I can give you some idea of costs of the HFGH. Can't tell you how much time to put it together -- we're retired and work at a slower pace. Reading posts here on how others put their together will definitely be helpful. I didn't document the details of building because it had already been done so well. We did put the roof on piece by piece rather than as the instructions directed. Can you imagine two old people on ladders struggling with an unwieldy aluminum structure eight feet in the air? Additional purchases for HFGH reinforcement: Spring Clips -- $10.95 Bolts -- 15.96 Bolts -- 24.27 Aluminum tape 19.94 Aluminum piece 10.98 Straps 9.44 Wafer Screws 7.97 Clamps 4.67 -- a cost of about $105.00 US. The following would be necessary for any greenhouse set up that we might have used, not just the HFGH: Treated lumber for base and hardware for assembly Ground Fault outlets Water pump Drum fittings and hoses Hoses Elec. Box and Breakers Wire -- we already had wire -- that's another hundred. Outlet boxes Duplex boxes, recept. covers Conduit Water Valve Pipe and fittings Temperature Gauge Water Drums Adding this doubled the cost of the HFGH. I have not included the cost of buying or building benches, patio pavers for the paths and barrel support, nor the cost of a heater (we already have heaters), nor the cost of shading. Everybody's mileage will vary because of regional differences, personal needs and individual ideas on how this should be done. I hope this gives you a general idea of what to expect. Nell Here is a link that might be useful: Greenhouse

Hello Broncosfan, Your 3 amp charging system has a two wire connector that plugs into a two wire connector on the tractor. One wire from the engine is DC power - equipped with a diode. The diode prevents battery voltage from flowing back to the engine and discharging the battery. The other wire is the AC power that feeds the headlight switch. The 9 amp system has a one wire connector that delivers DC voltage. The tractor two wire connector will not plug into the replacement engine without some type of modification that connects the engine DC wire to the Tractor DC wire. If you attempt this, do not wire in the original diode as it is not needed. After connecting the DC to DC wire, you will need a power source for the tractor AC wire. One solution is to connect this wire to the DC power. I suggest installing a fuse at the connection point. The real problem with this modification is the possibility of dead batteries if the headlight switch is left in the "on" position. My recommendation is to select a Briggs replacment engine. Transfer the original charging system to the new engine.

Gingerbee, it's helpful to know where you're located - maybe you mentioned it elsewhere and I've just missed it. But knowing (at least) roughly, would help in our answers to you. As an example, a package start in mid May is a fairly late start for Texas but probably isn't for New York or Maine. A lot has to due with the timing of your local (regional) honey flow (i.e., prime nectar flow). I assume you're concentrating on getting the hive established this year and not necessarily planning to take off a 'honey crop', right? Here's my short answers to your questions: 1) no 2) yes, maybe 3) no -- It seems like your queen is in good shape so now the main consideration is the nectar flow. Sometimes in mid summer the nectar flow actually decreases in some areas, if that's the case where you live, I think I would put a feeder back on. This is always the balancing act of, do the bees use the syrup to produce more wax [comb] or will they use it to produce more bees (and thus, swarm). However, if they're just pulling wax now, it's unlikely they'll be able to re-produce enough for swarming to be a concern. I'd say feed and see how fast they take it up - if it's really fast, you could have a dearth of nectar flow in your area at present and that could be slowing them down from pulling more wax. I would not recommend re-arranging frames in the hive right now. How do you know it was a "swarm cell" and not a "supercedure cell"? Do you know the difference?

Nah, I won't throw in the towel because of a few pests - I won't let them bully me ;) I too have found it to be relaxing & a stress reliever, even if it may cause a stroke, lol! Plus I have lots of paper wasps/parasitic wasps, bumblebees, songbirds, etc, to take care of the pests. I do, however, need to find some native plants to attract more as well as plants to keep pests at bay. Being a beginner at roses, as well as having a certain mindset that they are difficult to maintain (as my mother always said but I'm overcoming), I've been babying them, need to let nature do its thing & sit back to enjoy my work thus far. I do thoroughly enjoy everything that comes with it: pruning, dead heading, making my own trellises, I even enjoy watering :) Thanks for the encouragement & input; that's enough to keep me moving forward! Nic P.S. I've checked for pests today & found nothing, but would've let them be if I did ;)