Turkish version of this blog post: Ariciliga Baslamak.
All you need is a small space (4 in your garden, ideally out of sight, un-used space. It is strongly advised to start with 2 hives at least.
Sprint(end of March - April) is the time to place the bees into their new homes. With this target, we can come up with a schedule:
- December-January: Educate yourself. Books and Youtube.
- January: Order bee packages.
- February: Order hives and beekeeping tools.
- March: Place the hives to their final place.
- end of March - April: Place the bees into the hives.
Here is the shopping list to start beekeeping with two hives. Grand total is about $1000.
2 Packages of Bees
Option-1) 2x$150 Bee KindOption-2) 2x$120 Beekeepers’ Guild of San Mateo County
2 Hives
Option-1) Sub-Total $540 Kelley Bees10x$26 10-Frame Medium (Illinois) Super - Select Grade Pine, Assembled, Painted
100x$1.75 Medium Frame - F Style, Assembled
2x$16 10-Frame Solid Bottom Board
2x$26 10-Frame Outer Cover - Wood and Metal, Painted
2x$11 10-Frame Wooden Inner Cover
Option-2) Sub-Total $500 Mann Lake (Boxes unassemabled)
2x$77 Medium(6 5/8") 10-frame Select Grade Box - Case of 5
5x$51 Medium(6 1/4") Assembled Frames - With Natural Waxed Rite-Cell - Case of 20
2x$35 10 Frame Telescoping Cover With Inner Cover
2x$16 10 Frame Bottom Board/Reducer
Beekeeping Tools
Sub-Total: $160 Mann Lake$100 Vented Jacket with Veil
$40 Smoker - With Guard - Wood Bellow
$12 Wood Pellet Smoker Fuel
$10 Hive tool
Reading list
Earlier post with a reading list.Top-Bar Beekeeping: Go natural all the way to the Top-Bar hives.
- Book: Top-Bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health. Les Crowder, Heather Harrell.
- Video: Les Crowder Top Bar Beekeeping.
Natural beekeeping with Langstroth hives.
- Book: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeeping, Dean Stiglitz, Laurie Herboldsheimer.
The books above are proponent of treatment-free beekeeping, and I am following this practice.
I also took some courses from Randy Oliver, who supports treatments and chemicals for beekeeping and works scientifically: First year beekeeping.
Michael Bush's website has also tons of information: Personal Beekeeping Philosophy.
A must have reference book.
- Book: The Beekeeper's Handbook, Diana Sammataro, Alphonse Avitabile.
Youtube videos: Backyard beekeeping for beginners.