New beekeeper here :-)

[Bikerbee13]

Good evening everyone,

I stumbled across this forum and thought it looked like a great community to be part of!
My name is Mike and I am 20 from Kent.
My grandfather was a beekeeper but died at the end of last year and we still have two of his hives.
I thought that as we still have some of his equipment left it would be a great opportunity for me to become a beekeeper and carry it on in the family.

I have no idea what I should be doing so will be reading this forum for advice!

Thanks,

Mike

 

[pargyle]

Good evening everyone,

I stumbled across this forum and thought it looked like a great community to be part of!
My name is Mike and I am 20 from Kent.
My grandfather was a beekeeper but died at the end of last year and we still have two of his hives.
I thought that as we still have some of his equipment left it would be a great opportunity for me to become a beekeeper and carry it on in the family.

I have no idea what I should be doing so will be reading this forum for advice!

Thanks,

Mike

Welcome Mike ... you've put the bees before the books then ? It will be a steep learning curve but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. The forum always has an answer for those issues you can't find in the Haynes Bee Manual (Great help despite the title) and on the internet.

There's a few nutters on here but you will get used to the banter. A bit about your hives will interest everyone.

 

[Tabby15]

Hi mike. See if you can find some classes near you, sometimes adult education colleges run them or local beekeeping associations. Enjoy the steep learning curve. Bees a fascinating and frustrating!

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Welcome, mike!

Enjoy the Forum. Enjoy the craft. Enjoy the honey...... eventually!

Dusty

 

[itma]

First thing to do would be to join one (or more!) of your local beekeeping Associations.
Take a look at http://www.kentbee.com with a few nearby branches
but note that you also have Medway http://www.mbka-news.com (which isn't part of the Kent grouping!)

Try and get the feel of a few.
What you need are folk you get on with and nearby. (People aren't always members of the most obvious association.)
You can get ideas on line and from books. But, when you need help, spotting what is important to see in your colony needs a set of eyes, hands and ears (sometimes even a nose) actually there.
Go to a few meetings with the aim of meeting the people - regardless of the title of the meeting!


Oh, I ought to warn you that bees are complicated, more so than you would think, and that tends to lead to either hair-tearing or obsession! (Or both.)
Good luck!

 

[Queens59]

Obsessed?? I'm not obsessed at all, I think about things other than bees every...obsessed...ob-sess-ed...mmm OK maybe I am Welcome Mike

 

[madasafish]

+1 to joining an Association.

 

[Tdod]

 

[Beauhawk]

Welcome Mike,

Definitely join your local club as already discussed. The BBKA website will give you plenty of info and access to additional courses. I recently attended the Sittingbourne Science Park one Saturday for a course on swarm control (Not sure the bees have had the same tuition!)

You will be surprised how many local people you will find to help.

Above all have fun - I am....

 

[pargyle]

You will be surprised how many local people you will find to help.

Above all have fun - I am....

But there again - it is a forum for Hobby Masochists who feed their addiction by keeping bees ....

 

[madasafish]

But there again - it is a forum for Hobby Masochists who feed their addiction by keeping bees ....

I think there is also a quota of sadists and some sadomasochists as well...

 

[Mammoth]

I think there is also a quota of sadists and some sadomasochists as well...

Aha....my q then......


Welcome to the forum Mike

 

[Luminos]

 

[Bikerbee13]

Wow thanks for such a warm welcome!

 

[Eric the Ewok]

I'm into bikes and bees as well

 

[madasafish]

I'm into bikes and bees as well

That's perverted

 

[Beauhawk]

I'm into bikes and bees as well

But not at the same time I hope.....!

 

[Smorning]

Good evening everyone,

I stumbled across this forum and thought it looked like a great community to be part of!
My name is Mike and I am 20 from Kent.
My grandfather was a beekeeper but died at the end of last year and we still have two of his hives.
I thought that as we still have some of his equipment left it would be a great opportunity for me to become a beekeeper and carry it on in the family.

I have no idea what I should be doing so will be reading this forum for advice!

Thanks,

Mike

Enjoy it as its a great hobby I started this year and have three hives on the go. I found a adult study course in ashford was useful as there is no better way to get the basic facts. As others have stated join the local bee club as they usually have mentors to help you out. There is also the bee barn in bridge that does into courses which are really good. I live near Faversham not so far from Sittingbourne so if you want any help or advice just post me and maybe we could meet up? As you are a biker have you seen the speedway at sittingbourne ?
Regards
Nick

 

[flyingfox]

Welcome! Best of luck

 

[pargyle]

OP's not been around for a couple of weeks - we might have frightened him off ?