BEEKEEPING BASICS: What's All the Buzz About?
No wonder more and more folks are making a beeline for beekeeping. A single hive of these tiny, social pollinators can provide 40 to 60 pounds of golden honey per year, as well as a few pounds of useful beeswax. Plus, many crops need honeybees (Apis mellifera) to achieve good fruit set and high yields. This pollination benefit is becoming increasingly important because of the use of toxic pesticides, which affect bees’ food supplies and results in lower pollinator populations. For the willing homesteader or backyard gardening enthusiast, dedicating a small amount of time every couple of weeks to maintaining a beehive will render sweet returns indeed.
Like any livestock, bees need care and attention, though the time commitment can be far less than for dairy goats or even chickens. To help you decide whether beekeeping would be a good fit for you, Kim Flottum, longtime magazine, outlines the beekeeping essentials, including what to expect in terms of initial start-up needs and costs, along with a basic apiary to-do calendar.
