# Is this a good deal?



## bnlfan (Jul 15, 2006)

In the words of Schultzy.......I know nothing.....nothing...

About bee's. I have been looking at kits and would like to know if this one is a good deal or, will I be sorry if I buy it.
https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_27&products_id=29

It's almost $100.00 less than others I have looked into. I don't want to spend a large amount of money until I know if I will keep this up.

Thanks all,
bnlfan


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I always recommend to those starting out not to buy the Kits.
There is more you need for one year of keeping bees. First I recommend two colonies, which will take either 4 deep brood boses or 6 mediums if you live in a northern state. You need a smoker, hive tool helmit/hat and veil and a pair of gloves, maybe a pair you buy from a hardware store.

I really would not buy the frames with foundation from Dadant.
This foundation is from Dadant. It was on a package of bees last year for two weeks and they flat refused to draw it out. I was caught short handed this year when a swarm call came so took this junk. It has been in this colony for over 50 days with syrup and this is what ten frames looks like. I have other swarms put on Kelly wax foundatin finished drawing out their second deep and starting on a honey super.



















This stuff doesn't seem to bee wax coated. but I have sprayed it with a honey sulation several times.

My 2 cents.

 Al


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## Ed K (Oct 24, 2003)

bnlfan said:


> In the words of Schultzy.......I know nothing.....nothing...
> 
> About bee's. I have been looking at kits and would like to know if this one is a good deal or, will I be sorry if I buy it.
> https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_27&products_id=29
> ...


Like Alley said this wouldn't be all you need for a year.

Assuming that you only wanted one hive and you wanted to overwinter you'd need a second deep for the bee's brood chamber to give them enough stored honey to survive winter and a super for you to collect honey in. Plus the frames and foundation for each.

I think a lot of the beginner kits are not very complete and are only enough stuff to make it through the first few months of beekeeping without you needing to buy more. Keeps the initial cost from looking too discouraging that way though.


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## Sunmo (Dec 29, 2004)

BAD DEAL!!! I'd recommend NOT buying anything until the spring. 

Before you spend a cent, find your local bee keeping association and go to a couple meetings. Maybe become a member. (The Olympia Bee Keeping Association charges just 10 bucks a year and you get to sit in the same room with guys that have forgotten more about bee keeping than you'll ever know. And they're more than happy to share it with you). 

Next, take the apprentice bee keeping course. Washington State has one and it consists of 10 lessons and once again, costs 10 bucks.

Thirdly, listen to all the stories that the real beekeepers tell. When they talk about re-queening, apistan, supercedure cells, and the pros and cons of TBH, absorb what they're saying.

You got to do this by the spring, because once the spring rolls around, everyone in the club buys packages. You'll know what that is by then. 

These guys will have taught you enough that you'll know if you want to start with 2 deeps or 3 Westerns or any combination of them and an Illinois or two. AND they may be able to steer you to someone/something "top of the line" that some one else doesn't want. 

Read this forum, ask questions, and bask in the free advice from guys like edK and alleyyooper because they're some of those guys that have forgotten more about beekeeping than the rest of us know. Hey, today I learned an interesting item about dadant foundation. Cool pictures, you don't get that anywhere else.

Don't be afraid to jump in the spring and commit yourself. By then you'll either have a good road map of where you want to go or you will have saved yourself a couple hundred bucks because you're now interested in raising dwarf goats or Pilgrim Geese.


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