Not quite a beekeeper yet but 1/2 way there. I finished my 2 day 16 hour beekeeping course at the University of Minnesota. It was FANTASTIC! You'd think after sitting for so many hours I wouldn't want to do it again but it was full of information I kept wishing the time would tick by slower. Our professor said we need to come back next year, after we successfully winter our first hive, for the advanced beekeeping course so I guess I'll just have to hold off for more info. Now it is time to prepare for bees.
First order of business, talk to the neighbors. I wasn't going to do this but I've learned that it is important because they may be allergic to honeybees and that would be terrible. Tomorrow I plan on visiting the neighbors on each side of my house and let them know I have intentions of keeping bees and whether or not they have concerns. I'm a pessimist by nature so I'm thinking they aren't going to like it too much but hoping they will surprise me.
If my neighbors are allergic I'll be holding off til next spring to get my bees, buying property up north so I have a "faraway" place to keep the new hive. I'm hoping that won't be the case since I know I'll forget much of what I learned in the process of waiting til 2011 but I may not have a choice.
Right now I'm gitty just thinking about my bees. If I get the green light from the neighbors I'll be setting up my hive sometime in mid April. I'm a little anxious just thinking about it but I keep telling myself "yes you can, yes you can, yes you can" like that little train did. Hopefully all that positive self talk works or I'm in deep doo doo.
Congrats! I'd keep bees myself, except my husband is allergic to them. Maybe if we got a big enough property. I am hoping your neighbors will surprise ya. I'd love to know someone who kept bees to get some raw honey and beeswax. :D
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