My bee story

[shaper]

Last year I got into bee keeping. brought one hive through the winter and kept building new boxes and frames. By April of this year I had four more hives with bees working. Had a lot of family problems and little sister passing, so I lost a lot of up keep time on the hives. I lost four hives to white moths. I said that was it, I don't want to do this any more. Got to looking at the one last remaining hive and it was full of honey. I left one super for the bees and pulled one 8 frame super and got about 25 pounds of honey, filled 39 jars. The president of the bee club encouraged me to put my honey in the local agriculture fair. I did and to my surprise I got first place for medium color honey. That charged my battery some and I now plan to have at least 6 hives in the spring.

[MaryB]

Life throws us curve balls now and then. It is how we hit them that defines us. You can whiff and strike out and give up, you can hit a grounder that gets you part way, or you can hit a home run and keep on with life as before.

[dilly]

Good story. A little bit of success in an otherwise challenging time can be very encouraging.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Great story,
I wish you success for next years 6 hives.
We need the bees, many lose them to whatever the CCD thingy is?
Good Luck.

[Blackwater]

Mary's right. Sometimes, we have to do like John Houseman said in that old Smith-Barney commercial, and "E-A-R-N it." Nobody appreciates anything more than those who had a hard time starting out. Just makes success that much sweeter and more appreciated. If I can get to where I can get around better again, bees are something I want to try as well. Sure am looking forward to it! So I for one am envious of you. Hope that helps keep you in it?

[joesig]

Your luck has been better than mine. It's not easy but it is rewarding. The girls appreciate it.

[toallmy]

Right on , I'm shore that makes you feel more in to it . 25 lb of honey and first place . And Your just getting started , if you earn it the hard way it means so much more to you .

[FISH4BUGS]

Last year I got into bee keeping. brought one hive through the winter and kept building new boxes and frames. By April of this year I had four more hives with bees working. Had a lot of family problems and little sister passing, so I lost a lot of up keep time on the hives. I lost four hives to white moths. I said that was it, I don't want to do this any more. Got to looking at the one last remaining hive and it was full of honey. I left one super for the bees and pulled one 8 frame super and got about 25 pounds of honey, filled 39 jars. The president of the bee club encouraged me to put my honey in the local agriculture fair. I did and to my surprise I got first place for medium color honey. That charged my battery some and I now plan to have at least 6 hives in the spring.
You know, it may not even be the 25 lbs of honey or the awards (although it doesn't hurt I am sure). It just may well be the simple satisfaction we get for a job well done and something we do with our own hands.
We garden and put a lot of veggies in the freezer. It is work, yes. But we REALLY apprciate it when we have fresh frozen organic squash or brussels sprouts or green beans or tomato guts or anything else we grow and freeze. Particularly in a snowstorm in February!
Bees are our friends. Help them out. Keep it up.

[jonp]

My uncle raised bee's or kept them or whatever you call it. I always wanted to try it but I'm mortal afraid of them since I was a kid and got attacked by a hive. I might still do it.

Congrats on your Fair Win! The unexpected things are what make life interesting.

[xbeeman412]

We have been fighting colony collapse and the crazy ants to stay alive. Made 30 splits after We pulled honey for a total of 107 and are down to 80 now. Dont get discouraged if U loose a hive or 3 its the life of a beekeeper. You have done WELL for just starting out.

I have been in bees since the 50s off and on. Holler if U have a question or 3.

[Iowa Fox]

My wife just got her yearly supply from our guy, 3 1/2 gallons. Its raw honey not heated not really filtered. She waits till the end of the season for the darker honey. Its getting harder and harder to find good honey every year, most of the stuff in the grocery stores should not be labeled honey. Natural unpolluted habitat is disappearing quickly every year around here, this fellow is in his 70's, hope he keeps going but its a lot of work. Just had some tonight on Roger's squash, talk about food fit for a king.

