Before Starting My First Bee Hive

   Well its not really my first "Bee Rodeo" but it will be my first urban bee experience! See, my dad and brother had kept bees years before dad passed away. So now I'm gonna carry on the tradition in the urban setting. There are a few things that a person should do long before they get started keeping honeybees. See, I have started this spring getting everything together but I won't get the bees until next April or May, that's the best time to get a new swarm of bees, so that they can get all the honey they need to make it through the following winter.
  So what are things you should be doing to get ready for your new adventure of bee keeping?

The Redeemed Gardener

1. Read lots of books and articles about bee keeping (my favorite book, "The Backyard Beekeeper"). Get to know everything from the anatomy of the bee and hive to tricks that more experienced bee keepers have learned. Learn about pest and other things that could interrupt or even kill of your hive.
2. Find and join your local bee keeping club. Each county in West Virginia has a club, which meets often and you learn loads of stuff. Most libraries hold classes and clinics as well!
3. Find a neighbor or local that has kept bees for a while and talk with them about what they know.
4. Contact your local and county government to see if you have any laws or regulations to follow.
5. Blogs are a great source, just make sure the information is correct before using. Here is one I found in my research  "Early American Gardens".
6. Try to find a reputable bee supply company to pre-buy your hive body and supplies from. We have a local supplier through our club and the mail order one I use is Brushy Mountain Bee Farm.  
   
     Many thing should be do before you even think about buying your first swarm of bees. Even though I helped them a lot, I have still learned a lot during the preparation period. But most of all have fun!
   
   

    Proverbs 24:13 "My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;"