Starting the bee adventure

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Starting the bee adventure

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StuP

Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 11:30 am Post subject: Starting the bee adventure

Hi

Thought I'd start this thread to provide progress on our beekeeping aspirations. Please everyone feel free to comment/criticise.

First steps. Last weekend we drove up through Fife to Tayport to buy our hives. We bought three National hives (one each and one for contigencies/spares) in flatpack (much cheaper that way) and the car was instantly filled with the smell of fresh sawn cedar wood and beeswax - just marvellous. So far we have one hive almost completely put together (including the frames).

We also laid a couple of concrete slabs in the garden to stand the hives on. This took longer than we expected as we had to dig out the slope, lay down a brick for each corner for stability, spread sand between the bricks and make everything level. I'll see about providing pictures later.

Next steps: finish building the hives and paint them with (approved) woodstain, send in our application to join the Beekeepers Association and contact local beekeepers about getting bees for April/May. We're gonna keep bees!

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 11:35 am Post subject:
How exciting. Definitely keep us posted. Any chance of some photos of your progress?

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 11:46 am Post subject:
Sounds like an excellent and very definite beginning ! How much approximately does a hive cost flatpack vs assembled, BTW ?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 11:53 am Post subject:
Exciting, will most definitely be interested in your progress, I hope to be doing similar in 07 or 08

StuP

Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 12:13 pm Post subject:

gil wrote:

How much approximately does a hive cost flatpack vs assembled, BTW ?

Brand new a complete, built, National hive comes in at �215 whereas flatpack is �165 (This from a company called Thorne). So flatpack is a substantial saving. Of course, if you contact local beekeepers you'd probably be able to pick up second-hand equipment for a fraction of the cost. If you're a bit handy you could even make your own from scratch.

We went for new as Kat had just received a small inheritance and we fancied building the bits ourselves.

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