Hello everyone (AKA another unoriginal intro title)

[Rez]

Hello there,
I'm so new to beekeeping I'm still in the original sealed packaging. I have no hives & subsequently no bees, but I'm hoping that will change in the not too distant future.

I've loved bees in the "aww, look at that lovely bee flitting about" sense for most of my life and had the idea many years ago that I would like to keep bees, but due to a lot of misinformation and poor source choices, I was led to believe it was something that I most likely couldn't do. Fast forward those many years to now, I am now aware that I can in fact keep bees if I wish. I wish I had learned this all those years ago as I feel I'm starting a bit later in life than I'd like and my years ahead are now less than I could have had.

Anyway, I'm in rural Suffolk and have the usual million & one questions, but I'll have a good look around the forum before I go duplicating too many and get swamped with eye-rolling emotes.

Nice to meet you all and look forward to learning from everyone.

Regards
Sean (Rez isn't my real name. My parents weren't that weird.)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Welcome. Lots to read here. Enjoy.
My advice would be to join a local beekeeping association, take their beginners winter course and play with somebody else’s bees then you’ll be ready to get your bees in the spring if you reserve an overwintered nuc from a good supplier.

 

[Rez]

Hello, thank you for the welcome and good advice.
I have briefly looked at local groups and associations & such and will definitely be getting in there somewhere. I've sort of approached a couple of people, but not had much in the way of response, but I will persevere. I imagine most are busy, but I'm still not even sure who is who or good to ask and all that. It's all good though.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Welcome Rez,
Rural Suffolk eh? Nice. The county of big skies. Also the county of my birth, but that was a long time ago.
Not been back for a good few years alas...
I hope you get into beekeeping, but be warned, you’ll never be the same.

 

[madasafish]

 

[Rez]

Welcome Rez,
Rural Suffolk eh? Nice. The county of big skies. Also the county of my birth, but that was a long time ago.
Not been back for a good few years alas...
I hope you get into beekeeping, but be warned, you’ll never be the same.

Thank you. Yes I feel very lucky to live where I do. I moved out of town a lot of years ago and wouldn't (couldn't) go back for anything.

Saying that I see you are in Dorset. My son moved there some years back and I like it there too, though he does live in a built-up area, but overall I like it there.

I hope I get into beekeeping too. I'm very keen and see no reason why I shouldn't enjoy it. I feel that I've been robbed of some years I could have been doing it, but it is what it is.

Thanks again for the welcome.

 

[Rez]

Madasafish - Thank you

 

[Rez]

My advice would be to join a local beekeeping association, take their beginners winter course and play with somebody else’s bees then you’ll be ready to get your bees in the spring if you reserve an overwintered nuc from a good supplier.

Just out of curiosity, is there a significant difference between an association and a group? I looked at Suffolk Beekeepers' Association and on their site it recommends following a link to a local group 'Waveney Beekeepers' Group'. On their site it tells me that their membership joining window is January to March. Doesn't that put paid to any winter courses? Surely I don't have to wait another whole year to get started?

Sorry if I'm just having a thick moment.

 

[gmonag]

Suffolk BKA has 6 branches which call themselves associations or groups. Membership of any branch also gives membership of the Suffolk Association

 

[WoodenBeam]

Waveney are a friendly bunch but yes limit when you can join. I imagine meetings are a bit thin on the ground due to CV at present but should they recommence get in contact & I'm sure they’ll be fine with you gate crashing as a non member. Getting late in the year to start actual beekeeping, if you were able to get into a club apiary for a nose and then attend a few meetings that would give you a solid start in spring (plus maybe a good local contact for bees).

 

[drex]

My association does a theory course starting in January, which finished just at the right time to open hives for practical sessions. In the meantime see if you can contact a local keeper ( possibly through the association) and get to look through their bees with them. Better to have some hands on experience before opening your wallet. I have had a few people keen to start but as soon as I opened up a hive were overwhelmed and went off the idea.

 

[Rez]

Thank you both for the information and advice.

I have been contacted by my local group and had some of my questions answered. I've also been put on the list for whenever the course comes up, so hopefully things are starting to move.

Yes the CV issue is certainly making these sort of things hard, but it is what it is and I'll just have to try and be patient.

Thanks again.

 

[Rez]

My association does a theory course starting in January, which finished just at the right time to open hives for practical sessions. In the meantime see if you can contact a local keeper ( possibly through the association) and get to look through their bees with them. Better to have some hands-on experience before opening your wallet. I have had a few people keen to start but as soon as I opened up a hive were overwhelmed and went off the idea.

Thank you for the good advice. I feel I'm getting somewhere slowly now and will most definitely get some hands-on experience, or at the very least get amongst the bees somehow, but I'm fairly confident that it's something I'm going to do. Aside from the experience and advice a course will provide, it's going to just hopefully confirm what I feel and not put me off at all.

The main thing I've had problems with is finding people willing to talk to me, but hopefully that has started to change.

Thanks again.

 

[Niv]

Thank you for the good advice. I feel I'm getting somewhere slowly now and will most definitely get some hands-on experience, or at the very least get amongst the bees somehow, but I'm fairly confident that it's something I'm going to do. Aside from the experience and advice a course will provide, it's going to just hopefully confirm what I feel and not put me off at all.

The main thing I've had problems with is finding people willing to talk to me, but hopefully that has started to change.

Thanks again.

I think some associations are a bit reluctant to give too much info 'over the phone' to non / new beekeepers because they do not really want to encourage people without basic training to keep bees.

I can see both sides of this and get where they are coming from, I know our association get calls sometimes asking for swarms when they are available but our lot will not give them out to non members.

 

[Rez]

I can understand that too, but from the new/non beekeeper's point of view, if they can't find anyone willing to talk to them and offer help and/or advice, some people will go ahead and get bees without it anyway.
I do see your point though.