Natural Beekeeping International Forum

Thymeenough · Last edited by Thymeenough on Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:07 am; edited 1 time in total

Hi. I am a new/ wanna be beekeeper in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and I'd like to connect with other local natural-minded keepers.

Merlinspop · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:47 pm Post subject:

Greetings! I'm down river (always seems odd saying that about a North flowing river) of you. I'm a newbie, too, shaking in my first package this coming Sunday. Happy to compare notes with you.

B

DavesBees · Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:52 pm Post subject:

I love it when a plan comes together.

Thymeenough · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:14 am Post subject:

Hi B. Good luck with your bees, very exiting!
I recently installed my first package and a week later all but a dozen are gone. I'm trying to learn whether there was something I could have or shouldn't have done. Gold star honeybees has some useful info/video on how to improve your chances of them settling in.
I'm afraid it may be too late to order more bees this year so I'm trying to find whether there's a local swarm list I can be added to.

Merlinspop · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:26 am Post subject:

How far are you from the Panhandle? I can ask the guy who is bringing the packages this weekend up if all are spoken for if you want.

Thymeenough · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:42 am Post subject:

I'd love for you to see if there's a package available still! Thanks. I'm in Rockingham County, along the I-81 corridor. If it works out, let me know when and where they're arriving. It would certainly be closer than driving to Georgia!

Merlinspop · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:57 am Post subject:

PM Sent. He's probably driving down there today, so I figured that it's be much faster for you to call him directly.

Thymeenough · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 1:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks so much! It looks like this may be the perfect solution for me.
Happy hiving!

Merlinspop · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:22 pm Post subject:

Let me know if he could help you out!

Merlinspop · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject:

He's got 6 packages still available as of this afternoon. Give him a ring.

Thymeenough · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:03 am Post subject:

Thanks again for the contact. Somehow we didn't connect this weekend, but I'm on his list for a package may 6. How did your hiving go?

Merlinspop · Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:15 am Post subject:

Glad I could get you in contact with him.

So far, so good with my colony. I added an extension to the little tab so I could hang the queen a little further down from the bars, hoping that they'll release her and I can retrieve the cage before they get come that far down and buggered up around the cage.

I did get a bit too cocky when I saw that there was a baseball sized cluster still (or maybe reformed) inside the package that I set in front of the hive. I decided to reopen the hive and re-dump them in. By that time I had put on a dark purple LSU sweatshirt and took off my veil. Either these Georgia bees took offense to LSU, or they didn't like my clumsy work and one of them gave me a poke right on the end of my nose! Other than that, though, so far so good. They're taking syrup (I'll need to refill tomorrow) and flying around getting to know their new territory. Either Thursday, or more likely Friday, I'll go back in, refill the feed, check to see if the queen's been released (or release her myself), get the cage out, and do a quick check of the comb. I think I'll wear the jacket with zip on veil for that visit!

Thymeenough · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject: Pp

Pop, have your bees established well?
Just got mine today. Any insights to share?
Thanks again for the contact!

Merlinspop · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject:

Glad you got them!

No real insight to share. Mine are doing fairly well. They have 6 bars of comb well drawn out with a good deal of capped brood, and some larvae. I didn't see eggs today nor did I find the queen and they were quite testy compared to previous visits.

They've barely taken any of the syrup I've been giving them, so I just removed the feeder altogether, at least for now.

I'd say go on and install them and hope they do well. Give them 10 bars' worth of space and access to feed if they'll take it. If you hang the queen cage, be sure to put an extension on it so it's not too close to the bar so they don't draw too much goobered up comb in the 4 or so days it takes for her to be released and you retrieve it.

Have fun and keep the updates coming!

snotboogie · New Bee Joined: 21 Mar 2011 Posts: 2 Location: wv, USA

This great old fellow maintains a bee sanctuary in Floyd. http://www.spikenardfarm.org/. He has been my homebase for bee inspiration.

Wildflower_VA · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:09 pm Post subject:

Hello!

I am in the Shenandoah Valley in Augusta County, near the Rockbridge County line. I would love to be able to stir up some interest in sustainable top-bar beekeeping, but am not having much luck.

