Beekeeping Background

So now...the bees.

Much like the origins of my interest in Homebrewing, the motivation for my venture into beekeeping is also somewhat cloudy. The seed can probably be traced back to a beekeeping demonstration I attended with my girlfriend last summer at the Minnesota State Fair.

Whatever my motivations, I decided that I wished to start a hive (actually--two) and read up on the subject like a frenzied spider monkey. Four or five months later, here I am with two newly started hives and a whole lot of supplies. The hives are placed in two different locations. One is located on a "tree-farm" with a moderate sized garden, while the other is in a "less-farmy" semi-rural area.

The Bees:
Since I spent so much time reading up on the subject, it was not until a month or two ago until I started my search for bees (very late for the season--many beeks recommend purchasing your bees mid-winter, although they do not get shipped until the spring). After a couple of inquiries about Russian bees (bees thought to be more resistant to diseases/pests) I ended up settling on New World Carniolans from HoneyGlow Farms in Owen/Withee WI.