Getting Started


After watching dozens of YouTube videos, some would say that I had bee fever. I had seen dozens of YouTube videos and read three books to make sure that I really wanted to keep bees. After so much research, the only reason that I could find not to keep bees was if someone in my family was allergic, or if a neighbor strongly objected to bees near them. My adjacent neighbors approved with my closest neighbor saying she liked to put honey in her tea everyday. Hint. Hint. Well, her 50'X25" forest for a backyard was to become the landing strip for the bees, so,of course, she'll get a jar with the first harvest.

First, I ordered my bees from the Southwest Ohio Beekeeper's Association (www.swoba.org) who resells packages of bees from Georgia as a fund raiser. Secondly, I signed up for the Southwest Ohio Beekeeping School put on by the OSU-Extension Service. This course took place on March 28th. I thought that I would be able to buy all of my beekeeping equipment either at the beekeeping school or at Brushy Mountain Bee Farm (http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/) the following week. Brushy Mountain typically offers free freight on new-bee's first orders if someone sends in a class roster from Bee School.

Well, Simpson Bee Supply, Dadant,and the others only had a limited number of complete hives, so I left with parts and pieces from Simpson and the promise that Simpson would return to Cincinnati the following week with my other parts. Of course, they had to because the bees would be here in two weeks and the hives would need to be painted. Things basically worked out. I got my stuff from Simpson and some from Brushy, but I need to share this lesson: If you know that you are going to keep bees, save yourself some stress and preorder the hives from whomever will be selling equipment at your beekeeping school. Freight is a significant cost and the companies selling at the school don't charge freight, so preorder and have them deliver to the school. Don't wait. My order from Brushy Mountain took three orders to fill because they had a long list of new-bees buying woodenware, etc.

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