Surviving Minnesota!

[jerryse]

Ralphie I can help with beekeeping info . I have had them in the past . Thinking of trapping a swarm this year to get a start .

 

[R2elk]

I have been thinking of getting bees. I have never had them, but they intrigue me. However, again I am not sure I can justify the expense for bottle of honey we use each year. I found a place you can get a nuc of Minnesota bees for $185. I am not sure how much honey I could get from them. I would not try to over winter them. I would just let them die in the fall and buy new the next year. I was told it takes gallons of honey to over winter bees. Anyone know anything about bees?

Check your state laws. In Wyoming a permit is required to keep bees although the permit is free for hobbyist apiaries of 5 or fewer hives.

The sister site BackYardHerds has an active beekeeping section.

You cannot buy the quality of honey that you can produce locally especially if you have a good crop of sweetclover and the right kind of weeds. Honey is an excellent item to use in cooking and baking.

If you want your bees for honey production, get Italian bees.

I originally got bees here for pollination purposes and the honey is just a mega bonus.

 

[duluthralphie]

Check your state laws. In Wyoming a permit is required to keep bees although the permit is free for hobbyist apiaries of 5 or fewer hives.

The sister site BackYardHerds has an active beekeeping section.

You cannot buy the quality of honey that you can produce locally especially if you have a good crop of sweetclover and the right kind of weeds. Honey is an excellent item to use in cooking and baking.

If you want your bees for honey production, get Italian bees.

I originally got bees here for pollination purposes and the honey is just a mega bonus.

Ralphie I can help with beekeeping info . I have had them in the past . Thinking of trapping a swarm this year to get a start .

I will take any help Jerry or R2elk. I have fruit trees, berries and a garden I would like help pollinating. Honey would be a bonus and gifts to neighbors and relatives. There are a few clover/mixed hay fields within a 2 mile radius. I have a HUGE swamp with wild flowers, crabs, plums and so forth in it and a small 3-4 acre field of my own hay that might become pasture.

My BIL raises bees, he has 2 hives and has had them about 5 years. I think he said he has gotten a jar or two of honey. He has had mites, disease and winter kills in his amongst who knows what else..

I was thinking the local bees would be smart, but if I have no plans to winter them, I should maybe get cheaper foreign workers...... I have talked to some people that say let them die or kill them and use the time to disinfect and clean the hive boxes for the next bunch...

BTW...I am fairly anti wanting bee stings....

 

[R2elk]

BTW...I am fairly anti wanting bee stings....

The Italian bees that I got from Noble Apiaries were the best producing and calmest bees that I ever had. The Buckfast bees that I used to get were okay producers and the meanest bees I ever had. The Buckfast would sting me just for walking past the hive.

I see that Tractor Supply is advertising package bees for $199.99 delivered next day by UPS but I don't know where they are getting them.

The Carniolans are gentle and over winter well but are poor honey producers. I haven't had Russians so cannot say how well they produce.

 

[BantyChooks]

I am so over winter..........I wish a certain Canook, would take their weather back.

I spent 3 hours plowing snow again....The cable on the winch (for the blade) broke so I spent another hour in the cold fixing that.

I want spring. I want eggs that have not frozen or at least cracked. I want green grass and sunshine, I want to be able to work on my tan, I am afraid I will not be keeping my sex symbol status if I do not see sun and warmth soon.

I lost another Toad hen. I am down to 5 toad hens and one toad chick. I put Hoover's girls back in the pen with Bert the (whatever number he is). Bert was happy the girls not so much. I got 9 turkey eggs yesterday and 3 chicken eggs. Something is amiss in this world.

I had a friend over yesterday to help shoot tree rats. I am tired of them. He likes eating them so they would not go to waste. Of Course, not one tree rat was to be seen.

Back to the snow,,,,COME ON MAKE IT END!!!! My driveway is getting so narrow, my truck may not get up it much longer. I tried pushing it back with the ATV, but that was a wasted effort. I am afraid I will have to put a tent over my bobcat, with a heater inside of it and fix it this winter instead of waiting until spring.

On the plus side the Spent Brewers Grain is working out well, but it goes too fast. The birds seem to like it, or they spread it around for bedding. Could be either.

I may have to forgo maple sap collecting this year. I am not walking through waist deep snow carrying buckets of sap to make 3 gallons of syrup, which I would probably just give away anyhow.

I have been thinking of getting bees. I have never had them, but they intrigue me. However, again I am not sure I can justify the expense for bottle of honey we use each year. I found a place you can get a nuc of Minnesota bees for $185. I am not sure how much honey I could get from them. I would not try to over winter them. I would just let them die in the fall and buy new the next year. I was told it takes gallons of honey to over winter bees. Anyone know anything about bees?

I have a political meeting tonight. It appears I ticked off some of the established party people......Hard to believe little ol me could tick anyone off..... They seem to have a problem with honesty in government.

Sorry, I think I'll lose the last of my sanity if I have to shovel even once more. Keep it.

 

[jerryse]

Ralphie the farm stores often have bee supplies . Hive bodies , supers , frames and such . I started from scratch once with all new hive and package bees . Rascals left the hive . I had to capture them and return them to the hive . I put a queen excluder in the bottom to keep her in the hive . They settled and stayed . Dad had bees . Back then one of his hives were midnight hybrids . Gray or Caucasian bees . Very gentle and good producers . I have not seen any offered in a long time .

 

[CindyinSD]

There’s a guy here who promotes bee keeping and gives classes. I’m thinking about taking one. We don’t really use honey or sugar hardly at all, but I will want pollinators eventually (I hope), so may as well start learning sooner than later. Maybe you can find someone like that, Ralphie. Your proximal population is probably larger than ours.

 

[duluthralphie]

There’s a guy here who promotes bee keeping and gives classes. I’m thinking about taking one. We don’t really use honey or sugar hardly at all, but I will want pollinators eventually (I hope), so may as well start learning sooner than later. Maybe you can find someone like that, Ralphie. Your proximal population is probably larger than ours.

I will trade you proximal populations...

 

[CindyinSD]

LOL Not a chance. I know when I’ve got it good.

 

[jerryse]

Morning 10 degrees here . Those Canucks need to restart those wildfires . We need the heat . Ralphie get those politicals spewing hot air .