Get (into) Bees
A bee enthusiast's guide to experiencing live bees then getting your own
Page 3, A Bee Enthusiast's Guide
Bees: Experience Live Bees then Get Your Own
Get Experience
Get Your Hands Into a Colony of Live Bees
Once you have met a few beekeepers, volunteer to assist them at their bee yards. That is the best way to get comfy opening a hive and having a clue with what you are looking at and getting a feel for what it is like working with these tiny, cute fuzzy little buddies that can sting you from time to time.
Offer to simply hold the smoker, or pick up debris around the hives. Let the beekeeper know you do not expect a one-on-one educational explanation of everything he or she is doing. Just express your interest in being present in the moment and seeing (and feeling) what it is like to be in an active bee yard during an inspection. As we mentioned earlier, by attending educational meetings at clubs like TVBA, or other clubs in the area, you will meet folks you can call on to assist you and learn from. TVBA set up a program last year we plan to continue- each month we host a visit to a local bee-yard, or apiary. There is no better way to experience bees than first-hand, opening a hive. You can find the apiary visitation schedule here. So, spend all the time you need learning about bees and beekeeping, order bees for pick up April (and order early so you get the best pricing- usually by March), and get your hardware and personal protective equipment purchased ahead of time so you are ready to go. Kirby, owner of Rockwall Honey Bee Company, spent years thinking about it and now wishes he had just jumped in with a couple of hives and stumbled his way through it like so many of his friends met along his journey.
Offer to simply hold the smoker, or pick up debris around the hives. Let the beekeeper know you do not expect a one-on-one educational explanation of everything he or she is doing. Just express your interest in being present in the moment and seeing (and feeling) what it is like to be in an active bee yard during an inspection. As we mentioned earlier, by attending educational meetings at clubs like TVBA, or other clubs in the area, you will meet folks you can call on to assist you and learn from. TVBA set up a program last year we plan to continue- each month we host a visit to a local bee-yard, or apiary. There is no better way to experience bees than first-hand, opening a hive. You can find the apiary visitation schedule here. So, spend all the time you need learning about bees and beekeeping, order bees for pick up April (and order early so you get the best pricing- usually by March), and get your hardware and personal protective equipment purchased ahead of time so you are ready to go. Kirby, owner of Rockwall Honey Bee Company, spent years thinking about it and now wishes he had just jumped in with a couple of hives and stumbled his way through it like so many of his friends met along his journey.
In Order to Begin You Have to Start Somewhere
Most people procure bees in the Spring. If you are not ready for bees by April or decide you really want bees soon and cannot wait until next Spring when bees are naturally reproducing with all the abundant resources to forage, you can often find folks selling bees anytime but during the cold of Winter. Often bee suppliers grow more bees than they can sell. You can also find someone like a Professional Bee Remover (like Kirby, owner of Rockwall Honey Bee Company), who often has more bees than he needs.
As a Professional Structural Bee Remover, Kirby and others in his profession relocate colonies at least 6 months out of the year. He and his cohorts spend a lot of time and effort growing colonies up to full-strength and vitality and often sell bees to folks at odd times simply because they them and folks need (or want) them.
The only issue with purchasing a colony of bees out of season is that, for a new beekeeper, it may be more difficult and labor-intensive (and costly) to sustain a healthy population of bees in a colony when resources are scarce.
It is much easier to grow a colony during the abundant Spring season when bees naturally expand their colony size and can forage for all the abundant resources (like pollen and nectar) than it is come Summer dearth when colonies are hungry and bees struggle to cool their hives and feed their young. Additionally, in Summer and Fall it takes more management in general to keep a bee colony healthy and prepare it for the next season. Yet it is totally possible to take on the challenge in the off-season and succeed! Even if you have a slightly smaller chance of success as a new beekeeper, with the knowledge you have learned and the friends you have made along the way your bees have every chance to live and thrive. Regardless of when you pick up and install your bees, you will manage the hives throughout the year, keep an eye on them and feed them throughout the Winter… with the hopes to harvest your first honey the following year. Some folks do not harvest honey at all if that is not their goal. Some are lucky and get a little honey their first year! It is all up to you (and up to the bees)- and up to the weather of course (too much rain, too little rain, a super-hot summer, all affects these bees honey production). You will come across successes, failures to troubleshoot- even a colony collapse at some point. Like any agricultural animal, bees live and die, grow slow and fast.. you will be so delighted and often mystified with what theyare doing and why they do it. This is just what life with managed livestock is like! And you will experience losses, you will mess up and kill bees -EVERY beekeeper at some point makes a mistake and kills bees.
