# Newbie from Massachusetts



## siouxbeedoo (Jun 4, 2011)

Hi all,
My screen name has to do with one of my dogs' nicknames, so no connection to Sioux Bee honey;-)) I've been to bee school, have some equipment (took me a while to afford it all), and I have a Langstroth hive that I'm thinking of not using, because I have a physical problem lifting right now. I've been lurking here and hanging out on some FB pages trying to learn more about TBH and beekeeping in general. I'm especially interested in cold weather hints and organic beekeeping.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome!


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## staythirsty (May 1, 2011)

Hey! Welcome. Over here in Phillipston, MA, just west of Gardner. First year beek with a TBH.


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## BoilerJim (Apr 15, 2011)

Welcome friend!

Jim


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## Steve_G (Apr 24, 2011)

Welcome aboard neighbor!
I am also a newbee from Millville, MA. (RI boarder).

Steve_G


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

siouxbeedoo said:


> Hi all,
> My screen name has to do with one of my dogs' nicknames, so no connection to Sioux Bee honey;-)) I've been to bee school, have some equipment (took me a while to afford it all), and I have a Langstroth hive that I'm thinking of not using, because I have a physical problem lifting right now. I've been lurking here and hanging out on some FB pages trying to learn more about TBH and beekeeping in general. I'm especially interested in cold weather hints and organic beekeeping.


Welcome aboard neighbor! from Athol,MA. just west of Gardner MA, and Phillipston, MA. on RT.2

Hope you can come to 

Massachusetts Beekeeper's Association 2011 Field Day

http://massbee.org/addons/2011-06_FieldDayRegistration.pdf
http://massbee.org/



BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## siouxbeedoo (Jun 4, 2011)

I may not be able to make the MassBee event, but I always end up at the Topsfield Fair at some point so anyone who is entering and will be there, let me know.


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## siouxbeedoo (Jun 4, 2011)

staythirsty, I can't wait to see how you do with your TBH!


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## staythirsty (May 1, 2011)

My very first hive ever, packaged on Easter Sunday, ended up being a laying worker hive. M. Bush suggests placing a bar of brood in a laying worker hive every week for 3 weeks. It was my only hive and I had no resources. Finally, after a week or so of searching, I found someone selling nucs in NH. The fellow knew I had a top bar hive so he threw the 5 frame nuc into a medium super. So now I had incompatible equipment and I didn't want to chop and crop and ruin a nuc with nice frames just yet. So I decided to try some reverse engineering. My goal was to get some proper brood going in the top bars I placed in the medium super, and in the top bar nuc, then transfer them over to the failing TBH to suppress laying workers. Not sure if I have time to let them make their own queen or if I should requeen thereafter.

Yesterday, I put a second frame of brood taken from the super. They are making nice straight comb and laying eggs in the top bars that I have in the medium super. All I have to do is easily remove the "dowel" nails I have as extenders, and trim a little of the square edge to fit the slope of the TBH and it fits in nicely. So the transfer is working well. We'll see if I can actually save the hive. So far, no queen cells yet but I think it's a little early yet. 

This is the link to the original thread. There are pictures of my progress. You can also see all of my flailing newbie questions too.


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## chrissv (Oct 12, 2008)

Greetings from Dudley, MA. I am in my 3rd year. I keep a bee blog - see the address in my signature below. Feel free to check it out and comment.
Definitely get involved with your local beekeeper organization.

Cheers,

-- Steven


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## Hawkster (Apr 16, 2010)

Welcome I am right by in Rowley if you ever need a hand


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

Welcome from way out west in North Adams, Berkshire County, MA. I'm in my seventh season with langstroth hives, and after years of wanting to, just started a top bar hive. I also have a bee blog listed below.


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