# New keeper



## Cara (May 9, 2002)

Hi all you bee people! A few months ago I was lurking around and asking questions about a hive for our son. Well, I think we are ready. I know this isn't the ideal time to get a hive started, but it will take awhile to gather and build all we need. What I was wondering is if you could give me a DETAILED (like explaining to a 4 year old :haha: ) list of EXACTLY what we need to start. He's read a couple books, but I'd like to buy one for reference. I know we need some sort of suit, but what? As far as the hive, I want to do the top bar, because he's a little on the thin (not too stout) side, and I'm not too sure how much I'll be able to help him. And maybe if there is someone in the western part of Oregon that we could talk to, and possibly visit? Thanks so much!


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## rwjedi (Jun 18, 2004)

You could go to mannlake and buy their starter kit for like 400$ including shipping I think, that has pretty much everything you need to get started. Then start stocking up on sugar. So you can feed them to get started.


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## justgojumpit (May 5, 2003)

You will need: 

a hive (langstroth is much easier for a beginner to work with and understand) I would recommend a hive with two deep hive bodies and two medium supers.

hive tool

smoker

some type of syrup feeder

sugar

bees (lol)

protective clothing (as little as just a veil, which is my preference... sometimes i don't even use that... and as much as a chain mail suit and armor. you decide! how comfortable are you/your son with being stung once in a while???

apistan strips for mite control

bee brush



for just one or two hives, it is more economical to just crush the comb to get the honey than to buy an extractor. if you have a friend with an extractor, maybe you can use his/hers; but i would not recommend buying one. also, i would recommend starting at least two hives, so if one dies, you still have a second to continue with, and you can make a split to start up a new second colony without having to buy more bees again.

justgojumpit


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## Cara (May 9, 2002)

K, this is what I've found. Glory Bee is about 45 minutes from us. They have a starter kit for $155. It has the majority of the things that are on Jumpit's list, but only one hive box. When you say "two deep hive bodies and two medium supers" is that 4 boxes stacked? Or is it the frames that go into the boxes? 

I just saw that there is a thread just for beginners, I'll go read that now  

Thank you!


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## justgojumpit (May 5, 2003)

cara, the one box is one of your deep hive bodies. you should purchase one more deep hive body, ten more deep frames, ten more sheets of deep foundation, two more medium supers, and twenty more sheets of medium foundation. then you will be all set. the supers and hive bodies are the boxes, not the frames.

justgojumpit


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