I always wondered how they survive when it hits -37F up here.
Any other beekeepers here?
- Thread starter NirvanaFan
- Start date
Snappo
6.5 Creedmoor
It doesn't work that way. The honey company owner brings the bees to my property every June. They live in Maine from April until June. When they leave me in October, they stay in South Carolina until they go back to Maine. I think he has about 10 or so farmers that allow him to put his bees on their land. Two years ago he told me I saved his company, which made me feel good about my contribution. He said that the other queen bees were killed by GMO's. Up here on my mountain, nobody uses GMO's. So he used some of my queens to get his company back going again. This is third hand though - he told my wife and she called and told me. But we are fairly glad we could help; and of course I have a very negative view of GMO's now.
ManrisFrack
.223 Rem
My stepfather has been a beekeeper longer than I've known him. If you need wisdom, I might be able to put you in touch.
I've recently thought about getting a few hives myself. I'm not sure if I want another hobby though - it's not something you can do as you feel like it.
I've recently thought about getting a few hives myself. I'm not sure if I want another hobby though - it's not something you can do as you feel like it.
Snappo
6.5 Creedmoor
I agree - the guy from the local honey company is up here checking in on his bees once a month and I think he has close to a dozen locations he has to visit. Then there's carting them from Maine to NY to Carolina every year, and of course all the work he must be doing to process the honey into jars. Based on his vehicle, his bad teeth, and his dress code I would say he is not getting wealthy doing this. When someone is wealthy there is usually some sort of tell, be it a $15K Rolex on his wrist, $200K of cars in his driveway, or something. Just some sort of tell. I'm thinking this guy just makes enough to eke by and will have to work until the day he dies. There's a lot of important jobs in this world that aren't properly remunerated, and bees is one of them.
I finished harvesting my honey. I ended up with about 4 gallons of it. I just have to can/package it. The bees should be able to fill up their hives with enough food for winter. The goldenrod is still blooming pretty well. My family is going to love their Christmas presents this year. Honey and maple syrup 
Snappo
6.5 Creedmoor
I finished harvesting my honey. I ended up with about 4 gallons of it. I just have to can/package it. The bees should be able to fill up their hives with enough food for winter. The goldenrod is still blooming pretty well. My family is going to love their Christmas presents this year. Honey and maple syrup
Do you know a lot about maple syrup and are you in central NY? My farm has a lot of maple trees with these spigots of some sort with long blue hoses hanging off them. I have to assume he was making maple syrup but the guy that sold me the farm is 90 years old, lives in Wyoming, and I have no way to ask him what he was doing with those trees.
I know enough. I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I've been doing it for 3 or 4 years now. I'm in the Rochester area, but I get around.
I'd guess that they are taps. It's normal for the taps to have blue hose coming off them. This hose gets connected to a larger hose which goes down the hill and into holding tanks. Snap a picture and me or @MilesTeg can probably tell you what is going on.
PM me and I'll hook you up.
I have wanted to get involved in Bee keeping for a while now. I have been doing some reading on the subject. Holy shit! here is a lot of information and knowledge that goes into this.
Maybe the year after next I will get started. So much to learn.
Maybe the year after next I will get started. So much to learn.
FrankenCub
.338 Win Mag
Or they guy from Wyoming has no idea that some locals have been tapping his trees. You might have unwanted visitors to your new property lol.
Find a local club and see if they do classes. There is a local club in the Finger Lakes that holds free new beekeeper classes every year. It's like six 1 or 2 hour classes. They'll even pair you up with a mentor if you want to get to know someone with experience.
Finished packaging about 4 gallons of honey tonight!
pjzwtl
.308 Win
Have a hive in my eve we were looking into trying to capture since I obviously don't want to leave them there. It will be a project for sure. What could go wrong other then getting stung a few hundred times and falling off my ladder ...I'm gonna try it anyway
pjzwtl
.308 Win
Liquid gold right there
Get a smoker and look how to smoke them. If you're careful, go slow, and don't drop anything, you may not get stung. I haven't been stung in a couple years now.
capitalcrew
.44 mag
Bump. I am looking to get two 10 frame hives going this spring. @GOPerfect you going to give it a try?
