My History
The winter of 2015, I started looking into beekeeping as something I could do with my time. I found out that there was a large commercial beekeeping organization here in Perry, Spring Valley Honey Farms. It is a large enough operation that they send bee hives to California for pollinating the almond groves. After talking several times to Connie Bronnenberg and going out to the farm when they were unloading a semi-trailer with hundreds of bee hives, I was getting more hooked. It was the time for my dream of beekeeping. The wheels started churning and I started planning. I purcharsed unassembled deep and shallow boxes and found plans to make the other parts I needed to get a complete hive. I ordered two nucs from Connie and was looking forward to my first year of beekeeping. I could hardly wait but, as with all things dealing with Mother Nature, I was patient (okay, NOT really).
Because of problems with the weather, getting queen bees was difficult so the nucs were delayed until the beginning of June. It made me sad because I would see bees in the trees and flowers around my home and knew they were not mine! June FINALLY came and so did the two nucs full of bees, brood, and an active queen. I moved them into the hive that I had put together and started my journey into the world of BEEKEEPING. My dream had become a reality!! I learned a lot that first summer of 2016. I had a queen decide to swarm so the hive had to re-queen itself. I had a few queens cells so I was able to start two new hives with the queen cells. The virgin queens came out and went on their mating flights. She came home and started to lay. The hives looked good but it turned out that they were really late in the season and none of them survived this winter. I was sad but I learned a lot during this process.
My other hive, Hive 2, did great. I could tell because some of the bees are flying and cleaning out the hive by removing dead bees from the winter months which is a normal process. I was hopeful that, in another couple of weeks, after the temperature warmed up, the queen would start laying and get the hive built back up. I was so excited and trying to be patient!
While I waited for the warmer weather, I am built up my shop so that I could produce my hives quicker and hone my skills. Even though my father said it was too difficult to build, I enjoy my time in the shop. At this time, I purchased some better equipment and decided to create my company, K & H BEE FARM , LLC. My goal was to use my skills, resources, and efforts to increase the bee population - one hive at time. I have people who wanted me to put hives on their properties and that what my plan will be.
More recently, I ordered eight packages of bees to add to what I have now. I am working on improving my hive design and making the bees have the best accommodations they can. I want my bees to be happy and healthy and want to come back home to their hives at night! I am planning on documenting my successes and failures here on this web site. Come along on the journey with K & H Bee Farm, LLC. as we share our bees with you as thing transpire. I want you to remember that failures are not bad. They are just an opportunity to learn more and do things better.
