Beekeeping is not like other farming; honey bees are basically wild animals who, for whatever reason, agree to stay with you for awhile, raise their children, die in the course of their many duties over their fairly short lifespans, and bless you with the fruit of their labors, honey. Peter has been a beekeeper all his life, following in his father John’s footsteps.
Honey bees are just one type of bee. There are lots of native bees who play important roles in the health of our land, acting as pollinators for native plants. Some are solitary and some live in hives.
Keeping Bees
Honeybees are highly intelligent, organized animals. Unlike hornets, yellowjackets, and wasps, they are vegans. They are calm, and non-aggressive unless you attack the hive.
On more than one occasion, the honey bee hive sent a bee to let one of us know that they needed something. It happens like this: we are doing a chore outside and suddenly there was a bee hovering like a little helicopter: not landing; not interfering in what we are doing; just, hovering with a sort of a nudging feeling.
Comings & Goings
Bees come and go, according to their needs and wishes. We leave the hive boxes up and clean and available for new tenants. We keep the hive boxes in the vegetable garden, tucked safely away from the sheep, the goats, the chickens, and the guardian dogs.