Whether this happens by mistake, or because of some misguided action, or inaction… that is just the learning process. Do not take yourself or the bees too seriously. If you do not have fun, roll with your setbacks and cut yourself a little slack you may find beekeeping is not for you and just up and quit before you get a chance to get "good" at beekeeping. Bees are not pets- we cannot take them to the vet, clean their litter box or just feed and walk them and expect everything to be ok. Boy howdy do we wish we could talk to our bees like we talk to cats and dogs. Sure we do not understand our pets but at least they meow or bark back at us! Anyway- try not to be too hard on yourself if (and when) you experience a setback after you begin beekeeping. Every beekeeper will tell you to learn from your mistakes, try again, don’t quit and trust yourself (and most importantly, trust the bees to take care of themselves). Just never forget to feed them if they need it, and you’ll learn when that it, the feeding part isn’t hard.
It is much easier to grow a colony during the abundant Spring season when bees naturally expand their colony size and can forage for all the abundant resources (like pollen and nectar) than it is come Summer dearth when colonies are hungry and bees struggle to cool their hives and feed their young. Additionally, in Summer and Fall it takes more management in general to keep a bee colony healthy and prepare it for the next season. Yet it is totally possible to take on the challenge in the off-season and succeed! Even if you have a slightly smaller chance of success as a new beekeeper, with the knowledge you have learned and the friends you have made along the way your bees have every chance to live and thrive. Regardless of when you pick up and install your bees, you will manage the hives throughout the year, keep an eye on them and feed them throughout the Winter… with the hopes to harvest your first honey the following year. Some folks do not harvest honey at all if that is not their goal. Some are lucky and get a little honey their first year! It is all up to you (and up to the bees)- and up to the weather of course (too much rain, too little rain, a super-hot summer, all affects these bees honey production). You will come across successes, failures to troubleshoot- even a colony collapse at some point. Like any agricultural animal, bees live and die, grow slow and fast.. you will be so delighted and often mystified with what theyare doing and why they do it. This is just what life with managed livestock is like! And you will experience losses, you will mess up and kill bees -EVERY beekeeper at some point makes a mistake and kills bees.
Whether this happens by mistake, or because of some misguided action, or inaction… that is just the learning process. Do not take yourself or the bees too seriously. If you do not have fun, roll with your setbacks and cut yourself a little slack you may find beekeeping is not for you and just up and quit before you get a chance to get "good" at beekeeping. Bees are not pets- we cannot take them to the vet, clean their litter box or just feed and walk them and expect everything to be ok. Boy howdy do we wish we could talk to our bees like we talk to cats and dogs. Sure we do not understand our pets but at least they meow or bark back at us! Anyway- try not to be too hard on yourself if (and when) you experience a setback after you begin beekeeping. Every beekeeper will tell you to learn from your mistakes, try again, don’t quit and trust yourself (and most importantly, trust the bees to take care of themselves). Just never forget to feed them if they need it, and you’ll learn when that it, the feeding part isn’t hard.
Bringing Home Your Own Honey Bees
We suggest you source your bees from a local provider. You can support a local beekeeper like Mr. Kirby! Rockwall Honey Bee Company sells nucleus starter colonies as well as single-deep and double-deep beehives (click here to visit our "Buy Bees" page). Orders placed by March 1st receive a discount- it's a Winter Sale on Bees!
Christi Baughman, "The BeeGirl" of Beegirl.biz, LLC sells nucs every spring on the last Saturday of April- pick up in Rowlett, Texas. Christi is a long-time Board Member of TVBA and well-loved in the community. If you purchase bees from The BeeGirl, mention Rockwall Honey Bee Company during your order. Christi is a friend of the family and we love to support each other and like to make sure the bees she sends to new homes have the best chance of survival, which means helping YOU out too. We can deliver BeeGirl nucs to you and/or install your bees, help get you set up and provide additional help down the road as your colony grows. Information on these services and more can be found under “Concierge Services” on The BeeGirl’s website.
