# Aspiring Beginner in Texas Hill Country



## Ryan M (Jan 16, 2013)

Hello, I joined your group looking for some direction. I recently came across some old hive boxes that had been sitting in a relative's barn for at least 12 years. I want to fix them up and put them back to use... I intend to salvage as much of the original material as I can and re-start a colony with them. But I really have no beekeeping experience at all, and I have another hurdle... they're homemade and therefore not exactly like contemporary ones on the web. They were actually used by a farmer who lived off the land at that spot for 50 years. 

I've completed the first step-- pulling them out of the barn & dusting them off. They were filled with old dirt dobber nests, ancient honeycombs, looks like there was a family of mice in there at some point. After I cleaned them up a bee landed on one of the box tops so I took it as a good sign! I've since been doing some reading and joined a local group. Wanted to say hello, and welcome any advice. I've already found a lot in the archived threads. 

Ryan M.
Briggs, TX


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## Lazer128 (Dec 15, 2012)

Welcome to the site! There are many posts on here about using used equipment. Some say don't do it and others see the risk as worth taking. Good luck. I am excited about getting started this spring too.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome Ryan!


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Welcome to the site!


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## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

Welcome Ryan!


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## samoadc (Dec 15, 2012)

With the price of bee equipment now days I would take a chance on using the equipment. The thing to realize that it might have had disease so watch the hives and try to be aware of any problems. I am guessing that the scales from American Foul Brood would be difficult to find yet I woulod try. Maybe don't start out using all of the equipment but rather just a couple of hives the first year. I think yur county extension office may help you a lot. Try to find a local bee keeper group to learn from. Good luck. Years ago I used some old,very old comb and found the bees used it though I wonder how much of a cleaning job they had to do. Only part of one hive box or two and I thought maybe they would like it better than nothing.


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