I have always been fascinated to hear stories of how people got started in beekeeping. 
Even though each story is personal, there tend to be some common themes. 

Here is my story..

I had just graduated from high school in Santa Barbara (early 70s). My mother showed me a newspaper
clipping written about a local beekeeper, Len Schnellenberger, who kept bees and sold beekeeping
equipment to local beekeepers. Pressed for time, I didn't finish reading the article and slipped it into the glove
compartment of my car.  Several weeks later I found it, and reread it. The light bulb went off; I had to keep bees!

I attended a local beekeeping meeting and someone showed me a Sears Farm catalog with package bees and equipment.
Ordered my first hive from Sears, assembled it, and put it on the roof on my house. One of the most exciting days
of my life was when the postman showed up with my package bees, very eager to get them out of his mail truck. His comment "Get these buzzin' insects out of my truck!"

Installed the package, and instead of doing housework, I would climb the ladder to the roof and spend hours watching the bees and inspecting the hive. Bees have always been a part of my life except when I lived in LA for 4 years going to Chiropractic college.

Please share your story of how you got started in beekeeping.

Bee Well. 

Paul Cronshaw
Santa Barbara, CA
Bee photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/beemancron/BeePhotos#

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