Wes I've been 'binge' watching your videos. I appreciate you and your advice. We have similar stories as far as beekeeping goes. We are however at the end of our first 5 years of 'traditional' beekeeping. We have been thinking about either giving up completely or trying a different method(s). I started to build a long lang last year since we are HEAVILY invested in Langstroth equipment. I'm not sure that is the correct way to go, but I've got nothing to lose. We've struggled as you did in your first 5 years. Every year we've had losses; one year we lost all our hives, which was completely heartbreaking. I want to be a good steward of the bees 'in my care,' but feel my intervention does more harm than good. We were 'taught' many bad practices by our local beekeeping club. You're spot on with your philosophy of keeping bees. MANY of the ideas you present crossed my mind early on. When I asked the 'experienced' beekeepers in our club about natural beekeeping, treatment free, etc. they acted like I was a dummy. I'm so glad that my GOOGLE news feed, YES GOOGLE not UA-cam, suggested your video Becoming the Best Beekeeper that's Right for You. As a UA-cam creator myself, your title is worded VERY well to 'hook' a viewer. Thanks again for creating these videos AND your service to our country.
Glad you're enjoying our videos! Our first few years keeping Bees from 2012-2017 was devastating. We spent thousands on Bees and thousands more on equipment. Nothing was working and as attached as we were to our colonies we couldn't justify buying new bees every year. We gave it up for good until we discovered the book "Keeping Bees with a Smile" by Fedor Lazutin in 2019 and gave Natural Beekeeping a try. Ever since then it's been all progress. We catch all our Bees during swarm season so when we lose colonies it doesn't sting as bad. We save money because we don't buy packages, treatments, sugar feed, or other unnecessary tools. We work much less because we aren't disturbing the bees constantly throughout the year; only going in the spring to add honey frames and in the fall to extract honey and winterize our hives. Beekeeping is fun and it's not downright depressing as it used to be. I would HIGHLY recommend you get the book "Keeping Bees with a Smile" because we draw almost all our inspirations from the teachings within. If you have any questions going forward don't hesitate to ask!
@@SecureAcresNaturalBees We're probably approaching a 1000 bucks total including packages, equipment and ONE nuc. We've had 'luck' with splits and capturing our own bees as they prepared to swarm I've had that book in several book lists, including my Kindle app, as well as my digital library app called Hoopla. I borrowed it from the digital library as soon as I watched your first video. My name is Eddie. Our apiary is called Triple T Bee Farm. Glad to have 'met' you. We plan on moving to the Murphy area as we prepare for retirement. God bless!
you can be a backyard beekeeper ie... (landlord) just providing a proper living place for bees and hopefully you get a little honey in return, or you can try to become a honey producer ie... (CEO of a corporation), this will mean you need to do a LOT to manage the entire operation of the bees. it all depends on what your goals are.
I wouldn't recommend what we do to anyone wanting to go commercial. I think people going in that direction are a very small minority but for everyone else the styles we teach can be highly efficient.
I agree completely. I’m a first year bee keeper. It has made no sense to me at all to purchase tons of things that the bees don’t naturally use in the wild. I try to go as natural as possible and thoroughly inspect once or twice a month. I give witness to my hives everyday just sitting outside, so naturally if I see a problem I think I can remedy I intervene to help them sustain if I can. Such as adding brood frames to build population and such. I’ve fed a few times to help them draw out their frames but only if it’s absolutely necessary. Thanks for sharing that it’s ok to stay natural!
Thank you for that and we're glad you enjoyed the video. Simple Beekeeping is efficient beekeeping. Don't make the same mistake we did in 2011 and listen to those that tell you beekeeping requires a million steps and tools.
It's been an idea of mine since before I ever got bees that most of the problems with bees are man-made. Bees have been on this planet for 70 million years whereas humans have only been here for 4 million.
Every year colony makeup changes with a new queen after the old queen has swarmed but our Campbell hive has been occupied since October of 2020. Here is the link of the swarm installation: ua-cam.com/video/PVLosalJ4wg/v-deo.html We have ten colonies currently.
I've kept Bees using this suit for the past five years and it's always worked great, I wouldn't wear anything else. I even got into a hot hive earlier this season and the bees never stung through the suit only on my hands where I was wearing latex gloves.
keep preaching the swarm boxes and free local bees. thanks
Thank you brother, gotta keep it real on good beekeeping technique!
Wes I've been 'binge' watching your videos. I appreciate you and your advice. We have similar stories as far as beekeeping goes. We are however at the end of our first 5 years of 'traditional' beekeeping. We have been thinking about either giving up completely or trying a different method(s). I started to build a long lang last year since we are HEAVILY invested in Langstroth equipment. I'm not sure that is the correct way to go, but I've got nothing to lose.
We've struggled as you did in your first 5 years. Every year we've had losses; one year we lost all our hives, which was completely heartbreaking. I want to be a good steward of the bees 'in my care,' but feel my intervention does more harm than good. We were 'taught' many bad practices by our local beekeeping club.
