Tools and Materials for 2 Bee Hives

My plan is to install two 10 frame hives in 2025. While they will be Langstrum hives they will use only medium supers.

What do I think I need in order to get started?

• J hook Hive tool (1) – Part of set $29
• Smoker – Part of set $29
• 10 frame Medium Hive boxes, langstrum (6) (no price, awaiting response) $23 each or $95 for 5 (unassembled)
• 10 frame hive stand (2) – $19 each
• 10 frame inner cover (2) – $12 each

Unassembled is much more cost effective, but I suppose I will need nails and paint to put them together and paint them.

Some rough estimate of total cost, $209, Note already purchased a suit. For two hives, that seems fairly reasonable, I am sure i have left some things out.
Still haven’t included Nucs, swarm traps, honey extractors. or anything else I might need.

Once I get my equipment, I will need to select a location.

So, position 1 is near the entrance to Scuttlebutt Farm and my preferred location. Location 2 offers better a windbreak than either of the other positions. While most of this image is my property the high voltage power lines create Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMF). Based on my initial research this may or may not impact hive success. My thought is to establish two hives in the area as far away from the high voltage power lines and then establish two colonies in location 4, so I can compare them.

You may have noticed the hearts, when I mow, sometimes I mow or don’t mow patterns. These areas were dandelions I did not mow, and I was shocked to see they appeared on google earth.