Sure. For some reason I wasn’t stacking the current Flow Hive setup on top of the other Mediums which is how I was counting wrong. Figure I’ll be 3 Mediums and a Flow Hive on top to start and then my extra 2 Mediums, Bottle board, inner, and telescoping for any splits.
I have read Michael reasons for going all Medium and then I’ve seen several people use deeps with inverted feeders. Other than that do you just like Deeps for the bees to live and store in since I don’t plan to harvest from them anyways?
It costs quite a bit more to go all mediums. If you would normally use 2 deeps for brood, you will need 3 mediums. @Anon uses 3 deeps (8-Frame), so you would need 4 or 5 mediums to get the same brood space. So that is 50% more cost in frames, plus the price of an extra box or two.
The benefit as you know is they are much lighter, easier to handle solo, and if your whole hive has the same size boxes and frames, you have a lot more flexibility and simplicity.
My compromise is to run brood on deeps (I use 2) and have honey supers as mediums. Except for the Flow super, which is of course a deep - but I won’t have traditional frames in that super. To get around the lifting problem, I just use an empty box set on the inverted outer cover (only works with flat roof covers!) and put 2 or 3 frames into the empty box. Then I can lift the remaining box with 5 frames in it out of the way to complete the inspection of the lower brood box. Five full deep frames weigh about the same as 8 full medium frames.
Just a question of choices. I choose to reduce my cost and have a little inconvenience.
I did notice that some say not to harvest any honey the first year as they need all they can get for their first winter. Thoughts on that with the Flow Hive?
I think I would refine that comment. I think you should not expect to harvest any honey in the first year from a new colony, but depending on weather, nectar flow, luck, Harry Potter spells etc, you may well get lucky.
If you can fill the equivalent of 2 deep boxes with brood and stores by early June where you are, you may well have some harvest if you put a super on. I would caution against greed, but don’t be pessimistic either. We never know what the weather gods are going to throw at us!
Dawn, before I make a twit of myself…again.
What do you call the three size Lang boxes where you are?
In the UK they are Shallow,Deep,Jumbo. Jumbo being the flow size
Thanks
Hi Dee, I would never think of you as a twit! The sizes for Langstroth are:
Deep = 9 1/8" deep frames
Medium = 6 1/4" frames
Shallow = 5 3/8" frames
I have given the frame depths, not the box depths. The general practice here is to use Deeps for brood, Mediums for honey supers (extracted honey) and Shallows for cut comb. That is a vast overgeneralization, but just gives you an idea. Not many people use Shallows. Deeps and mediums are the standard combo.
I have never seen a Lang Jumbo, either in use or for sale. I know Dadant used to do some funky extra deep boxes, but I think they gave up on those years ago.
Got ya. Yeah I think after reading up on Michael Bush site and then debating on Medium vs Deeps I’ll have the complete Flow Hive (deep with Flow frames and medium for brood) I’ll snag 3 extra Mediums to put under it for a total of 4 mediums for brood and then just the one Flow Super. Later this year I’ll grab some more mediums for a hopeful split sometime and I can then get more Flow Frames.
Now to get my pre-order for Bee’s placed and order my tools and hive/frames.
I do hope it will be good enough to get honey this year, but if not I surely won’t want to hinder the bee’s by taking what they need.
With that in mind, you may need to order package bees rather than a nucleus. Most apiaries do not sell nucleus bees on mediums, so you will have trouble transferring them. Unless you can persuade Michael Bush to sell you a nucleus, and drive over to collect it from him!
Dawn
One more thought. You do know that the Flow hive boxes are Deeps? Just wondering where your 4th medium is coming from, because you won’t get one from Flow…
Mmmm I swore the brood was a medium, but obviously I looked or read wrong (probably too much reading around different places and getting myself confused). I got the box right next to me so I REALLY should put it together!
Well that will work then I could just snag a couple 2 or 3 Mediums to put on top of the Flow Super (Deep) and stack it Flow, Medium, Medium, Deep (top to bottom). Then I have the Deep at the bottom and hopefully will have less need to move it and still have just medium to worry about except for the flow frame. Going to be ordering these goodies in the next week or so and need to chat it over with my wife some as she will be helping me with the bees a bit - well certainly helping for moving the hives when full.
So I guess as of this moment I am not 100% sold on using Mediums (mostly) except for the idea of them being easier to move (which is valuable as my wife isn’t always handy to help when she is taking care of our 1 year old son).
I’m sure the bees and queens Michael Bush has are pretty great for our area and I’d love to start with them
As is I need to to drive about 2 hours to pick-up for the bee’s I can get since our local store (I just checked) won’t be bring them in, but instead I’d need to go to Cheyenne WY (or have my wife go on a weekday)
As I talked it over with my wife she thought that was good too. Now just to order what I need note then some extras in a few months even there is a bit more money.
@Michael_Bush@Dawn_SD I recently had another source for Bee’s in Cheyenne (since I have to drive there for bee’s even through Murdoch’s) linked to me from another posted here on the forums. Murdoch’s has the Carniolan in a 3lbs package and this Prairie Wind Bee Supply has a 5-frame NUC of Carniolan and I was wondering if that might be a better option? http://prairiewindbeesupply.webs.com/buy-bees
I left them a voicemail to see what kind of foundation the frames use.
Paying the extra if a NUC is the best option isn’t a deal for me (well if it was like double I’d have a hard time doing that).
Personally, I would always choose a nucleus, especially for a new hive. Extremely low risk of the bees absconding with a nucleus - much higher with a package in a hive which has never been used before and doesn’t smell of bees. Plus the nuc comes with brood and food stores, which the package doesn’t.
That is what I’ve read and why I was thinking I want a NUC vs package. I’m knew and I know I’ll be learning a lot so anything I can do to help the bee’s do better and survive while I learn is great.
UPDATE: I heard back from the Prairie Wind Bee Supply place in Cheyenne and they are Deep (as expected) and they are foundation based frames. I’m getting a invoice sent so I can pay them and pick-up looks to be perfect as it’s planned for May 21st which is a Saturday so I won’t have to take an extra day off work!
