Here we go!

Welcome to my beekeeping blog! I thought this would be helpful for sharing some of the highlights and challenges of my first year of beekeeping.

I decided to start beekeeping this year. I'm not totally sure why, but I like trying new things, and I like honey! My friend, Sarah, was also thinking about beekeeping, so we did a little research and signed up for a beekeeping class. More on Sarah's hive later. Our class is taught by Jodi Forcier, a local beekeeping guru. I convinced my dad to be my "bee buddy" (every beekeeper needs one), and we went to a beekeeping seminar in January to find out how to get started.

The next step was to order bees. This was pretty exciting, because once I had paid for the bees I felt like there was no turning back! Since then, we have purchased the necessary tools and equipment to start a hive. We have ordered all our our supplies from the NH Honey Bee in Gilsum.

Supplies:

• 3lb. package of bees with a marked queen (approx. 10,000 bees)
• Veil/Hat, Gloves
• Smoker
• Hive tool (flat and curved)
• Bee Hive (4 medium supers)
• 40 Frames (plastic, wood/plastic, wood/wax)

Grand total: $388, plus the class

After we purchased all the equipment, my dad and I - well, mostly my dad - painted 3 coats of white primer and paint on the outsides of the hive to help weatherize it and prevent moisture from entering the inside.
　
The bees are going to live in the field at my parents' house on Hurricane Road, thus naming them my Hurricane Honey Bees. Their land abuts a brook and Stearns Hill, so the bees will have easy access to pollen and water.
　
This afternoon Jeremy and I found a nice, flat, dry spot out in the field, facing southeast, and made a stand with some cinder blocks and wood planks for the hive to rest on to keep it off the ground. We laid down plywood and shingles to help prevent grass from growing around or into the bottom of the hive, and it will hopefully keep other bugs and critters from crawling in and upsetting the girls.
　
Tomorrow is the big day!! After the original April 12th delivery date was delayed by one week, I have been getting very anxious and excited. At lunch time tomorrow I will pick up a box of 10,000 bees and a queen from Agway and install them in the hive. Here we go!