The emergence of beekeeping as a hobby or as a livelihood is indeed exciting. This is a great idea if you already own a piece of land and already doing some farming. The most common thing to do with honey is to put it in your food and drinks, but there are many other things you can do with it. For example, you can give it to your friends. It could even be a source of income if you do things right. Who knows, you start your beekeeping activities by purchasing a box beehive and the next thing you know, you’ll need about a hundred of those. Here are some things you should remember about beekeeping:
If the Idea Excites You
Beekeeping is exciting for people who are fond of life on the farm. While urban beekeeping is also happening today, beekeeping on the farm is an addition to interesting activities you can do. That said, the first thing you need is to gather information about bees. Take in as much knowledge as you can because beekeeping is a serious task to do.
Know about how bees make honey. Not only that, you should learn about how a bee colony thrives, how a hive functions, and other related bee activities. You can contact a local beekeeping group if you want to know more and to gain new friends in the beekeeping community in your area. After that, you should study how to install your beehive. Bees make their hive, but harvesting from it is hard and even dangerous for people with allergies. A “man-made hive” can make production and harvesting more efficient for you.
All the Things You Should Do
As with any project, there’s a startup cost. You can start on a smaller budget to help ease into your beekeeping activity. It’s best to compute all the costs of starting a beekeeping activity. List all the tools you need plus the equipment and of course, the bee colony.
You should also plan where to put your hive. Consider things like sunlight, water sources, and food sources. Put your beehive where they will thrive. You can study this before purchasing to make sure they are well-cared for bees. You should also put the hive away from neighbors in case you live in an urban setting since houses are nearer to each other.
Make sure you know how much time you need in taking care of your bees and their home. At the very least, you need an hour a week for every hive. This becomes more as you purchase more hives. Only keep the number of hives you can maintain to keep your bees happy.
Going for It
Always ask the people you live with if they’re okay with you starting a beekeeping activity. Some people are afraid of bees, especially if there are people with allergies in the household. Take note that there are times when you won’t be able to take care of your bees so it’s important to ask your family if they’re okay with having and taking care of your bees in case you’re not around.
Lastly, be prepared for disasters. Pests such as mites may turn up one day so be ready to eliminate them. Also, you should know how to protect your hive from weather conditions, bee diseases, and other problems that may arise.
Choosing a beekeeping activity is not only exciting, but can also be lucrative in the long run. You should learn the basics first before plunging in and always remember to clean your hive and its surroundings. Make sure your bees are near their food and water sources and they get adequate sunlight. With that, visit a beekeeping shop today to get your box beehive and other beekeeping supplies.