How did you get into Bee Keeping?

[kazmcc]

I was very suprised when the school agreed to the project. I didn't think for one minute that they would go for it for the very reasons given above. Imagine my suprise

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me. Bees seem to have captivated us all. Since I did the training I have bored people everywhere I've been.

Karen

 

[louiseww]

Hi - this is my first years with my own bees and it is very scary!!! I am afraid of doing the wrong thing and learning far quicker than reading books. This forum is great for asking silly questions which the experienced beekeepers will understand. There are so many things I am coming across where there are no answers in the books, so good luck with it all.

 

[kazmcc]

Thank you Louise, i have learned so much on this forum, but most importantly I have learnt about safety. I was told that bee keepers tend to be grumpy, but the grumpy keepers must have their own grumpy forum as everybody here has been very nice and answered my stupid questions with patience......so far

Karen

 

[margob99]

I came to London from South Africa and, for the first 2 years, suffered the worst hayfever I've ever known in my life. Heard about "local honey" cure theories, and did a bit further research, some of which indicated you actually have to be the beekeeper, harvesting your own honey but also suffering the stings from your own bees (sort of a chemical combination reaction, like) to get the full benefits from local honey. So I thought I'd give it a bash, in the interest of scientific (read "anecdotal" sample-of-one) research

Then my newly-acquired Kiwi partner decided he might want us to go back and live in NZ, where I'd struggle to find employment, but where beekeeping is big business. So it tailed in perfectly with possible future employment opportunities.

I've not suffered from hayfever in the last 18 months (that's how long I've been keeping bees), but that could well be weather-related ...

All of that seems to have gone by the board now, as I'm well and truly hooked on beekeeping as a hobby

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

This sounds odd but i had the most vivid dream about bumble bees - the kind of dream you can't get out of your head the next day. Anyway i initally tried to find where i could buy a colony for the garden. I found somewhere but they had stopped doing it the previous year.

My girlfriend then bought me a book on beekeeping and i now have 5 colonies and its increasing. (slowly as i have made every mistake in the book so far)

 

[kazmcc]

That's good to hear Margo, aren't bees amazing I can't believe I got this far in life without knowing what has been going on right under my nose! I would love to combine a hobby with work......I do all this as a volunteer, but you never know, someone might take pity on me and start to pay me.

 

[aberreef]

It's been a gradual introduction for me starting 20ish years ago when I sae an observation hive whilst on holiday in Scotland (I was about 12). Then mt dad got friendly with a local bee expert; the bee keeping books in the local library only had my stamps for years but mum and dad wouldn't let me get a hive.

Then a few years back my wife and I were walking in the Gower peninsula when we passed a swarm (couldnt see it but the noise was awesome) which re-kindled my interest but had nowhere to put a hive.

Now, at the age of 31 I share a few acre with some friends who have horses so finally have somewhere safe to keep the hives

Oh, and not to mention I'm a bit of a wildlife nut

 

[alex]

I run a small greengrocer's shop and have been selling local honey from a nearby beekeeper here for years and years, never really thinking a great deal about the actual product. It wasn't until this beekeeper asked me to advertise a beginner's group, run by the local association, that I actually thought much about honey bees at all (five years ago I probably wouldn't have been able to distinguish a honey bee from a bumble bee, but now I'm amazed that people can't tell the difference!). My wife came with me on this beginner's course "to stop me doing anything stupid like actually getting bees or anything!" By the end of the course we were both totally hooked - we spent the rest of the year studying hard and received our first colony from this local beekeeper the following season. We are now in our third season and more addicted to beekeeping than ever before!

 

[tonybloke]

Must remark on one point though "Now I know how much it costs to keep them properly I am a bit concerned" - my 4 colonies, hives and all equipment have so far cost me around £150 all-in...... (but that's natural beekeeping for you!)

'Natural' beekeeping? where do you find the hollow trees?

 

[steveselvage]

I was asked to clear a property and there was a hive of bees abandoned in the garden, i contacted a local beekeeper to take them and he showed me inside the hive.
One look and i was hooked.

 

[keithgrimes]

My dad bought me a hive for my 60th birthday. I wish he'd bought me one for my 20th birthday

 

[Finno]

I was born and raised on a small farm. When I was a toddler (a loooong time ago) I used to follow my father and the horse drawn mowing machine in the hay meadow watching out for bumble bee nests (Moss Carder Bee http://www.david.element.ukgateway.net/hymenoptera11.htm )When I found one, father would rob it and give the honey to me! - that was long before children had sweets every day of the week!. Not very eco friendly, but I think i have repaid the debt after thirty years beekeeping.

 

[kazmcc]

I am glad I've got into it relatively young ( well, 35, but my kids think that's well old :S ) so I have lots of years ahead to collect lots of colonies, mmmmm, where could I keep them all lol.

