How to make a bee hive and make free chicken feed!!

[Pete]

Hey guys...

Been a strange journey for me lately, but following the light on the path...  Among the very interesting things lately in my life, I've built and hived two bee colonies and built and started using a Black Soldier Fly Larvae collection bin...

I know, you are really scratching your heads, but hey, gotta take care of the family, so I follow the info and have a few neat tidbits for you.

Backyardhive.com is a site I stumbled on that was linked through a chicken site...  go figure!  Anyway, there were FREE plans for how to build a TBH, or 'Top Bar Hive'.  More friendly for bees, lower maintenance and easier produces harvestable honey each year...  You can check YouTube for a number of 'Top Bar Hive' related videos...  or google for related natural beekeeping info.  Four days ago, my sons and I drove 180 miles each way to pick up two 3lb. packages of bees with queens after completion building...  brought them home and hived them.  The bees were very docile and we were 'cool'...  no netting, smoker or fancy equipment, and not one sting.  Opened the hives tonight to remove the queen's boxes and move the false back to the rear of the hives...  saw new comb being drawn.  Very active, but again, no stings. 

The other bizarre addition to our property resulted from reading a little about the Black Soldier Fly!  Here is a starter thread, or you can google 'BSFL soldier fly' etc..  http://www.pondboss.com/f...Number=136644&fpart=1   PERFECT to convert household waste into feed for chickens and fish...  reduces waste by 95%, more efficient and faster than composting, negligible smell, great fish bait, housefly repellent, self-harvesting, etc...  'Nother link would be biopod.com  though you can solve building one for less than 1/3 what they charge for their very efficient model.  (Caretaker, this thing should be of particular interest to you!!)

Anyway, working hard on figuring out how to feed my neighborhood!

Peace,

Pete

[Whrose]

My goodness Pete!

How I love to read about your preparations which I so admire.

Ok...when does the cow and pig come home? and hows the fish pond!

We have a killer bee population surrounding my area and wonder what the risk would be to making a hive and attracting them?

[summer]

Pete  i  wish  i  could  do  what  you  are  doing..#1 My  wife  is  afraid  of  bees ...... #2  We  city  folks  cant  do  that  in  the  City.
But  i  will  injoy  it  with  you  here  on  the  web  as  you progress  along  and  keep  us  up  to  date.. .........If  you  can  get  ;us  some  picks!

[Pete]

Ok...when does the cow and pig come home? and hows the fish pond!

We have a killer bee population surrounding my area and wonder what the risk would be to making a hive and attracting them?

No room for cows or pigs, but a couple milk goats are a remote possibility.

I do not know about the killer bee question...  You would have to research that.

Pete  i  wish  i  could  do  what  you  are  doing..#1 My  wife  is  afraid  of  bees ...... #2  We  city  folks  cant  do  that  in  the  City.

Actually, the Top Bar Hive is designed to be used even in the city...  If you have a backyard, you can do it.  Most honey bees are fairly docile to start with, but you can find guys who have bred bees to be extra mild...  I got mine from this guy: http://www.geocities.com/fatbeeman/?200524  and he can ship across the country in cooler weather.  Just be ready in the Spring with a hive or two built and you can have honey by late Summer!

Peace,

Pete

[Chipper]

but a couple milk goats are a remote possibility.

hhhmmmm.....goat's milk is nice!!!!