You're spot on with your philosophy of keeping bees. MANY of the ideas you present crossed my mind early on. When I asked the 'experienced' beekeepers in our club about natural beekeeping, treatment free, etc. they acted like I was a dummy. I'm so glad that my GOOGLE news feed, YES GOOGLE not UA-cam, suggested your video Becoming the Best Beekeeper that's Right for You. As a UA-cam creator myself, your title is worded VERY well to 'hook' a viewer.
Thanks again for creating these videos AND your service to our country.
Glad you're enjoying our videos!
Our first few years keeping Bees from 2012-2017 was devastating. We spent thousands on Bees and thousands more on equipment. Nothing was working and as attached as we were to our colonies we couldn't justify buying new bees every year. We gave it up for good until we discovered the book "Keeping Bees with a Smile" by Fedor Lazutin in 2019 and gave Natural Beekeeping a try.
Ever since then it's been all progress. We catch all our Bees during swarm season so when we lose colonies it doesn't sting as bad. We save money because we don't buy packages, treatments, sugar feed, or other unnecessary tools. We work much less because we aren't disturbing the bees constantly throughout the year; only going in the spring to add honey frames and in the fall to extract honey and winterize our hives. Beekeeping is fun and it's not downright depressing as it used to be.
I would HIGHLY recommend you get the book "Keeping Bees with a Smile" because we draw almost all our inspirations from the teachings within. If you have any questions going forward don't hesitate to ask!
@@SecureAcresNaturalBees We're probably approaching a 1000 bucks total including packages, equipment and ONE nuc. We've had 'luck' with splits and capturing our own bees as they prepared to swarm I've had that book in several book lists, including my Kindle app, as well as my digital library app called Hoopla. I borrowed it from the digital library as soon as I watched your first video.
My name is Eddie. Our apiary is called Triple T Bee Farm. Glad to have 'met' you. We plan on moving to the Murphy area as we prepare for retirement. God bless!
Nice to meet you Eddie. I subbed to your channel and will keep an eye on your progress!
you can be a backyard beekeeper ie... (landlord) just providing a proper living place for bees and hopefully you get a little honey in return, or you can try to become a honey producer ie... (CEO of a corporation), this will mean you need to do a LOT to manage the entire operation of the bees. it all depends on what your goals are.
I wouldn't recommend what we do to anyone wanting to go commercial. I think people going in that direction are a very small minority but for everyone else the styles we teach can be highly efficient.
Very well said! You have already done the school of hard knocks for us and thanks for sharing what works and what does not. 🐝🐝
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed!
Yes Thank you for all your hard work you do, again Thank you 😊
Great Video. Love hearing you talk about the natural beekeeping. it can not be said enough
Thanks John, glad you enjoy it.
I agree completely. I’m a first year bee keeper. It has made no sense to me at all to purchase tons of things that the bees don’t naturally use in the wild. I try to go as natural as possible and thoroughly inspect once or twice a month. I give witness to my hives everyday just sitting outside, so naturally if I see a problem I think I can remedy I intervene to help them sustain if I can. Such as adding brood frames to build population and such. I’ve fed a few times to help them draw out their frames but only if it’s absolutely necessary. Thanks for sharing that it’s ok to stay natural!
Thank you for that and we're glad you enjoyed the video. Simple Beekeeping is efficient beekeeping. Don't make the same mistake we did in 2011 and listen to those that tell you beekeeping requires a million steps and tools.
Thanks. Well said about the chemical company!
Thank you Wendy!
Nice video
Nice pull.
Mr Wes, I'm looking forward you building Dr Leo's beehive on your channel.
That would be awesome.
👍👍👍
I promise I will make an effort to get it done!
27 swarms this season 👊🏼
Wow! That's awesome! The value of all those colonies is priceless.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 AWESOME INTRO🤣🤣🤣🤣
What would you call your hive (2:20)? I saw a similar hive at a bee meeting. Thanks.
That is a 14 Frame Layens hive.
Thanks!
I've heard old-time beekeepers used turkey feathers for bee brushing. Have you ever tried those?
Haven't tried them but I've heard of people using them. Neat idea.
do you look for varroa in your hives what is natural to decrease the number of them in the them in your hive? I can see some in my hives.
We don't do Varroa checks. Varroa will always exists in Beehives no matter what people do so constantly checking for mites is futile.
It's been an idea of mine since before I ever got bees that most of the problems with bees are man-made. Bees have been on this planet for 70 million years whereas humans have only been here for 4 million.
Bees know more than they get credit for!
@@SecureAcresNaturalBees Probably one of the best truisms I've heard is that bees make better beekeepers then beekeepers make bees.
Secure akers, I love your saying also true.
How many colonies do you have? Have you kept a singe hive alive for more than two consecutive years?
Every year colony makeup changes with a new queen after the old queen has swarmed but our Campbell hive has been occupied since October of 2020. Here is the link of the swarm installation:
ua-cam.com/video/PVLosalJ4wg/v-deo.html
We have ten colonies currently.
The suit that you showed is for mosquitoes not bees they can easily sting through that one layer
I've kept Bees using this suit for the past five years and it's always worked great, I wouldn't wear anything else. I even got into a hot hive earlier this season and the bees never stung through the suit only on my hands where I was wearing latex gloves.