# Is anyone in NE Ohio?



## JoshuaW (Feb 2, 2015)

I'm looking for another beek near me I can contact for information about beekeeping in this locality. Thanks!!


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Use the "Advance Search" function and put "Ohio" in the Location field.


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## Joe Bondra (Jan 28, 2014)

Painesville here. Starting another out yard in middlefield in the spring. Glad to help out. I am treatment free and use only local stock. Good luck


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## JoshuaW (Feb 2, 2015)

Thank you Barry!

Joe, I'm starting with 3 TF nucs with 2014 overwintered queens from VA. Do you mind sharing some of your management techniques? A bulleted list would be fine... (i.e, small cell, splits, housel positioning, etc)


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## Joe Bondra (Jan 28, 2014)

All top bar hives now (3)
No foundation 
Leave them their honey so I don't have to feed
Only use bees from swarms or local cut outs I do
Starting some Lang foundation less hives in the spring
Trying my hand at Queen rearing in the spring
Pretty much follow the michael Bush approach and let the bees be bees.


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## JoshuaW (Feb 2, 2015)

Cool thanks!


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Is anyone in NE Ohio?
Nope, no one lives there anymore  Sorry, could not resist........


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

http://www.portagecountybeekeepers.com/

Good place to start. Summit county beekeepers is also a group to look into. They are very active on their facebook page.


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## Diogenes (Jul 3, 2012)

About 10 miles north of you. In the snow belt. NE Ohio is indeed a difficult micro-climate. 

Late-November to 1st week of March was a long time to hold it (no fly-day temperatures the whole time). The ladies did fine though.

1) Local stock is indeed superior. My best queens are daughters of the one I got from a giant swarm (8lb+) I collected in Kirtland. A survivor swarm from a bee tree in Canton is also very tough, though those girls are a bit free with the propolis (I'm giving them old equipment to seal-up though, make lemonade from that one) I hope to keep trapping in those locations for future swarms of survivor stock.

2) I'm not treatment free yet. I *am* using no-residue quasi-natural mite treatments for now. MAQS (formic acid) and Hopguard (beta acids). Thus I have no miticide residues in my combs and I'm getting survival rates matching those of the early 80's (when I first kept bees before a long break). It looks like I will be awash in bees this year.

3) I'm now harvesting in the spring. Last 2 winters have been brutal. I'm attributing some of the winter survival to an over-supply of winter stores.

4) Good mouse guards. Lost a small hive to a chewed-around guard. The nuc with sister queen that survived says that the small hive would have been fine without the rodent damage.

5) Wind break. Hiram area is gentle hills so this may not be as much a requirement.

Otherwise you're asking questions in a decent-enough place.


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## Will O'Brien (Feb 22, 2006)

I am in Bainbridge, very close to 422 & 306. I am new to this area so this was my first year with bees in Ohio. I got a couple nucs from a source in Medina and also use many of Michael Bush's techniques: Natural cell, top entrance all mediums. I will be setting swarm traps out this spring.


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## cheezer32 (Feb 3, 2009)

I travel between Mansfield and painesville almost weekly. Your not to far out of the way. You can pm me questions, or for my number if you'd like.


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