My nickname is Peaches. I am 66 years old and began my beekeeping in West Texas nearly 40 years ago. At that time I had no one to explain what I was getting into or how to keep bees and process honey. I had a smoker and a screwdriver along with 2 brood boxes and 4 honey supers. I borrowed an extractor from my brother. He thought it was funny that I had bees and didn’t know what to do with them. He decided to answer just those questions I asked and volunteered no more information than he had to. Basically I had no mentor or help for about 2 years.

I asked a friend if I could put my one hive of bees, consisting of 2 deep brood boxes and 4 honey supers stacked on top of each other, on his property about 35 miles from my house. He had a good stand of mesquite bushes. In the Odessa, Texas area, Mesquites do not grow to trees. Only in North Central Texas did they grow to nice shade trees. The bees made a good crop of very pale yellow clear honey. It’s taste is comparable to Tupelo honey in North Florida. Part 2 will be coming soon.

Thanks for showing up and giving me an opportunity to talk and share my knowledge with you.