Doesn't the idea of becoming a beekeeper, gathering your own backyard honey for your family sound like a responsible self reliance skill to master?
I have to admit in theory it sounds like the right thing to do for my family. In reality however, I am not sure I'm ready to take on a swarming Bee colony by myself.
When I was a kid Winnie the Pooh was always in a tree looking for honey. The idea of an angry bee colony never seemed to bother Pooh. I'd like to consider it myself this year but I have to admit, I'm not as brave as Pooh.
Thankfully Samantha Burns at runamuckacres.com is a beekeeper and a master gardener in Maine and she shares some important tips that any novice Beekeeper should be aware of.
Over the years she has learned a lot through trial and error and her own rookie mistakes are now your steps to help you remember what you should never do. She has very graciously complied a top six beekeeper tip list that has proven to be quite successful for her over the years.
Her list:
1. How to approach the hive
2. Bumping or Jarring the hive
3. Weather is a factor
4. When to perform inspections
5. How to work around the hive
6. The importance of smoke
It's a good read with important info for you to know if your considering it this year but in no means is it meant to be a comprehensive bee keeping list.
Do you keep bees? What else should be added to the list? We'd love to hear from you!
Thanks for stopping by,
Jeff “The Berkey Guy”
Also make sure you are using right storage buckets to keep your honey fresh and it will help to keep them for a long period of time.