Looking to purchase bees in the greater Manchester area for this spring

[Park Farm Bees]

Hi. We have purchased a farm and we have designated a good portion of land for wild flower and we will be putting hives in the same area. I’m finding it difficult to find good information from local bee keeping associations in the Oldham and Rochdale areas and I’m new to this website so any help is greatly appreciated.

I want to order bees for spring that are fairly local to the area for obvious reasons. can anyone help with any contact details? Farm is located in Shaw, Oldham.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi. We have purchased a farm and we have designated a good portion of land for wild flower and we will be putting hives in the same area. I’m finding it difficult to find good information from local bee keeping associations in the Oldham and Rochdale areas and I’m new to this website so any help is greatly appreciated.

I want to order bees for spring that are fairly local to the area for obvious reasons. can anyone help with any contact details? Farm is located in Shaw, Oldham.

My boring response is have you kept bees before? If not try hard to contact a local beekeeping association and either get on their training course(s) or ask if anyone in their circle will either mentor you or run a few hives on your land.
It's quite possible to keep bees without training but going in with some knowledge will save you a lot of heartache and disappointment and be far better for the bees.
There's every chance someone here will step up to the plate with local knowledge.

 

[Park Farm Bees]

Hi. We haven’t personally kept bees before but we have family who have who will support us. Tried contacting a local association in Oldham but no answer or response on emails. I’ve joined a Cheshire association but that is not local to us really. Just hoping someone on here is local and can help really.
We have 2 top bar hives already and we will be purchasing a national hive as well. So we could offer someone local a hive to manage

 

[Arfermo]

Tried this website
https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/sites/odbkaMust be someone there? Patience dear boy!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Top bar hives are not the ideal starter hive. They are not the easiest to manage and you certainly can’t just leave them alone and hope for a little honey.
Honestly the best bet is to take a course and then practice on your local association bees for a season and maybe get a summer nuc to bring on and take through the winter if you are really impatient.
Bees tend to forage away from the hive but your wildflower meadow will indeed benefit lots of other pollinators.
Best of luck and welcome to the addiction.
PS you don’t need bees local to you, simply those suited to a similar climate

 

[Ian123]

PS you don’t need bees local to you, simply those suited to a similar climate

Heresy….they’ll be stoning your effigy at the next bibba conference.

 

[Park Farm Bees]

Tried this website
https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/sites/odbkaMust be someone there? Patience dear boy!!

that’s the one I’ve been trying for the few months. Website is out of date too regarding meeting last etc.

 

[Park Farm Bees]

Top bar hives are not the ideal starter hive. They are not the easiest to manage and you certainly can’t just leave them alone and hope for a little honey.
Honestly the best bet is to take a course and then practice on your local association bees for a season and maybe get a summer nuc to bring on and take through the winter if you are really impatient.
Bees tend to forage away from the hive but your wildflower meadow will indeed benefit lots of other pollinators.
Best of luck and welcome to the addiction.
PS you don’t need bees local to you, simply those suited to a similar climate

Ok thanks. We just happened to acquire the top bar hives but i will be getting a national hive to start with. The top bars will be spare ones for the future or of any swarms need rehoming. Our aim is not necessarily to harvest honey, we just want to have honey bees and help the environment.

 

[Swarm]

Hi. We haven’t personally kept bees before but we have family who have who will support us. Tried contacting a local association in Oldham but no answer or response on emails. I’ve joined a Cheshire association but that is not local to us really. Just hoping someone on here is local and can help really.
We have 2 top bar hives already and we will be purchasing a national hive as well. So we could offer someone local a hive to manage

Have you considered advertising an apiary site for a local beekeeper, with a view to running a couple of colonies yourself?
There may be someone who will readily mentor you as appreciation of finding such a wonderful site. Knowing they have a secure site with a positive land owner is every beekeepers dream. Two people can make manipulations much easier so the help in lifting and general apiary duties is another plus.
A decent beekeeper should recognise their good fortune and provide you with bees to occupy your hives via splits etc, in my opinion, the best way to obtain bees.
Courses have proved very difficult and by all means try to get your name down but working with another beekeeper and learning hands on, one to one basis will be so much better.

 

[Ian123]

we just want to have honey bees and help the environment.

If your buying hives try the main companies during sale time, there at least 50% cheaper………You don’t just have bees they need management or care, you need to do a course or at least gain some knowledge!!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Heresy….they’ll be stoning your effigy at the next bibba conference.

I hear there's a callout on freecycle for osiers to build a wicker man already

 

[Erichalfbee]

Heresy….they’ll be stoning your effigy at the next bibba conference.

I hear there's a callout on freecycle for osiers to build a wicker man already

For heavens sake
I’m not suggesting he gets “orange devils” or even “black beauties” just that he doesn’t have to source his bees from the field next door!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Our aim is not necessarily to harvest honey, we just want to have honey bees and help the environment.

Honey bees don’t help the environment but your meadow will.

 

[Ian123]

For heavens sake
I’m not suggesting he gets “orange devils” or even “black beauties” just that he doesn’t have to source his bees from the field next door!

Chicken…..as he doesn’t want honey am sure the black ones will do just fine

 

[Erichalfbee]

Chicken…..as he doesn’t want honey am sure the black ones will do just fine

Careful

 

[Wilco]

@parkfarmbees what sort of farm is it?

 

[Swarm]

Nothing new in 22

 

[FlySwat]

that’s the one I’ve been trying for the few months. Website is out of date too regarding meeting last etc.

You are not alone if that helps... My local association seem to have trouble with the reply button.

I have found this place a great source of info (been lurking for a while)... And some good books.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Chicken…..as he doesn’t want honey am sure the black ones will do just fine

pardon you!

 

[Park Farm Bees]

@parkfarmbees what sort of farm is it?

Hi. Just a small holding with a few acres of grazing land for horses in the countryside. We have segregated about 150m2 of land at the far end of the field away from any horses and public pathways. Nice and sheltered too