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Author Topic: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.  (Read 3386 times)

Offline JR4AL

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Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« on: February 02, 2019, 10:08:08 pm »
First post and would like to say hello to all the beekeepers out there.

Just a bit of background we live in south Alabama and I am turning the Big 4-0 this year and I decided that I needed a new hobby. I began exploring the idea last February and purchased a Flow Hive 2.

I did not get it until late May and I decided to not get bees last year because I thought I was too late to build a strong enough hive. So in the interim I began buying books and consuming as much info as I could. Everything I read suggested to start with two hives, so I purchased a 10 frame Langstroth with two brood boxes and 1 super. I built a hive stand and I also purchased a Miller feeder and I have my bees lined up for the first of April.

I have read so many posts on this forum and so very many of you have such vast wealths of knowledge on bees, so as I await my bee arrival I thought I would say hello and open up the floor for any advice, support and/or commodore.


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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2019, 11:08:37 pm »
Quote from: JR4AL on February 02, 2019, 10:08:08 pm
First post and would like to say hello to all the beekeepers out there.

Just a bit of background we live in south Alabama and I am turning the Big 4-0 this year and I decided that I needed a new hobby. I began exploring the idea last February and purchased a Flow Hive 2.

I did not get it until late May and I decided to not get bees last year because I thought I was too late to build a strong enough hive. So in the interim I began buying books and consuming as much info as I could. Everything I read suggested to start with two hives, so I purchased a 10 frame Langstroth with two brood boxes and 1 super. I built a hive stand and I also purchased a Miller feeder and I have my bees lined up for the first of April.

I have read so many posts on this forum and so very many of you have such vast wealths of knowledge on bees, so as I await my bee arrival I thought I would say hello and open up the floor for any advice, support and/or commodore.


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Welcome JR4AL, I just started beekeeping the past spring myself. There is much to be learned here and many here to gladly help New inexperienced beekeepers such as you and I. Folks from all over the world 🌎. I hope you enjoy your bees. "Ben Framed" Phillip Hall
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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2019, 12:12:55 am »
Welcome to beemaster. You've come to the right place to ask questions. There are some really knowledgeable people here who offer great advice. Ask lots of questions.

Cheers!

Alan
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Offline Donovan J

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2019, 12:31:27 am »
Quote from: JR4AL on February 02, 2019, 10:08:08 pm
First post and would like to say hello to all the beekeepers out there.

Just a bit of background we live in south Alabama and I am turning the Big 4-0 this year and I decided that I needed a new hobby. I began exploring the idea last February and purchased a Flow Hive 2.

I did not get it until late May and I decided to not get bees last year because I thought I was too late to build a strong enough hive. So in the interim I began buying books and consuming as much info as I could. Everything I read suggested to start with two hives, so I purchased a 10 frame Langstroth with two brood boxes and 1 super. I built a hive stand and I also purchased a Miller feeder and I have my bees lined up for the first of April.

I have read so many posts on this forum and so very many of you have such vast wealths of knowledge on bees, so as I await my bee arrival I thought I would say hello and open up the floor for any advice, support and/or commodore.


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Welcome to BeeMaster!
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3rd year of beekeeping and I still have lots to learn

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2019, 07:53:19 am »
Welcome. What part of South Alabama are you from? There are some bee clubs around there
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Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2019, 09:50:20 am »
Quote from: bwallace23350 on February 03, 2019, 07:53:19 am
Welcome. What part of South Alabama are you from? There are some bee clubs around there
Clarke County. I see you are from Pike. Always great know where the local keepers are! I have not found a bee club yet. Do you have any suggestions?


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Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2019, 09:53:31 am »
Quote from: Ben Framed on February 02, 2019, 11:08:37 pm
Quote from: JR4AL on February 02, 2019, 10:08:08 pm
First post and would like to say hello to all the beekeepers out there.

Just a bit of background we live in south Alabama and I am turning the Big 4-0 this year and I decided that I needed a new hobby. I began exploring the idea last February and purchased a Flow Hive 2.

I did not get it until late May and I decided to not get bees last year because I thought I was too late to build a strong enough hive. So in the interim I began buying books and consuming as much info as I could. Everything I read suggested to start with two hives, so I purchased a 10 frame Langstroth with two brood boxes and 1 super. I built a hive stand and I also purchased a Miller feeder and I have my bees lined up for the first of April.

I have read so many posts on this forum and so very many of you have such vast wealths of knowledge on bees, so as I await my bee arrival I thought I would say hello and open up the floor for any advice, support and/or commodore.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Welcome JR4AL, I just started beekeeping the past spring myself. There is much to be learned here and many here to gladly help New inexperienced beekeepers such as you and I. Folks from all over the world . I hope you enjoy your bees. "Ben Framed" Phillip Hall
Thank you. I really like the nick names folks have on this forum. Many are well thought out!


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Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2019, 09:55:11 am »
Quote from: CoolBees on February 03, 2019, 12:12:55 am
Welcome to beemaster. You've come to the right place to ask questions. There are some really knowledgeable people here who offer great advice. Ask lots of questions.

Cheers!

Alan
Thank you CB.


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Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2019, 09:56:13 am »
Quote from: dtown2002 on February 03, 2019, 12:31:27 am
Quote from: JR4AL on February 02, 2019, 10:08:08 pm
First post and would like to say hello to all the beekeepers out there.

Just a bit of background we live in south Alabama and I am turning the Big 4-0 this year and I decided that I needed a new hobby. I began exploring the idea last February and purchased a Flow Hive 2.

