runktrun, Here's an update(may be long) on my season in western MA:

I have a combination of over-wintered hives, early April and late May packages. Most seem to be doing well. Have multiple honey supers on all but 2 hives. We had good warm weather early on. The problem here has been all the rain. 227% of average for June. Luckily there is almost always some kind of bloom going on when the bees can fly. Milkweed just passed, sweet white clover is currently in bloom and the plants literally dance with activity between honeybees and native bees. It's been a very good year for the bumblebees and other natives.

I got a bonus hive that consisted of 4 nice combs hanging below the bottom board of another hive. Not sure if it was a queen from that hive but she looked nice and is laying well.

I've been observing a hive that barely came through the winter. It's building up slowly but the queen isn't a strong layer. I've been using it for ob hive at presentations. Did one today and the people were able to actually watch the queen check out cells and back in to lay her eggs. They also got to see different stages of brood including some chewing out of their cells.

I know the books say replace her, but she's been a good queen who has provided lots of honey in the past.

I originally thought they would supercede her, but they haven't.

I've been selling more side products like hand lotion, lip balm and candles which is good.

Made it to SABA conference, Mass Bee Association and Betterbee Field Days, did three days of work with elementary school kids, and recently set up a display at the local museum of science and history which will run through August. Also got published in Midwest Beekeeper.

All in All it's been a good season, even though I'm not sure how the honey production will turn out. Hopefully it will increase over last year, but so has my involvement in all of the other aspects of beekeeping. To me, that's success.