Is Beekeeping As A Hobby Right For You? [Explained]
If you're interested in beekeeping but aren't sure if it's the perfect pastime for you, you've come to the right place. The answer is simple: beekeeping is a fantastic pastime if you have the time, money, and patience to get started. It is a difficult endeavor, and you should only embark on it if you are serious about making your colony a significant part of your life.
Bees can teach us a lot. As more colonies struggle to sustain the life of their hive, the increase in interest in beekeeping is beneficial. Bees are critical to the survival of many plant species, so it feels wonderful to be doing my part to help the planet recover from the impact we people have had on it.
Let's get started. This article will explain why you should and why you should not become a beekeeper.
Is beekeeping a popular pastime?
Absolutely! It is becoming increasingly popular as more people gravitate to organic foods and nature-related pastimes. Today, millennials are increasingly opting for alternative lifestyles, with many returning to farms and off-the-grid communities from the city. This is fantastic news for bees, who have had a terrible time recently. Colony collapse disorder (CCD) has been devouring colonies throughout the world, making beekeeping more difficult.
Reasons to Start Beekeeping
Beekeeping was always an obvious choice as a hobby for me. I adore bees. I admire how they live, work, and organize their lives. The advantages of beekeeping, on the other hand, astounded me.
Enjoy Mother Nature
Beekeeping is a great way to get in touch with nature. It's an incredible experience to see your colony operate as a superorganism to build comb, nurse and rear baby bees, forage for food, manufacture honey, defend their turf, carry out their dead, expel the drones, and, my favorite, conduct the waggle dance. As a backyard beekeeper, you'll get a front-row seat to all of this action.
The Benefits Are Pretty Sweet
As an inexperienced beekeeper, you are unlikely to produce a large amount of honey straight away. However, the honey you create will taste better than any you've experienced before. This is because it will be of good quality, but it will also taste fantastic because you worked hard to make something incredible. It's wonderful to reconnect with a craft that has such a rich history.
Bees are low-maintenance creatures.
As a hobby, beekeeping is ideal since you will consider the bees to be your pets. This pet, on the other hand, is extremely low-maintenance and comes with tasty rewards. As I have previously stated, beekeeping primarily for profit is difficult, therefore relieving that strain from your operation would benefit it much.
You Have the Potential to Earn More Money
Bees are beneficial to gardens. So, in addition to being excellent for your garden, they will be excellent for your neighbor's garden, who may wish to rent them from you. Farmers frequently hire bee colonies for pollination, and this could be a great way to supplement your income. Farmers are prepared to pay a high price since having bees around ensures a better crop that year.
Gardening and beekeeping go hand in hand.
Bees are a godsend if you have a backyard garden or are a professional farmer. Pollinators include bees. They are required for the growth of plants such as squash, cucumbers, apples, melons, and strawberries. They will also benefit your garden and the vegetation around your home significantly. Bees play an important role in our life cycle.
Taking Action to Aid Bee Populations
It is becoming increasingly difficult for bees to maintain their colonies, and this will only become more challenging in the future. So much of what we consume grows because bees pollinate it, and nothing can replace that. Many farmers throughout the world have been working to restore bee numbers. It will fill you with joy to know that your activity is benefiting our planet.
It's soothing!
What one person finds relaxing may be stressful to another, but beekeeping has helped many individuals get their minds off their daily troubles. Being outside and in nature is beneficial, and reconnecting with a time-honored craft like beekeeping can be life-changing for many people.
First and foremost, consider starting a beekeeping business.
Many people are fascinated by the idea of beekeeping. Others are drawn to the prospect of all that delicious honey. But, at PerfectBee, we believe anyone embarking on this great journey must do so for the right reasons and with a clear understanding of what lies ahead.
Let's have a look at why you shouldn't be a beekeeper!
We've discussed the advantages of beekeeping, but what about the disadvantages? If you want to become a beekeeper, you need to understand that it is a major commitment.
Don't Do It for the honey!
Let's start with the simple one. If you want a lot of honey, go to your local grocery and get some. We can tell you right now that it's a lot faster, a lot less work - and a lot cheaper. Enjoying honey from your hives is a wonderful advantage to the beekeeper, but if that's your sole motivation, we'd advise you to reconsider. Don't do it because it's simple (it isn't!)
