This blog is to share my bee experiences with all of you but also acts as a journal for me. So for the record, here are my plans for this year:
I've ordered two nucs from Jennifer Berry and will be installing both of those at Blue Heron or one at Blue Heron (assuming my hive there survives the winter) and one somewhere else. They should be available the beginning of April.
I've ordered two nucs from Jerry Wallace (he's only selling locally in Atlanta) to provide bees for Stonehurst Inn on Piedmont in Atlanta where I will be the beekeeper. I haven't written about this here, but I will in the months to come. They are an environmentally friendly B&B in midtown Atlanta and want to serve their guests their own honey. They have a perfect spot for two hives. I'm going to be the beekeeper this year and their innkeeper is taking the short course at Metro Atlanta on the 22nd so she will be good at it and may take over in time. For now, I'm the beekeeper and the bees and the hives belong to them. Jerry didn't give me a pick up date, but I was his first order so I assume I'll get them end of March or beginning of April.
I've ordered 10 three pound packages from Don in Lula, GA (Dixie Bee Supply). His will be available for pickup in mid-March. His packages I've written about here before. His bees are small cell and are not treated in any way. I got his bees for my top bar hive and for my Rabun County hive. I hope they make it through the winter.
Meanwhile these 10 packages are going to be part of a new enterprise. My son-in-law Jeff (whose house is where Topsy lives) and his best friend Greg and I are going into the honey business, starting with ten hives of bees. Jeff just got his MBA and has thought up a good business plan for this as well as had the idea. Greg has the land - a farm south of Atlanta with a peach orchard on the farm next door. And me, well, they like it that I am a Master Beekeeper and are relying on me for knowledge about the bees (!).
We plan to get these bees started, make splits in July so that we go into winter with 20 hives, and grow our business. Hopefully in 2012, we'll have honey to sell.
Both of the guys are new to beekeeping and will be taking the Metro Short Course this next Saturday at the Botanical Garden.
Wishing you a successfull 2011 beekeeping year Linda.
ReplyDeleteJust posted on my blog a picture of the old hive I purchased and restored. Been many years since I've had a hive, but am dieing to get back to it. It'll be interesting, as I don't see many bees anymore in my location of Iowa. I'm surrounded by farms that still aerial spray the fields, but I'm going to make an attempt to find out what chemicals they're using, he always sprays on windy days and I've turned him in before...we'll see!!!
ReplyDeleteA fellow blogger gave me your site, so I'm sure I'll be a frequent visitor!!! Good luck this winter, you guys sure got hit with my kinda winter!
sharon
Good Luck with all your plans
ReplyDeleteFatbeeman's bees are awesome. I wished I lived closer so I could get a few of his packages...I will, however purchase some of his queens this year to provide some of his small cell and disease-resistant genetics to my rooftop urban bees here in DC. We are going with a natural cell-size program with foundationless frames. Let your son-in-law know that there may be more net revenue these days in breeding bees for sale then in producing honey.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're going to get a lot done this year, and are in for a busy buy productive season, just like bees!! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGood luck this year!
ReplyDeleteYeah! Congratulations! It's always a help to have a couple of "Grid Brains" to help the creative process. :) Only best wishes for your future venture~ Tam
ReplyDeleteAt Stonehurst Place Bed & Breakfast we're giddy to be working with Linda in 2011 to start our own hives and hopefully this year, or next, provide guests with our own honey!
ReplyDeleteStonehurst Place is an eco-friendly inn, with solar heated water, rainwater collectors for irrigation in the gardens (two tanks hold 3,500 gallons!) and greywater treatment for use in toilets.
We're also a luxury inn, and providing the best guest experience possible is the reason we get up and come to work every day! So, for us this extension to our own honey makes great sense.
I'll be watching Linda's posts about her work at Stonehurst, and will write comments to help keep you up to date. There is much work to do this Spring but the hives are being built and painted, and will in place for Linda when she calls to tell us the bees are ready. It feels a little like we're waiting for the adoption agency to call and say they have a baby for us :)
For information about Stonehurst Place and our green initiatives, please visit our website:
http://www.stonehurstplace.com/green.htm
Thanks, Linda - we are so very proud to work with you!
Barb Shadomy
Owner, Stonehurst Place
Atlanta, GA