CALIFORNIA FLOW keepers

That’s who I got mine from last year.

Got several colonies from them last year, one absconded and the other has slowly been dying, the queens laid poor brood patterns. I ended up with catching a few swarms and re-queening them from https://wildflowermeadows.com/. Both those hives are doing extremely well and already added the Flow super to one of them. The other hive I will use to make a few splits this spring

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I second @Bruce_Choate’s choice of Wildflower queens - very nice. I also like Koehnen even more for queens. I have never had a package from them, but I am sure they are probably just as good. The only issue is, they are 100 miles north of Sacramento, and they do not ship packages - you have to go in person to pick up. From San Francisco/Saratoga, that may be too far for you. At a guess it may be as much as 4 hours each way. Any local (club member) beekeepers supplying bees? I wouldn’t buy from an unknown source, given the expense involved… :flushed:

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Dawn, what do you think about www.beekeepermike.com? He’s more local.

Hmm so with you and Mark having bought from beekeepermike and not having good results, wondering about his bees?

I have no personal experience. I do have hands on, live hive knowledge for both Wildflower and Koehnen, and I know of people who have had bees from Olivarez - also in NorCal. Personally, I would not buy bees from a source who is unknown to me. The risk of disease and africanization is just too great in our area. When I need a nucleus, I look first to my local beekeeping society (San Diego - too far for you), and then to places where others have had good experience.

It seems that 2 forum members have not had good colonies from the place you mention. That is enough of a red flag to make me look for other sources. I could well be wrong, and you have to remember that the average hobby beekeeper can expect to lose 50% of their hives in the first year or so, and many continue to experience those losses later. So what we are reading in this thread may just be bad luck. Still, I would go to some place that my club members like - or even buy from a club member, which is what I have done recently when I wanted to expand.

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Thank you Dawn! I will look into purchasing from a club member, - or from a friend who has bees and whether she has a source. I do have a question about how you moved the bees to the Flowhive, was that easy?

It is easy, and Flow has made several videos to help you. The exact answer depends on what you buy. I usually buy 5-frame nuclei. That means 5 frames of bees, brood, honey and pollen. You simply transfer the 5 frames into your Flow brood box (in the same order and orientation that they were in the nucleus box), add 3 empty frames, and put the cover and roof on top.

Packages perhaps require a little more thought, but the Flow video was made by @Michael_Bush, and I couldn’t possibly explain it any better than he does. You can search for it on YouTube. Takes about 30 minutes the first time you do the installation, and less than 10 minutes when you have done it a few times.

In your region, you probably need a second brood box, so I would look into getting one, otherwise your bees will starve over winter. You should fill that before you add the Flow super. Make sure each box is full before you add a new one of any type (brood box or Flow super) = all comb fully drawn out and 80% full of food or brood.

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Excellent Dawn, thank you SO much for the insight. Appreciate it!

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I’ve had a great experience with packages from Beekind, I think they’re near Sebastopol (I just send my husband :innocent:).

Really thriving colonies where the only queen issues were created by beekeeper ineptitude :flushed:

The lovely @sara who is also in San Francisco might have some contacts too, and personally I’m most keen to buy swarms this year from anyone who will sell them!

For those in San Francisco you can contact Phillip Gerrie. He keeps bees all over the Peninsula and sometimes has nucs and swarms avaliable. Noevalleybees.com

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Hi George. We live in Agoura Thousand Oaks area. Do you maintain Flow hives? If so we would love for you to join us. We need a swarm transferred to the flow hive. We are restoring a landmark castle in Agoura called Lapworth castle . Google it and pls read up . We need someone’s ASAP if you are available. :sunglasses:

Dear California Flow Keepers,

I was wondering if there are flow keepers in the greater SF bay area that could entertain our family to visit your flow hive. My parents are natural farmers in India and were totally fascinated by flowhive when I showed them videos of flowhive on youtube. If possible, I wanted to surprise them with a visit to one of hives in the area. They are planning on introducing bees to their natural farm soon and I think would be delighted to see a flowhive in action in person.

Thank you
Sid Kande Veera

Hi

Let me know if you received any responses. I am interested to start one myself, trying to connect with locals who will share their set up and some advice…

Regards
Ram

hi Mark

I am interesting in setting up a Flow Hive and wondering if you can share your experience and provide some advice on the set up. I am in Fremont, and would like to connect with you…

Regards
Ram

Hi Ram,
I’m not sure how much help I can be. I lost both my hives last year and am starting over from scratch. What kind of help are you looking for? D ok byou already have your hive started?

–Mark

hi Mark

I am planning to install a new one and looking for advice on the purchase and the install. Kind of a mentor to help me get the basics right and then I can learn as I go…Thanks for your response. Any help is appreciated.

Regards
Ram

hi Sammy

I am in Fremont and I am interested in installing a Flow Hive. I am absolutely no idea about Bee Keeping, would you mind showing me your Hive and giving some tips?

Cheers
Ram

hi MArk

I have not started, I am looking for an installation where I can go take a look and get some advice before i order.

Cheers
Ram

Hi Ram,
You should check out the Santa Clara Valley Beekeeper’s Guild. https://www.beeguild.org/

They have meetings on the Friday Monday of every month in San Jose.

Kind regards,
Mark