History of the Homestead Farm The term “homesteading” is used a lot these days. What exactly is homestead farming? Does it require large tracts of land? While there are variations on the actual definition of a homestead farm, this style of living shares some common goals. Many years ago, the idea of homesteading conjured up […]
Choosing the Best Flowers For Bees
Planting Flowers for Bees is a Good Idea Do you enjoy spending a relaxing afternoon thumbing through seed catalogs. I do. I am always wanting to try new varieties of plants. And being a beekeeper, I like to choose the best flowers for bees. Planting for bees and other pollinators is a very earth friendly […]
Splitting a Hive – Why & How
What is Hive Splitting There will come a time in any beekeeper’s career that you consider splitting a hive. No, I don’t mean to literally split the hive in half with a saw! I am referring to taking 1 large beehive into 2 smaller ones. This is an activity most often approached by a 2nd […]
Storing Honey in the Best Way
Protecting Your Honey Honey is a perfect food- as soon as the bees finish with it. But as a natural food, we sometimes feel that we need to take too many precautions with it. To preserve it’s natural goodness, you need to know the proper way of storing honey. Your best intentions may lead you […]
The Beehive – Facts & Secrets of the Honey Bee Home
What is a Beehive? What do you think of when you hear the word “beehive”? Perhaps you conjure up an image of an oval shaped structure hanging in a tree. Unfortunately, when we say beehive we are usually referring to honey bees. And, they don’t live in those types of structures. In spite of the […]
DIY Decorative Bee Waterer
A Fun Craft Project for Bees Everyone wants to help honey bees and other beneficial pollinators. We enjoy planting flowers that bees love and creating beautiful gardens. Here is a simple project that is fun and useful – make a bee waterer. What is a Bee Waterer? Do you have a water source in your […]
Cleaning Beeswax – Rendering Beeswax to Use
Rendering and Melting Raw Beeswax for Projects Beeswax can be used for many great projects. A natural product produced by honey bees- it has a lot of potential. However before we can use it, we must learn the proper techniques for cleaning beeswax. Any beekeeper will tell you that beeswax is valuable. Excess wax represents […]
Exploring the Queen Bee Life Cycle
Life Cycle of the Queen Honey Bee The life of a queen bee has been romanticized as a life of luxury. She is large and in charge of thousands of worker bees. All may not be as good as it sounds in the Queen Bee Life Cycle. The real story is in the details. As […]
Swarming Bees – The Dance of Bee Life
The Thrill of Swarming Bees A buzz that grows louder and louder. You look up to see thousands of honey bees flying about madly. They seem to have no direction or purpose-but they do. This is the majesty of swarming bees. Spring with its warmer temperatures and blooming flowers-who doesn’t love it. As a beekeeper, […]