Honey And Your Health

Down through the ages honey has been known as one of the health giving foods. Honey is widely used in baked foods for its flavor and moisture retaining properties, also in many of the cough syrups and patent medicines.

There is an excellent book entitled HONEY & YOUR HEALTH by Beck & Smedley which every beekeeper should read and re-read. This book tells of the food value of honey; its medical values and gives a host of information that every beekeeper should know in order to become an informed and enthusiastic honey salesman.

A high board fence, shrubbery, etc., will screen your apiary from your neighbors.

A high board fence, shrubbery, etc., will screen your apiary from your neighbors.

Where Can Bees Be Kept

A few colonies of bees can probably be kept profitably just about anywhere people live off the land. Thousands of colonies are kept in northern Canada up to the very edge of civilization 500 and more miles north of the U. S. border. Surprisingly enough, these bees in their very short season produce more and a higher quality honey (white to water white clover honey) than similar colonies kept in Florida and other Southern States where the active season covers 10 or more months.

Quite a few colonies of bees are kept in all of the larger cities with success, provided the bees are kept secluded so that they do not bother the neighbors. A high hedge fence is very desirable because this shields the hives from view and causes the bees to rise and fly above the heads of the neighbors and pedestrians so they come and go unnoticed.

A fairly common location for bees in towns and cities is on flat roofs of buildings where the beekeeper can manipulate his colonies without his neighbors being aware of their presence. These roofs, however, become extremely hot during the summer time and it is necessary to provide shade boards for the hives to prevent the sun from overheating the hives and melting the wax combs.

If you are crowded for room or if your bees are bothersome keep them on a roof.

If you are crowded for room or if your bees are bothersome keep them on a roof.

Many trees in the swamps, upland and mountains produce nectar as well as the clovers, alfalfa, vetch, buckwheat, black and dew berriers and fruit trees.

Considerable honey is produced from desert cactus blooms although in most cases the bees must be moved away during the long dry season.

Many people believe that it is necessary to sow special crops for bees to thrive and do well on but such is not the case. Only a few commercial beekeepers sow any crops whatsoever as they find it more practical to move their bees from one location to another as the honey flows develop.

Most locations vary considerably from year to year and a location that produces a bumper crop one year may be poor the following year. Likewise, locations that were good years ago have now in most cases petered out and now only produce a good crop occasionally. This is due to variations in rainfall, depletion of the humus and trace elements in the soil and changes in farm practices such as brought about by the tractor replacing the horse, etc.

Many colonies can be kept in small yard if you have it surrounded with low growing trees, tall hushes or a board fence.

Many colonies can be kept in small yard if you have it surrounded with low growing trees, tall hushes or a board fence.

How Many Bees To Keep

The beginner should start with one or two hives and increase by doubling the number of colonies each year until the desired number are secured. It is best to start slowly and to learn how to keep your bees correctly, also how to dispose of your honey locally. Keep in mind that while a few colonies can be kept profitably almost any place the law of diminishing returns will set in somewhere along the line. In most locations from 15 to 25 colonies can profitably be kept in one yard, however, the more colonies you have at one location the meaner they become due to the increasing struggle for survival.

If you desire to keep more than 25 colonies, which you probably can keep profitably in your back yard, you should consider the cost and expense of a trailer or truck to carry your bees and equipment back and forth from your home and then probably the cost of a honey house in which to store your equipment and honey. If you have all of this equipment you will probably want several out-yards to make your investment worth while.

The Time To Start With Bees

The best time to start with bees is in the early spring; the first of April or even earlier in the South and by May 1st even in the Northern States if at all possible. This early start will take more sugar syrup feed and care but it will pay off in most cases with a surplus crop of honey the first season while a later start may enable the bees to barely make enough honey for themselves or they may have to be fed to prevent starvation.

It is possible to start as late as early June in most locations and while the bees will require less attention and feed at the beginning because a honey flow will probably be on at the time it will be necessary to give them more feed and attention later on.

Anyone starting with bees should keep in mind that in most locations the best quality (the mildest flavored and lightest colored) honey is gathered in the spring and early summer while the late summer and fall honey is relatively stronger in flavor and darker in color. Therefore, it is important to start early so as to build up colony strength to secure this finest quality honey the first year.