Monday, March 26, 2018

Getting Ready for the Bees.

Two years ago, i decided to get bees, but at the time, it was going to be a part time hobby, to produce a little honey for ourselves and family.
However due to changing circumstances,  I have decided to make it a more prominent endeavor on the farm.  Unfortunately,  the hive that i had died last winter. I may have been partly my fault due to my inexperience in beekeeping.  I was going off the presumption that I knew enough from raising bees with my Father 35 years ago, but many things have changed since then. The rampent use of pesticides,  new diseases,  and new pests., most notably,  the Varroa Destructor.

That being said i decided it was time to get more knowledgeable about modern beekeeping.
I found out  at the February meeting pf the West Sound Beekeeping club that they were going to be offering a 6 week course in beginning beekeeping.  I decided that if I was serious about beekeeping that I needed to get my butt in that class.  It's been 5 weeks now and WOW, have I learned a lot.  Two more weeks to go, and several weeks after that, I'll be getting tow new bee hive packages, from improved bloodlines from California.