New to Bee Keeping.

[kazmcc]

Hello, I am new to bee keeping and I am looking for experienced bee keepers to help me along in what I think will be my new, lifelong hobby. I am part of a team who have taken over an old allotment next to my childrens school, and rebuilt it with the aim of keeping bees on there. The children will have access to the bees and will be learning about how important bees are to the environment. We have an excellent teacher called Paul, who, with his wife, will be guiding us along during our first year. I have only recently done a taster session in bee keeping, but can't wait to learn more and get our own bees on the plot. I am sure I will be referring back to this forum again over the coming months and years. I am going to another session tomorrow and, seeing how I used to be terrified of bees, I am quiet suprised at myself in how eager I am to get back around a hive. Hope to chat with some of you soon.

 

[little blue]

hello and welcome.... and good luck!

 

[steve1958]

Welcome kazmcc, I am sure you will enjoy your new hobby greatly

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hello, I am new to bee keeping and I am looking for experienced bee keepers to help me along in what I think will be my new, lifelong hobby. .

welcome...i learnt to look after bees at school , its a good thing to get kids interested

Have you books, hooper or cramp are some of the best authors, though get a modern revised book as varroa is not mentioned in older editions if you buy second hand

AND ASK any question even if it seems stupid..other will want to ask the same question and are too afraid to ask, no question is silly or stupid

 

[kazmcc]

Thank you everyone, I did ask a few daft questions during the training I am sure. I have bought a book, written by the man who is going to guide us funnily enough. I am lucky as there are bee keepers already on the allotment site so we will never be short of people to ask. The children are really looking forward to the bees arriving, although some parents are a bit dubious. My opinion is there are bees everywhere, you can't avoid them so you my as well let the kids take part as long as we have the right safety equipment.

 

[Queens59]

Hi Kazmcc! I'm a newbee too and this is a great place for advice and support -you're lucky too, that you can do a course which should help greatly with the basics! I've asked stupid questions and no-one gets funny so Good Luck...

 

[MrB]

Hi Kazmcc, and welcome
hope you enjoy your bee's

 

[darrenperrett]

Hello Kazmcc

 

[kazmcc]

Hello, and thanks for the beer

 

[grizzly]

Hi Kazmcc

Welcome to the house

 

[kazmcc]

lol, thanks again. I've just read a sticky about bee sting mishaps and how badly they have affected people......not good for a girl with a bee phobia trying to be a bee keeper lol, but I am glad I read it, a healthy fear is good I suppose.

 

[providence wayne]

Hello and good luck

 

[Firegazer]

Yes, welcome to the forum and good luck.

Do make sure you use all the protective gear: although there ARE bees around in gardens, and children will come into contact with them, they will usually be foraging and easy going. It gets different when you get in range of their hive: then they can get defensive and the risks go up if you don't have good gear on.

I'm a newbie too and I think one of the ways we can pay back the community here (as well as coughing up donations to the running every now and again) is to post photos and videos of hives, inspections and anything else; it's good fun fir everyone to see what's going on with your bees, maybe spot something you might want to check on, etc. Armchair beekeeping is good.

Hope this helps. See you around.

FG

 

[kazmcc]

Thank you Wayne, I think I might have to bee the luckiest beginner ever with the amount of support I have

Thanks also Firegazer, I insist on wearing the suit, a few people don't bother at the meet. The bees there are very gentle and calm, they don't get smoked even before being inspected! Now I know it is distressing to have to keep smoking them when it is a hive people are learning on and it has to keep being opened, but people make mistakes and if a frame is dropped or someone stumbles there is going to be trouble. I am just not prepared to take that risk I am afraid. I was a bit annoyed at the meet actually, one or two of the members were boasting about not needing a suit which is just crazy if you ask me. I am a very nervous newcomer and felt like they thought they were superior to me because I was wrapped up like a mitchelin man on a boiling hot day. Maybe I got them wrong but this was the impression I got. Well, thankfully I am past all that peer pressure BS so just got on with making sure I was fully protected. I am glad there is no-one on here who makes me feel that way

 

[BKF Admin]

Well said kazmcc.

I always suite up as my moto is "every sting could be one nearer having to pack up beekeeping or worse".

Ignore the fools that dont weir proper protection,bees can go from pussycats to killers in a few seconds.

Do the same people that dont have protection not bother with a seatbelt as well ?

 

[kazmcc]

Good point. I have just posted my first pics Hope people like them. I will take some of the project I have been part of, see if anyone has any advice to see if we can make it even MORE bee friendly. First album of many lets hope.

 

[freethorpe bees]

Good luck Kazmcc.

I have only just started out in beekeeping and this forum is absolutely brilliant for advice and help.

FB

 

[kazmcc]

Freethorpe bees, I am in the same boat This forum is great isn't it. I haven't found a thread yet that hasn't had me interested. As each question is answered, a million more crop into mind and I have learnt so much from the threads. I could ( and do ) spend all day here

Karen

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

Hi kaz, am in the same newbie boat, and I'm already getting loads of good advice. Am off to look at your pics.

Blue

 

[Onge]

Kazmcc hi and welcome.

I would recommend a test sting, some where on the trunk of the body and scrape it out after a couple of seconds.

Make sure someone is with you.

If you can breath and don't go blotchy over your whole body your fine, massive swelling is normal.

After 15 mins your fine and you can say your not allergic.

Then you can get on with the joys of beekeeping.