Comments for Urban Bee Co. http://www.urbanbee.com Community through the hive. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Hello Earth by Bob http://www.urbanbee.com/archives/hello-earth/#comment-4 Bob Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:16 +0000 http://www.urbanbee.com/?p=393#comment-4 Jude, hello! and great questions. We'll have to consider a "wanna-bee" section, in fact next time we post on the subject that will be the tag. To answer your other questions: --beekeeping <em>can</em> be hard on one's back... the solution is to use the right size boxes: 10-frame or 8-frame westerns (or mediums) for instance. The 10-frame deeps can weigh 80+ lbs each. If you search these terms you'll probably yield a whole bunch of literature on the subject. --when? now (February) is a great time to make some plans, figure out where you'll get some bees, find a class, and build any woodenware. New hives are usually installed right after the crocuses bloom, or around the end of April (here in the PNW). --how? I generally recommend Kim Flottum's "Backyard Beekeeping" and Sue Hubbell's "A Book of Bees" as the best bee-ginner books. One is a how-to and the other gives a deeper understanding. And subscription to Bee Culture, Speedy Bee or another beekeeping magazine is also good. Here in the PNW coming out to meetings of the Puget Sound Beekeeper's association (4th Tuesday of the month at the Arboretum) is also very helpful for meeting other beeks and asking questions. Good luck and keep us posted if you decide to jump in! Jude, hello! and great questions. We’ll have to consider a “wanna-bee” section, in fact next time we post on the subject that will be the tag. To answer your other questions:
–beekeeping can be hard on one’s back… the solution is to use the right size boxes: 10-frame or 8-frame westerns (or mediums) for instance. The 10-frame deeps can weigh 80+ lbs each. If you search these terms you’ll probably yield a whole bunch of literature on the subject.
–when? now (February) is a great time to make some plans, figure out where you’ll get some bees, find a class, and build any woodenware. New hives are usually installed right after the crocuses bloom, or around the end of April (here in the PNW).
–how? I generally recommend Kim Flottum’s “Backyard Beekeeping” and Sue Hubbell’s “A Book of Bees” as the best bee-ginner books. One is a how-to and the other gives a deeper understanding. And subscription to Bee Culture, Speedy Bee or another beekeeping magazine is also good. Here in the PNW coming out to meetings of the Puget Sound Beekeeper’s association (4th Tuesday of the month at the Arboretum) is also very helpful for meeting other beeks and asking questions.

Good luck and keep us posted if you decide to jump in!

]]> Comment on Hello Earth by Jude Rubin http://www.urbanbee.com/archives/hello-earth/#comment-3 Jude Rubin Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:24:35 +0000 http://www.urbanbee.com/?p=393#comment-3 Hi there... Do you have a "wanna-bee" section for those of us who haven't made the leap...yet? Is it true that bee keeping is hard on the human's back? How do you start keeping bees? When is the best time of year? good luck Bob! Hi there… Do you have a “wanna-bee” section for those of us who haven’t made the leap…yet? Is it true that bee keeping is hard on the human’s back?
How do you start keeping bees? When is the best time of year?
good luck Bob!

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