Have you ever thought about raising bees? YES, they sting! And for some, their stings and the allergies they trigger in them--to put it lightly--don't get along. But for those of you who aren't deftly allergic to bees, would you consider raising them in an appropriate farm-like atmosphere? Almanac.com has named benefits of raising bees, which include: the fact that they produce honey, which is great in so many ways, the fact that they also produce wax, and also, because they provide a major function to the environment: pollinating our beautiful flowers. However, they do also list some cons, which include: the stings of course, the cost of equipment, and also the expense and difficulty of the process of actually starting up, especially the first year. So...would you raise bees? Or is that just something for "people who are born for that kinda thing"? Let me know!
I haven't thought of raising bees but it's kind of interesting though. I've visited a bee farm before and was surprise to find out the many different products (and by products) that you can get from raising bees >> from healing oils/soaps to beeswax. Though what I can't stand are the bees - I'm scared of seeing them up close. So I don't think I will able to raise them myself but the business side seems to be lucrative.
Very good and interesting points! I'd have to say that I definitely agree with you, on all levels! I'm not a person, myself, who will just go forth into a swarm of bees and "clench victory". I like to keep a "good, respectable distance", if you know what I mean. Bees are great, and I love and appreciate the benefits and by-products that they do produce, as you have rightly put forward. These are the very reasons why I am motivated to invest in my very own bee farm. However, I would also like to hire someone who is well-educated in this bee-handling area, as though a man, I'm quite susceptible to bee stings (as is most people's excuse, I guess, lol), so as I said, the respectable distance is kept, unless they're attacking my family of course. So, like you, if I could find someone to at least "walk me through the steps" in a matter that satisfied me enough to let me know that there are little to no risks of getting stung if proper gear and handling is worn and practiced, then I'd sign up...tomorrow!
My father in law raised bees for a couple of years, it was a hobby he had, but the honey he collected wasn't that great. I think that what the bees eat influence a lot the taste of the honey, so I don't know what they were eating, most likely some bitter herbs. The kids love to watch the bees though, from a distance!
I have always been curious about raising bees. I visited a honeybee farm before, and it looks really productive and nice. I'm very afraid of bees though. I wonder what it takes to raise a farm.
We know some people that are professional beekeepers and we considered buying a few hives to get us started. The costs tho', are rather high - you have to buy the bees, the boxes, suits and plenty of other stuff needed to care for them. You also need space, you can't keep bees in a flat at the 9th floor, can you? So we decided to drop the idea and buy the honey instead, much cheaper but less satisfying.
I'd never be a bee farmer. There was one time when three or four bees stung me all over the face. I can't forget the pain. Anytime I hear something buzzing near me, I always have this fear that the bee or whatever bug is buzzing around will sting me. Owing therefore to this irrational fear of the honey-makers, I wouldn't consider having bees near me or close to where I live.
I have thought about this before and would actually consider it if only I had the space to do so. I am very interested in bees and wildlife and I think beekeeping is especially interesting primarily for the way bees make them and also for the sweet results. I'm not too afraid of the stings because I believe you could do enough to protect yourself from it and also you could probably get used to being around them fairly easily.
My family owned a farm for the longest time and actually had a guy that paid us to keep bees on the property. If I had the space I would consider it since natural honey is pretty good for the immune system and allergies. We never had any issue with them and they stay in a relatively small space. The guy had 4 hives and would take the comb, wax, and honey to the farmers market each month. He did pretty well and was popular with all the shoppers so it could be worth it.
That is a good and interesting question. I had not really thought of raising bees. Here, we just harvest honey and beeswax from the hives that the bees have built in the trees. I guess it is an interesting idea, but for now, I will just continue to harvest the way that we do. Honey straight from the tree is delicious. We don't process our honey here. What you see is what you get.
Honey is a very valuable commodity, so in this regard I would not mind raising bees. Honey not only makes for a great organic beauty regimen, it also has a number of health benefits worth taking advantage of such as boosting your immune system and giving your skin that youthful glow. Of course, I would need a big space to put up my own bee farm. Moreover, I also have to attend seminars and workshops on how to raise bees properly so as not to be held responsible for any accidental stinging.
Even though I love honey, and don't feel like my kitchen in complete without it, no, I would not raise bees. In my particular case, I just couldn't picture myself tending bees, not my thing. I do think that one probably has to be kind of born to this type of work, although with the proper training and a lot of interest in it, anyone could be a beekeeper.
I haven't given this any thought at all, for one thing we're on the 8th floor of an apartment building right now and it's just not feasible even if it were something I desperately wanted. But on top of that, most of my family is quite allergic to bees and so the possibility of bee stings is more than just irritating or unpleasant. I do love honey and having a source of fresh honey would be fantastic, but if anything I'd rather get a friend who does .
