>Hello all,
>
>        I am a new beekeeper (1st time overwintering a colony)
>and I have a question.  I currently have the "standard" hive config-
>uration of two deep supers per colony (only 1 hive, anyway).  I use
>medium depth supers for extraction.  Would it hurt anything to
>make two colonies from my one in the spring by splitting up my deeps
>and making each colony one deep with one medium?  I would, of course,
>requeen the queenless half and wouldn't really expect much in the way
>of surplus honey next year.  I live in Grafton, Ohio, which is about
>25 miles SW of Cleveland.  I'd like to get another colony next year,
>and this seems to be one of the cheapest ways to do it using equip-
>ment I have on hand.  Any advice would be appreciated!!
>
>Thanks,
>Kevin Palm
>
 
Kevin,
 
   This is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, but as you
mentioned, you should not expect surplus honey during next
year, unless you have/get unusually fecund queens.
 
   Jeef