Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 1
Starting Right
A beehive should be visually screened from your neighbors, the street, and, perhaps, even
your family. The site should have some shade, lots of room to work, and a low-mainten-
ance landscape. Notice that the white hive seen here is highly visible.
Keeping bees is an adventure, an avocation, and an investment, much like preparing for
a garden. Considering the amount of sun, shade, and water drainage your yard provides,
you must plan where your garden will be and how to prepare the soil. You must make an
educated decision about what you can grow and what kind of care your crops will need.
You will also need to be aware of harvest dates, and to avoid letting a lot of work go to
waste, you'll need a plan for how to preserve the bounty. And, finally, you need to plan
what needs to be done to put the land to rest for the off-season. The same planning pro-
cess applies to beekeeping.
First Steps Where Will You Put Your Hive?
Your first step is to order as many beekeeping catalogs as you can find. They're free, and
they contain a wealth of information. There are also a few magazines dedicated to bee-
keeping, and a free copy can be had for the asking. (See Resources on page 197.) Look
particularly at those companies that offer preassembled products.
Next, read this topic. Its chapters explore the biology, equipment, management, and
seasonally organized activities of bees and beekeeping. It is important to become famil-
iar with the seasonal routine of beekeeping. It is remarkably similar to scheduling your
garden, but the specifics differ and need attention to master them.
Providing Water
Providing fresh water for bees is mandatory. A summer colony needs at least a quart
(liter) of water every day, and even more when it's very warm. Making sure that water is
continuously available in your yard will make your bees' lives easier, and it helps ensure
that they do not wander where they are not welcome in search of water.
