# 2013 beekeeping resolutions



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

'tis the season........

one of mine is to be a lot more careful about where and when i add foundation to a hive.

mainly, won't be putting an empty super of foundation right above the brood chamber, separating it from the honey supers above. i believe this triggered swarming in several of my colonies last spring.


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## libhart (Apr 22, 2010)

To not put off checkerboarding until it's too late to stop my hives from swarming anyway.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

To collect the supers I had stacked in the bee yard for the bees to clean out before they are covered with snow (like today?)

My main objective for next year is to avoid bee fatigue and pay timely attention to all my colonies through out the season.


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## Acrolite (Nov 28, 2012)

My resolution is simply to get my first two hives up and running, healthy and productive.


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## mtndewluvr (Oct 28, 2012)

My first year as a beek I was in the hive about every 5 minutes, killed a queen because of it, but had the experience of the colony making a new one.

This year's resolution....STAY OUTTA THE HIVE...except for necessary management!


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

To cut back on the months of 80 hour weeks...like to 79.


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## DC Bees (Sep 24, 2009)

To make more honey and hopefully weather permitting get a little locust honey.


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## zookeeper (Oct 21, 2009)

Better swarm management. I didn't do so well with this last year.....but I learned a lot about what DOESN'T work.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

To be more selective on cut-out jobs. Some of the cut-outs I did were allot of work and mess and not worth the time spent.


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

I receive a lot of swarm calls in the Spring and this year I want to resist the urge to "expand" when swarm season comes around and focus on building up my super inventory. I use all mediums for both brood and supering.The goal is to keep my colony numbers at a level which I have the time to properly manage. A few years back my plan was to keep just a handful of colonies at one location. Right now it's a dozen total at three different locations, and that was after some Fall combining. Funny how that happens. I'll use swarms to draw comb but I need to be more aggressive in combining and culling earlier in the summer. I never seem to have enough drawn honey supers when I need them because I'm adding colonies. One day when I retire I'll have the time to step it up a notch, but right now I need to run lean and efficient with smaller numbers. Famous last words, right?


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

This year one of my resolutions is to take on as many swarm calls and bee cut outs as I possibly can. 
Not really a resolution right?
Ok then, I resolve to learn something new each and every day even if it has nothing to do with bees. lol


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Mike Gillmore said:


> One day when I retire I'll have the time to step it up a notch, but right now I need to run lean and efficient with smaller numbers. Famous last words, right?


It doesn't get any easier when you retire. One thing I've learned about myself is that I'm a hoarder when it comes to honeybees. You might as well surrender now Mike and give in to your addiction. Enjoy it while you can. It is useless to resist. There is no known cure.


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

I know ... I know. But we have to have at least one resolution we can break ... right?


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Spend less time on the internet....and more time in the beeyards


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## DLMKA (Feb 7, 2012)

I'm going to expand to 15 full hives (from 8) and come mid summer make nucs out of the least productive ones to overwinter. Hope to come out of winter with a minimum of 15 colonies and sell the remaining nucs.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

Acrolite said:


> My resolution is simply to get my first two hives up and running, healthy and productive.


Welcome to Beekeeping! I'm an hour south of Columbus in Frankfort (near Chillicothe). Also I'm President of the Scioto Valley Beekeepers Association, if your close to Circleville stop in for a meeting! If you need any help finding a local association closer to you let me know.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

Raise more queens, more bees, and produce more honey!!


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## bhfury (Nov 25, 2008)

pine_ridge_farms said:


> Raise more queens, more bees, and produce more honey!!


I like it!!!!!!!


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

zookeeper said:


> Better swarm management. I didn't do so well with this last year.....but I learned a lot about what DOESN'T work.


That's mine too. I added supers too late, with too many with all empty frames not knowing that's not a good idea.
Set up more bait hives around my own hives just in case. Last year I bait hived everywhere except around my bees. Again, not smart.


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## The Honey Householder (Nov 14, 2008)

Starting to feel my age so this is the year. Going to thought it all out there and going for it all. 1000 hives with a 200 lb avg.:digging:


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## R Dewhurst (Dec 22, 2012)

Try and get my new packages hived with no problems. First time hiving packages. First full year coming up. Bought mine half way through this year. Look forward to learning alot.


