Jeremy Stevens

We also have made the decision to homeschool our children, ages 5 and not-quite-2. We have planned for a more formal "school time" format for at least this first year, as our children respond well to daily schedules.

Sounds good! A cursory glance while walking around, and I have at least 5 or 6 with nuts. I will follow up in a couple months when they are ripe with my wax extracting efforts. Thanks for the links!

Without getting into the native / invasive argument, I have identified that I have this growing on my land...everywhere.

According to the wiki, it is used in soap and candle making, as well as excellent nectar for honey. Does anyone have any experience with this tree they would care to share?

I'll ask, but don't want to presume as the split, a new queen, as well as a new top bar hive are a gift.

Gotcha. That is really what I am hoping, is that I won't have to feed them much of anything.

From the research I have done, that sounds about like how I intend to proceed as well. Hope it works for you!

Purchased. From whence I do not know.

In my excitement over a new book, I just realized that I forgot to say thank you for providing that link.
Thank you!

Gotcha. So basically up until I receive them, I'm going to have a lot of unanswerable questions due to too many variables. They are not going to be a package per se, but rather a start of bees from a friends over crowded hive.

On the topic of buckwheat...I do like buckwheat honey; particularly in its fermented form for the rest of the growing season we have a small orchard and lots of wildflowers, with a smattering of flowering dogwoods. I own 5 acres; most of it wild, thick growth, so I don't think they will have a shortage of choices.