First degree 'newbies'...

[saltheart]

Well, Mrs. Saltheart & I are well into our 3rd month of beekeeping. I’d guess that makes us first degree ‘newbies’, but so far, so good.

I never intended to get involved with creatures that sting. As a kid I learned quickly to stay away from them, for a lot of painful reasons. We’ve always had pets…mostly cats & dogs. We have 2 dogs and 4 cats presently. But there was the period when our youngest son got really involved with 4H raising rabbits. You know what they say about rabbits, and we had a bunch. But then, after the kids went out on their own, Mrs. Saltheart started bringing up some of her well worn queries (to which I had always answered ‘No’).

“Can we get a llama? No! Can we get sheep? No. Can we get a beehive? What…you crazy or something? No?�

And so, last year after moving out of a suburban neighborhood into a larger home on a much larger property, she approached me with…�I found a class on beekeeping being given by a local club (Norfolk County Beekeepers) and it’s not expensive and I have all the information and I’ve always wanted to get into beekeeping and we never had the room but now we have a bigger place with lots of room and woods and…..I’ve already signed up and paid.�

“Would you like to do it with me? I have an application for you.�

What could I say? “Yes�, I said, “I’ll go with you.� I figured it might be interesting, and quite frankly it really is. I’m fascinated with watching the bees. We have 2 hives started with nucs (Carniolans) and they’re doing just fine. We didn’t really get going until mid-May when the bees arrived (late), but we were ready for them. Two hives seems just right…don’t need any more. Then why do we have all that extra equipment? Just being prepared, I guess…

I suppose the bees are better than llamas…right? Anyway, we’re looking forward to this experience, wherever it takes us. And I suppose that 2 hives will probably give us more honey than we can use, but I also know that now that we have the bees, long lost relations seem to be showing up asking about honey….

Go figure.

[Beth Kirkley]

Your wife sounds just like many of us wives. We'll ask if we can have something, the answer is always NO from the husband, but if our heart is set on it we do it anyway. LOL
I did that once over a new dog. I wanted a purebreed, some sort of good family dog. The husband said no. Well I spent the next year trying to convince him, and picked out the breed I wanted - a golden retriever. One day I came home with bowls, toys, and the rest. He asked - what's all this? I said, for the puppy I want. (Not very nice of me I guess.) Six months later I found the puppy I wanted, and bought it. Well - that was over 10 years ago...... I still have the dog, but the husband is gone. I'm happy with how it worked out. LOL I still do some of that now, but we're at 4 cats, 3 dogs, 5 squirrels, and then some ducks....... and I know better than to bring even one more home. (Or so my huband hopes.)

I'm glad she managed to convince you. Bees really are alot of fun.... and fasinating, and relaxing. I'd take bees over a goat or llama any day.

Beth