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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 25 Jun 2005 22:00:36 -0700
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 I am a new beekeeper.  I've wanted bees for as long as I can remember...but
we lived in the city and thought beekeeping was totally out of the question.
 Then we moved to the mountains in northern California.  I never dreamed
life could be like this...sure there are chores and all, but the land is so
beautiful with the pine trees and rivers and I get to have bees and a little
farm.  I am lucky in that I can stay at home and work on the land.  I am
also an apprentice beekeeper at a large apiary and we do almond pollination,
 breed queens, make nucs, etc. etc.   I get to take the bees from the
foulbrood colonies.  I shake the bees onto foundation in a clean hive.  I
burn the old hives which is pretty sad.  



My first colony absconded...I think I looked at them too much.  I got two
more colonies and one was queenless so I combined them and boy, are they
great bees!  I can open up the hive and examine it without smoke or
protective equipment unless it is in the evening and then I wear a veil.  I
give them terramycin to make sure the foulbrood is gone for good!  I also
feed them special pollen patties that I make to help give them protein for
their brood raising.  They also get sugar water and they go through about 10
lbs. of sugar a week...and I thought hummingbirds were "bad" with all the
sugar they consume.  LOL  



I want to get two more colonies this summer...which I will do this week.   I
plan on increasing my number to around 100 or so.  I don't know how many I
can handle on my own though (my husband isn't a beekeeper...but he is a
woodworker so hopefully he will teach me how to make hives and such). 



 I love making things with the "gifts from the hive" such as candles and I
sell honey.  I also like learning about queen breeding and want to try that.



I have been enjoying hearing from all the other beekeepers here!



Audrey Bowman

northern California

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