Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit Review

Beekeeping requires a unique set of tools and equipment including protective wear. Various suppliers have specialized in the different areas of beekeeping. Little Giant Farm & Ag have put together a beehive kit that includes most of what you will need to start beekeeping. The Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit features a 10-frame hive built in the Langstroth beehive design. Foundation is already pre-installed in the frames that come with the beehive in this beginner hive kit.

About the Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit

The Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit is sold as being for beginners. Professionals too may find some useful spares from the kit. There is even a Beekeeping for Dummies book included in the kit. The needs of beekeepers vary from one individual to the other. Some beekeepers may also have some of the equipment they need. The kit has nearly all you need to start beekeeping, except the bees of course.

Many items found in the beginner hive kit cover the process of setting up a beehive and maintaining it while bees are living in the hive. A book that guides you well into beekeeping is included in the kit. It is very useful as a resource guide, even after you’ve reached a ways in your beekeeping journey. The kit does not contain any tools for honey extraction.

The whole beehive kit weighs approximately 37 pounds or 16.8 kg.

Important in the HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit

• Frames with foundation – These ensure that your beehive is quickly populated by a swarm of bees. Foundation makes the job of attaching honeycombs to frames easy for your bees. The frames are made of wood. The foundation applied on the frames is wax-coated plastic.
• 10 Frame Complete Langstroth beehive – This is a beehive design that allows scaling up as you gain more experience, and as your bee colony grows. Boxes can be stacked one on top of the other to accommodate for growth.
• Bee Smoker and Fuel – A bee smoker comes in handy to get bees from an area. The one included in this beginner hive kit does the job well. It even comes with some spare fuel.
• Beekeeping Veil – Your face and head need protection while around bees. The veil in the kit covers your head and face well while allowing excellent vision. It also allows for ventilation of your head. The veil slips over your head to give you head protection. It stays in place with two straps that go under your arms. Make sure to have adequate protection for the rest of your body since the veil in the kit only covers your head.
• Beekeeping Gloves – These keep your hands covered while around bees. The gloves included in the kit are strong, durable and very comfortable to wear. They are about medium sized.
• Hive tool – A hive tool is a specially designed lever and is a very essential equipment for beekeepers. It has edges for scraping, dismantling of beehives and removal of frames from your beehive. This beginner hive kit comes with a very nice hive tool. It is colored bright red so you can easily see it in the event of a drop. Keep your hive tool clean all the time to prevent transmission of diseases that may harm your bees. The hive tool in the beginner hive kit is comfortable to hold, use and is very long lasting. Most beehive maintenance operations require use of a hive tool.
• Bee Brush – A bee brush is used to gently brush the bees off the frames without harming them.
• Frame Feeder – This is a good inclusion to the beginner hive kit as it allows you to feed your bees whenever the need for it arises.

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Pros and Cons

Pros

• The Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit is adequate for amateur beekeepers. It has all you need to start your beekeeping journey.
• Protective wear is included in the kit. It includes a veil for your face and gloves to protect your hands.
• The frames in the beehive are deep size. These have more space for honeycombs that translates into faster growth of your bee colony and more honey production.
• The finer details of beekeeping practices are covered well by the kit. It has a simple beekeeping guide. The tools for various beekeeping practices are included too.

Cons

• Different parts and bits that make up the Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit are susceptible to failure. You must be ready to replace some of the items in the kit after some time. This is possibly due to the kit being a collection of products from different beekeeping supplies companies.
• The beehive that comes with the frame beginner hive kit is good for a start only. It does not contain a super box. You have to look for super boxes to add onto the provided Langstroth beehive.
• Due to parts of the kit sometimes failing or needing repairs, you might be tempted to modify them. Such modifications should be under the guidance of a pro beekeeper. Consider the cost on guarantees and warranties before embarking on modifications.

Further Thoughts

Your entry into beekeeping is smoothed by the Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit. The kit is of great quality. It is a fair trade for the pricing it is offered at. This kit is sold as a package. You may have to assemble some of the items yourself. The packaging used may reveal the contents of your package. If you prefer to have packaging that conceals the contents, make sure to request during purchase.

Conclusion

The Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit is adequate for hobbyists and those just getting started in beekeeping. It may not find much acclaim among professional beekeepers. Bee conservationists are more interested in having colonies of bees than in harvesting honey. This kit is great for such conservationists.

Do you own the Little Giant Farm & Ag HIVE10KIT Beginner Hive Kit? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of it.

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