Whooo-hoo! I'm getting bees today! :)

[journey11]

Well, I couldn't get them home today, but I did get a look at them. Something had knocked the hive body off it's base and it was sitting at an angle. I was able to get the bottom board out and I took it home to make some repairs where a mouse had chewed up a corner. We had tried to tip it back up, but it was very heavy and full of honey. We couldn't get it without stirring the bees up so we had to give up.

We stopped in and had a nice visit with the older gentleman and his wife. They are a sweet couple. He gave me a lot of stuff and extra supers.

He didn't know the hive was tipped over. It is in his neighbor's yard and he can't get around well right now because of a broken hip. We'll have to wait until the gear I ordered comes in so we can go back with the smoker and try to put it back together and seal it up to get it home.

I could see lots of bees moving around the bottom where it was open. They looked to be going strong. I won't really know until I can get it home. If they don't make it, I can still fix everything up and purchase bees next spring.

It will be a long wait until my stuff gets here!

 

[vfem]

I wanted to share this link with you since I saw your post earlier and now I am reading this article:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Top-Bar-Beekeeping-Method.aspx

 

[journey11]

vfem -- Thanks for the article! I have been researching top-bar (Warre) hives actually. I stumbled across this site http://thebeespace.net/ when I was researching plans for building my own hive. The largest expense in start up is buying a prefabricated hive, and at this stage in my life I couldn't justify spending that much money on a hobby. (The chickens cost a lot more to set up than I anticipated, but my DH was more forgiving since you can eat them as well as the eggs..ha).

After reading all about it, I was intrigued. My dad kept his bees in 10 frame Langstroth hives like most folks do. And I know the output of honey is greater with those too. But really my main objective is to have my own pollinators, honey being second to that. I like the way they harvest and that you don't have to work with loading base wax into the frames. And the extraction is supposed to be easier.

I have heard that combs formed naturally and at the bees discretion are healthier for the bees and gives them an advantage over the varroa mites too.

I am all about do-it-yourself and I was tickled pink to find clear and simple plans to build your own hive boxes.

Since the bees I have "inherited" are in a Langstroth hive, after I get it patched up and running, I plan to set up an empty Warre hive nearby and try to get a swarm moved in (assuming these bees I get are healthy and make it through the winter). I will then get to try both methods and form an honest opinion.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I remember in your earlier post about getting bees from this gentleman that you not quite so happy. I am glad it looks like it will work out for you. Looks like you've made a new friend. I just wanted to say congratulations, both for the bees and the friend.

 

[vfem]

Nice journey! Going old school! LOL

I'm so happy for you, I think you chose a great hobby.

 

[simple life]

If you like the idea of going foundationless but have a hive that is on foundation you can change out the frames in the langstroth to foundationless frames.
I have topbar hives and langs. All of my langs have foundationless frames in them just like topbar hives and the warre'.
I have never used sheets of foundation in mine.
Its too late in the season to do it now but in the spring you can rotate out the old frames a couple at a time and put in empty bars for them to build natural comb on.
I did this when I bought nucs that were on regular foundation.
As long as there is a flow on they can build new comb very quickly.
I like that the bees can build whatever size cells they think they need rather than uniform sized sheets of foundation and that there is always fresh new combs in the hive since you have to crush up the combs in order to extract the honey.
You can melt that wax down into blocks and use it for candles or lip balms.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Congrats to you! My beekeeping endeavor is being put off until next year.

Good luck!

 

[Reinbeau]

Well, it takes seven to eight pounds of honey to build one frame of wax, for me, that's too high a price to pay. I prefer to keep my drawn comb to give them next spring. Of course I'm in it for the honey and the pollination for my garden, not just enjoyment

 

[4grandbabies]

That is super!! I remember how disappointed you were when you thought you would not get them.

 

[journey11]

My gear came today. I'm gonna get 'em tomorrow. Wish me luck (and no stings)!