Welcome to the world of beekeeping!
If you're like most people, your brain is overloaded when you begin looking into beekeeping. We like to start by simply asking the question "What do I need to know about beekeeping"? If you haven't purchased your woodenware yet, we would highly suggest purchasing the overwintered single deep colony. It's like giving your bees a fully furnished home. You
will still need to purchase additional equipment, but it cuts down the list down by 3/4. We can advise you on what additional items as needed, this article will help.
It's a great idea to start with two colonies! This allows you to borrow resources from one another as needed. Especially if things go wrong. It also provides a more objective view of what colonies look like. When you only have one, all you know is what that colony looks like.
Something to consider is finding a mentor to help guide you through the basics of beekeeping like using a hive tool, lighting a smoker or finding a queen. We strongly
suggest you find someone who has been able to successfully keep bees overwinter to be your mentor for more advanced practical questions.
We would also suggest taking the overwintering class we offer. It's a two part class. The first part is in August and the second is in November. This will teach you how to successfully overwinter your colonies, a skill that sounds easy, but many hobby beekeepers struggle with and go on to loose their colonies every winter. Go to the classes section to learn more.
Thank you,
Trevor Bawden
Lloyd St. Bees