Hi,
I'm just halfway through my beginners course with the Vale and Downlands bee keeping association. First hive is built and bees ordered. Really looking forward to getting properly started and learning how to nurture my bees.
I live in Steventon just south of Abingdon.
For the first year, I will keep my bees at the association's training apiary and have the help of a mentor - a great system. I think my major worry is where to keep them after that. Any tips on how to approach local farmers and landowners gratefully received.
Regards to all
John Broadbent
Hi John, Re keeping hives on farms etc, dont be afraid to ask but, you will want more than one hive, its generic i am afraid!! lol However, always find the place first, never go to someone to ask "do they have a space somewhere"
Find a place in an area you can get right along side or very near with the car, be really fussy. The fussier you are, the more long term hassle free beekeeping you will get.
Like most, i learnt the hard way and obviously still learning. One of my apiaries was down a 150 meter track. 3 years later i am still recovering from the harvest lol
Seriously, it pays dividends. Farmers are the best. They dont want payment, but you give it obviously anyway. Most are happy to have another friendly person popping through every few days they can trust. They will love your honey!!! Theres a lot of good will towards beekeepers, you will be surprised.
I have had others who the first thing they ask is " whats in it for me" the second you hear that, be prepared to walk. Its going to be a battle. I am not tarring everybody with the same brush, but there is a few you need to avoid. Theres nothing worse than not wanting to go to the apiary, because you dont like the landowner, or having to move your hives in the middle of the flow because the landowner decided he dosent like your now huge summer colonies of bees. Be bold and honest about the bees to the owner.
Often your educating them. I've got great clients now, its taken a while where in a few apiaries, they were very worried about having bees on their property but perhaps i bored them so much, they just gave in but usually its the bribery with a few pots of honey, when you first think they might allow you on site that does the trick. Your also providing a good pollinator service, free and also increasing the biodiversity to an area.
Bear in mind you may also have beekeeper neighbours, so ask carefully at your association as to not rock the boat. Some beekeepers get mightily worried (myself included) about another beekeeper opening an apiary near by. if you get to know who's who, this again will help you tons. you might even get a frendly mentor to help you. Try and stay 3 miles from any other apiaries. This will help you if there is a disease outbreak.
Use google earth and use the measurement tool, it gives you ideas of distances from or too forage etc. Really easy to find good spots like that. Your closest mixed forage needs to be generally within 1 to 1.5 kilometres.
Best of luck.
