I have to agree with Lloyd.  IMHO, this year on six new hives it took two
feedings of a gallon each to draw out a deep body.  This 
 occurred in the last two and a half weeks, where the weather was pretty
much optimal.  Last year, roughly the same feed ratio, but much longer, as
the  weather was cold and rainy.
 
 A local beekeeper told me "they would not touch the syrup if nectar is
available."  I have found this to be false.  It only took them five days to
down the gallon, and finish the body.  I put the first supers on them
yesterday.
 
Which brings me to:
1. How a person starting out gets drawn comb.
2. Do you feed a hive to the specific end of producing drawn comb, forgoing
honey production? 
3. Or do you super with deeps, and use the subsequent extracted frame for
starting hives the following year?
 
BTW Lloyd, I am setting up a few frames of your rounds.  The romance seemed
to go out of the traditional sections with the apparent reality of the
labour required [for them vs. RR] given the time crunch associated with the
season.  Thanks...JK 
 
Jonathan B. Kriebel
Das Sauen Õhr Farm
3229 Zepp Rd.
Green Lane, PA 18054-2357
Telephone:  (610) 864-8581
Facsimile:    (215) 234-8573
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