Don’t Worry—the next installment of The Hunt will be along shortly.
Today I wanted to make a quick post about one of my hobbies.
As an amateur beekeeper for the past several years, I have decided to begin posting a series about beekeeping as a hobby. In case you are wondering what chops I have to be talking about this, aside from having done it for nearly two decades, I have also written a book that has sold over 8,000 copies. Before I wrote the book, I set about learning everything I could about the art of beekeeping. I found several wonderful resources. Here are a few of my favorites:
A Book of Bees: And How to Keep Them
Hive Management: A Seasonal Guide for Beekeepers (Storey's Down-To-Earth Guides)
And here is my book: The Beekeeper's Guide: Fun and Simple Steps to Apiary Success and Self Sufficiency
What I love about the first two books is they walk you through the joy of keeping bees. They aren't just step by step guides on how to keep bees. Rather they are the distilled wisdom of long-time beekeepers told in a story format that is a delight to read.
What I love about the third book? Well--it's mine, of course.
note: this is not me!
Have you ever thought about keeping bees? The first thing that pops into most people’s mind at the thought is either loads of delicious honey or painful stings. I can tell you right off, while beekeeping will deliver both, it will also give you a delightful sense of connection to the earth. As you work with the little creatures, you begin to appreciate the amount of labor that goes into every single drop of honey.
Did you know? It takes a honey bee colony over 2 million visits to flowers and a combined flight distance of approximately 55 miles to gather just one pound of honey.
There is nothing so delightful as gathering the honey harvest in the late fall and then sitting down in your kitchen to enjoy a few teaspoons of honey on toast. Mmmmm.
Over the next few months, I will make weekly posts about beekeeping. I will talk about everything from gathering the tools needed to get started to installing a new colony in your backyard to checking your bees for overall health. Most especially, I will post videos on D-Tube to show you exactly how to do each step.
If you are interested in following along and learning about keeping bees—welcome!
I’m glad you are here.
My beekeeping book, The Beekeeper's Guide: Fun and Simple Steps to Apiary Success and Self Sufficiency
My fantasy novella, An Assassin's Tool (The Nyepsium Wars)
© 2018, Stone Golem Publishing, All rights reserved--no part of this may be used without express written consent.
**All pictures used are labeled for reuse. They come from Pixabay
Follow @bigpanda for more flash fiction and some hard earned beekeeping wisdom.
I think bees are awesome! Thanks for this post--looking forward to the next one aboutb ees
I can not forget that run from Bees when we messed with them and they followed us in my childhood. Phewww
Yeah--there was a neighbor kid that used to come and bang on my hives. I kept telling him not to. One day, he got them really mad. Boy, did he pay the price. He never banged on the hives again after that.
Hahah, so you are keeping them?
And do they sting their masters? I mean do they know like pets that it's my master ?
They sting me plenty. They are definitely not trainable. But I work with them carefully so I only get stung once or twice a year. Not too bad.
Yes, I keep them.
It's a better exchange for some pure honey ;P
I'm interested! A couple of years ago, I spotted a Crowdfunding project - Flowhive - and I asked if I could have one of the hives.
We went to beekeeping classes and everything but it's had to be put on hold for the moment.
Once we're sorted out again, I'll get a Queen and set-up the hive. We're also going to lear about the Epi-pen before we start... can't be too careful with bee-stings :)
The flowhive is so very cool. My neighbor has one. He just picked it up last year and his colony died (darn city sprayed the gully next to his house and the overspray killed his bees).
I really wanted one but hesitated at the cost. I figure I will watch his bees next year to see how they do in the Flowhive. If they do well, I may spring for one.
Definitely, if anyone nearby or coming to visit is allergic you need an epi-pen. Some people are so allergic.
That's one of the reasons we're waiting. City living (even town living) is too claustrophobic for bees.
We'd like to move to a more remote property. It's going to be difficult enough to transport the fish, I didn't want the hassle of bees too!
Wanted to let you know I posted your trading card today!
Bees scare me, I had a wasp nest in my garden. I know they are only harmful when you aggravate them. I do appreciate the lovely honey they bring! But I wont mess with them! No no no lol. Great post.
I swear to you , wasps are the demon's own spawn. I hate wasps and they hate me. Sometimes they attack me just for nothing. Once, I got bit by a wasp and the entire right side of my face swelled up overnight. When my wife saw me in the morning--she couldn't stop laughing. I looked ridiculous--like some kind of criminal mug shot or something.
