# Laissez Faire Beekeeper



## Rob S (Nov 8, 2005)

Greetings All...This is a great time of year for all of us beekeepers!

Myself, I open my bees three times a year. 
1) to super 
2) to pull honey
3) to re-queen

I re-use wood frames and hive bodies with new foundation to super. 

If they swarm...they swarm. 

I spend less than $150 annually to keep two hives going year after year. 

I use conventional equipment and don't try to re-invent the wheel  

Have a Great Season!!


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

that's awesome, and pretty much how most folks do it around my neck of the woods. How many yrs you been doing it that way? I assume no treatments either?


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

What is the $150 for?


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## Rob S (Nov 8, 2005)

Exactly! this is my 11th year with the bees. i haven't had a hive fail in about 5 years and that was due to wax moths and a worn out queen around 2010. The re-queening solves a lot of issues because the queen is always good. No meds either. No tracheal, No varroa etc. Swarming has been my biggest problem and giving them enough room. 

If they don't swarm by April 25 or so everything should be good for the year.


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## Rob S (Nov 8, 2005)

The $150 was for two over-night delivery queens and new foundation for the supers.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Rob if your bees are doing fine with no treatments please share were you are getting the queens from? So many people want TF queens but cannot get them.

Why do you requeen every year? Don't like the local bees?


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

That's how it was when i was a kid working my dad's hives, in the 80's. Since I got back into this as a hobby -- my dad was a commercial keeper -- it has not been the same. I hope to get back to that too, but it has not been an easy road these last few years.


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## Rob S (Nov 8, 2005)

Its a pretty good deal...Two unregulated hives in Tennessee. No written local civil ordinances except the bees can't cause any trouble which they never do. I have a no cost Tennessee apiary number with the state apiarist in Nashville. No License or permit required. No registration fees or stickers from the state. I am pretty much allowed to operate unregulated. Last year i harvested about 7-8 gallons of honey which I either gave away to friends or saved in mason jars. All this for no more than $150. I did scrape frames and hand crank the honey. So there is my own labor involved but what the heck. 

I'm hoping for ten gallons this year and i will be thrilled to pieces.


I have no idea about any pesticides. I see or taste no evidence of any pesticides.
I have no idea about what plants they work. Just that they work the best plants they can and then move on.


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## Rob S (Nov 8, 2005)

My honey is un-regulated with no government inspection. I store the honey in glass mason jars.

Sort of BootLeg-ish!!!


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome Rob!


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