How to Start Backyard Beekeeping

Have you ever thought of beginning a honey business?  Beekeeping can be a rewarding hobby. You have a constant supply of fresh honey that’s great for cooking or even selling for a little extra income. If you can handle a couple stings here and there then it’s totally worth all of it. It is so interesting how much we can learn from these little fellas, like how certain pollen completely changes the taste of the honey they produce to finding out why they end up fleeing the hive and swarming. If you’re interested in picking up an awesome hobby here’s a beginner’s introduction to how to start backyard beekeeping.

Laws and Courtesy

First and foremost you should check with your local planning and zoning department. Some cities don’t allow you to keep bees on a certain square footage of property. You want to make sure you are completely legal before you even begin! Next, you should check with neighbors to make sure they are okay with living next to a beekeeper! If they are kept in your backyard and you have a high enough fence you shouldn’t have too much of a problem with rogue bees in the neighbor’s area. Bees fly in straight lines, so a higher fence reduces the chance of a neighbor coming face to face with a bee. If they are hesitant at first you can always offer the first round of honey for free. A jar of fresh honey can get you through just about any negotiation.

The Supplies

In the very beginning, you’re going to need to have a few necessities before you even purchase your first queen. You’ll need a bee stand to protect your hive from ground critters like skunks. Next you are going to need a hive kit, where the bees will actually live. A necessity is a feeder, bees need to eat. A smoker is one of the most important items besides a veil and suit. Smoke interrupts bee’s communications and will get them to scatter, making the harvest of honey a bit easier. Your next step is to purchase a queen bee from an apiary. You can usually get one for about $30. Once you have the bee you can purchase bees by the pound from an apiary or even online. They’ll arrive in the mail ready to go in their new home.

Again, this is just a start of your new hobby. These are the basic items you need in order to just get started in beekeeping. It can be a great hobby and very rewarding and educational. There’s more that you can learn along the way or there are various resources all over online that will help you with more advanced beekeeping techniques. This is just a diving board for you to jump into something new!

My nephew began his own beekeeping business recently and I’ve been intrigued by the whole process!  I have been thinking I may try something like this in the future.   Is this type of money making hobby for you?   Tell me what you think in the comments!