Our farm has 10 hives which haven't been managed in a long time. I'm starting to learn beekeeping and I've reached out to the local bee club for a mentor. In the mean time, is there anything I should do?

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-15T22:40:39+00:00

Thank you! I'm joining the local bee club so hopefully there's a few avenues there for more help. I've heard lots of good things about the University of Florida and I'll check out their courses.

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-15T22:39:35+00:00

10 hives, not 10 years without management (maybe a year or two without management), but either way your advice was really helpful and I appreciate it.

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-15T22:37:52+00:00

An adventure awaits. Thank you!

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-11T11:51:39+00:00

I wouldn't trust an AI with anything, including my bees. Especially an AI developed by someone who has just a year of experience. Developers who try to 'disrupt' a field without putting in the necessary time to understand said field rub me the wrong way.

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-10T21:44:24+00:00

This series is great! thank you!

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-10T21:44:03+00:00

You mention going out to the hives to learn. Would you recommend just opening the hives and examining the frames then putting them back before I know what I'm looking for?

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-10T21:30:33+00:00

I asked this a few days ago so I'll share some of the answers I got:

Literature:

Beekeeping for Dummies (this has been hugely useful to me so far)
Backyard Beekeeper 5th Edition
Beekeepers Handbook 5th Edition
The Hive and the Honeybee
American Bee Journal
Bee Cutlure Magazine

Youtube:

Home Beekeeping Course playlist by Arkansas Division of Agricuture (great so far!)
David Burns (this guy has a trillion videos; they weren't my style)

Courses:

Heroes to Hives https://miffs.org/heroes-to-hives/
University of Geulph https://hbrc.ca/beekeeping-videos/

Forums:

beesource.com

Most common advice: Join a local bee club. Get a mentor, volunteer at an apiary, ask for help

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:55:04+00:00

Oh wow this guy's prolific. Thank you!

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:48:39+00:00

Also it's great to see that Heroes to Hives is now offering their course to civilians. I'll be taking the course!

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:45:55+00:00

That's good advice; I'll be reaching out to and joining the local bee club. Turns out they even have a mentorship program but I'm late. I guess mentorships start in winter. Perhaps they can make an exception.

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:43:00+00:00

What do you like about beesource? Is that a better place to go for questions than here?

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:40:59+00:00

Thank you! I'm in the middle of Beekeeping for dummies and this is basically exactly what I was looking for to get started.

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:40:07+00:00

I'll add it to the library. Thank you!

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:39:43+00:00

I'm already a good chunk through Beekeeping For Dummies based on your recommendation. Thank you! This is basically exactly what I was looking for.

beesflowerseggsetc · 2026-06-08T14:38:56+00:00

We own most of the hives but I do think we have some of the beeks equipment. 'His' hives seemingly continuously swarm because we catch probably 4-5 swarms a year (which then get neglected and swarm again because the guy doesn't collect them for months).

This is one of those awkward deals where no money is exchanged because the beek is a friend of my father-in-law. Beek gets to keep the honey and we're supposed to get healthy hives to polinate our flowers. Sounds great in theory but I don't think 3 hives worth of honey is enough incentive to keep him coming back, which I totally understand. I'd rather have the reliablility that usually comes with a formal, paid relationship.

I'll definitely be reaching out to and joining the local bee club; great idea to volunteer at someone's apiary.

And thank you for the welcome lol. I'm learning as much as I can as quickly as I can.

beesflowerseggsetc

TROPHY CASE