Yesterday we talked to the Utah Tax Commission and asked about sales tax for honeybees and equipment. It turns out that we need to be charging in-state sales tax for our products, especially now that we are selling beekeeping equipment. However, they told us about an exemption for those purchasing beekeeping equipment for production agriculture. Like, […]
Tag Archives: getting started
Hands-On Beekeeping Course Photos
Here are some photos of the hands-on beekeeping class on March 14. Derek Haynie, the expert photographer, took these pictures. Thanks, Derek! We’re looking forward to the next class installment on March 21. Here is the class gathered around a few of Stan’s hives. The goal for today was to see workers, drones, the queen, […]
Should I get a 2- or 3-pound package?
First of all, if you are a brand new beekeeper, please consider purchasing a nuc. See Lesson 1: Nucs and Packages. You will have more success with a nuc. Promise. Then next year, when you are addicted to bees, get some packages. If you have decided on packages (find our more about packages here), you […]
Queen Bee
We found this photo of a queen bee in Grandpa’s files and wanted to share. Can you spot her? Queen bees have a longer abdomen and are larger than the other worker bees present. Here you see her laying an egg in a cell of honey comb.
Why we use deep boxes exclusively
We only use and sell deep boxes. This is a management preference. All beekeepers do things a bit differently and this is our favorite way. We think our way is more efficient because we don’t have to store several sizes of boxes and frames. (And we’ve had 25 years plus 4 generations of experimentation. Trust […]
Bees on the front entrance of the hive
Often in hot summer weather, bees gather around the entrance porch of their hive to cool off. This is normal. It would also be normal to see 2-3 times as many bees as this. When this photo was taken, it was more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit in early evening. Bees pictured are calm and walking […]
Package Pickup 2013
We traveled to Northern California to pick up 2013 packages. Here we are, back in Utah and unloading. About half of our packages were sold as such and half will be turned into nucs and then sold. All who ordered picked up their packages successfully. This is a feat in itself with order changes, date […]
What should I focus on as a beginning beekeeper?
Honeybee on parsnip flowers With an overwhelming amount of beekeeping information out there, what should I focus on during my first year of beekeeping? The first year of beekeeping needs to be spent on the “basics” of bee management. After you have a bit of experience, you can start experimenting with different management practices, queen […]
Recommended Beekeeping Manual
I recently came across a new (to me) beekeeping manual put out by the University of Minnesota Extension Bee Lab. I am a long time admirer of Dr. Marla Spivak and her work on hygienic bees. I was delighted to find a beginning beekeeping manual put out by her lab and associates, Dr. Basil Furgala, […]
Rogue Comb-Building
One of the disadvantages that beginning beekeepers have is that they are starting with entirely new frames with new foundation rather than drawn comb. Frames without drawn comb next to each other have excess space and frequently the bees will draw out comb off the foundation. Notice how the bees built hexagon cells sideways, […]
Nuc Pickup and Beekeeping Class
Our beekeeping class at The Star Mill in American Fork was a huge success! Thanks to all who participated and good luck with your bees! In May, Stan taught three great beginning beekeeping classes to help new hobbyist beekeepers get started. Here are some photos of one event. The bee truck, loaded up with beekeeping equipment […]
Beekeeping License
Photo from Grandpa Arthur Andersen’s collection in the 1970’s. In the State of Utah, beekeepers need a beekeeping license through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food in Salt Lake City. They keep a record of all beekeeping licenses online, including name, license number, city, county, application and renewal dates, and whether it is active […]
Should I assemble boxes with the rough side in or out?
Unassembled bee boxes often come with one side of the wood planed smooth, and the other left rough. When assembling boxes, you will need to decide weather to put the rough side of the wood on the inside or outside of the box. We recommend putting the rough side on the inside of the box. Here’s why. […]