Did you know that you can keep bees in your backyard? Most normal-sized yards can play host to a hive of honey bees. A healthy hive can produce several gallons of lovely, local honey every year.
These pollinators can be marvelously helpful by making fruits and vegetables more productive. Here, we keep bees not just because they help produce richer crops, but also because they are tremendously beneficial insects that are good for our neighbors and surrounding environment.
And raw honey has so many health benefits. The word ‘HONEY’ is found in 56 Bible verses. Proverbs 24:13 “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste.”
We had heard a lot about the honeybee population decline especially since 2006. We wanted to help the bees and had trees (to shelter the hives), a water source, and clover, so we called around to see if there was anyone who wanted to put out a few hives. We found what we were looking for and had a really good experience.
Our honeybee yard from the farm, 2002 – 2009.
Now that we’ve moved, I’ve planted lots of flowers everywhere I could in the yard to help in the effort to strengthen the bee population here. Plus, we’ve taken some conventionally farmed acreage out of production and are transitioning to organic hay. Now the clover and alfalfa is going to supply abundant food for the bees with no pesticides. They did well this year!
Taking the ‘supers’ off this fall, 2011, one by one. We have a beekeeper do this who wants to put out hives, and we can buy our honey at near cost. It is a win-win situation.
Once the honey is spun out of the supers into big containers, they are placed in a warm room/tank so the honey will flow. It will go through a screen filter once and into the bottles with no more heating. We help with the bottling. It is thick, super sweet, and oh, so wonderful!
The resulting raw honey is full of active enzymes and properties which halt local pollen allergies in their tracks. Our youngest son is a living testimony to the power of local honey with severe allergies. No more eyes swollen shut or upper respiratory inflammation, sneezing or runny nose! Because it is raw, it is very thick and contains all the bio-active nutrients and enzymes that have kept beekeepers healthy into their 90s for centuries.
Once we get it home in these big jars, we have to put it into smaller containers for the table. One of us puts the big jar into the sink filled with very warm water to help it pour. Once it is into the smaller containers, it will have to be spooned or spread. It is much better than heated/store-bought honey. It also makes a lovely and appreciated gift!
Can I encourage you to consider the possibilities of doing this at your home? You will be healthier and have your own true medicine in the form of raw honey!! We consider eating honey part of a God-given insurance plan! You will need never buy white sugar again.
Consider contacting your state beekeepers association. They can give you the information you need for your area. Here are some helpful sites on keeping bees:
Backyard Beekeeping; Backyard Hive; A Wonderful Bee Blog; and in Indiana, Bee Friendly Beekeeping, which exists to increase the honeybee population, by teaching people about honeybees and how to have their own hives (and honey)!
I took this pic today (October 31). These are amazing creatures are still gathering all the nectar they can before the weather is too cold. I love the honeybee, and I thank the Lord for creating such an incredible and interesting insect.
Can you see this little bee’s golden leg warmers?? That is where she carries the pollen she has collected!
~ Jacqueline
Thank you for the encouragement to keep bees! Since we moved here two years ago we’ve thought about bee keeping. I only wonder how they would do through our long, and sometimes harsh winters. We have a lot of wind and I heard we may need to build a type of ‘igloo’ around them or a ‘shelter’ of straw bales…I will check out your links
Love this! I’ve wanted to do this for years! Ah, perhaps God will give us a couple acres before all the kids are grown and gone.
Wonderful post.
My hubby actually helped with his grandparents honey bees for several years. we are regular honey consumers and try to buy from the hive itself if possible. I have stuff planted all around for them to enjoy, but I need to stay clear of them. I am allergic to all insect bites and stings. and they will get me with no provocation?? I think it is pheromones. thanks for the beautiful photos too!
I am not quite sure if I am ready to take bees on but I keep hoping one of my children would want to. No takers yet so I just might have to.
This is fascinating! We buy local, raw honey and use it for most of our sweetening and also many medicinal needs. Maybe one day when we, Lord-willing, move out of this condo and get a plot of land so my family can consider this! Thank you for sharing.
My 16 yo son and his mentor have bees at our place. Yum! And do they ever increase our garden and orchard yield!
Annie Kate
Thanks for the encouragement and information. I have thought about this for a long time. My fears are bringing bears in more often and the harsh winters in Upper Michigan. Someday I hope to do this though!
This is VERY interesting to me. And the photographs are beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I’ve been interested in beekeeping for a while, but have been timid about starting.
Lovely post and beautiful photographs. This is so interesting. I was just thinking about keeping bees and whether they’d allow us on a military base, but I didn’t know enough about it. Thanks for sharing!
By the way, I will definitely write up my story about how we moved to the USA from Switzerland. I’ve already started, but it’s turning into a long story with photos and everything, a mini “memoir”.