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Last Post 05/19/2010 11:06 PM by  Cathleen
Bees and Beehives
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Dean Baylor
Member
Member
Posts:147


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02/18/2010 9:53 AM
    Anastasia describes many benefits from keeping bees near our gardens. She even describes the shape (a hollow block with inside corners rounded off) and dimensions (120cm x 40cm x 40cm) of a beehive that will promote optimal efficiency and also help keep the bees happy and non-aggressive.

    Has anybody who has worked with bees tried constructing a beehive in the manner described by Anastasia?
    Cathleen
    Member
    Member
    Posts:52


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    05/19/2010 11:06 PM
    I am a foster mom to two beehives in my backyard. My method for raising bees is a bit different than Anastasia recommended. My impetus for raising bees was to get more apricots from my apricot tree. I had heard that we used to have more bees in the neighborhood and since the bees had gone the fruit crops had diminished. So I called up a local bee supplier place and asked if I could buy a dozen bees. The woman on the phone laughed and said that bees had to have a home. So if I want to have bees, I had to have a beehive. I asked her how I could do that as I really didn't know much about beehives. She suggested I contact a local beekeeper and ask if I could have some beehives in my backyard. She gave me the name of several beekeepers that she knew and I called one who agreed to come and check out my backyard. After discovering that I had no sprinklers and no dog, he agreed to put several beehives in my backyard. My beekeeper's name is Vladimir and he comes from Russia. Vladimir used to have a house and now lives in an apartment. Therefore he was looking for homes for his bees and was happy to find my friendly backyard.

    Since he has come from Russia just recently, Vladimir doesn't speak much English. Vladimir supplies me with honey for myself and my friends. He comes over often to visit the bees. Sometimes he gets the honey and sometimes he just checks on them. Whenever I have a question about the bees, and he calls one of his children on his cell phone and I can ask them to ask to translate his answers. For a few months out of the year he takes the bees in their hives down the Central Valley and places them in almond orchards so they can pollinate the trees. I think this is how he makes extra money in addition to selling the honey.

    I'm happy to have my bees. I go out in the morning and talk to them. Most of them are still asleep as they stay in their hive until the sun shines into their doorway. I encourage anyone who would like to raise bees to start in this manner or as Anastasia describes starting one's own beehive as the bees bring joy to my heart and fruit to my trees.

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