I did not get it until late May and I decided to not get bees last year because I thought I was too late to build a strong enough hive. So in the interim I began buying books and consuming as much info as I could. Everything I read suggested to start with two hives, so I purchased a 10 frame Langstroth with two brood boxes and 1 super. I built a hive stand and I also purchased a Miller feeder and I have my bees lined up for the first of April.

I have read so many posts on this forum and so very many of you have such vast wealths of knowledge on bees, so as I await my bee arrival I thought I would say hello and open up the floor for any advice, support and/or commodore.


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Welcome to BeeMaster!
Thank you.


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Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2019, 09:56:47 am »
Welcome to Beemaster.
I have a Flow Hive also. I suggest you get extra supers for it and leave the flow super off until you get at least 2 boxes of bees. My bees swarm every time they get big enough to move up into the flow hive due to not enough brood area.
Jim
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Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2019, 10:24:51 am »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on February 03, 2019, 09:56:47 am
Welcome to Beemaster.
I have a Flow Hive also. I suggest you get extra supers for it and leave the flow super off until you get at least 2 boxes of bees. My bees swarm every time they get big enough to move up into the flow hive due to not enough brood area.
Jim
Thank you for the info Jim. I will defiantly plan on doing it that way. It looks like the Flow website has Flow Hive 2 brood boxes on back order until April. I might as well go on and get in line now, I guess.

How do you like the Flow Hive? It seems to be one of the greatest inventions ever. But I have not used mine yet. The first time I saw Cedar Anderson?s video I thought it was a joke he was pulling on someone to get them to believe that is how you actually got honey. On tap, yea right! The joke was on me. I was fascinated. I could not stop watching the video. When the preorders for the Flow Hive 2 came out I had to get in on it. Honestly it seems he and his father have built a truly revolutionary system.

I make no bones about it...The Flow Hive is what got my attention enough to look into beekeeping. I am glad it did, I have already learned so much and I have met so many people just willing to share knowledge and I haven?t even got my bees yet!


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Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2019, 09:02:00 pm »
I was given this one because a friend could not get the bees to use the flow hive. I had the same problem. They kept swarming every time they started using the honey super. Eventually they absconded and I pulled the honey super off. It had a fare amount of uncapped honey. It was the driest honey I have ever pulled. It was 17%.
I would never buy one.
Jim
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2019, 09:14:39 pm »
Jim, is not 17 percent great???  I would be very pleased, must have been beautiful thick honey.

I have heard about absconding bees with flow hives, but I have zero experience.

Welcome aboard Mr. JR.  BeeMaster is the place to bee.  Ok, I am sorry, another dumb joke, to be or not to bee.
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2019, 09:20:44 pm »
Stinger,
Yes, 17% is good, very thick. I bottled it separately from the rest of the honey, it was unique in texture and taste.
Jim
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Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2019, 10:37:01 pm »
This is great information. I do have a question I would like to throw out there as a neophyte.

If you have a two deep brood in the warmer climates like here in the south, is the bees honey in the two deeps to get them through the winter and the honey in the super(s) for the beekeeper or should the beekeeper leave a super for the bees along with the two deeps for the bees?


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Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #15 on: February 03, 2019, 11:30:51 pm »
A lot of commercial beeks winter their bees here in north Florida with one deep but they also feed them. I try to have 2 medium brood boxes and at least 5 honey frames in a super. I used to never feed. Now I feed fondant in a quart jar to eliminate absconding during our spring dearth. I have 4 very weak hives in single deep boxes that have been building since the winter solstice. They have more honey than they can use. I bought out an Apiary and these are the survivors. I?m hoping they will build up big enough to survive our coldest months in February-March. Most of my hives have 3 medium boxes.
Jim
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Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline JR4AL

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2019, 12:02:34 am »
Quote from: Stinger13 on February 03, 2019, 09:14:39 pm
Jim, is not 17 percent great???  I would be very pleased, must have been beautiful thick honey.

I have heard about absconding bees with flow hives, but I have zero experience.

Welcome aboard Mr. JR.  BeeMaster is the place to bee.  Ok, I am sorry, another dumb joke, to be or not to bee.
Haha!


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Offline blackforest beekeeper

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2019, 01:50:44 am »
jooost a question on the side:
17%`?
Well, I guess you are in a very moist surroundings. What are the averages, how moist may honey be to not spoil (or what do you do to hinder that)=`? very interested in tropical bee-keeping.

The wettest honey I got this year was 17%. The dryest I couldn`t measure. Average maybe 15 something. Very dry year. Air-dryer in the hot-room and the extraction room.

By law honey may max have 20% in GErmany. But that is liquid, bound to spoil. Most free associations limit it to 18%. I try for under 17% on flower honeys and under 16% for forest honeys.
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Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2019, 08:53:39 am »
A lot of my honey starts at 19%. I have to drip dry it to get it to 18%. Our humidity during spring and summer averages 85 to 96%. At night it is usually 98% or higher. Our house humidity with the AC is about 50%. Only during the winter do we see low humidity, around 50%.
Jim
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Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Soon to be beekeeper saying hello.
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2019, 04:58:18 pm »
Quote from: JR4AL on February 03, 2019, 09:50:20 am
Quote from: bwallace23350 on February 03, 2019, 07:53:19 am
Welcome. What part of South Alabama are you from? There are some bee clubs around there
Clarke County. I see you are from Pike. Always great know where the local keepers are! I have not found a bee club yet. Do you have any suggestions?


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There is one in Dothan and New Brockton that I know of. NOt sure how far that is exactly from you.
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