# trying to learn



## CurtisWilliams (Mar 14, 2005)

Hi all. I have been considering bee keeping for a couple of years now and I have decided to start my project this spring. I have a few questions and would appreciate the benefit of your experience. 

I have done a little reading online and just read the catalog that Pigeon Mountain sent me. .

Question 1) Is honey taken from the supers only and not from the hive body?

Q 2) I saw a diagram with stacked supers. How practicle is this? It seems that this would potentially give more honey per hive, but would mean disassembling the hive to access the lower super.

Q 3) I just have an acre, and am surrounded by thousands of acres of rotating corn and beans, that are being sprayed with who knows what? Monsanto is huge in my area. Are corn and beans suitable for honey production? Is the chemical spraying going to be harmful to the bees?

Q 4) Can you all recommend a starter kit, and company? I am looking for the best value, not the cheapest. I have a budget of $300 - $400, not including bees.

Q 5) I have a HUGE cottonwood tree that I might remove. It is about three feet across at waist height. I can cut it about six feet, with a peaked top, and notch a cavity large enough to fit the hive, with the cavity facing SE, would this be a good way to protect my hive? My winds and weather patterns come from the NW. I am borderline zone 4-5. My biggest concern is ventilation in the summer. It hits 100f regularly with 100% humidity.

Thanks in advance for your advice.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

(1. In my area most run 2 deep brood boxes, honey supers are add I usally do two at a time. They are either shallows or mediums as I have both,I like the shallows best but either is fine with me. I leave the honey in the brood boxes for the bees.

(2. I usally only do 3 honey supers high at the most,I feel if they are full enough a 4th could be added I can remove them and extract rather than have a top heavy colony that may tip over.

(3. Only time will tell. Soys do flower soi the bees can get necter from that butwhat is in it. Corn has pollen but again what is in it?

(4. Go up above in the stickys and read the advice to a new bee keeper thread. I do not recommend a kit, rather buy the things needed and for get the stuff that is a frill.
Some where near by is a thread I posted, So yopu want to bee a bee keeper. good stuff in it.

(5. I like my hives in full sun light with a good north wind block like pine trees Hay bales and even a privercy fence.

I don't want obstructions to make it harder to inspect the hive.

Link 
So you want to be a beekeeper.
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/li.../391373-so-you-think-you-want-bee-keeper.html

Link
Advice to new bee keepers.
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/beekeeping/53438-advice-new-beekeeper.html

Best advice I can give is to join a beekeeping club. Your state club should have a list with in the state.



 Al


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