Beekeeping for Everyone The basics and fundamentals of beekeeping for both amateurs and professionals. What to do and how to do it right.

There are many reasons to begin beekeeping. You might find it educational, as bees are fascinating creatures. You might be interested in becoming more self sufficient, (honey makes a great farm raised sweetener!) Maybe you're interested in wax and honey production as a cottage industry. Or maybe you want to do your part in helping the environment and supporting the honey bee's role in our ecosystem and food supply. Whatever the reason, raising bees can be a fun and rewarding adventure. We at Keeping Backyard Bees encourage anyone who's interested in raising bees and becoming a new beekeeper, or a "new-beek", to learn all they can and if possible and give beekeeping a try!The following is a beginners guide to all things beekeeping. It's a collection of articles that can help you understand the world of bees and help you decide if beekeeping is right for you. Should you choose to join the world wide community of beekeepers, there are articles that tell you what equipment you will need to get started, aids to help you build your first hive, information on how to acquire your first bees, step-by-steps on caring for bees and trouble shooting problems and even how to begin marketing your bee products.It might seem strange to order bees before you get everything else together for beekeeping, but it's important because most places don't have bees for sale by the time spring is well underway. January is the time to order your bees for shipment or pickup in April or May.Local beekeeping associations are a great place to start asking around for bees. And you'll want to decide whether package bees, nucs, catching a swarm, or buying an already-started hive is the right choice for you. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.Two main systems are used in beekeeping. One is called the Langstroth hive, and it's composed of boxes that are stacked on top of each other, each containing frames where the bees build their comb and store honey. You pull the boxes out like drawers to access the bees, harvest honey, and perform maintenance tasks. You can add boxes vertically if your hive needs more space.The other is a top-bar hive, where the bees' frames are arranged horizontally, not vertically. The bees make comb without foundation in this system. Each bar, containing comb and honey, is pulled up out of the hive from the top.You'll need to choose which system is right for your needs. Most beekeepers use a Langstroth hive.Keeping bees requires an investment upfront in supplies. Once you've decided on the type of hive, you'll need to purchase that, but you'll also need a few bee tools, some protective clothing, and feeding supplies. You can also brush up on your bee information by reading some beginner beekeeping books.Now comes the fun part! Your bees have arrived, and it's time to set up the hive and get them settled. You need to safely and comfortably introduce the bees to their new home. Then, sit back and let them settle in while you observe the comings and goings. So much fun!Month by month, season by season, bees need ongoing care. But they don't require a huge time investment. You must check on them somewhat frequently, but observation is a good percentage of what you'll do to keep your bees happy. Just watching hive activity can be relaxing and informative. You can organize beekeeping tasks by the season, from setting the bees up in spring to harvesting honey, to preparing the hive for winter.