Should I Get Bees?

It seems like almost everyone we tell about our bees has a response something like this:

“Oh I’d love to have bees!”

“I’ve always wanted to try that!”

“We’ve been thinking about getting a hive.”

The unique thing about bees, at least from our perspective, is the mystery that surrounds them. People buy chickens and goats and other livestock without a second thought and can be fairly successful with them even as beginners, but bees are different. Many first time gardeners and homesteaders who have had little issue taking on livestock and garden chores, often struggle to manager their hives. Partially this is because bees require more attention than most people realize and partially, they are so unpredictable and subtle, even seasoned beekeepers can be baffled by hive behavior.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be focusing on bee issues and care. With the garden still asleep, and bee maintenance about to ramp up, we thought this would be the perfect time to share some of our tips and experiences. To kick this off, we’re providing a free flowchart for those of you considering becoming first time beekeepers. It’s just a few basic questions to consider before taking the next steps toward Apiary Life.

We hope you enjoy this free printable, and we can’t wait to share what we have and are learning about bees. Please feel free to share your questions, thoughts, experience, etc. in the comments below, so that we can all be better beekeepers together!