I’ve just joined up to the forum as we’re really excited to start adding bee’s to our family. My wife and I live on a 15 ha (37 acre) property about 9 km (5.5 miles) from the ocean. We’re gradually heading towards a goal of self-sufficiency however we’ve only been living here permanently for 8 months, so we’re only just starting out. So far we have a beautiful flock of Orpington (Black and Cuckoo) chickens we’re breeding (9 adults and 14 chicks, with 12 Orpington and 12 Dorkings currently incubating), some veggies and citrus with a large veggie patch and large orchard under construction. We’re also experimenting with growing our own feed for the chickens as well as native pasture (kangaroo grass) for future livestock. We’ve got a reasonably large 2-3 day dam being dug and the property is 95% forested with remnant native vegetation (lots of eucalyptus, melaleucas and grevillas).
We’ve followed the Flowhive since it launched and love the look of the product and the concept behind it and think it’ll make a great addition. I love insects and macro-photography and have kept many different species over the years to study. We have TONS of native bees, we love watching them going about their business, they’re the most gentle calm insects.
The only local beekeeper I’ve managed to reach out to slammed the Flowhive which was disappointing, but this didn’t put us off. I’m looking at doing an online bee keeping course of some description (hard to do one in person due to our location) and i’ll continue to try and find an open minded local mentor.
@JeffH is about 200km south of you in Buderim, and he is somewhat Flow hive friendly He doesn’t use a Flow hive, but he has years of beekeeping experience, and he has been known to sell hives full of very nice bees to people who will take good care of them.
In any case, welcome, and good luck with your new adventure!
Cheers Rodderick, I found them last night when I was looking for courses. Once I’ve gleaned a little more info about how/what/where with regards to what I want to achieve I’ll get in touch with them, great idea about them having a member in the area, I guess it doesn’t just need to be a local club.
Would be nice if they had an email or facebook page, but as you are discovering many beekeepers are of a past era and some don’t even have a computer… Just play the game, no need to mention you have flow hives as many get the wrong idea about you. I think you find there will be some lovely members more than happy to chat endlessly to you about beekeeping.
I used to be in a woodworking club when I lived across the state, soooo much knowledge in the people who were there, but dear god don’t mention a new invention or way of doing things… It was the same when I first qualified as an electrician years ago, I had a old school sparky scream until he was blue in the face at me that safety switches will kill more people than save them (this was when they were first becoming law).
Being an old sparky myself, I hear ya. I reckon the earth leakage devices have saved thousands of lives but there is no way to record this fact. Eventually the flow extraction will become the norm among hobby beekeepers, it saves lots of money in extraction gear, lots of time messing with frames and lots of cleanup is no longer needed.
I am also a new flow hiver in Hervey Bay (Urangan). I had no luck with local bee keepers but picked up bees from another community member in Brisbane on the weekend.
Will be learning as I go a bit (but there appears to be lots on info out there and support through forums such as this). Perhaps we need to make our own local network.
Hi from Maryborough.
Just found your contact
I have recently moved to17 howard st maryborough. 100 yr old cottage on 800 sq mtrs of very fertile soil.
Looking to turn it into a mini food garden. Would love to catch up and talk self-sufficiency or better " increased self reliance"
My email is russellpoet@gmail.com
My web site is www.russellplunkett.com.au
Look forward to catching up sometime.
Best regards.
Russell
He doesn’t use a Flow hive, but he has years of beekeeping experience, and he has been known to sell hives full of very nice bees to people who will take good care of them.
Just play the game, no need to mention you have flow hives as many get the wrong idea about you. I think you find there will be some lovely members more than happy to chat endlessly to you about beekeeping.