Meeting w/ The BeeMaster

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This week I was able to accomplish a major task.  I was finally able to set up and attend a meeting with a bee master.  This man at one point had over 200 beehives.  Needless to say, he knows what he is doing.  I took a notepad and a pen.  When I arrived I soon realized that this guy was a man, like a man's man, like a farmer, like an outdoor kind of guy.  Nevertheless, he was extremely helpful and knowledgeable.  We went to look at old bee equipment of his to get a better idea of what I needed, needed to do, and learn some bee termanolgy.  He used words like "nuke, deep, super, spilt frame, divided frame, wedge frame" among other words I didn't know but now do.  First thing he says, "you got a smoker?"  Nah, I said.  He said, "well, you gonna need one of those."  I told him about my plan about just going down with my beesuit(which I still don't quite exactly have yet....) He said, "well that would work for me or a professional but not you."  I said alright.  The smoke calms the bees down.  I am considering his words of wisdom and currently looking for a smoker.  So we go in the old chicken house aka storage unit to get my first bee hive he gonna give me.  Holly Moley if this guy didn't have a 100 bee boxes and everything else under the sun.  I had hit the jackpot so I thought.  So we are looking for a good "deep" code for main home for bees.  When he is kind enough to warm me that there is a swarm of bees in those boxes near me and to watch out for them they are kind of honrey.  Wonderful, this guy got bees and he isnt't even trying to have them.  We find a deep and some frames among other accesories for my new bee hive.  Now, how do I say this - these boxes were not clean.  Yeah, lets just say that.  As I attempted to point the spider crawling out from the box he was giving me onto him as I was concerned he just didn't care and didn't even brush it off.  This guy was pretty tough.  He showed me about the frames.  Very difficult to understand we had to go over frames twice.  One time I was looking down thinking, He goes, Listen, Now listen here boy! Don't get the the pre-made frames with comb.  Don't do it.  I perked my head up and said yes sir, I will not do that.  It was a good ole time and I got my first hive and he said when my bees fill that one I can comeback and get another.  I was so grateful for this man and knowledge he shared with me.  Except for knowledge about how you CAN NOT GET HONEY until the second year.  I was HEARTBROKEN when he said this.  And I strongly inquired why not and implied that I might do it anyway.  He said, "Boy, Listen here, Don't Rob the Honey, that's where everyone messes up and they won't make through the winter."  With sadness in my heart and slow powty voice I said "yes sir, I will try not too..."  I mean I am going to take honey.  I am going to, but prob just like a couple of spoonfulls or something not like a jar or anything. 

Days are starting to count down...And I have yet to clear the area, yet to get my beehive set up completly re-built, my labor help has been delayed, I can't find the red clover I need, yet to get  complete bee suit, no smoker which apparently I need, need other supplies I do not have, my chainsaw is in the shop, and 10,000 bee are due in around April 12th.  Prayers and best wishes are now starting to be accepted with love and happiness.  On the positive side, I did order a totally sweet bee helmet.