NewBee from Fro the U.P.

[ThomBee]

Hi everyone, I am located in the upper pennisula  of Michigan. I am new to Beekeeping this year. My wife and I inherited some land and Plan to move on it this year and start a homsteading life. Not much land but enough. The bee will be living there before we are. Thanks for letting me be part of this forum. I feel like I have Hundreds of mentors and I am sure I will have a few questions throughout the year. If anyone else if from this area I would appreciate hearing from you. Thanks

[SherryL]

A belated WELCOME!!!  I've been a member of this site for some time, but only tend to check back sporatically.  It's a great site and very informative.  Some VERY knowledgeable people here.  They'll all be a great help to you.

I'm currently in Gurnee, IL, but have a home in Phelps, WI, and will be moving up there permanently in a couple of weeks.  We're between Watersmeet and Iron River just on the WI side of the border.  Where in the UP are you?

I have 6 hives currently, hope to add more next year.  I'm working strictly comb honey right now.  With the addtion of more hives, in time I suppose I may move into some extracted honey.  

If you're in the Iron River area, feel free to stop by for a hive visit sometime, I'd be happy to show you what I've got (bee-wise!)  

sherry

[Brian D. Bray]

>My wife and I inherited some land and Plan to move on it this year and start a homsteading life. Not much land but enough.

I live on 1 1/3 acre, also the result of inheritance, and have gotten back to basics.  I have, besides the bees, 3 goats, chickens, pigeons (Racing), an orchard and a garden.  I plan on adding Khaki Campbell ducks and enlarging the orchard to more of a variety.  This year I'm planting 3 hazelnut (aka filberts),Next year I'll be planting 3 cherry trees and 2 more pear trees to go with the lone Anjou.  A 25 by 25 foot patch is being turned into a berry and herb patch (raised beds).
The goats give me milk and cheese (I'm Lactose intolerant) and keep the root shoots and weeds down to manageble levels.  
If managed properly a lot can be done on very lilttle land.  My goal is to become as selfsustaining as possible.  Composting is going to be a big part of the operation.
I'm also opting for natural solutions to all the problems.  As far as to what I eat and do about my house I'm turning back the clock at least a century as I am still on a well even though I live inside (barely) the city Limits.

I have enough to keep me busy and since I'm retired (disability) I spend my days puttering around in my wheelchair doing what I can.  Since moving here this spring I have taken a new lease on life.  Before all I could do was stare at the walls of the apartment I lived in.