MothMan
.338 Win Mag
capitalcrew
.44 mag
Ayyyy lol. Wish I could see the price on the deep brood box.
MothMan
.338 Win Mag
capitalcrew
.44 mag
Nice. Not a terrible price for the box assembled with frames and foundation really. Good to know I can come up with one in a hurry if necessary.
I'm gonna be trying to make my own here pretty soon I think. I did buy two hives already so I've got those, I've heard that foundationless deeps make great swarm traps though. Hopefully I can catch some free bees this spring on top of the nucs I'm buying.
I'm gonna be trying to make my own here pretty soon I think. I did buy two hives already so I've got those, I've heard that foundationless deeps make great swarm traps though. Hopefully I can catch some free bees this spring on top of the nucs I'm buying.
ManrisFrack
.223 Rem
My stepfather's winter loss replacements:
capitalcrew
.44 mag
Nice!!
capitalcrew
.44 mag
Just ordered two nucs for pickup later this month. Here we go lol.
Good to hear! I lost both my hives this winter I have no idea why. They still had lots of honey in them. I've got enough honey to last me another year, at least. So, I won't be buying any for this year. I may try to catch a swarm though.
I have no idea why. They still had lots of honey in them. I've got enough honey to last me another year, at least. So, I won't be buying any for this year. I may try to catch a swarm though.capitalcrew
.44 mag
Mites? Maybe condensation dripping on them? I obviously can't offer much in the way of help as I've never done it before, just the things I've been reading about which you probably already know. Buying these damn things ain't cheap lol.
I'll be trying to catch some swarms too. I'm going to be trying to make some more boxes and I'd read that an empty deep is a good swarm trap so we'll see if I can make that happen.
I'll be trying to catch some swarms too. I'm going to be trying to make some more boxes and I'd read that an empty deep is a good swarm trap so we'll see if I can make that happen.
Possibly mites, but I inspected them fairly well at the end of last summer. I didn't see a mite problem. It was a new hive, with a pretty fresh queen, so mites shouldn't have been that big of an issue. I never did do a powdered sugar or alcohol test though.
It's possible they had condensation issues, but I'd assume there was good airflow. The hive was open in the bottom and the notch at the top was still open. Maybe I just suck at beekeeping
There is a guy about 1/4 mile away that has a couple dozen hives. It's possible that he'll get a few swarms. maybe I can catch one of those.
ManrisFrack
.223 Rem
Good to hear! I lost both my hives this winter
You're not alone. When I asked him in Dec. my stepfather was at, I think, 60% loss already. He tends to best skeptical of mites as the issue. Your bees near sprayed crops or orchards?
Not anything major within a mile or so.
capitalcrew
.44 mag
Bummer man, hopefully I can keep these things alive lol.
Bumping this zombie thread.
My new bees will be here tonight. Unfortunately, I don't want to place them in the bee yard because I haven't finished setting up the electric fence. So, I'll just keep them in the temporary hive at my house until tomorrow morning when I can get out to where I keep the bees. I'm nervous about the black bears that are in the area. I got a trail cam picture of a mom and two cubs last year. They were about 200 yards from where I keep the hives. The fence posts are in, and I have everything purchased. I just have to run the wire and then mount and hook up the fencer. 11,000 volts should give any bears a nice little zap if they get a sweet tooth.
My new bees will be here tonight. Unfortunately, I don't want to place them in the bee yard because I haven't finished setting up the electric fence. So, I'll just keep them in the temporary hive at my house until tomorrow morning when I can get out to where I keep the bees. I'm nervous about the black bears that are in the area. I got a trail cam picture of a mom and two cubs last year. They were about 200 yards from where I keep the hives. The fence posts are in, and I have everything purchased. I just have to run the wire and then mount and hook up the fencer. 11,000 volts should give any bears a nice little zap if they get a sweet tooth.