Welcome to the RAPID GROWTH FORUM

[beemaster]

Many people this coming season expect to move their beeyards into the next phase of beekeeping - small commercial operation. This new forum is an outlet where anyone interest in this exciting and ambitious move toward a sustainable business is welcome to communicate on the many ideas and brainstorming needed to be sucessful.

MEMBERS PLANNING TO BE ACTIVE IN HERE - please let us know in a short detail your current setup and your plans for the coming season or season. This way we can watch along and see how well you are doing.

Best wishes to all trying to go to the next level, may the Bee-Gods be with you!

You surely don't need to be going from 1 to a hundred hives to participate here - if you are growing substantially compared to your previous season, you equally have similar growth and preparation issues that larger setups will run across. After-all... EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS RELATIVE.

Hope you enjoy this chance to grow confidently and with the help of others also trying to master the next level of beekeeping.

[BeeHopper]

Cool, RGF is an excellent idea !  I have 3 hives now, expanding to 8 in Spring '07 with new packages. By fall of '07, I hope to split the 3 I have now with new queens to 11 hives going into the winter/spring '08. That is my current goal depending on my learning curve and luck. I plan to do some pollination contracts for local farmers in '08 and sell honey at a friend's produce stand to make back some $$$. Oh the excitment and anxiety  :shock:

[beemaster]

Glad you like the Forum Idea - you should have lots of company here, I know of several members already preparing new hive bodies and frames, before you know it there should be lots to talk about in here :)

[MustbeeNuts]

Hey, I started with two, just made up two more for four, going to  try a couple splits later on this summer, plus going to add 16 in the spring, for a total of 20 by next Apr. 09, then splitting in the early summer again, heading for what ever I can get. I plan on being a strong sideliner. I'll update as I go.

[mtman1849]

Hi all,
   My name is David Owen aka mtman1849 I have been bee keeping for about 10yrs now only 3 hives at the moment but planning on doubling sometime in 2009 or do I have time to split this year? i think it may be to late in the year to mess with them now.   Anyway I am going to have alot of free time on my hands starting next month.  Layoff coming and I am going back to school getting out of manufacturing all together.   So going to school and working with my bees for the next 2 years.

[Melilem]

Well we are going into winter with 70 hives. I will keep you posted.

[ikeepbees]

Great forum idea!!! I look forward to perusing....

[Highlandsfreedom]

Well i am starting with 1 swarm going for a few (3-4) swarms this year with lemon grass will see its all for a big hobby operation.  I was wondering if there is a limit to how many hives can be in a 1500 sq ft yard?

[MustbeeNuts]

Well I made it to 13 hives this year, winter was brutal for losses. but back on course now. hopefully next year I can do a big spit project and hit the 50 mark.

Well remember they don't stay and feed in your yard, they will do an area approx 3miles in diameter from your hive out. I think that is something like 8000 acres.  lol not sure but its a big area, but that depends on who else has bees in that area. I think you can see what they bring home or produce, if its not much then the area is being over used.

[Highlandsfreedom]

WOW!! I started out with 1 swarm and a hobby and ended up with me on a ladder upside down with a bee vac on a strangers house!!!  I now have 3 colonies and a nuc in my back yard and 7 more colonies spread all over town and 3 more removals this week!!! I need intervention.   :? 

[dennis2021]

We just started out with one, then the addiction hit. Now we have 3 and looking to have at leat 10 buy Dec. Hope to have 50 by next year!!!! I love this Stuff.

[philinacoma]

Started with 2 hives 12 months ago. One a captured feral and the other a nuc from a breeder of pure Italians.

I have just been swamped with cut-outs and swarms in the space of 1.5 weeks and I now have 8. I will have 10 by the end of the weekend with another 1 the following weekend from cut-outs. I have had to take myself off the local list of swarm collectors as I was unable to keep up with the need for boxes and frames.

I am going to look for a semi-permanent location for the hives with a view to having them pay for themselves through honey and pollination.

[gregted]

Had 1 hive for many years and sad to say let it go its own way on a mates block.

Back home now and did my first split last Friday with my first purchased queen in cage added to nuc.

Checked them today Monday and queen is almost out of cage. I think she will be out tomorrow.

The remaining frames in my first box have still no brood or larvae and I still can't find the queen after 4 or 5 inspections.

May have to add another caged queen.

Hope to multiply hives this year..

Watch this space......

[prestonpaul]

I'm finishing up my first season with 5 hives. Plan is next year to double that with splits plus what ever comes in from swarm traps etc and then double that again the following year then sit at 50 to 60 hives. I am looking at placing most of my hives in small permanent yards of 10 or so around the local area. I'm not looking at full scale production, more a sideline to bring in a little extra cash :-D Planing to spend this winter building boxes and frames & looking forward to next year.
Paul

[davey730]

Just joined this forum. Have been keeping bees in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans for over a year with only one hive. After evacuating and returning it for Hurricane Isaac I lost it when they unexpectedly started a new house construction right beside it. I'm not getting huge but there is substantial growth so far this year. I bought two packages and shortly afterwards found someone local and bought two more nucs. Shortly after that I ended up doing three removals within a month. e small and I did not get the queen so I added the bees to the nucs. The last one was a good size colony and I got the queen. I have gone from 1 down to 0 and now back up to 5 hives in the last year. All are doing well.

[Pat]

Just like all, I'm looking forward to coming spring - Hoping for great things
No pest, No losses & Tons of Honey with GOD's help & guidance.
Great Year to all !  Pat

[newforestbees]

interested in this thread new to beekeeping and from the UK planning to get my first bees in a few month's time then build up especially years 2 to 3

[BeeGinningBeek]

hoping to take my 3 colony's to (hopefully with swarms) 20-25. next spring, i am planning on using a long lang with special queen excluder divider boards, so the nuc's help each other out!