Any beekeepers here?

[ScorpionHunter]

ScorpionHunter,

Even though only your wife likes honey, I seriously doubt if you will have any difficulty SELLING all of the honey that she doesn't want to keep for eating/cooking.
(Even the honey sold from 2 good hives makes a "profitable hobby". The honey from 5 hives would be a "profitable sideline" for your household.)

BEST WISHES on your new endeavor.

yours, satx

Thank you. I don't have any expectations of how much honey will be produced or how much money we might make selling the excess, but any extra income is nice to have. But I am planting a few flowering shrubs, trees and lavender to give the bees something to work on in the coming years, and planting flowers (sunflowers, mainly) to hopefully give them something this summer. I figure it's an investment in keeping them alive and productive.

 

[ScorpionHunter]

I've built and used Top Bar Hives before - they can be made to work. For someone keeping just a couple of hives, they may actually be a better choice than traditional Langstroth hives. Certainly more economical but maybe not quite as flexible (configuration-wise). Good luck!

Thank you. I took an online class from the Hays County Beekeepers, and the instructor explained why the top bar would make the most sense for me. I figure each one is about $40 in materials with lumber as high as it is now, and will be quick to build. Also, if the bees are successful and I have them for the long haul, I have to be ready for a day when I'm not strong enough to lift an 80 pound section of a Langstroth.