[44man]

My neighbor friend had bee hives but kept losing them, bought new queens and failed again.
Seems the power company was spraying weeds in the power lines. We hardly ever see a honey bee so we don't allow spraying here, they have to bring machines and cut. Of course they ruined my grass since they have to use my yard to get in. Bees are more important then ruts in my yard.

[Wolfer]

I've had bees a few years now. I find it to be a very rewarding and challenging hobby. Every time I lose a hive I try to learn something from it. I do believe I learn more from hives I've lost than hives that make it. Of course in time I'll lose them also.
I believe everyone has to find what works for them.

My most enjoyable part of beekeeping is starting new hives from my existing bees. Luckily for me when a hive has problems I have the resources to help them or replace them as the situation dictates.
I sell a few bees along but give even more away. Many times I've heard someone say they had bees in the past but they died. They didn't know what they did wrong. I tell them that their hive died because hives die. The bees know this, that's why they want to throw a reproductive swarm every year. Otherwise the species would die out.

This has been a rough year for me. Worked a lot of overtime during bee season and didn't take care of them like I should.
I came into spring with 11 hives. Had 2 dead outs over the winter. I sold or gave away 5 hives, raised 13 queens and bought 3 more.
I now have 11 hives going into winter. Summer losses due to queens not making it back from their mating flights and the resulting lower population led to hive beetle and wax moth infestation.
Had I been able to keep a better eye on them I could have salvaged most of them. But I have lots of equipment to put my splits in next year. I always try to look on the bright side.

Side note
Years ago I had some arthritis. Nothing bad but I had aches and pains every morning. Since I've had bees I eat raw honey every day. I'll pick up about 100 stings a year although I passed that this year. My bees were mean this year!
I don't have any aches and pains anymore.
Good luck and as the x bee man said, if you have any questions feel free to holler. Us beeks will talk bees anytime.

[FISH4BUGS]

I planted waaaaaaaaaay too much broccolli this year. We have been eating it all summer and I froze a bunch of it. We had so much that some of it went by and made these very pretty small yellow flowers on long stalks.
The other day, I went out to the garden to pick some cherry tomatos and noticed they were COVERED in bees.
Here in New Hampshire we are in the middle of fall, the leaves are changing, frost is a distinct possiblity any time, and we getting highs in the 50's and 60's during the day. There are not many flowers blooming right now. We left some of the broccolli plants to go by and flower completely and feed the bees. It must be a hit with them - the flowers are covered in honey bees.
They are working hard to get ready for winter.
It is supposed to be a bad one.
So says the Farmer's Almanac............

[MaryB]

I am batting zero on growing broccoli and brussles sprouts. Can't get either to produce. This summer was exceptionally wet and garden slugs were a major pest. Especially on the slicing tomatoes.

[shaper]

I went out to see how my bees are doing today. I opened the super and found it is totally full with honey. So I guess they are ready for winter. This is the same hive I got the 25 pounds out of this summer. Weather is still hot here, temps in the low 80's. We are actually in the worse drought in many years. I have cut my grass only two times this year and the last time all I did was cover the neighborhood with a cloud of dust. . Other members of the local club are feeding their bees now, so I put a sugar cake on top and some sugar water in the front. I did put some Prohealth in the water. I don't know where my bees go but they are still working hard. I have put in an order for 5 nuc's in the spring. Don't have any plans to stop now. Bought a rototiller for my tractor so I can get three acres seeded for spring flowers and clover.

[camp]

Checked on my bee's yesterday, not sure what they are doing but they sure are working hard at it. Shaper good luck with your bees, this is my first year as a beekeeper and so far its been a big learning curve

[shdwlkr]

Year's ago I had 8 hives, bear got into them once, not fun putting hives back after that. Moved then divorce and cccd and I lost all my bees. Now I am in the city and not a good place for hives.
Just something to keep in mind if bears or other critters get in your hives, when putting back together expect to get stung, a lot really, pulled many out of my hide and if not for a neighbor that kept talking to me for several hours I might not be here today. Doctor told I got stung enough it should have ended me, but I told him it just wasn't my time and that is how I still feel today when it is our time to go we will nothing is going to stop the event.