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Thread: Absolute beginner :p

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    Junior Member Dingus Magee's Avatar
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    Default Absolute beginner :p

    Hi there...I'm a total novice at beekeeping, but have been wanting to give it a go for years. I'm about to join the Moray Beekeepers and attend their Intro course in August and hope to start up my own colony as soon as is practical after that. Any information regarding costs of bees, equipment, hives etc would be appreciated. I aim to have my hive at home in a large (1 acre) garden, but was enthused by some photos of folk taking their bees to the heather; now, I just live a short stroll from Bennachie...hmmmm...?
    A'ra best
    DM

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Nice to hear from you DM. Get stuck in there! The Moray group is very active and I'm sure that they will see you right. Costs? Too much. Maybe you can get help from local beekeepers in the way of secondhand equipment that they can vouch for? Otherwise look at the beginner sets at Thornes.

    Folk often sell bees at £25 per frame but there may be cheaper ways, including just setting up a box and letting the bees come to you.

    I was up in the Monymusk area a few Saturdays ago with a commercial beekeeper who has hives there. We also have a forum member in the Cabrach which isn't too far away from you. And yes, there is heather on Benachie so maybe when you get bees they will fly there for you?

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    Junior Member Dingus Magee's Avatar
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    Thanks for your prompt reply, Gavin The beginner's sets look like an option that I could consider. I would also hope to contact someone who would be willing to act as a mentor for me, and may manage this through the Moray group...anyone out there interested...?

    I was intrigued to read of 'top bar' hives and, whilst I am unsure whether they would provide sufficient protection for the colony given our harsh winters in NE Scotland, wondered whether anyone had had any experience of them. I was particularly interested in this type of hive as it would be easier to lug up onto the braes o' Bennachie than some of the other hives on the market.

    However, I have read that bees will forage out to a distance of 3 miles, so they should easily manage to make Bennachie and back from my home...I am fortunate enough to live within a mile of the hill; t'would be good, though, were I able to ensure that the pollen collected was predominately heather, and I, to this end, have a hive area 'scouted out' already....we'll see how things go

    Thanks again for your input and advice and I look forward to learning more of beekeeping in the coming months.

    Cheers,

    DM
    Last edited by Dingus Magee; 22-07-2011 at 07:45 AM. Reason: typos

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dingus Magee View Post
    I was intrigued to read of 'top bar' hives and, whilst I am unsure whether they would provide sufficient protection for the colony given our harsh winters in NE Scotland, wondered whether anyone had had any experience of them. I was particularly interested in this type of hive as it would be easier to lug up onto the braes o' Bennachie than some of the other hives on the market.
    I met a few beekeepers in your area over a decade ago and several were still using the polystyrene hives that Bernard Mobus had promoted. Today the commercial beekeepers have largely moved over to polystyrene due to the insulation (better survival and build-up) and the lower cost.

    You should get to know Drumgerry. He's a Moray beekeeper (see the link to their website in the local associations are I think) and has shared with us his experiences of top bar hives. Last I heard he was planning sawing off the legs to make a planter.

  5. #5

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    Fit like DM.
    Don't think top bar hives would be practical if yer lugging them up the hill. I use smiths, which are heavy enough with just the brood box. The supers i put on separately afterwards. I can imagine that a tbh full of brood and honey could weigh a fair bit. Also, with TBH (never used them so i might be wrong) the queen is "free range" so you might have an issue with brood in amongst your honey.

    Coincidentally, i have 2 hives not far from you currently sitting on a OSR field. They'll be coming back up to the Cabrach mid august for the heather.

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    Junior Member Dingus Magee's Avatar
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    Fit like Hoomin,
    Thanks for your response...I hidna thocht aboot the weight o' them once they were full of bees & honey! Och well, as I said, I'm not that far from Bennachie, as the bee flies, so maybe I'll just start off simple and stick with one hive in the garden at first

    Have sent you a PM regarding the hives that you have near me, as I wouldn't mind observing what you do when shifting them (if you have no objections, that is)

    Cheers for now,

    DM

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    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    A (good!) mentor is the best option if you can find one. Otherwise this forum is excellent so you can ask away - any stupid question and you'll get a civil answer. We were all beginners once.

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    And some of us are still new enough at this to count as beginners I feel.

    In a shameless act of self promotion can I suggest a thread exploring the aftermath of my first year's beekeeping?

    It might be getting late in the season to actually get your own bees this year, but it's a really good time to get some hands on experience, do some research and reading and get planning to be up and running next spring. I'd definitely suggest getting some hands on experience before you start shelling out any (serious) quantities of money buying kit.

    With regards to top bar hives I'll leave others more qualified than me to discuss their suitability to your location, but as someone who also looked into them when I started out I eventually opted to go with Nationals specifically because they were much easier to move than a top bar hive.

    Also second Adam's suggestion that you feel free to ask any questions, no matter how "stupid" you think they might be, we won't bite, promise

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    Absolute beginner myself too and I bought my first hive - flat packed from Thornes, along with the basic kit, which includes all the basic bits and pieces you need to get started. The only thing I found a bit lightweight is the correx floor which tends to be blown out if the wind gets underneath it. So , rather than go to the expense of buying another sturdier floor or using tape, I attached a small piece of wood on a screw to the back of the hive base centrally and can now swivel the wood to the "open or closed" position which keeps the floor in place and the wind can blow as much as it likes - the floor won't move - only when I want it to !

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    Good idea, Marion. One beekeeper here surrounded the hive stand, including the floor, with a sort of skirt for the winter to keep the wind out. How are things over in Lochaber? Did you have any trouble getting your first bees?

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