Looking for a hobby, a way to make a difference, a way to save the planet, a way to supplement your income? Creating and caring for a beehive is a way to do all of this at once. Bees are jewels in nature's cap and vital to its balance. Buying American-made beekeeping supplies Indiana way helps the economy, too.
Look online for suppliers of everything you'll need if you want to have an apiary - a collection of hives where honeybees live and create the many valuable bee products that people have used for centuries. Honey, beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly are familiar to all who value natural foods, chemical-free beauty aids, and natural remedies.
Help is as close as your local extension office. State universities reach out to communities through these offices, and volunteers sign up to help people get started in various agricultural fields. Lots of people want to help others keep bees.
To get your own honey, you'll need a hive. This outer box holds several 'frames', which are stacking boxes. The frames house the bees, shelter the 'brood' of eggs and larvae, and store the honeycomb that feeds the colony and those of us who love honey. A 'nucleus' is a small hive suitable for the first year, when the colony is getting established. It has from three to five frames. There are beginner's kits for sale, too.
In addition to honeybee hives, frames, and 'supers' (frames where the bees can store extra honey - which you can harvest!), you can buy special tools. You'll need to open and inspect the hives. There are brushes to move the bees gently, gently out of the way when you need to work around them. You'll need to protect the hive from parasites that threaten the colony, and feed the bees during the winter or during hot, dry spells.
Protective clothing is important. Even though honeybees are pretty docile, they get upset when their hives are disturbed. Suits, hats with veils, and gloves come in sizes from child to adult. Getting stung is no fun, and it can also make you allergic to bee venom in the future.
All species of bees are pollinators, but not all give honey. There is a tiny native American insect called the Mason bee. You have probably noticed them hovering around your lavender and mint plants. They almost never sting and they are so small that a sting is insignificant. All Mason bees need is a sheltered nesting hole in a sunny location and a yard full of feeder plants rich in nectar. They are not as well known as the honeybee but are even more prolific pollinators.
All of us with gardens or orchards - in fact, all of us who eat - owe a debt of gratitude to the pollinators that play a part in plant development. Whether we live on the East Coast, in the middle of the country around Indiana, or near the Pacific, we can help bees survive and flourish.
Look online for suppliers of everything you'll need if you want to have an apiary - a collection of hives where honeybees live and create the many valuable bee products that people have used for centuries. Honey, beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly are familiar to all who value natural foods, chemical-free beauty aids, and natural remedies.
Help is as close as your local extension office. State universities reach out to communities through these offices, and volunteers sign up to help people get started in various agricultural fields. Lots of people want to help others keep bees.
To get your own honey, you'll need a hive. This outer box holds several 'frames', which are stacking boxes. The frames house the bees, shelter the 'brood' of eggs and larvae, and store the honeycomb that feeds the colony and those of us who love honey. A 'nucleus' is a small hive suitable for the first year, when the colony is getting established. It has from three to five frames. There are beginner's kits for sale, too.
In addition to honeybee hives, frames, and 'supers' (frames where the bees can store extra honey - which you can harvest!), you can buy special tools. You'll need to open and inspect the hives. There are brushes to move the bees gently, gently out of the way when you need to work around them. You'll need to protect the hive from parasites that threaten the colony, and feed the bees during the winter or during hot, dry spells.
Protective clothing is important. Even though honeybees are pretty docile, they get upset when their hives are disturbed. Suits, hats with veils, and gloves come in sizes from child to adult. Getting stung is no fun, and it can also make you allergic to bee venom in the future.
All species of bees are pollinators, but not all give honey. There is a tiny native American insect called the Mason bee. You have probably noticed them hovering around your lavender and mint plants. They almost never sting and they are so small that a sting is insignificant. All Mason bees need is a sheltered nesting hole in a sunny location and a yard full of feeder plants rich in nectar. They are not as well known as the honeybee but are even more prolific pollinators.
All of us with gardens or orchards - in fact, all of us who eat - owe a debt of gratitude to the pollinators that play a part in plant development. Whether we live on the East Coast, in the middle of the country around Indiana, or near the Pacific, we can help bees survive and flourish.
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When you are searching for information about beekeeping supplies Indiana locals can visit our web pages. More details are available at http://bastinhoneybeefarm.com now.