Honey Bee Farming
Honey bee farming is just one way of pursuing an interest in bees. We enjoy the products of their labours of love by the wonderful varieties of organic honey they produce.
Thank you each bee keeper everywhere for without you we would be unlikely to benefit from all the amazing health benefits we get from each jar.By raising bees in artificial hives, honey bee farming is also a way to assure hefty bee populations, which can then be hired by commercial farmers for crop pollination. There are specially adapted modes of transport for transporting the bees when needed. There is a photo at the top of the page to show you what they look like.
Just think about all the delicious crops we get to eat like
cherries and almonds for example.
No honey bees, no fruits and nuts and no meat or vegetables!
I don’t think there are many people who are unaware of Colony Collapse Disorder, there has been so many news reports about this mysterious disease. This is probably the main reason for keeping our honey bee farms replenished with bees. Without them not only would we not be able to enjoy the benefits from eating honey but did you realise you would be very unlikely to ever eat an apple, a pizza or an ice-cream! Yes, without our little friends there would be no goodies like these on sale for us to enjoy occasionally. Honey bee farms and honey bees are essential……..no bees…….........no food……...........no us!Similar to ants and termites, bees are highly social insects. With strict roles assigned to them from birth, bees naturally function as either a worker bee, a drone bee or a queen bee. Though this business which is huge does have a commercial purpose, most beekeepers do so as a hobby, as it allows them to be up close and personally witness the sophisticated, intelligent lifestyle that bees live. Honey bee farming can be done almost anywhere where there is an abundant amount of plants and flowers from which bees can collect pollen and nectar. However, it should not be assumed that, because bees forage for their own food, that is a hands off job. Quite the contrary is true. If the same source of nectar is available each year the production would be Artisanal Honey. Proper honey bee farming requires specialized equipment that a bee keeper uses every day in the proper nurturing of bees and even sometimes requires supplemental feeding for honey bees during months when food sources are scarce. Bee colonies are often prone to parasites and disease, which further calls for the special care and medicating of bees in an attempt to save the keeper's population. The organic honey farmer is incredibly careful in all aspects of his business. In short, this requires constant activity requiring a hands on effort, specialized skill and knowledge.
Anyone considering honey bee farming
as a hobby?
If you are considering this as a hobby by becoming a bee keeper or as a commercial endeavour is advised to study as much printed material as possible on the biology and nature of honey bees first, as well as the basics of bee farming itself. Before actually investing in bees and equipment, it is also a good idea to find someone more experienced to observe in action and to rely upon as a mentor while beginning beekeeping. Without a mentor, it is highly likely that novice beekeepers will make costly and even dangerous mistakes that could have otherwise been avoided. You may like to read the interview I had with Phil Chandler. Phil is an expert and has written many best selling books.
It is an Art
Commercial bee keepers also engage in their business as a way to access large amounts of honey, beeswax, royal jelly, pollen and other bee products suitable for resale and which we all benefit from.
There is even a strong case and plenty of evidence for the use of bee sting therapy. So bee farmers are just as necessary to us as the honey bees themselves. Whilst this can be pricey, most who engage in commercial honey bee farming find it to be a profitable venture. Many full-time bee keepers report a 100% profit in a single season. Even hobbyists who take it up out of pure fascination with these intelligent insects find the cost and regular upkeep of their colonies to be highly rewarding. Not only does the hobbyist have an incredible hobby but they benefit from their own raw honey and of course Propolis which every beekeeper will tell you takes care of almost all their health and of course medical needs. Aside from large commercial beekeeping businesses, this is an ideal hobby for those who find themselves naturally curious about bees. It is also an ideal small business for those who enjoy the many health benefits of natural bee products and are interested in producing their own. Anyone with an interest, who is not severely allergic to bee stings and who is willing to invest the time, money and effort into caring for colonies can learn the fine art of honey bee farming as a career or a hobby. You will only need one bee hive to start off with and it is suggested that you have a suitable site. You only need a small garden or rooftop where you can grow an abundance of flowers, (even in containers) which will give you some degree of control over the flavour of your own small honeybee farm. If you have your own honey bee farm or are considering starting one, however small please write to me with your story because I and my readers will be fascinated and I will publish these in my Honey Magazine.
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