Beekeeping: Is it a hobby for you?

When I started beekeeping a few years ago, I must admit I didn't really think ahead. It seemed like such an attractive hobby and with my bee passion, I just started. Just like that. I was so intrigued with the whole beehive concept. The queen bee with all of her population there to serve her, the bees pollinating and improving the environment, the whole thing just seemed so perfect. I did find that the hobby was all I had thought it would be, but I also found I had a lot to learn. Perhaps that is where the hobbies really begin; not when we decide to embark on them but when we find that we know very little about what we are doing. The education of ourselves in the practice becomes part of the hobby itself. Now a few years later, I find that it is even more fun and now I do know something of what I am doing.

If you are attracted to this hobby, there are a few things you need to know before you begin. You will find if you pursue this, as I did, that you have more to learn that you ever imagined, but before you ever buy one thing, ask yourself some questions.

1. Do I have the space for beekeeping? Future articles will explain this in more detail but you need either a big back yard or a relative with a chunk of land that you can use. Now granted, there are people on Manhattan Island who raise bees, and I will talk about city dwellers in a future piece, but for now, let's work with at least a small piece of land.
2. Is there a lot of flowers and plant life near the location? By near, consider no more than a two mile radius around the spot you would put the hive. Bees will travel further but for optimum honey production, lots of good growing flowers and trees should be within that distance.
3. Can I set my hive(s) in an area that will be facing East? Bees are morning critters. They don't have alarm clocks and they live essentially in the dark. The sun peeking through their hive is what wakes them up. They tend to start work early which is when the pollen and nectar is the most available to them.
4. Am I willing to either build these hives or buy them? Yes you can buy them pre-made with the dreaded phrase "some assembly required" or you can build them yourself. This is probably the most physically demanding part of the job and although not difficult, some people just don't like working with wood. I have always enjoyed it. You may not so if you still want to pursue the hobby you need to either buy the materials or find a friend who will help with the building aspects.
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