My name is Greg and I was really forced into beekeeping today. It's
kind
of a funny story. I met a Russian/Ukrainian man in which I hoped to gain
some
valuable bee-insight from. He has been keeping his whole life and this
morning
me and my family (pregnant wife, 5yr. old son, 3yr. old daughter and
1yr. old
son) left Ferndale at 5am excited to learn more than what I have
read in the two
books I picked up from the local library. Our travels took us
to Marysville
where we met up with the gentleman and after a brief
introduction he jumped into
our rig and started directing me up the winding
roads to a small ranch in
Granite Falls. So excited by his take charge
attitude I promptly donned the
veil he threw at me and scurried behind as he
ordered me about. Meanwhile my
wife was in the truck laughing and pointing
things out to our children.
Apparently she was aware of my demise and the
growing language conflict that I
was heading in to well before I did. I ran
from this hive to that hive as he
loaded me up with hive covers, top screens,
ratchet straps and new frames. I
was so focused into de-coding the broken
English and gleaning as much
information as I could I did not realize that I
was being full outfitted with
some of his best stock. We went from hive to
hive as he showed me his carnelian
pride, talking about what I should look
for before expanding, viewing his
personally raised queens, identifying
weaknesses in colonies. He than walked me
over to a new hive and said ever
since I heard about you I have been preparing
these bees. Now the stark
reality of the situation was finally hitting me. He
showed me a very
established colony and one young one started from a new queen
last year. Out
can the ratchet straps , the covers, and the double screen tops
and in less
than 20 seconds he ordered me to move the first hive to the bed of
my truck.
On my way to the truck I noticed my wife (now belly laughing) at
my
situation. Obviously she was going to be no help here. I carefully
rehearsed
my attempt to get out of buying two hives today. I slowly walked up
and said
"Sir, I was only planning on meeting with you today to learn about
bees, I am
not prepared to buy..." In which he responded " Hurry and load
this one , I
have to get to work." I walked back to the truck knowing I was
defeated. I
paid the man for his hives and we returned to Ferndale with
another 20,000 more
mouths to feed on our rapidly growing hobby farm.
The
problem is that I really know nothing about bees and I am worried sick
that I
will destroy all of the hard labor and love this Russian man I met has
put
into these two hives. What I really needs is a mentor who live near
Ferndale
who wouldn't mind helping me get started the total wrong way. My plan
was to
be entirely set up to start bees next spring, not have to full hives
thrown
in my lap and scrambling the get everything needed to manage them in
a
hurried frenzy. Please help!
