Hi from Australia

Howdy Max,
So glad you are loving bee addiction like the rest of us. Have you taken a look at your local bee clubs, there is one in the Nepean Region (Penrith), the only reason I suggest you get along to some meetings is that by April there will not be any bees, hives are winding down for winter. And an over-wintered hive will give you the best chance for honey production in the Flow Super next spring, otherwise you may need to wait for summer or autumn for a harvest (depending on the nectar flows in your area).

Hi Rodderick
Thanks for your tip. Yes, I am aware of Nepean Bee Association, now subscribed to their mailing list. I hope to be able to attend the next meeting mid Feb. I will bee starting from scratch but not until my complete flow hive system arrives, We are going to Europe during our winter and I hope by then that the flow hive has arrived. Upon our return late July I would like to set up the system and get the nuc in Sept. I suspect that the nectar flow should be good here as I have plenty of natives and fruit trees including avacados and even mango. Thereā€™s plenty of bush and neighbouring residential properties to explor as well.

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Hows it going mr Topanga ,
Its David Smith just checking on your progress . Last we spoke - sept 15 , you had lots to do . let me know how you are going with your bee world !!
Tomorrow I set of to my little remote located farm and will inspect my bees there . I hope to do some splits ( 4-5 ) . Down here (south eastern Australia ) it is late summer and we have had a dry spell . The splits I will re-locate to my back yard in a small country town ,( 300 miles away from my farm ) There are many manicured gardens and tree lined streets I plan to share my bees with -heaps of winter forage and make for healthy bees /great honey . They should produce a multi-floral honey that is complex and delicious to my palate .- Bugger the rest . - And so too with the flow frame critics I say . The Automobile was similarly critiqued when first introduced so to with most new ideas that shake the foundations of traditional practices .
Next spring my nukes will turn to full hives , add a super as dictated , then hopefully a small harvest by mid autumn . Thatā€™s the plan .
Keep the faith ," beekeeping is a university about life "
Cherish it .
The Captain .

Hi robbo!!

Howā€™s the flow??

HI everyone. I just received my Honey Flow hive this afternoon. I live in Charlotte, NC in the USA. VERY excited to get it put together and ready for my bees. This is my second year of beekeeping. I lost 2 hives last year and learned a lot of lessons about what NOT to do. Sad, but true. I am part of a very nice Beekeeping Association with lots of support. BUTā€¦I think Iā€™m one of the first in the area to invest in one of these hives and so proud to be a part of this new advancement in honey extraction.

I do have a question about adding a second deep and whether that makes a difference in this system. Generally I would have two deeps on my hives. What are the thoughts here?

Go for 2 deeps if that is local practice. You can order matching deeps from www.beethinking.com, and the exact match for the Flow hive is this one:
http://www.beethinking.com/collections/parts-accessories/products/langstroth-deep-cedar-hive-box?variant=454238661
Bee Thinking makes the Flow hive wood parts, so you can order with confidence. No, I donā€™t work for them, and I donā€™t get commissions, but I like their stuff. :smile:

I would use, for brood, whatever is the norm in your area or the equivalent.

Hi Dawn
FYI my SHB trap is working well and more and more bees are finding their way into the upper hive although they havenā€™t started production yet. Iā€™m interested to see your comment about adding a second ā€œdeepā€, I gather that is the brood box? The beethinking link offers free freight - even to Oz? I assume the $45 is USD. Cheers

Yes a second deep is a second brood box in my comment above. Some areas of the world use 2 brood boxes - I would only do that if your local beekeepers recommend it. Bee Thinkingā€™s prices are in US $ and I think the free shipping is only to US addresses. They do ship worldwide though, and you can get a shipping quote by sending an e-mail to support@beethinking.com with an idea of what you would like to have shipped.

Dawn

Hello,
Complete newbee here in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia! I am booked onto a beekeeping course and have ordered my Flow Hive both due in April. I was wondering how many others there were in my local area - most beekeeping groups seem to be South of the city. I canā€™t wait to set up the new hive and get learning!

Hi Nicky,

I am near Brighton, west of Adelaide and south at Willunga. Also a newbee. Received my flow hive in January. Still trying to get some bees to get started!

I joined the http://www.bees.org.au/ and will be attending my first meeting with them soon.

Hi TBB, I am On KI and my hive is about to be brought back to me full of bees! Am very excited to see them multiply. I have a very experienced bee keeper helping me. Cheers Heather Tudor

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Iā€™m just setting up my flow hive on 22 acres in the upper Huon Valley, Tasmania. Iā€™d love to connect with other locals. :slight_smile:

Hi Lauren, Sorry you are probably thinking I am on King Island, I should have put Kangaroo Island SA. Good luck with your bee adventures!! cheers HT

Hi John
My flow hive has arrived and Iā€™m keen to get started. I live at Curlewis and would appreciate any advice you can give me about starting, new to bee keeping, especially about sourcing bees in our area
Tony

Gā€™day Tony,

I found it helpful to meet up with the local branch of the Apiarists Association (even though, like you, Iā€™m new to beekeeping). They meet in Tamworth every second month or so and a couple come from out your way (Gunnedah and surrounds). Those would be some good contacts to have in sourcing bees (although it might be getting a little late in the season to begin a new hive - you might have to wait until spring). Last year the NSWAA ran a great bee-day at the Tamworth DPI and Iā€™m hoping to convince them that doing so this year would be a great idea - thatā€™d be good to get along to if it happens.

Tom, from Tamworth

Hi Stu. I have 1 child and 2 adult children in wheelchairs so i purchased the flow hive in January. I live in Sydney and have a large property. Fortunately my daughter has a great Taxi driver who has bees and so checks our hive. I got the hive for the family to see and enjoy bee keeping the safest way possible and i am glad to say it is working well. I see a lot of bees in the supper working from the middle out to the outside. and also honey beginning. Our bees are gentle and have not been stung. i like your idea of looking at making the hive accessable to those in wheelchairs as the family love seeing them work. I find it hard talking to bee keepers as they are so negative and tell me it wonā€™t work, but they donā€™t see that the regular hive is not for us or others like us. Keep trying for those with disabilities as i feel it is a great option for them.

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Hi all from Leinster WA. Outback is grand this time of year. Just researching and hoping we can keep bees but unsure if we can so near the desert and extreme heat. 45ā€™c up to 55.

Gā€™day. First year Beek here, bought two hives from a local keeper in April, there doing pretty good, flow hive arrived last week so looking forward to setting up and doing a transfer in Spring! Iā€™m not far out of Sale, east of Melbourne!

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Our family has decided to make us of of our natural bushland block in Western Australia to create our own hive and hopefully harvest some delicious honey from the range of Australian natives we have growing. Im seeking inspiration and information from bloggers on this forum about the successes of complete beginners using this flow system. It promises to be a great base to build from, just hoping that itā€™s not all marketing hype!