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BEES

About the Crop

First, you need to establish your bee colony where there’s a lot of flowering plants. Suburban and rural land make the best options, although there are urban beekeepers. Then you need a hive of bees, complete with a live queen. You might be able to buy an established hive from another beekeeper, which is a good way to start, but only buy a colony that’s been inspected either by an apiarist from your state department of agriculture (that’s usually a free service) or by someone you know who knows bees. But the most common and reliable way of starting out is to simply order your bees by mail. A package colony will devote most of its energy during its first season to building up the number of bees and food for the winter, so you probably won’t get your own honey harvest from it until the second year. Where do you put colonies? Many urban beekeepers put their hives on their rooftops, out of the way of pedestrians. People with hives in crowded neighborhoods keep them out of sight, preferably behind a bush or barrier so the insects will have to fly up a few feet to head out foraging. Raising bees for honey is tricky, so don’t be self-reliant. Contact your local beekeeping society (your county extension agent can put you in touch) and find out the name of a competent hobby beekeeper who’d be willing to show you around his or her backyard apiary and give you instruction and advice.

Pros

My favorite beekeeping quote is by “Kenpkr” on an online forum: “There is no other field of animal husbandry like beekeeping. It has the appeal to the scientist, the nature lover, and even (or especially) the philosopher. It is a chance to work with some of the most fascinating of God’s creatures, to spend time and do work in the great outdoors, to challenge my abilities and continue to learn. My hope is that I never become so frail with old age that I cannot spend my days among the bees. It gives credence to the old saying that ‘the best things in life are free.’”

Of course, you’re in it for the honey, and the amount you harvest will depend on how many hives you have and how many flowering plants there are in a mile or so radius from your hives. If you package and sell your honey, you need to have a unique selling proposition, like a particular nectar that the bees collect, such as lavender. The most unique angle I’ve heard of came from Reed Booth in Bisbee, Arizona, who is a killer bee removal expert featured in Part 2. His honey, of course, is Killer Bee Honey, and some has chile powder in it. Wax is another popular product of bees, and the bees store the honey in wax combs. Wax is used in many products, including candles, creams, and cosmetics. You could make your own lip balm as a value-added product. And the rest of your microfarm will benefit because pollination is what bees do, and if you want healthy plants, bees can help. Many cities have legalized beekeeping, with New York joining Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and San Francisco in approving urban hives. Beekeepers must adhere to published guidelines, which might include lot size, cleanliness, provision of water, and advice on managing the honey bee colony’s natural swarming instinct.

A honeybee on a modern hive in an apiary.

Photo by Björn Appel.

Cons

Stings can be a major drawback for the would-be beekeeper. Check with your doctor first to find out if you have a hypoallergenic reaction to bee stings. Even if you are not allergic, stings can still be painful. Fortunately, most beekeepers develop immunity to the poison over time. Supplies can get expensive because you will have to invest in a hive, proper clothing, a smoker, extracting equipment, and hive supplies. Prices vary, but a single new hive may cost about $110, clothing and gear may cost about $160, and a package of new bees may run $75 to $100. Often you can find starter kits with bees, boxes, and gear for a better combined price. A lot of people lose bees because farmers or gardeners spray the flowers of crops that bees work. You might have to educate your neighbors about safe spraying and warn them not to use Sevin. There are a few honey bee diseases, the worst of which is American foulbrood. By law, you have to destroy infested colonies to keep the disease from infecting other hives. One of the biggest threats to honey bees is the varroa mite—the parasite lays its eggs in the hives and feeds on the bees during the winter. And a number of colonies starve each winter, primarily because their owners didn’t leave enough honey in the hive to last until the following spring flowers arrive, usually in April. Bee colony collapse disorder, which has received much media attention, mostly affects the bees in colonies that are moved around the U.S. to pollinate certain crops like almonds.

Bottom Line

If you’re in a good beekeeping area, and if the weather’s excellent that year, you could possibly get thirty to sixty gallons from a single hive, but that would be very unusual. Count on about fifteen to twenty gallons as a more reasonable single-hive harvest. A sixteen-ounce jar of raw honey retails for about $15, so you may have to invest in several hives to make significant profits. Consider speaking with other microfarmers and work deals to place your hives near their crops, like lavender, alfalfa, or raspberries, so that you can make a varietal honey that will be worth more. Usually, you will share the harvest with the landowner. Other value-added products with honey are honey butters, honey mustards, honey cookies or other sweets, including baklava. Don’t forget to have a consistent brand for your honey and products, including candles and other products made from beeswax.