My names are Hamza Egal, I am a lawyer/farmer based in Kenya. I am looking to purchase my first flow hives and I wanted some advice on what to go for when starting from scratch. My initial aim is to get my own fresh honey for personal consumption but also to use the bees for pollination on my farm. In preparation of having the bees, what flowers and plants are best? secondly my farm is located in a very hot part of Kenya, just 45 mins away from the capital.
Welcome Hamza.
What you ask is the subject of many books.
I very wise person said to me starting out in life. Put more faith in the answers you find rather than those offered. Having said that …what to do?
Flow hives are no different to ordinary hives accept for the honey extraction. So learn about keeping bees. Watch Youtube topics on bee keeping and bee hives
Grab and read every bee keeping book you can find the more the better. Search here for books (the magnifying glass thingie top right).
When you have a basic understanding of keeping bees start searching here or googling the specific questions which arise from your reading.
Buy your Flow Hive (not the el cheapo crap from China on eBay) and get a NUC and start bee keeping.
Once you have your bees the learning curve continues but it is enjoyable. The answers to most “specific” questions can be found in this forum.
Other things you can do is find a mentor near by who keeps bees or join a bee keeping club if there is one.
Join other bee forums a for wider appreciation.