Decided on a source for Honey Bees today.

I talked with David Burns today, who along with his wife Sheri, own and operate Long Lane Honey Bee Farms.  Long Lane is located in Fairmount, IL.  Fairmount is a small community near Champaign.  David is a EAS Certified Master Beekeeper, and has been keeping bees since 1994.  We are able to order our Honey Bees from David, and pick them up in April from his apiary.  They have a great website, and he and Sheri are dedicated to beekeeping, and helping others succeed with their beekeeping endeavors.  I have included a link to their website under our links.  Check them out when you have some free time.  Lots to see and learn!  We have decided to start with a "package" of bees, and introduce them into our hives, which is the most basic way to start a bee colony.  It is also the best way to start from square one, and observe how the bees establish themselves in your hive.  It has to be a rush opening a 3 lb. package of bees, which is about 10,000 of the little critters, and placing them into the hive!  There are other ways to purchase bees, but experienced keepers say you haven't lived until you hived your own package..........so that's what we are going to do.  We plan to video tape the experience and post the video and pictures here on the blog.  Bees are ordered in the fall, and delivered and hived in the spring, so we have a few months to get our equipment together, and learn as much as we can.  There is a lot to know, that's for sure!  It should be a fascinating learning experience, and one Angie and I are looking forward to!