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Getting
Started in Bees.
Fall is the best time to get started keeping bees. The first thing you will want to do is get a good book on beekeeping. Your public library will usually have one, if not, they can get it through interlibrary loan. Next check with your local beekeepers association. You can find them through your local extenstion office. Many also have a booth at the state fair. They can help you find a beginners class. In the class you will gain valuable insight from experience beekeepers on equipment, hive management, and information specific to your local environment. You will also have access to knowledgable instructors to answer any questions you may have after you get your bees. Start attending the meetings and consider joining. The local association is your best resource for news and information. You will find most beekeepers love to help newbies get started, and they are an invaluable asset as you learn the art of beekeeping. In the beginners class you will learn about the different equipment you will need to get started. Here's a basic list:
2 deep hive bodies w/ frames and foundation
Bottom board
Inner cover
Telescoping cover
Veil
Gloves
Smoker
Hive tool
Catalogs. lots and lots of catalogs
You will also learn the proper way to work with your bees, as well as hive management for each of the different seasons.
If possible you will want to start with 2 hives. It's alot easier to tell how things are going inside a hive when you have another to compare with. Don't forget to include the whole family. Kids are especially fascinated, and are great helpers in the beeyard. You will find that there is very little they can't do when it comes to bees, and the time they spend with you will be among their most cherished memories.
Fall is the best time to get started keeping bees. The first thing you will want to do is get a good book on beekeeping. Your public library will usually have one, if not, they can get it through interlibrary loan. Next check with your local beekeepers association. You can find them through your local extenstion office. Many also have a booth at the state fair. They can help you find a beginners class. In the class you will gain valuable insight from experience beekeepers on equipment, hive management, and information specific to your local environment. You will also have access to knowledgable instructors to answer any questions you may have after you get your bees. Start attending the meetings and consider joining. The local association is your best resource for news and information. You will find most beekeepers love to help newbies get started, and they are an invaluable asset as you learn the art of beekeeping. In the beginners class you will learn about the different equipment you will need to get started. Here's a basic list:
2 deep hive bodies w/ frames and foundation
Bottom board
Inner cover
Telescoping cover
Veil
Gloves
Smoker
Hive tool
Catalogs. lots and lots of catalogs
You will also learn the proper way to work with your bees, as well as hive management for each of the different seasons.
If possible you will want to start with 2 hives. It's alot easier to tell how things are going inside a hive when you have another to compare with. Don't forget to include the whole family. Kids are especially fascinated, and are great helpers in the beeyard. You will find that there is very little they can't do when it comes to bees, and the time they spend with you will be among their most cherished memories.