Just giving a little back to Mother Nature.

[Foghorn]

"freebees"🤣

[BilletHead]

21 minutes ago, Foghorn said:

"freebees"🤣

               That's a fact Jack!    It was a crazy swarm season for me.  I hand caught three swarms and trapped eight swarms. Not bad for not knowing what the heck I was doing. Two swarms caught in Layens traps got transferred to Herman to a friends newly built hives. Ond has done real well the other had brood but for some reason failed. So out of the eleven swarms two losses and I shook another out because lack of room. Another was gifted to another friend for his bee yard in town.  It's been fun but does stress me out a bit. I have a milo field just south of the house bordering our yard. Farmer friend said he would have to spray the milo. I told him twice to be diligent of how he does it. Well it was calm yesterday and in the evening I hear the cropduster. Sure enough the field was sprayed. This morning so far all looks normal at hive entrances. 

[jdmidwest]

I did well with a big crash in the spring, down to just a wad of bees in a queenless hive.  Bought a Nuc and a queen =2 hives.  Had 2 swarms move into equipment sitting around and captured a swarm.  Split when I pulled 5 gallons of honey off the nuc and swarm and tried to make 3 more in July.  Two hives made queens.  Shook other out and they returned to my other hives.  Gave one away to a guy at work that wanted to have bees but was too late this spring.

Total hives now, 6.

I have decided that the goal of 20 hives was too much work.  Keeping this down to a hobby.  6-10 max for me from now on.

[Foghorn]

Son in law has 6 hives on their property with a buddy that owns 3 of them. Think he's just getting his feet wet learning about the bees. Youngest daughter, his wife has gotten stung the last 2 times she mowed even though she wasn't that close to the hives. She had a bad reaction so hubby gets to mow in that part of their property.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I've got a couple buddies that have been doing beekeeping for a few years now.  It's an interesting hobby, but frankly, I don't quite get it.  One small jar of honey lasts me a couple years.

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, ColdWaterFshr said:

I've got a couple buddies that have been doing beekeeping for a few years now.  It's an interesting hobby, but frankly, I don't quite get it.  One small jar of honey lasts me a couple years.

I feel that way about alot of stuff like that.  

My BIL has spent untold amounts of money making beer that is really not good at all.   Of all the truly consistently good beers out there for a reasonable price, the fact that he believes he can improve on the product just indicates that there is something wrong with his brain.  

As for honey, I have a feeling that the old saw about "local honey" curing your allergies is a crock of BS.    Turn off the A/C, open the windows, and you'll get over your "allergies" in a few days.   I've had some really good honey from guys that do it (JD's was fantastic) but I guess I'm just not that picky.   Those little 2.79 Clover Valley bears from DG suit me fine.  

 

 

[jdmidwest]

6 hours ago, ColdWaterFshr said:

I've got a couple buddies that have been doing beekeeping for a few years now.  It's an interesting hobby, but frankly, I don't quite get it.  One small jar of honey lasts me a couple years.

A teaspoon of honey gets me by most years.  I do cook with it sometimes.

Being a bug farmer is what it is about.  Watching an organized society of bugs and managing them is an interesting hobby that has been around for ages.

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

A teaspoon of honey gets me by most years.  I do cook with it sometimes.

Being a bug farmer is what it is about.  Watching an organized society of bugs and managing them is an interesting hobby that has been around for ages.

Not only that, but knowing how to do stuff like that, and being capable of self sufficiency, is a very valuable skill.....or at least it COULD be.   I certainly respect it.