ABOUT
How do you write about yourself?
I am 6'2" and weigh 210 with a 28 inch waist....
Not buying it? Neither does my wife..
My Apiary;
I have my main yard here at home. It is where I like to keep my started hives and nucs. I have three other locations/outyards where I have hives. ONE of those locations is about 30 miles away. It is too far, and I do not get there to check those hives as often as I should.
I have NO CLUE where I want to end up as far as number of hives.. 100? I guess it all depends on where the line will be drawn in the dirt. With enjoyment on one side and WORK on the other.
I currently ENJOY just about every moment when working bees and hives. I think the greatest challenge will be finding a balance between Income, Enjoyment, and WORK. Finding that sweet spot where I can make a mild income to help with the retirement plan, and yet not work so HARD that I begin dreading firing up the smoker. At this time, I have right at 40 hives after my substantial increase this spring, and I have found that I am not overly stressed, and still enjoy, and look forward to getting into those hives.
About Me
I find that I enjoy working in the wood shop, which, is sort of strange considering I have not worked much with wood. I’ve been primarily a mechanic all my life. I’ve worked on farms, I’ve worked on tractors. Had my own gunsmithing business, Making Custom stocks, custom Rifles, Custom handguns, as well as repairing old and fixing new. Bluing tanks, the whole works. I worked as a CNC Machinist, I raised and trained English Springer Spaniel’s, Broke horses, and flipped houses. I have built a few houses from scratch, done the plumbing, Wiring, flooring, Roof.. sheet rock, painting etc etc.. ALL of it.
I enjoy rebuilding old trucks. I can rebuild the engines, some transmissions, Brakes, Suspensions, even do the body work and paint. So there isn't really much I can't do, even if I am no Pro of any of those things.. “Jack of all trades master of none.” Is a pretty fitting saying.
Building my own hives stems from the desire to spend less money. I built a few from scrap wood to start.. The price of new hives/frames running around 250 dollars each made me think I could do it a bit cheaper. So I scrounged wood, and built a few. NOT being a carpenter, despite having built houses meant I had to re invent the wheel several times. Then I began pricing NEW wood as the scrap began to run out, and I found that I could do that and still realize a substantial savings. Cost of wood to build a hive is around fifty dollars. Thats cheaper than two hundred and fifty.
Then another beekeeper saw hives in the back of my truck, and asked if I could make him some boxes.. It’s all been uphill from there, and I have found, much to my surprise, I LIKE IT!
Doing a job that is mindless has never appealed to me. (Making frames not withstanding!) Being stuck inside has never appealed to me. Doing something that always has opportunity for advancement, learning, AND being able to get out of the house or shop to do it fits perfectly, so Beekeeping has fallen back into my life, landing in a hole I didn't realize was there until it was refilled. You can start out simply, with basic equipment and knowledge, and from there, you can expand in so many ways. Information overload is the hardest part of getting started. One of the best things any beekeeper ever told me, was that if I was in doubt, don't do ANYTHING, seek help or advice first. More bees are killed from OVERCARE than undercare.
Goals;
My goals are simple.. keep as many hives alive through winter as I can, and proliferate my hives in the spring and summer.
My goals have changed over the years... No, my goals changed when my wife saw that there was money to be made.. so instead of 20 hives, I am trying to keep over 100 hives, and if she had her way I would have thousands of hives...
I can haul 100 hives to blueberries etc and still feel comfortable. Still manage them myself. and it is enough to suppliment our income without pushing bees over the edge of FUN, into a job. So the goal of keeping them alive through the winter becomes important!
How do you write about yourself?
I am 6'2" and weigh 210 with a 28 inch waist....
Not buying it? Neither does my wife..
My Apiary;
I have my main yard here at home. It is where I like to keep my started hives and nucs. I have three other locations/outyards where I have hives. ONE of those locations is about 30 miles away. It is too far, and I do not get there to check those hives as often as I should.
I have NO CLUE where I want to end up as far as number of hives.. 100? I guess it all depends on where the line will be drawn in the dirt. With enjoyment on one side and WORK on the other.
I currently ENJOY just about every moment when working bees and hives. I think the greatest challenge will be finding a balance between Income, Enjoyment, and WORK. Finding that sweet spot where I can make a mild income to help with the retirement plan, and yet not work so HARD that I begin dreading firing up the smoker. At this time, I have right at 40 hives after my substantial increase this spring, and I have found that I am not overly stressed, and still enjoy, and look forward to getting into those hives.
