Bees, from what I understand, are disappearing. At least in the U.S. they are. I'm not sure about other places. I imagine, though, that everyone is feeling it. I know for a fact I don't see them like I used to. So many times in summers past I remember swarms of bees that would come through and buzz around the yard. We knew beekeepers back then who would gladly come and get a swarm when one appeared, which was always an amazing thing to see for me. Now I would love to keep some bees here on the farm. Not too many. Maybe two stacks of three or four boxes. I think that would be the neatest thing and I do love honey. I'm going to have to work hard on that one, though. I can't seem to get my husband to share my interest this time.
I have wanted to keep bees, but you really need a lot of them to produce honey and I don't know if my neighbors would be okay with it. I am not sure if they kids next door have any allergies. It is something that the homeowners association might not be happy with, but I totally get your points and wish I could help them.
Keeping bees can be very profitable. Apart from getting honey from them . . . The renting of bee colonies for pollination of crops is the primary source of income for beekeepers in the US For me though, I wouldn't want to keep bees. When I was vacationing in a tropical country many years back, I was stung by more than 4 bees. Since then I have a bee phobia.
I have not try keeping bees. I find it quite hard since my place is at the center of the city. I remember that bees need a lot of flowers as source of their food. However I do love honey. I usually buy them in the supermarket.
My friend's mom keeps bees and it is a very spiritual thing to do and well as good for the environment and she lives in Cape Cod. I do think it's becoming more popular and there are courses in how to do this successfully. I think she has a place she keeps the bees because you need the right kind of conditions for it, so it's not in her garden.
lol...I can't count the times I was stung by bees while growing up. It just a part of summer as far as I was concerned. I had no idea that people rented bees for crop pollination. That is itself is somewhat amazing to me. Rent-a-bees...who knew? (Besides you, that is.)
It's a fascinating idea. I purchase raw local honey to help with my allergies and that stuff is expensive. You could have the honey you need, sell raw honey at a flea market or farmer's market, and rent out the colony. Sounds reasonable. I wonder how expensive it is to get started?
I'm wondering that, too. I know some folks who have started doing it in their back yard fairly close to me, but I haven't had a chance to talk to them about it yet. I do know that they set out bowls of sugar water for their bees to eat. And I don't think you rob them but maybe once or twice a year. It can't be too hard to get going.
I love bees and see their great value. I am not able to handle close proximity to them though. I think it is the buzzing that unnerves me. Or it could be the few stings I got when I was young. Keeping bees is great if you can do it. You have to research and know what you are doing though, before you start. I saw a documentary of a man in Kenya who used bees to protect his crops from elephants.
Keeping bees seem to be a fun thing to do. But I have never come across bees that are easy to maintain. You need to spend a lot to maintain them.and I also do not know whether they are not harmful.