Bees on the other hand, are much more gentle creatures. They only become aggresive when someone gets into their hive and bothers them--or if someone startles them when they are out and about collecting nectar and pollen.
Oh no, did you have an allergic reaction. Im allergic to mostly everything lol. Its just crazy. Did you have the sting stuck in? I got stung on my neck and the sting was inbedded in my skin. I had to go hospital and have treatement. That happened whilst shopping. There are so many different types of buzzing creatures, honey bees, wasps, queen bee, bumblebee, carpenter bee, I think the list is endless. I just keep away, sweet scents etc attracts them. I stopped wearing anything sweet lol.. its all about the musk, repel whoever and whatever. Lol.
Honey is my favourite and Im eager
To know about how people keep them as I start dancing around whenever I saw them hehehe im afraid of insects ☺ by the way nice post 🐼
I'm glad to hear it--I think you will enjoy watching the videos I will post as we go along. Every once in a while, one of the bees will fly up my pant leg--then I do the bee dance as well.
Ahahaha yes they are so tiny and its hard to find them in your clothes
Wow! I love honey so I'm interested to know more about your work :) And I'm waiting for your next story eheheh
Honey is so delicious. Sometimes I bake homemade bread with some honey from our yard--one of my favorite treats!
This is a great information, hopefully I could try on how to keep bees. I love honeys and it has great antioxidants.
Yes, it is incredible how beneficial honey is for our health.
This method has been used by some of our tribes here in our country. One thing that reminds me about honey in Nepal is that there are ethnic grops that collects hallucinogenic honey but I only saw it on TV. Yes, honey is incredibly amazing since I’ve been drinking this ever since at night time, juse one tbsp ang youll be alright:)
wow great work.
I like honey.
Isn't it delicious! I love it too.
Great Information Thank you for this beautiful work @bigpanda
Thank you for visiting. I'm excited to shoot a few videos of me working with the bees.
i'm very interesting.. it's a wonderful project, i'll follow you to take advantage from your experience
Haha, are you the founder of Buzzcoin :)
No, I wish!
I am scared of bees
Nice work @bigpanda
They can be a bit intimidating. Once, when I had first started, I thought I would be tough and work the bees without my suit. Hahahaha, I don't think I've ever run that fast or been stung that many times at once. My wife was watching through the window and basically crying she was laughing so hard. I learned a good lesson that day--I like working with bees as long as I am wearing my beesuit.
Maybe something will inspire me someday about bees
It's really terrifying from last sting
I keep bees to @bigpanda. I was thinking about blogging my journey with them as well. This being the time to order nukes and packages, so that you have them in the spring, is great timing for your series.
Looking forward to your posts, re-steemed!
They are such delightful creatures. I would love to read some posts from you about beekeeping--it is amazing how many bits of wisdom we are able to learn from each other.
I was looking for a channel on Steemit Chat for bees or permaculture. I didn't find any, and if I can get the information I will try to make one myself.
I think I will wait until Spring to do my little post on bees. Maybe install a package or nuke then as well.
You're doing fine! He is engaged in beekeeping - this is a very big work!
Many do not understand the value of honey!
I say so, because my father has been engaged in beekeeping for more than 15 years. I myself love to come to him and help him with bees.
Bees are the most industrious creatures on the planet. Little to no one knows, but if they do not have a job, then they die.
I really love honey! This is the most useful product in the world. Many people think that except for honey and bites, the bees do not give anything, but it is not)))))
What is it worth only Pollen bees)))
So much labor to collect and wear one little flower of a flower.
My father this year made a special bed to put on a hive and lie on it. They say that the noise of bees and their heat has medicinal properties.
I advise you to make such a bed!)))
Thank you for the article, my dear friend!
That is really cool--I love the bed on top of the hives.
Bees keep the world alive, without them nothing would grow. So well done for your bit towards nature.
Yeah, that is actually why I got started. I was really worried about the environment and didn't know what I could do to help--finally I landed on beekeeping. It has been a fun hobby, plus it has fantastic side benefits.
Great information.
Thanks
Welcome..
It shows in the way you write that you love what you do. in my case I am a bit allergic to the bite of these beautiful insects alone so I do not dare to do much but are a fascinating beings, their behavior, the tasks assigned to them meet without expecting anything in return they do everything for good common and his queen.