About Me
I find that I enjoy working in the wood shop, which, is sort of strange considering I have not worked much with wood. I’ve been primarily a mechanic all my life. I’ve worked on farms, I’ve worked on tractors. Had my own gunsmithing business, Making Custom stocks, custom Rifles, Custom handguns, as well as repairing old and fixing new. Bluing tanks, the whole works. I worked as a CNC Machinist, I raised and trained English Springer Spaniel’s, Broke horses, and flipped houses. I have built a few houses from scratch, done the plumbing, Wiring, flooring, Roof.. sheet rock, painting etc etc.. ALL of it.
I enjoy rebuilding old trucks. I can rebuild the engines, some transmissions, Brakes, Suspensions, even do the body work and paint. So there isn't really much I can't do, even if I am no Pro of any of those things.. “Jack of all trades master of none.” Is a pretty fitting saying.
Building my own hives stems from the desire to spend less money. I built a few from scrap wood to start.. The price of new hives/frames running around 250 dollars each made me think I could do it a bit cheaper. So I scrounged wood, and built a few. NOT being a carpenter, despite having built houses meant I had to re invent the wheel several times. Then I began pricing NEW wood as the scrap began to run out, and I found that I could do that and still realize a substantial savings. Cost of wood to build a hive is around fifty dollars. Thats cheaper than two hundred and fifty.
Then another beekeeper saw hives in the back of my truck, and asked if I could make him some boxes.. It’s all been uphill from there, and I have found, much to my surprise, I LIKE IT!
Doing a job that is mindless has never appealed to me. (Making frames not withstanding!) Being stuck inside has never appealed to me. Doing something that always has opportunity for advancement, learning, AND being able to get out of the house or shop to do it fits perfectly, so Beekeeping has fallen back into my life, landing in a hole I didn't realize was there until it was refilled. You can start out simply, with basic equipment and knowledge, and from there, you can expand in so many ways. Information overload is the hardest part of getting started. One of the best things any beekeeper ever told me, was that if I was in doubt, don't do ANYTHING, seek help or advice first. More bees are killed from OVERCARE than undercare.
Goals;
My goals are simple.. keep as many hives alive through winter as I can, and proliferate my hives in the spring and summer.
My goals have changed over the years... No, my goals changed when my wife saw that there was money to be made.. so instead of 20 hives, I am trying to keep over 100 hives, and if she had her way I would have thousands of hives...
I can haul 100 hives to blueberries etc and still feel comfortable. Still manage them myself. and it is enough to suppliment our income without pushing bees over the edge of FUN, into a job. So the goal of keeping them alive through the winter becomes important!
Got questions?
You can contact me through the contact form or through the forum. The link to the forum, if you haven't already found it, is on the main page. The button at the top that says World Wide Beekeeping will take you to the best forum I have found.
I go by LazyBkpr. Just send me a PM if you have questions. I’ll do my best to answer them. DON’T feel that any question is too stupid or silly. No one on this forum will laugh at you or your questions. Building a little skill at deciphering good information that will work for you, in your climate,and with the methods you choose to use will go a LONG way to helping you be a better beekeeper. The sooner you get started the better!
My Email;
[email protected]
If you want to argue about my methods please don't bother. If you want to suggest a better way? By all means! I am all about learning and meeting good folks! Otherwise, life has enough Drama without seeking it out.
What I do works wonderfully for me. If I change my methods, I will update this site to reflect those changes.
You can contact me through the contact form or through the forum. The link to the forum, if you haven't already found it, is on the main page. The button at the top that says World Wide Beekeeping will take you to the best forum I have found.
I go by LazyBkpr. Just send me a PM if you have questions. I’ll do my best to answer them. DON’T feel that any question is too stupid or silly. No one on this forum will laugh at you or your questions. Building a little skill at deciphering good information that will work for you, in your climate,and with the methods you choose to use will go a LONG way to helping you be a better beekeeper. The sooner you get started the better!
My Email;
[email protected]
If you want to argue about my methods please don't bother. If you want to suggest a better way? By all means! I am all about learning and meeting good folks! Otherwise, life has enough Drama without seeking it out.
What I do works wonderfully for me. If I change my methods, I will update this site to reflect those changes.