Beekeeping

[MaryN]

(9 May 2013, 10:18)clv101 Wrote: Mary, I keep bees, they are great. Did you do your course with a local association? It's great to be involved with an association in the beginning, lots of a advice, equipment to borrow and maybe even free or cheap bees.

Regarding books, the BBKA recently updated their recommended reading list for the modules:
http://www.bbka.org.uk/files/library/boo...832549.pdf
I can personally recommend the Haynes Bee Manual (2011) for great illustrations, Hooper's Guide to Bees and Honey (5th. edition) (2010) - the classic text.

There's also fantastic free and on-line resources at BeeBase: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase...pageid=167 and the Welsh BBKA: http://www.wbka.com/infostation.html

Hi there. I've received some very good info on beekeeping from this Forum, and have now acquired a nice little library of good books. I did do a course run by the local beekeeping society which was very interesting, but I did find the members a bit straight-jacketed. It was all biased in favour of keeping bees for honey and profit; I wish to keep bees to help with my garden, and also because bees in general need help.

I did find a site that sold me a set of plans for constructing top-bar hives, which are the way I want to go. As soon as I can drag the OH away from his current 100 projects (mostly mine, I must say) I shall get him to build me one. I'll post the progress as we go. After that, I shall be looking for the bees, and I'm going to wing it (!) and hope the bees can sort things out without too much interference from me.

Looking forward to the new adventure.