Guest post by Dana Harris The benefits of keeping bees are countless, starting from the valuable products bees produce all the way to the fact that they contribute to keeping the ecosystem balanced. These small hard-working creatures play an important role in pollinating the flowers and crops without which we wouldn’t have many of the […]

Catching a swarm is a total blast. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting some wild bees for free. You just gotta get a little courageous and suit up to your comfort level and go get ‘em. Here’s a neat little tip that might just get you a few extra bees this spring using some items that you may have in your garage.

The drastic decline of the honey bee population is a crisis that is being felt worldwide. Our greatest pollinators are in trouble. Since the introduction of neonicotinoid-containing pesticides, honey bee loss has reached a record high.

April in north Georgia means swarming season. I tried for about three years before I finally caught my first swarm last year. I put one of my nuc boxes up in a Bradford pear tree about 7 feet off the ground and put some lemongrass oil on it in mid-March. I caught a swarm in it about a month later. But I failed many times before.

In this post, I wanted to pass along what has worked for me and what has not so far.

Honey is a unique food in that it never spoils. Properly saturated honey should stay safe to eat forever.   In fact, one study found “stored honey from Ancient Egypt to be over 3000 years old and still completely edible”. http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/08/21/chemistryofhoney/   So Why Doesn’t Honey Spoil?   Honey safely stores for long periods of […]

Bees are important to anyone who likes to eat, and not just those who like honey. Bees are responsible for the pollination of many different foods including coffee beans, cacao beans (where chocolate comes from) and many fruits like apples, squash, peas and many, many more.   The bee population is in turmoil right now […]

When it comes to keeping bees, one of the sweetest rewards is that of a splendid honey harvest. No matter the reasons for keeping bees, often folks get most excited when the time comes to harvest the delicious and highly nutritious honey from their hives. Most beekeepers with existing hives do two harvests, one in […]

Each hive inspection is different because each colony is different, and there are other variables to consider like the time of year for example. These variables will determine what you will do upon inspection. With practice you’ll get the knack, so be patient and you’ll soon be a seasoned beekeeper ready to tackle any situation.

guest post by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm Brushy Mountain Bee Farm has been serving the beekeeping community since 1977. Throughout our years of helping beekeepers succeed, we’ve realized that starting this exciting hobby can be daunting. Brushy Mountain Bee Farm wants to alleviate the stress of not knowing where to begin. The video below will explain […]

If you read my previous post Overcoming my Fear of Bees, then you know that I used to be petrified of anything that went buzz. But after learning and working with bees, my fears subsided and curiosity and intrigue soon replaced any apprehension I had. I love our bees! They are amazing little creatures which […]

Every year has brought different experiences and changes in my beekeeping philosophy. Because of my experiences, I believe beekeepers have to be flexible and able to change.

GIVEAWAY! Enter to win a tube of Stops the Sting! Entry details at the bottom of the post! When I was about 11 my dad was stung by a Bald Face Hornet. It was a Saturday. He was mowing the lawn. Suddenly the mower engine stopped and my dad came rushing in the house. He […]

If you happen to melt wax in your good double boiler or like me, ‘ruin’ something by dipping it in melted beeswax, it is salvageable. With hot water, paper towels, vegetable oil and dish detergent, you can clean those “ruined” items right up.

I can’t help feeling guilty, tucked into the warm farmhouse, the wood burning furnace roaring and blasting heat up through the vents. We bundle up, and hurry through the outdoor chores so we can get back inside and warm ourselves indoors. But my conscience always nags at me as I leave the barn and the […]

Are you thinking of getting into beekeeping or replacing a hive that failed over the winter? The bees you chose are vital to your success as a beekeeper. Here are nine tips when selecting honeybees that should be considered as you make your decision heading into spring. These tips can help you combat environmental challenges/stressors […]