one 10 frame super during the honey flow. Where are your bees, which you will have to buy separately, put the rest of their honey? You may well find that you will quickly need to buy some other equipment.
Whatever you do, and however things pan out for you and the other IGG investors, good luck with your beekeeping.
You may think too many on here are caustic, the truth is that we are cautious, but we'll help when and how we can.
Pargyle,
