# Hello from Kentucky



## Clay (Feb 18, 2011)

Greetings from Kentucky! I just started keeping bees last summer. One hive I received unexpectedly from a beekeeping neighbor who had a swarm get too high up in a tree for him. He kindly said I could keep them if I could reach them. The other hive I purchased as a nuc from Kelleys. I didn't realize till last year how close I was to a big bee supplier / company.

So far my hives have survived through the winter. I'm hoping we don't get much more cold weather, as their honey stores are fairly low. I do have a candy board on each hive. I was concerned about the candy board for a day, as a fair amount of bees were taking the sugar out of the hive, but after inspecting, I realize they were removing mostly what had fallen on the bottom board. 

Quick newbee question while I'm writing: to protect from rain getting into a bottom entrance, do you shim up the back of the hive at all to allow for drainage? My hives were level on concrete blocks during the summer, but have since settled in the back a little. 

I'm enjoying reading on the forums!

Clay


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Welcome to the site!


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## okbees (Nov 3, 2010)

Slight shim on the back to force the drainage to the front, and it doesn't take much. Moisture will kill bees faster than the cold. Good luck.


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## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

Welcome!
Definitely lean everything forward slightly for drainage and monitor for settling in the wrong directions like you are already doing as previously stated. :thumbsup:


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome Clay!


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeah use a small shim in the back, you want a slight slope towards the front!


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## timgoodin (Mar 10, 2007)

Welcome and hello from West KY. Like the other's I just shim the back a little. All of mine are on screens so no worry about standing water. The girls can deal with a little water on the landing board but of course on a solid bottom board that would not be good to let water pool inside the hive. I have to watch that on my nucs which are on solid boards. So far so good this winter I lost two out of 15 but they were July nuc starts that should have been combined in September. My girls have been booming and looked great on the 70 day we had a week or so ago. Brood building up and pollen coming in. I'm ready for some 60 weather again and dryer conditions. Besides being between Dadant's at Frankfort and Kelley's in your back door you are in a great spot to hit some of the wonderful beekeeping schools every spring. 

Enjoy your hobby (obsession) and maybe we will bump into each other at a conference or bee class.

Tim Goodin
Ballard County KY


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## Clay (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks everyone! 

Tim - I'm thinking about switching to screened bottom boards in the Spring. For now I'll shim them up a little. The weather last week really kept my bees busy too. Loads of pollen. I hope to take advantage of those beekeeping classes. Who knows, maybe we will bump into each other.


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## Fred Bee (May 5, 2007)

Welcome and enjoy the bees!
Fred


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## Tappert (Nov 25, 2008)

Clay said:


> Thanks everyone!
> 
> Tim - I'm thinking about switching to screened bottom boards in the Spring. For now I'll shim them up a little. The weather last week really kept my bees busy too. Loads of pollen. I hope to take advantage of those beekeeping classes. Who knows, maybe we will bump into each other.


Clay...I think screened bottom boards are the way to go. Two main reasons. One, to check varroa mite drops. Two, ventilation, which promotes a healthy hive. I agree with what everyone is saying about the importance of a slight tilt toward the front.

One thing about the "loads of pollen" your bees are bringing in. I had that situation, too, on a second-year hive a couple of years ago. Loads and loads and loads of pollen, in March--it seemed that every third forager sported bright yellow in her baskets. What I didn't realize was that they were raising brood like crazy. (I had left an extra medium super of honey to make sure they had enough food for wintering, so what emerged in the spring was a POWER HIVE in progress.) Duh.

'Cause I didn't know any better, I helped them along with a pollen patty.

Then, in early May, they swarmed. They had built up this big population of bees, and out they went. I had also reversed the deep brood boxes the day before too. It made to difference.

All I'm saying, I guess, is to keep your eye on a second-year hive that has come through the winter especially well. Lots of pollen means lots of brood. Just make sure they have lots of space.

David


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## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

Tappert:
Sounds like the super hive of yours was just ready to split=2 for the price of one and still both would have produced surplus honey! :thumbsup:
Beekeeping is such a learning experience, it's GREAT! 
If I started telling my fubar experiences when I first started my book would have more pages than an encyclopedia!


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## Tappert (Nov 25, 2008)

Mtn. Bee said:


> Tappert:
> Sounds like the super hive of yours was just ready to split=2 for the price of one and still both would have produced surplus honey! :thumbsup:
> Beekeeping is such a learning experience, it's GREAT!
> If I started telling my fubar experiences when I first started my book would have more pages than an encyclopedia!


Mtn. Bee...Bingo! You are so right. A have a similar situation this year and you'd better believe I'm going to split it. Off Hive Skilty (our SIL's nickname), we'll split Hive Eilish (our new granddaughter's name). Some people number their hives; we name them.

David


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## Scott Allen (Apr 2, 2010)

Welcome Clay! I was just down in Bardstown last month at a dulcimer festival. My first time in that part of Kentucky. Very nice country you've got there. Good luck with your bees.

Scott


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## slickbrightspear (Jan 9, 2009)

welcome to the forum clay. If you use solid bottom boards as others have suggested just shim them up a little so water runs out the front. I have some bees just a little way from you in LaRue co.


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