I only have a small garden, but the project will be getting 3 hives eventually. I have to stop myself getting carried away....I haven't even touched anything a hive yet and have only visited a hive twice ( just to loiter in the background ). I have been on the waiting list for a plot on the allotments where the project is situated for about a year now. The waiting list is about 2 years long so by the time I get my plot, I will have much more experience. The bloke who is supporting us while we learn knows his stuff ( I even have one of his books! ) so I think by that time I will be competent enough to get my very own girls

 

[kazmcc]

Finno, that is a lovely story.....I've always loved bumble bees, they are so funny looking

I've just had a quick look at the link you posted......I don't like wasps at all They frighten me lol, I am an odd ball as I am terrified of bees and wasps, long story about why I am now "trying" to become a bee keeper, but that picture of a wasp is going to give me nightmares. I wonder why honey bees don't look as evil? Yikes!

 

[freckledbeck]

Hi Karen
I started keeping bees this year in a very similar way to you.
We have started a new allotment group in the village aimed at getting the local community together and providing an area where people can keep chickens/bees/grow veg etc.
Our group sounds different to yours in that each plotholder is responsible for their own projects, ie we are keeping bees and chickens on our plot and although the hives and coops have been paid for out of the grant money we have obtained, we have to pay for the bees/chickens ourselves, and their upkeep... in short they are ours! (and we get to keep all the the eggs and honey! )
Everyone has been very positive about the bees, which is a bonus.
Like you we also hope to use the bees to educate the local school children and youth club members who are sharing one of the plots between them. Part of our grant money is going to buy 'mini beesuits' and the local children are keen to get involved.
There will be a childrens play area on site, to encourage people with young children to participate, and we will be building a wildlife area. (its going to be a busy year.....!)
Good luck with your project and bees, we will have to swap notes!
Everyone on this forum has been fab, and I too seem to spend most of my free time on here, avidly reading anything and everything!

 

[kazmcc]

That is great I love the fact that children are being introduced to these things......I wish I had thiese experiences as a child. Let me know where if you get the mini suits as we were going to get some, but one of the women who is part of the team said she is struggling to find any :S

One of the teachers who I liase with as I run the gardening club, is talking of getting chickens at the school. I am getting a bit concerned though as I am a single parent and I do all this volutarily. It takes up a LOT of my time at the moment and really I should be looking to get back to work as my youngest is in full time now. I don't know how I will balance this and a job, I have told the school that if it comes to it, I might have to run Gardening Club after school or at weekends as we are very low on volunteers, there is only two of us and the other mum might have to leave soon :-(

If any of you live in Manchester, near Rusholme, and you fancy giving us a hand, message me.

 

[BlipiBee]

I've always loved bees and have been fascinated with beekeeping. It wasn't until I got older that I understood a bit more about beekeeping but didn't think I could do it. Then I realised that many people look after bees as a hobby and that it was within my capabilities.

Got an allotment last year and decided I would take action in taking up beekeeping and got 2 hives and all the equipment second hand.

This year I have bought a house backing onto fields and hope to get my bees in a few days!

Scared? - Yes
Excited? - Yes
Ready? - Umm, as good as I'll ever be I guess!

As I couldn't get onto a course I'm very pleased I have a local beekeeper to assist. Personally I think practical learning with an expert is the best way to learn. (Fingers crossed!)

 

[Brian Bush]

I became interested in my early 20s. Came home from work one day to be told by my mother that we had a swarm in the garden. I fetched the vicar who was a bee keeper and watched him with admiration. Mother then told me that her first job was working for a seed merchants that sold everything including bees.
When I was first married I was introduced to a local beek who managed bees for a large estate. Spent many happy hours learning from him but, SWMBO would not countenance bees. Let it lie for 30 years. Went to the funeral of my best friend and on the way back in a reflective mood decided that life was too short and I was going to do everything I had always wanted to do. Told SWMBO how I was feeling and she said, 'I suppose you are going to get those B****y Bees'.
Spent a winter building hives, reading books and attending a course. Got my first hive 3 yrs ago, and with the help and advice of forum members have learnt a lot, made my own mistakes, and now have 14 full hives and half a dozen NUCs on the go.
There is nothing better on a beautiful summer day than sitting in the meadow of one of my apiaries, sown with a traditional wild flower mix, watching the girls doing their bit for the environment.

 

[kazmcc]

I have watched videos on the net of people collecting a swarm, and I know what you mean by admiration. I hope to be the one doing it one day, can you imagine! My mum still can't believe it as she spent my childhood chasing bees away from her sobbing daughter
I sent her the picture of me at a hive the other day, the one I have posted in my album on here, she reckons it's someone else in that suit and I'm fibbing! The cheek! lol

I can't wait for the babies to be settled in, I will be spending a lot of time just watching them, I am sure

 

[Ouarda]

Hi

I was given a gift of a hive a couple of months ago and about 3 weeks ago a swarm moved in, so you could say the bees chose me rather than me choosing them

Being thrown in at the deep end has meant I've had to get on with it and I thought it would be a bit hair raising but quite the opposite, they have me captivated.

I wasn't at all worried about checking the hive for the first time even though I had nobody around for guidence. I think if you're chilled they pick up on it and stay calm like most creatures.

This forum is great and everybody is so helpful

Ih ope you have fun with your bees