John & Skip Talbert of Sabine Creek Honey Farm sell bees out of Royce City/Nevada, Texas. They also offer a well-known weeks-long beginner beekeeping program every Spring. This is a Father/Son operation of many, many years and are greatly respected in the region. Mr. Talbert Senior is a founding member of CCHBA and Skip (John's son) helps run CCHBA still today, as well as is an active Board Member of the THBEA (Texas Honey Bee Education Association). You can also get bees from other folks, like Mill Creek Bee Farm in Lucas, Texas. For folks in East Texas, Connie Walker Collins, the Queen of CNC Farms, sells nucs and full colonies as well out of Whitehouse, Texas. We know all the above folks personally, and trust them. "Know your beekeeper, know your bees." The Bee Supply (a medium-sized business sells bees at a larger scale, but also to individual beekeepers, or MannLake LTD (a nationwide supplier of all things bee-related), to name a few. **please ask around and do your research before buying "big business bees." You can buy both nucs and package bees from these larger vendors (and all the complications big-business-bees brings). We suggest you go small, go local, go meet the people selling bees and shake their hands. You will get better service, better, healthier bees and have a better experience.
Since you're already here, go ahead and check out our own Bee Sales page and get started figuring out your options- and give us a ring! Especially if you are looking to get into bees during a season other than Spring, it will be more difficult to find a willing seller and possibly harder to establish your bees so some hands-on help may be in order. Call or text Kirby at 972-897-8348
Christi Baughman, "The BeeGirl" of Beegirl.biz, LLC sells nucs every spring on the last Saturday of April- pick up in Rowlett, Texas. Christi is a long-time Board Member of TVBA and well-loved in the community. If you purchase bees from The BeeGirl, mention Rockwall Honey Bee Company during your order. Christi is a friend of the family and we love to support each other and like to make sure the bees she sends to new homes have the best chance of survival, which means helping YOU out too. We can deliver BeeGirl nucs to you and/or install your bees, help get you set up and provide additional help down the road as your colony grows. Information on these services and more can be found under “Concierge Services” on The BeeGirl’s website.
John & Skip Talbert of Sabine Creek Honey Farm sell bees out of Royce City/Nevada, Texas. They also offer a well-known weeks-long beginner beekeeping program every Spring. This is a Father/Son operation of many, many years and are greatly respected in the region. Mr. Talbert Senior is a founding member of CCHBA and Skip (John's son) helps run CCHBA still today, as well as is an active Board Member of the THBEA (Texas Honey Bee Education Association). You can also get bees from other folks, like Mill Creek Bee Farm in Lucas, Texas. For folks in East Texas, Connie Walker Collins, the Queen of CNC Farms, sells nucs and full colonies as well out of Whitehouse, Texas. We know all the above folks personally, and trust them. "Know your beekeeper, know your bees." The Bee Supply (a medium-sized business sells bees at a larger scale, but also to individual beekeepers, or MannLake LTD (a nationwide supplier of all things bee-related), to name a few. **please ask around and do your research before buying "big business bees." You can buy both nucs and package bees from these larger vendors (and all the complications big-business-bees brings). We suggest you go small, go local, go meet the people selling bees and shake their hands. You will get better service, better, healthier bees and have a better experience.
Since you're already here, go ahead and check out our own Bee Sales page and get started figuring out your options- and give us a ring! Especially if you are looking to get into bees during a season other than Spring, it will be more difficult to find a willing seller and possibly harder to establish your bees so some hands-on help may be in order. Call or text Kirby at 972-897-8348
Bee Education Never Ends, You Keep Learning!
Humans are inquisitive beings. Bees are mysterious creatures. We do not speak "bee" and much of what they do still eludes us and may always will. It is hard to think like a bee! And this is OK! It is OK to be patient and take your time!
Beekeeping activities slow to a near stop every Winter here in North Texas, (same goes for July/August), so spend that time researching and learning, preparing for the next year however you deem fit. Be sure to attend bee club meetings- listening to educational presentations and meeting beekeepers in person is the best way to learn and be inspired, whether you have yet to get bees, or are in your first year with bees by the time Winter rolls back around. Beekeepers of all experience levels learn from each other- it’s the nature of the game, so to say. The more friends you have that tend to bees, the more likely you are to make a connection and call on that person for help if and when you need it. Keep in mind beekeepers are very busy people and it is hard to offer assistance to people you hardly know, especially when multiple people ask for help. For some folks, it is easier to simply pay someone to come to their home and teach them beekeeping.
This is a good way to get going, and often necessary if you are looking to get going quick during the busy Spring season, you are likely to find help and chances to learn if you keep on making meetings, taking down phone numbers and volunteering or participating at events with other beekeepers. A few hands-on sessions can make all the difference. For many folks, volunteering at a beekeeper’s apiary is the way to go- this is how Kirby, the owner of Rockwall Honey Bee Company, got his first hands-on experience. It took some time, many beekeepers didn’t accept his offer for months till they knew him better. But persistence, insistence and consistency paid off! All we are trying to say is be open-minded to how you may be able to learn about bees. Read the Facebook posts and questions online, find a forum you enjoy, watch YouTube videos on subjects that are interesting by people in your region. Flip a page and read a book.. attend meetings at local clubs, get in the middle and be involved! Volunteer for events and put yourself out there however you can.. and be patient with people.. don’t give up… keep asking questions and keep learning. And at the same time, if you’re up for it, just jump in! The bees will teach you so much just by being there for you to watch them do their thing.
