Lesson Number 1: I might end up sucking at beekeeping.

Some of you are may be wondering why I've decided to become a beekeeper. In short, I am doing this because I like honey and want lots of it. But there are other reasons too. We need bees and other pollinators (that are declining in numbers due to habitat loss, climate change, diseases, ect.) to help grow our food and it feels good to support them and all the positive things that come with them. And I like a little challenge now and then.

I've always been interested in beekeeping but never thought I had the nerve, the knowledge or resources to be able to do it until I met Greg, my partner in this crazy project. I have more in common with him than anybody I've ever met and he is the only person who can answer more questions correctly than me while watching Jeopardy. So it is to him that I owe so much gratitude. Without his willingness to try beekeeping with me, I wouldn't have never gotten the courage to take the first step. I am also very thankful to his employer who are much more financially supportive than mine!

A few months after Greg and I met I found out he took a beekeeping class while in college. How awesome is that! We talked about how it would be fun to have a couple hives but nothing ever materialized until January of 2010 when we brought the subject up again. We did an internet search to see if there were any workshops or classes on the subject in our area. Sure enough there was an annual conference and workshop for Ohio beekeepers in early March. I signed us up, we went (along with about a thousand other people) and on our way home we said "Lets do it!" So there you have it. That's how we came about deciding to try out beekeeping for the first time. We didn't ponder it or do much rationalizing. Its not really our style. We just couldn't think of any reason not to try it.

This is the first of (hopefully) many updates about my first year of beekeeping. Once I started telling people that I was going to get a hive, I was really surprised at all the positive feedback I've gotten. I guess a lot of people like honey too! So far, the most important thing I've learned from the books, websites, classes and even a seasoned beekeeper or two is this;I might suck at it. My bees might die or abandon my hive... and I most definitely will get stung. Sounds fun right? I don't know why everyone doesn't keep bees in their backyards!

I have a few more stories to follow soon. Our meeting of "Tiny Tim" and the fiasco of trying to get our supplies will probably be next. I also recently found out that Greg ordered our bees from a pirate and we will be meeting him at a bar to pick them up- so yeah, that is good material for another post as well. Please be forewarned, if my bees die, abandon the hive, don't make any honey or I get stung to death, this blog will come to an abrupt end. So stay tuned.