Where did we begin:
One of the MANY books
I am reading!
January 2013 ~ I began with an internet search and started reading everything we could find on beginning beekeeping. I also started searching for classes and groups in my area to find PEOPLE I could connect with. Facebook is also a great resource for making local connections.
Next I started marking my calendar with classes I could take and groups I could join. I found a class within a couple hours away that was on Top Bar Hive Beekeeping and this was very interesting to me. Dean Cook's Site
My husband and I started to discuss/argue about WHERE we would put the bees. Now that I think back on it, I guess he sort of won, but we compromised. ; ) We started preparing our yard for the bees, making sure the trees we didn't want in that area were cut down, cleaning up the grass, planting a few more fruit trees, etc. Then we started to get the area ready to fence out the dogs. I know that dogs will LEARN on their own to stay away from the hives, we have a huge yellow lab that likes to find things to scratch her back on and we don't want her to knock any hives over.
About a month ago we attended our first beekeeping class with Dean. It was AWESOME and we learned enough to be dangerous! haha We also invited Dean to teach a class here in South Austin the following month! This gave us time to get MORE ready for the bees, time to absorb what we already learned, and another chance to hear it all again and absorb more knowledge.
Next I started marking my calendar with classes I could take and groups I could join. I found a class within a couple hours away that was on Top Bar Hive Beekeeping and this was very interesting to me. Dean Cook's Site
My husband and I started to discuss/argue about WHERE we would put the bees. Now that I think back on it, I guess he sort of won, but we compromised. ; ) We started preparing our yard for the bees, making sure the trees we didn't want in that area were cut down, cleaning up the grass, planting a few more fruit trees, etc. Then we started to get the area ready to fence out the dogs. I know that dogs will LEARN on their own to stay away from the hives, we have a huge yellow lab that likes to find things to scratch her back on and we don't want her to knock any hives over.
About a month ago we attended our first beekeeping class with Dean. It was AWESOME and we learned enough to be dangerous! haha We also invited Dean to teach a class here in South Austin the following month! This gave us time to get MORE ready for the bees, time to absorb what we already learned, and another chance to hear it all again and absorb more knowledge.
Ordering My Bees
February 2013 ~ I ordered 3 packages of bees from B Weaver Apiary in Navasota, Texas. I decided I wanted local born and bred bees so they would be acclimated to TEXAS weather. B Weaver also delivers bee personally to Austin. My bees will arrive on May 4th. In the meantime I have a lot more to do to prepare my bee yard and a lot more supplies to buy as well as more books to order and read.
You need to order your bees in December or January if you want to get your bees in the springtime. The aviaries book up quickly, so order early. As it was I missed getting a mid April delivery by a day as they sold out.
Why did I order packages instead of nucs? Because I want to do Top Bar Hives, I don't want bees that are already in a Langstroth nuc box. Package bees are less expensive as you just get 10,000 mixed hive bees and a Queen. (not their queen, just a queen)
Why 3 packages? We want to have enough bees to be more guaranteed we will keep some and keep them alive this year. Some may fly away, either from swarming or because they just don't want to stay here. I will have more than 1 hive so I can make comparison checks among them as I learn how to keep bees.
You need to order your bees in December or January if you want to get your bees in the springtime. The aviaries book up quickly, so order early. As it was I missed getting a mid April delivery by a day as they sold out.
Why did I order packages instead of nucs? Because I want to do Top Bar Hives, I don't want bees that are already in a Langstroth nuc box. Package bees are less expensive as you just get 10,000 mixed hive bees and a Queen. (not their queen, just a queen)
Why 3 packages? We want to have enough bees to be more guaranteed we will keep some and keep them alive this year. Some may fly away, either from swarming or because they just don't want to stay here. I will have more than 1 hive so I can make comparison checks among them as I learn how to keep bees.