Hello - Newbee introduction

Oh wow...double wow

I cannot begin to thank *all* of you guys for the warmest of welcomes.

I have read - and will read again many times - the info (and fun!) you have put into your replies.

I do not do flattery but it is exactly this kind of fantastic support that gets a forum like this to be the very best there is. Thanks again.

I've now read four beekeeping books, but like you have said, there's nowt like the real thing and so I am making contact with some beekeepers in the hopes that a bit of help/labour from me might get me some learning in. I love to show and 'teach' and I'd be happy to take a newbee under my wing when the time is right - prob after a couple or three seasons.

Thanks again guys - gonna go over the replies again!

You can be sure I will be contributing as soon as I can.

Thinking a bit more, and KTBH orientated (rather than framed, or even Warre), I am now thinking my estimate for crop were perhaps a bit optimistic.
Any better estimates of crop (and therefore colonies required) for 50kg from KTBHs out there?

It comes at the bottom end of my estimate (-50%), but what do you get/take from your KTBHs? Does it include replacing some with sugar syrup? Or is that just going too far for a TBHer?

Regards, RAB

I know that the 'normal' thing is to reply to people on the forum posts but there are so many (thanks!) that I felt it would detract away from the thread and I wanted to send a personal thanks to each person who took the time and effort to welcome me and also to give me their input. You guys really are the best and I feel I'll be up to speed in no time.

fwiw - I live in quite a rough area with a fair bit of petty crime - one of the interesting aspects of my hive selection/build will be something that doesn't stick out like a wonderful, beautiful traditional hive, but something that blends against the back of my shed and the hedges - bees have easy access to the hives from one side - south-facing.

You can easily blend hives into your local landscape by painting them with a mix of colours to fade into the landscape... water based wax paints intended for external wood are cheap and bee safe once dry... I use green or brown . You can mix them together.

Think battleship stripes..

Hello

Going back to your original question about a suggested hive type, I think that the 14x12 is a lovely hive. Easy to pick up if you wanted to move, nice big frames with plenty of brood space and the frames are very nice to handle.

Good luck
Tim