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## GLOCK (Dec 29, 2009)

I'd like to have better SPM this year coming and better knowledge on how to remain chemical free. Varroa destructor is the worst. Year four and still no chemicals 
total of 7 hives dead out of 21 in four years not bad for a new bee keeper but i have so much more to learn i'm sure this coming year is coing to be crazy i know this last year has been can't wait .


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Purchase my first nuc.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Charlie B said:


> To be more selective on cut-out jobs. Some of the cut-outs I did were allot of work and mess and not worth the time spent.


You had said you charge $150 an hour. That would be worth my time even if the bees died. I would include a helper or two for that price and still be happy with the profit.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Charlie B;878912 You might as well surrender now Mike and give in to your addiction. Enjoy it while you can. It is useless to resist. There is no known cure. :eek:[/QUOTE said:


> Your wife already kicked the extractor out of the kitchen. When she kicks the whole operation and you out you might get cured. I hope you are not drying painted supers in the bedroom.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Od, a tolerant wife is one of life's sweetest pleasures. 

I plan to make less honey and sell more bees.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

My wife is tolerant of my beehive construction cause my shop and extracting room are 15 minutes away and she never has to clean them.


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## DonShackelford (Jan 17, 2012)

I was a little too ambitious inserting foundationless frames into brood and chilled a lot of brood last spring, so my #1 resolution is to NEVER AGAIN split the brood frames. I'll focus on inserting NEXT TO the brood.


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## GLOCK (Dec 29, 2009)

Adrian Quiney WI said:


> Od, a tolerant wife is one of life's sweetest pleasures.


Amen.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Adrian Quiney WI said:


> I plan to make less honey and sell more bees.


That just sounds so wrong. It ought to be...I plan to make more honey and sell more bees.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

My main resolution is to get started in queen rearing this year. Get a clear outline on what I will l need to have in place moving forward. I want to buy some land as well.


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## bigluelok (Nov 17, 2012)

my beekeeping resolution is to start 2 TBH.


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

Make a plan, stick to it, be consistent, stay on task Look a squirrel, what was I saying again? Crap there goes another resolution.

:lpf:


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## Wesbee (Oct 16, 2012)

mine is to keep a journal,not only on my bees but my garden and maple syrup.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Wes, good idea. A journal is vital if you have more than 2 or 3 hives.


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

monitor for mites, try queenrearing, sell some nucs.


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## MDS (Jan 9, 2011)

To fund my beekeeping hobby through honey sales... finally


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

Less procrastintion, now that we had done the lip balm thing maybe try some soap. Get a new pair of gym shorts. 8)


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

I resolve to not view my bee jacket as a wearable sauna...............man, are they hot on some days!


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## buzz abbott (Mar 6, 2012)

To start on one or two of last years resolutions.


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## TheBuzz (Feb 8, 2012)

Expand to 7+ hive this summer !!!


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## giant pumpkin peep (Mar 14, 2009)

to make more nucs. Get my folks involved before I have to leave for college. And try to make some sort of plan to stick too.


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## rniles (Oct 10, 2012)

to buy two packages or nucs and keep them alive for the whole year.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

Expand. 
Search for ways to be more efficient along the way.
Don't make the same mistake twice.


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## humbee (Dec 12, 2010)

Is To not go to the almonds, to use less gasoline, to stay as far away from GMO neonic corn as possible and build better Bear protection . Keep em buzzin:thumbsup:


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## jpelley (Jun 9, 2012)

to start a top bar, and to get some honey out of the rest of em.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Mr.Beeman said:


> This year one of my resolutions is to take on as many swarm calls and bee cut outs as I possibly can.


Good for you! My resolution is to NOT take on any more cut-outs and removals from bee trees. I just don't have time like I used to, and the last dozen or so cut outs resulted in zero bees/hives. I resolve to retire from cut-outs and gladly refer them on to newer/younger beekeepers. It's far better for me to focus on caring for the hives I got (bird in the hand) than trying to help someone and pick up those two in the bush.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

jpelley said:


> to start a top bar, and to get some honey out of the rest of em.


I have had a top bar for 4 years and managed to kill 4 colonies of bees and lost a perfectly good swarm I tried to put in there to replace one of the winter dead outs. My resolve is to figure this monkey out before I chop the thing up for firewood.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

To see if I can understand better what is going on inside the hive instead of outside the hive. Hopefully I will have the time.


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