First Year Beekeeping Roadmap — FarmPal

Key Points

• 🐝Start with 2 hives allows comparison and resource sharing
• 🐝Budget $500-800 per hive (equipment + bees) for first year
• 🐝Join a local beekeeping club BEFORE buying bees
• 🐝Take a beginner beekeeping course (many free through extension offices)
• 🐝Order bees in January-February for spring delivery

Steps

1. 1Jan-Feb: Order bees (package or nucleus colony), buy equipment
2. 2March: Assemble and paint hive equipment, set up apiary location
3. 3April-May: Install bees, begin weekly inspections, feed if needed
4. 4June-July: Add supers as needed, watch for swarming signs
5. 5Aug-Sept: Harvest surplus honey ONLY, begin fall feeding
6. 6Oct-Nov: Reduce entrance, add mouse guard, ensure adequate stores (60-90 lbs)
7. 7Dec-Jan: Leave bees alone check only on warm days (>50°F) from outside

Tips

• 💡2025 research shows treatment-free beekeeping has very high colony loss start with evidence-based Varroa management
• 💡Never harvest honey in your first year unless colony is very strong
• 💡Feed 2:1 sugar syrup in fall if stores are light
• 💡Local bees adapted to your climate outperform shipped bees
• 💡Wear your suit every time the first year confidence comes with experience