Bee Hive Advice Needed:}

[Skiney]

Anyone raising bee's in the Hammond area?

Would like to get some advice or possibly purchase an established hive

Thanks
S.

 

[tallwalker]

Me too! Maybe if someone who knows what they are doing could give a few of us an informal introduction? I have been fascinated with keeping bees for a long time. Would love to learn more about it.

 

[Sugarbug]

Check the bearpit/general classifieds. The guy selling honey a few weeks ago would probably be a good guy to talk to. Iirc, he is/was the president of the LA beekeepers association.

 

[AustinBR]

Who was the dude on here selling honey? Beeguy or something like that?

 

[Leadfoot]

LABeeman?

 

[Sugarbug]

That's it.

 

[general mills]

My supervisor does. If you need to know something simple like where he got his, just let me know. I'll see him next Thursday, so get together some questions and I'll ask him. I'm slowly learning all about it from him so I can start in the next few years.

 

[Dixie_Amazon]

LABeeman?

He knows his stuff.

 

[Labeeman]

I saw my name mentioned and since it wasn't prefaced by any nasty four letter words I decided to speak up. Just to get the facts right I'm not the president of the Louisiana Bee Keepers Association (a great organization), but do interact with them on a regular basis. I actually work for the Department of Agriculture as the Apiary Program Coordinator. We try and make sure Louisiana's bees stay healthy and happy. Louisiana has a rich bee keeping history and is a great place to keep bees. The sub tropical climate we have provides lots of plants for nectar and pollen which is vital for healthy bees. One of these plants is the Chinese Tallow Tree. It's hated by most farmers, ranchers, and home owners as it is very invasive and a general pain in the ass to control or eradicate. It is loved by bee keepers because it produces a tremendous amount of nectar every year and is their ace up their sleave. Enough of my ramblings and back to the subject. If anyone wants bees I can hook you up with a person who sells them. I keep a list if the queen and package producers and can direct you to someone in your area. I saw where y'all live on the eastern side of the state which is good as they have a great bee club over there. On the practical side if any of you wants to put on a suit and go in the hive you can come on over and we can do that to. My bees are right here at my house in BR and love to show off for newbies. One last thing before I go, there is a honey bee field day at the USDA lab in BR in October. It is geared for beginners to experts and is a great way to learn about bee keeping. It cost 30 dollars but that includes a great lunch ( really, no crappy sandwhich es and chips) the people are world class experts on bees so its worth your time. Ill be there in my official capacity to ahhhhhh do "official stuff" or something resembling that. PM me if you want to talk more bee stuff.

 

[tallwalker]

Wow! Thanks for all the great info LABeeman! That's perfect. PM is inbound.

 

[Cheesy Lasagna]

Okay, just when is the field day and how do I sign up?
The only link I can find is this one:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/news/events.htm?eventid=729&modecode=64-13-30-00

Unfortunately it is for last year's field day.

I'm a sucker for a learning experience, especially when lunch is involved.

 

[Labeeman]

Here is the information on the field day for beekeepers.

17th Annual Beekeepers Field Day at the USDA Honey Bee Lab in Baton Rouge

The USDA Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory and the Louisiana Beekeepers Association will hold the 17th Annual Field Day on Saturday, October 19, 2013. The event will be held at the laboratory, located at 1157 Ben Hur Rd. This is near the intersection of Nicholson Drive (Hwy 30) and Brightside Dr., which is about two miles south of the LSU football stadium.

Gates will open at 9:30 a.m.; activities are scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A nonrefundable pre-registration fee of $25.00 is required for attendees 12 years of age and above. Children eleven and under must stay with their parents at all times. You must pre-register by October 1, 2013 or the fee will be $30.00. You may register on-line (See Below) and pay through PayPal or credit card or you may print out a pre-registration form (Click Here) and mail it to: David Ferguson, P.O. Box 716, Brusly, LA 70719. Make your check payable to the Louisiana Beekeepers Association.

The registration fee covers expenses including coffee, pastries and a great-catered lunch that includes Bar B Q Chicken Leg Quarters, Smoked Sausage, Jambalaya (Chicken, Pork, & Sausage), Red Beans and Ham over White Rice, Garden Salad with choice of 4 Dressings, Fresh Baked Honey Wheat Rolls, Mixed Emotions Pudding and Coke Products.

The Field Day will include courses for beginners and more experienced beekeepers as well as workshops for those interested in a variety of topics. The "Beginners Course" will begin with how to get started for those who do not yet own bees, then will progress to how to manage a few colonies. Topics will include equipment needs for the beginner, nectar producing plants, maintenance of colonies, pests, and hands on training in an active colony. The "Intermediate Course" was a hit last year and it will be offered again with a variety of topics focused on the beekeeper with a moderate amount of experience that is now ready to take it to the next level. Topics will include anticipating equipment needs throughout a season, pest management, honey processing and swarm catching. There will be a variety of focused "Workshops" for those not attending the courses, i.e., safety and legal concerns, queen rearing, breeding and selection, and a new instrumental insemination workshop. There also will be workshops showcasing the USDA laboratory's research.

For additional information please contact Beth Holloway (225-767-9288), Sandra Hineman (225-767-9280) or Joe Sanroma (318-346-2805).

 

[jms]

Just to add ,I am out of the bee keeping hobby due to heath , However it was one of the most interesting hobby I was ever asso. with. I started by buying the book beekeeping for dummies . Although I am not a serious reader ,I couldn't put that book down and referred to it many times for information . The internet has lots of information and forums for discussion. Also for those with interest there is a bee club in Covington . jr.buzz@hotmail.com is one of the most knowledgeable bee keeper I know .

 

[5star]

I have a Chinese tallow in my back yard, and I live close to a large hive. If I go into my backyard and be quiet, I can hear the whole tree humming like a large transformer with bees and hummingbirds. I don't mind them. They are busy with their work, and I with mine. Never had a problem with them.

 

[Labeeman]

Good for you. Bees are good neighbors most of the time. Give them space and they smile and do their thing without bothering anyone. I get lots of phone calls from people who are so removed from nature that they panic when bees are working some of the plants in their yard or are living in a hole in a tree 30 feet high. They want something done about the bees and I try to educate them as best I can. It's not their fault as they are just a product of their environment. Most of the time I can win them over and all is well. If you have kids or influence in a kids life expose them to the outdoors and all the good things that come with it. Honey bees do sting, but a majority of the time all they want to do is collect nectar and get it back to the hive.

 

[BeerManNOLA]

There is a club on the north shore that meets the first Thursday of the month. Their website has the location.

http://www.selabees.org

 

[Skiney]

WOW, Thanks folks for all the info:}

 

[southlaems]

May be a stupid question but have you ever been stung in a bee suit? I would love to get into this (have a friend who does it in Baker) but im allergic to stings..... really bad. If I suit up every time do you think its do-able?

 

[Armed Mage]

Once you get your beehive we need to have a forum get together for a game of beehive tetherball

 

[Labeeman]

If you are really allergic to bee stings then this is a no go for you. A suit affords lots of protection but is not 100% sting proof. There are makers of so called sting proof suits, but do you reall want to take a chance?