Beekeeping activities slow to a near stop every Winter here in North Texas, (same goes for July/August), so spend that time researching and learning, preparing for the next year however you deem fit. Be sure to attend bee club meetings- listening to educational presentations and meeting beekeepers in person is the best way to learn and be inspired, whether you have yet to get bees, or are in your first year with bees by the time Winter rolls back around. Beekeepers of all experience levels learn from each other- it’s the nature of the game, so to say. The more friends you have that tend to bees, the more likely you are to make a connection and call on that person for help if and when you need it. Keep in mind beekeepers are very busy people and it is hard to offer assistance to people you hardly know, especially when multiple people ask for help. For some folks, it is easier to simply pay someone to come to their home and teach them beekeeping.
This is a good way to get going, and often necessary if you are looking to get going quick during the busy Spring season, you are likely to find help and chances to learn if you keep on making meetings, taking down phone numbers and volunteering or participating at events with other beekeepers. A few hands-on sessions can make all the difference. For many folks, volunteering at a beekeeper’s apiary is the way to go- this is how Kirby, the owner of Rockwall Honey Bee Company, got his first hands-on experience. It took some time, many beekeepers didn’t accept his offer for months till they knew him better. But persistence, insistence and consistency paid off! All we are trying to say is be open-minded to how you may be able to learn about bees. Read the Facebook posts and questions online, find a forum you enjoy, watch YouTube videos on subjects that are interesting by people in your region. Flip a page and read a book.. attend meetings at local clubs, get in the middle and be involved! Volunteer for events and put yourself out there however you can.. and be patient with people.. don’t give up… keep asking questions and keep learning. And at the same time, if you’re up for it, just jump in! The bees will teach you so much just by being there for you to watch them do their thing.
Sweet Enough for You? Your Harvest Goes on!
We hope this wordy response gets your brain juices flowing and transmits the excitement most of us “beeks” feel about bees and beekeeping. Never hesitate to reach out with your questions via e-mail, text, phone etc.
Thank you for visiting Rockwall Honey Bee Company online. We hope to grow this website into a wellspring of information. Bookmark this page press: [CTRL] + [d] and return to explore the links to other places, forums, archives and YouTube channels. Tell a friend and come back for more! We will always be adding more content as we come across it).
We also have a number of logos in the footer of this website to organizations we are involved with regularly. We hope to build an educational section with more interaction above and beyond a list of links to include embedded videos, scientific articles, and click-to-listen content from publication archives galore! Submit a form to ask a question, or join our e-mail list for updates!
We know- this is a LOT of information. Again, we are always happy to talk or type with folks concerning their beekeeping needs- that’s what we do for a living, a hobby and passion. "Education comes first." So believes Kirby Jay Carmichael, owner of Rockwall Honey Bee Company.
Continuing education makes sense for most beekeepers. Honey bees are always teaching us. And through teaching each other beekeepers educated themselves- even when away from the hive. For this reason and many more, I continue to serve as the President of Trinity Valley Beekeepers, the North Texas representative for Beekeepers for TAMU as a member of the apiculture advisory council of agriculture for Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension program), the Education Director on the Board of the Texas Association of Professional Bee Removers, and the Communications Director on the Board of the Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association. I continue my in-hive learning by working with the commercial beekeeping operation of BeeGirl LLC building about 1,500 new bee colonies every Spring, grading colonies for pollination each Winter and when possible, heading up to North Dakota for the honey harvest (150,000+ pounds of honey annually. I also work for the urban beekeeping company Alveole as an Independent Contractor managing hives for 30+ corporations around DFW. "It's all about the bees."
We are glad your enthusiasm and interest in bees brought you here. Bees are close to our hearts here at Rockwall Honey Bee Company- they are our furry little friends... so every human desiring to gain knowledge about them, in our opinion, ROCKS!
We are glad your enthusiasm and interest in bees brought you here. Bees are close to our hearts here at Rockwall Honey Bee Company- they are our furry little friends... so every human desiring to gain knowledge about them, in our opinion, ROCKS!