Setting Up a Beehive Is the Hardest Part of Beekeeping

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Maintaining a beehive takes fewer than eight hours a year, but is extremely rewarding.
Maintaining a beehive takes fewer than eight hours a year, but is extremely rewarding.
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The north entrance of a beehive saves the bees from death in case the bottom entrance gets clogged with snow or dead leaves. This also provides better ventilation.
The north entrance of a beehive saves the bees from death in case the bottom entrance gets clogged with snow or dead leaves. This also provides better ventilation.
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At first, Carolyn Robinson would have no part of the bees. Later, she learned you can handle bees without getting stung.
At first, Carolyn Robinson would have no part of the bees. Later, she learned you can handle bees without getting stung.
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A honey
A honey "extractor" is used to whirl the honey out of the comb.

We didn’t decide to have bees until we had laying hens, chickens to eat, goats, pigs, and — of course — our garden all producing.

As I look back, I believe it was my father who got us interested in the idea of keeping bees. Actually, he didn’t know anything about bee-keeping, but every time he visited us he brought along a jar of honey. He liked honey so much and believed it to be so much healthier than sugar, he got us interested in producing our own.

Starting a Beehive

We’ve found out that doctors do recognize that honey is the perfect sweet — it’s easier to digest, furnishes a quick source of energy, and, unlike processed sugar, contains minerals.

About this time we were reading a book called The Farm Primer in which the author says that a hive or two of bees will increase the fruit yield by 30 percent and even make the fruit taste better. Moreover, he pointed out that a hive of bees requires only eight hours of care per year and gives about 75 pounds of honey. Seventy-five pounds per hive seemed a lot but I’ve since heard of single hives producing as high as 500 pounds. Of course, it’s unlikely a novice will get as much as that.

  • Published on Mar 1, 1970
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