So it all happened about 2 years ago, I went looking for a shower filter and there was a store that kept the particular one I was looking for, it was in this small retail park about 30 minutes from home. After purchasing the filter, I got a bit curious and thought hey why not check out this park, I had not been to this side of the world before. While walking around I noticed a small shop in the corner. Little did I know this store would become a large part of my life. BTW it was a beekeepers store, they basically sold all the equipment someone would need to be a beekeeper.
Naturally all the equipment in there was completely unknown to me. And if you have seen beekeeping equipment you will know that some of them can be pretty weird looking especially to a newbee. I mean the smoker on its own is one freaky looking thing. Then you see a j-hive tool and wonder what kind of weird crowbar looking thing is that. I wondered the same but after spending about 15 minutes in the store I was hooked. I spent next couple days googling every thing I could find about beekeeping from Beekeeping 101 blogs to "How to build your own extractor" youtube videos.
Being the noob I was, for some reason I thought I would need the extractor first. Looking back clearly I was wrong. Well I spent the next 3-6 months trying to build my own extractor first using a drill then a a whole bunch of different mechanisms that still lie in my spare room. With 0 success in building a working efficient extractor I channeled my energy in trying to get some practical experience in beekeeping (a better choice).
Within a month I had done an Intro to Beekeeping practical course as well as set up two catch boxes to catch my swarm. I made a couple mistakes here too but I think those will make this entry too long so will leave that for another day.
My first swarm is still with me and in my mother in laws yard, the same spot I caught it. A real nasty bunch...