Taking honey in the first year

There are a lot of tales that deal with just about any subject in life. In beekeeping I frequently hear people tell others that they can't take honey off the hives in the first year. When I hear such nonsense I ask why?  Who made this rule and did anyone ask the bees?  The reality is that as long as the colony has sufficient to make it through the winter, go ahead and take off the surplus. Talk to local experienced beekeepers, and not just one or two but find a group. Learn how much honey you need in your area and add another 10-15 percent. Take everything else. Odds are that if you start in the late spring or mid summer they will probably just make enough to make it through. But if you start in early spring and you hit the primary flows then things look much better.  Bottom line is, make sure your bees have enough plus a buffer and go ahead and take the rest. Ignore the people who simply perpetuate foolishness.