Bees? Yes, please!

So I've been toying around with the idea of learning "bee keeping" and finally decided it was now or never.  (Since pre-spring is when you're supposed to be thinking about your bees anyway...because of flowers budding and so forth).

I've done my share of research...asked those I know that are into bee keeping a gah-gillion questions...and finally settled on where to start.

The beehive!

Sure, I could order one all pretty and painted and finished on ye 'ole internet....but why do that?  I found a local farm that builds custom bee hives.  Yeah LOCAL!

So after contacting them...and asking a few questions...I explained what I was looking for and voila...today I went and purchased my first bee hive and brought it home.

You can't tell from the photo...but there's some various working parts in a beehive...all of which are included here.  Except the bees of course...and they'll come later.

But first things first...I must paint my beehive.  I'm gonna wait for a sunny day to paint the exterior all white.

So...thanks to Toledo Craigslist and John in Perrysburg...I have completed my first step towards becoming a learned bee keeper...get the hive and all it's working parts!

In case you were wondering...initial investment here....$238.  From what I've finding...bees to fill said hive will run me around $130.  So yep...right on target to what I've found earlier...to invest in your first bee hive...about 500 bucks. 

I still need that hipster white bee keeping netting to wear around my head...and a smoker...and a few tools to work with scraping off honey...and for lifting frames out of the hive...not to mention glass jars to put the honey into....but I have some time yet for all of that.

AND...I still have to find a source for a queen and some bees.

More to come on this project for sure!!!