[punatic]

OK Im officially gonna stop reading these threads cause I am by nature a copy cat and there just isn't enough time in the day.

+1

That's good...  Copycat brevity

[punatic]

Posting from my iPhone is clunky, difficult and makes the post appear in a smaller point size font when quoting a previous post.

Weird...

My 8 month old Dell desktop (model POS) stopped working three days ago.  I have an onsite next business day service contract which is a POS too, so I am limited to iPhone internet acess temporarily.

[tubercle]

OK Im officially gonna stop reading these threads cause I am by nature a copy cat and there just isn't enough time in the day.

 Never got around to the bee thing. Still want to do it because I believe it would be a great hobby but about the same time I got to making cheese and like cap says...got to sleep sometimes

[1vertical]

Primarily that is why I said just take the hive investment funds and use it to purchase local honey!

Then you have the stuff already laying around (if not being used) to goto the next step...Mead!

[tubercle]

Primarily that is why I said just take the hive investment funds and use it to purchase local honey!

Then you have the stuff already laying around (if not being used) to goto the next step...Mead!

 I think I will take you wise advice

[weithman5]

this is one of the funnest things ever.  i had a colleague that had them on his farm.  i would take my boys up and help.  there is quite a bit of equipment but really you need space.  the soupers you can make yourself if you are handy. (most bee keepers are)  a suit, a fogger, and something to collect the honey and spin out the impurities. a good concise reference for most info you would need is an old boy scout merit badge book.  (it was removed from the active merit badges a few years ago so you may need to get at a library.)  i have thought of doing this again on my mom's farm but too far away to tend.  thought about doing in my backyard but afraid some kid would get stung and have to deal with poopy parents.

[tschmidlin]

I've thought about it too, but didn't want to deal with them stinging the neighbors kids or my kids even.  Plus there is a guy who does it for a living walking distance from my place, I can get a gallon for $40 any time of day/night - he has a shelf with honey and a money box on the side of a barn, take what you want and leave the cash   I'll let him deal with the hassles, I'll just take the good stuff.

[punatic]

...got to sleep sometimes

You Jackwagon!  You can sleep when you're dead... 

Beekeeping is a Zen kind of thing.  I often work around my hives in shorts and a tee shirt only.  My girls let me know when they are not happy with me being there.  I've been stung three times in the last year or so.  All three times it was my mistake and I deserved to be stung.  I felt bad for the bees who stung me.

I've found, much like brewing, beekeeping either grabs ya and won't let go, or it doesn't. 

[punatic]

a good concise reference for most info you would need is an old boy scout merit badge book.  (it was removed from the active merit badges a few years ago so you may need to get at a library.) 

I have the beekeeping merit badge book in PDF form if anyone is interested. - PM me -

I am a Boy Scout Leader and am working on getting the Beekeeping Merit Badge reinstated.  There is a Boy Scout in Skiatook, OK who has put up a website with a petition to present to the National Boy Scout Council for the beekeeping merit badge to be reinstated.  See it here:
http://www.experienceproject.com/beepetition

[1vertical]

Well, If you decide to take the plunge and keep some hives...
I highly suggest moving away from the old wooden style super frames and
going to the added cost of this style of NICE frames...
 http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=352

It just makes maintenance so much easier and the extraction from these
is a breeze...they really help the bees extrude Nice quality wax as well....

Some one also posted on here they wanted some bee wax and I will also recommend
Wyoming Honey Co. Mills, WY as a possible source for that material.  I get mine there.
414 N 1st Ave
Mills, WY 82604
(307) 237-1108


They do not have a WWW presence that I know of.
Disclaimer: all information above is published in public realm and I am not affiliated with the aforementioned
in any way. They are good people that make a living from bees and bee products I recommend them wholly.

[EHall]

Can you make mead from raw honey? any difference than the 'cleaned up' stuff?

[weithman5]

I have the beekeeping merit badge book in PDF form if anyone is interested. - PM me -

I am a Boy Scout Leader and am working on getting the Beekeeping Merit Badge reinstated.  There is a Boy Scout in Skiatook, OK who has put up a website with a petition to present to the National Boy Scout Council for the beekeeping merit badge to be reinstated.  See it here:
http://www.experienceproject.com/beepetition

way to go.  i hope he is successful.  I know we tried when my sons were scouting. (both eagle scouts by the way my old resident director has been doing this since he was a scout (he is in his 70's)

[tschmidlin]

Can you make mead from raw honey? any difference than the 'cleaned up' stuff?

You can make mead from any honey.

I'm not sure what you mean by cleaned up, but some store bought stuff is heated very warm.  This allows them to filter it to remove particles and helps prevent it from crystallizing, but it also affects the taste.  Some producers heat to lower temps to filter it, and it is more gentle on the honey.  True raw honey is basically just dumped into the container and should retain all of the original volatiles.  They probably remove the large bee parts though

[morticaixavier]

[You can make mead from any honey.

I'm not sure what you mean by cleaned up, but some store bought stuff is heated very warm.  This allows them to filter it to remove particles and helps prevent it from crystallizing, but it also affects the taste.  Some producers heat to lower temps to filter it, and it is more gentle on the honey.  True raw honey is basically just dumped into the container and should retain all of the original volatiles.  They probably remove the large bee parts though

you can also find true raw honey with the bee parts etc still in. The additional protiens and pollen etc can really help the ferment along as well.

[tschmidlin]

[You can make mead from any honey.

I'm not sure what you mean by cleaned up, but some store bought stuff is heated very warm.  This allows them to filter it to remove particles and helps prevent it from crystallizing, but it also affects the taste.  Some producers heat to lower temps to filter it, and it is more gentle on the honey.  True raw honey is basically just dumped into the container and should retain all of the original volatiles.  They probably remove the large bee parts though

you can also find true raw honey with the bee parts etc still in. The additional protiens and pollen etc can really help the ferment along as well.

I've never really asked the guy up the street how he processes his honey, but mine occasionally has a leg or two in it.  I guess it's not filtered then, or just done badly