All of the above is good advice. I would strongly recommend going to the seminar AND joining a bee club. Even if you're not sure, attending the club meetings will help to answer a lot of questions/doubts.

Don't get into it just to get honey for yourself. Get into it if you're interested in bees. I guess you could argue getting into it if you want to make and sell honey, but honey, just for yourself, with no real interest in learning about bees, will be a let down.

Its interesting, but can be frustrating. I have equipment for 25 hives, and have run anywhere from 3 to 12 over the past 4 years, since I started with 6. Can never seem to get over 12, but I'm not in a great area (Maryland) - all our honey is made in the spring. Probably have 7k invested and will likely never see payback. I've never been very successful at selling my honey unless I put a lof of effort into sales (Farmers markets), and that hasn't been worth my time. Now I just keep bees and pull a little honey for the family. May spool it back up again next year, depending on how things go this winter.

With regard to the post above mine, Beekeeping is local and clubs/seminars can help with some local knowledge, but by and large, I find clubs formed around amateurs provide amateur advice. I learned a whole lot more relevant information following the beesource commercial forum.

People that run business based on bees know what they are doing.. There are some big operations that post there and you can learn a lot about how they systematize their processes and care for bees. And you learn that half the info out there is a bunch of BS thought up by backyard beekeepers for their hobby. Lots of gimmicks in beekeeping... Most of it is just hot work.

Better known as hobbyist beehavers. And when you get them together its the same as the blind leading the blind

You may start off thinking you are a hobbyist beekeeper. Truth is, it becomes a Passion rather quickly.



B

. I’m not a bee club kinda guy. Folks there are one of three kinds.....#1 urban hipsters, #2 aging hippie women #3 grumpy old men. They treat bees as though they are pets. To me, they’re more like livestock.

As past president of one local association and current vice president of another I have to say you anti club types are as generally full of sheep dip as you claim the local associations are.
Yes, there are some mite bomb breeders and morons united type clubs out there. But there is a ton of us old hands trying our best to teach the next generation how to wade through the BS and keep their bees alive.
As much as I hate the "treatment free" bee killers I hate more the "pseudo commercial" he man girl hater types railing on the associations without an ounce of constructive input.

BTW, I started my day in a local magistrate court in support of a beekeeper being harassed by a bee phobic neighbor. What did you contribute to beekeeping today?

LMAO, I had that very thought myself.



RTT

Without doubt There are some hard working dedicated folks out there trying to help others. Sounds like you have good intentions. It can be pretty hard for someone to get solid information even with lots of online info. I'm sure you've helped many people and they appreciate your efforts. I simply burnt out on association stuff at least for now

Can transport southern bees to the north and kill hives by the tens of thousands. Can move bees to monoculture almond pollination and group them up by the thousands so disease can nearly decimate the population but a person trying to propagate a bee that can survive and thrive in the presence of Varroa is met with “Hate” oh my!

Associations are great places to meet common minded people keeping bees and it is best that there are many ways that are ok to keep bees. Some work, some don’t and some find a balance that works for them and the bees they keep.

Never said hate for conscientious serious bee breeders. There are some great programs out there. My hate is for the charlatans and frauds espousing hatred for sound scientifically proven methodology because it feels good to be anti "big whatever" they don't understand at the expense of their bees.
Treatment free is anti vax is anti big ag is anti capitalism is conspiracy theory whack job run amok.

I generally haven't run into that negative much. Most folks would love to find and maintain that combo. Just doesn't seem to have happened as easily as hoped. All the complexities make feel like constant uphill battle.

If you think you would enjoy it?

Go for it!

BTW, I still have around 2,000, ready to assemble, deep frames. I would sell the works for $600.00 to make room in my garage for winter.

That's 3.33 a frame, is there foundation with them. I bought over 1000 frames last year for 70 dollars a 100.

That's $0.30 per frame or $30/100 according to my old Nebraska math. No foundation.

Yep Nebraska math is best. Sorry I am wrong.

If you're doing it for the money, don't bother...You will likely spend a few grand before making a dollar...BUT it's addicting. A lot like trapping addicting.

Can check out a guy that runs "Canadian beekeepers blog" on youtube. He talks about the area abit that may be similar to your's. He runs his hives on his Canola farm.