One thing good that has come about in our area is that as of fall of 2011, we have a bee supply store that has come to Fishersville. The name is Valley Bee Supply, located on Route 608 right off Interstate 64, near the intersection of Rt. 608 (Tinkling Springs Rd.) and Route 250. The owner is currently taking orders for packages and nucs for pick-up at the end of April. He has acquired 100 packages of Italians and 100 nucs. That's sure better than driving to another state. http://www.valleybeesupply.com/

I am going to place my order for a package of bees soon, and plan to take Phil's book with me and other information on top-bar hives/natural beekeeping and try to get this guy interested. He has sold one top-bar hive, but has had so little interest in top-bar beekeeping that he doesn't see the need in our area.

We need to get people interested and network to try to bring together a group in our geographical region to promote low impact, sustainable beekeeping. So far the people interested are scattered and I haven't found a way to come together. I am open to suggestions.

Maryland Beekeeper · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 3:44 pm Post subject: Mid-Atlantic Natural Beekeeping

Hi all. Back @ the Bees after a 25 year hiatus. Been sayin I was gonna get back into it for years after having to destroy an apiary w/ foul brood, now that I got a couple goin I realize I shoulda done it long ago, feels great, especially w/ these TBH's. Anyway, I vac'd a feral hive out of a guys soffit and installed them in the front of a 3' Kenyan w/ 19" TB's almost two weeks ago. Outwardly they look ok but I'm gettin the feeling they might have lost their queen. Next to them I have a Ware that I installed a package of Italians in last week and they're goin gangbusters. Hopefully I'll get another cut out soon and if this feral colony is indeed queen less I'll merge the two. Got two more huge (4') Africans built, one Kenyan one Tanzanian, and ready in hopes of more cutouts or swarms. So I'm off and running, glad for the internet this go-round.
Happy Hiving
Drew

Uwe in USA · Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 5:05 pm Post subject: Hi, I am new to bekeeping

Hi I am new to beekeeping here in Arlington, VA close to Washington D.C
I am a pipe and or cigar smoker and wanted to ask if it is okay to smoke a pipe or a cigar instead of using the smoker. I just thought I could catch two flies with one swap but I don't want the bees to die of second hand smoking. lol Wink

Wildflower_VA · Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Hi, I am new to bekeeping

ShenandoahVa

Hello to the locals. Smile

Wildflower_VA

ShenandoahVa

NetComrade · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:54 pm Post subject:

Anyone using Warre hives?
I am in Morgan County, but drive though Winchester every week.
My bees don't seem to be starting out great. See my post in "Urgent Help"

Wildflower_VA · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:55 pm Post subject:

Robee · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:14 pm Post subject:

I am also in the Valley, in Augusta County, just a few feet from Rockingham county. Laughing

I have stirred a little interest in top bar beekeeping, first by letting a couple of neighbors check out my hives. Then I sold 2 foundationless Langstroth box hives to a couple of other fellows. They moved one of my top bar hives and also went into it a little to check it out. Then they asked me if I would sell them one that is presently empty. I told them no but if they buy the materials, I will throw one together for them.
Glad to see a growing interest here in Va.
Robert

Wildflower_VA · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:23 pm Post subject:

Wildflower_VA

Christy Hemenway has started a top-bar beekeepers group on Facebook for each state. I just joined the one for Virginia yesterday. There are few members as yet, but I would love to see this group become very active. So far I am the only member from the Valley.

Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Virginiatbh/

..

Robee · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:40 pm Post subject:

I haven't been doing much this year, just like last year but getting stronger. Smile

Glad to see you are still here too.

Robee · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:41 pm Post subject:

I haven't been doing much this year, just like last year but getting stronger. Smile

Glad to see you are still here too.

kateowp

Hi all,
I'm not in the Shenandoah (in Richmond VA) but hoping for some help. Does anyone know if Warre hives are "legal" in VA? I saw that state law requires beekeepers to "provide movable frames with combs or foundation in all hives"- does this exclude Warre? I was thinking of applying to the beekeeping grant fund for hive $ but saw that in order to be eligible I must purchase a hive box (not a problem), frames (guessing a top bar doesnt count), and foundation (sigh). Has anyone been able to use the VA Beehive Grant Program to buy a Warre hive?
Thanks,
Kate

Are the big energy companies bleeding you dry?

Conserving wild bees

Resources

Barefoot Beekeeper Podcast

View topic - Keeping bees in Shenandoah Valley, VA - Natural Beekeeping Network Forum