This is how we should be to strive for the common good not own.
Thanks for sharing and have a good day @bigpanda
Funny thing that--after keeping them for nearly 20 years, I have developed a bit of an allergy as well. It isn't anything serious, I just swell up more than I used to. Hopefully it doesn't progress any more from here. we will see.
I think they are fascinating as well. As a kid, I used to watch the ants in my yard for hours. I think that joy of watching a hive creature is what eventually led me to keeping bees. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day as well.
They have a behavior that is hypnotic to me, you ask yourself hundreds of questions when you see them.
@bigpanda It is good to know little mas of you, is a great hobbie. I wish him a happy day. Yesterday I went to a restaurant and identical me much of you because having given the toothpicks to me to eat sushi had a beautiful bear bulging in the bundle
That is wonderful! I'm happy to hear they have a bear on their toothpicks--a good panda makes everything better. :) Have a wonderful day.
I love honey. @bigpanda grrat post. thanks for sharing this beautiful work.
Thank you!
Wow!! Didn't know that. I have a little fear of bees ahahahah
They are fairly docile as long as you take the right precautions. Wasps on the other hand--ohhhh--I hate wasps. They are just downright mean.
Very interesting post my dear friend @bigpanda But one thing serious about bees is that they are dying rapidly because of the network of the electromagnetic signals, usually bees finds their way through the electric signals they create but the man made eelectric signals interrupts these signals so the bees get lost and they die .... keeping bees is a useful hobby keep it up @bigpanda
They are dying off. Some people claim it is the electromagnetic signals, others feel it is due to the GMO pollen from these hybrid crops being created. I haven't come to a final conclusion yet, but I must say I lean a bit toward the GMO concept.
In France they banned several GMO plants and their honeybees have staged a remarkable recovery. Either way, we need to do whatever we can to help protect the bees--they are responsible for an astonishing amount of our food pollination.
Yes we must do whatever we can to save nature !!!
Great information @bigpanda.About bees.thabks for sharing
Absolutely, thanks for buzzing by. :)
Nice hobby! Me too has an interest in bee keeping. . Maybe soon I'll try this at home to pollinate my vegetables. Thanks for sharing!
great as always!
Thanks
Great information specialy for the honey lovers like me
Nice post sir
Upvote and resteem done done.
i love honey,, i like your post, thanks
Thanks so much
Wonderful post you are so intelligent
very nice of you to say, thanks
Bee's honey A panacea
it does have many health benefits indeed!
Cool post with such enormous wisdom words nice one
thanks
wow! iknow them.this is bees..i saw this bee everywhere..
this bees collect honey..
Yes, the bees do collect the honey.
Great post
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That looks like so much fun! We started a hive on our homestead, and due to poor circumstaces it died. I am really looking forward to our next opportunity! Not just for our own honey, but the chance to help with all sorts or pollination.
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I also keep bees, but have failed miserably. We made the mistake of placing the hive too far from the house, and in the winter the high snow caused issues... We are moving the next hive closer (and south facing) to keep a better watch. Looking forward to your book and learning more!
Beautiful i like honey. Thanks for the sharing information.
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won its a lot .. hopefully can produce honey we hope
Dear @bigpanda, I do not know who to admire more, if the bees for their titanic work of traveling for hours and hours in search of honey or for you because of what you are passionate about. I the truth, although I respect the presence of these beings a lot, I am terrified of them. He made me a lot of bad experiences with them, his bites terrify me. However, it is very gratifying for me that you have shared with us a little of what you are passionate about
this is so awesome and i think diffcult ... but still awesome
I love bees, but i do not think i could be a bee keeper. I had a very traumatic experience with killer bees when i was a child. I know it is not the same thing, but man, i don't think i have the nerve...h
Omg! Love this post! I’ve always said I would have an apiary in my future house. I go through so much honey that getting fresh honey everyday would be so awesome. Now I can follow someone who actually has one and the process of upkeep and everything else that needs to be done to have fresh honey. Thanks for sharing!
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A great hobby @ bigpanda, bees are a lot of benefits in everyday life makes me amazed to see it, you are one of the people who care for many people. thank you for making everyone amazed to see the hobby you choose
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The number of bees are going down day by day, I'm really glad someone is taking an initiative to save them