Okay, you know there's a lot more to beekeeping, but once you master the basics, it's straightforward and hands-off, right? Wrong! Beekeeping is a time-consuming hobby. It requires work. It pushes you to keep learning (which is a huge positive for us!). And, regardless of your experience, it will frustrate and upset you at some point.
Don't do anything for the sake of making money.
What's with the honey? To earn money? Don’t even go there! Let's just say a lot of people have tried...By the way, while beekeeping is not the most expensive hobby in the grand scheme of things, the costs are not insignificant. More about this can be found further down.
Commitment of Time
Beekeeping is not a hobby that can be set and forgotten. It will necessitate a time commitment that will vary depending on your level of skill, the size of your bee yard, the time of year, and sometimes unforeseeable circumstances.
Winter will be your least active beekeeping season if you dwell in the freezing north. The hives should be winterized, and the bees should be left alone in the cold weather. If you get some unusually warm weather, you should check their food supplies. For cleaning flights, you may need to clear some snow from the openings. Otherwise, it's a slow period that you might utilize to repair equipment and complete other tasks.
In warmer southern regions, beekeeping may have less of a time requirement during the winter, but not to the extent that it does in the north. A warmer environment implies more food sources are available, and the bees will remain active. Pay attention to the weather and the plants to decide how much attention your hives require. Aside from winter, you'll be pretty busy at times. It is entirely up to you how busy you want to be.
Is Beekeeping a Good Fit for You?
Here are some things to consider when deciding whether to purchase your beehives.
Is there any local legislation?
Town regulations may require that the hives be located a certain distance from lot lines. Hives may be prohibited by housing associations and covenants. Many state agriculture departments require hobby beekeepers to register their hives, and they may demand frequent inspections by a state bee specialist to assist them to track pest and disease outbreaks and, ideally, controlling their spread.
What will your neighbors think?
Many people are terrified of honeybees, associating them with far more dangerous wasps and yellow jackets. Educating people about the value of bees, their behaviors, and their instincts is an important part of beekeeping. Be sensitive to your neighbors' anxieties and inquire if anyone has a true bee allergy.
Do you have a suitable location?
Because bees will fly a mile or more in quest of nectar, all except the most densely populated locations are likely to have an abundance of nectar sources. More importantly, human-bee interactions should be kept to a minimum. Bees generally go about their job silently and are unlikely to sting unless disturbed. Unlike wasps, which may sting several times, a honeybee can only sting once before dying. For a bee, stinging is suicide. What makes honeybees sting? Vibration and exhaust from traffic and power equipment, as well as swatting at them By orienting the hive away from pedestrian traffic and creating a fence to drive bees onto an upward flight path, you can help keep them safe.
Are you willing to put in the effort?
When compared to other hobbies, beekeeping involves the least amount of time. Many beekeepers visit their hives every week to check on the queen's health (based on her egg-laying tendencies) and to troubleshoot mites and infections. More time is required to educate yourself about bees so that you can spot problems and plan maintenance actions.
Do you have the necessary physical strength?
A honey-filled box (from traditional frame hives) can weigh up to 50 pounds.
Yes, you will be stung from time to time.
Wearing protective clothing and properly operating your smoker (which helps quiet the bees) will reduce the danger of stings. Learning to move slowly and methodically around the hive, as well as opening hives only on warm, bright days when the most worker bees are out foraging, all assist to lessen the likelihood of stings. However, all beekeepers are stung from time to time. Furthermore, some beekeepers believe that after a few stings, your reaction (first intense pain, itching, and swelling around the sting site) begins to fade. If you experience a broad reaction (apart from the stung site), such as rapid swelling around the eyes or lips, difficulty breathing, or nausea, you may have a life-threatening bee allergy.
Follow Your Feelings
Beekeeping is a highly local and intimate activity. Not all bee colonies work in the same manner, and not all beekeepers are motivated in the same way. What works for one beekeeper may not work for another. When working with bees, it is necessary to be a critical thinker. If you are a methodical person who enjoys problem-solving, beekeeping is for you. If you simply enjoy nature and recognize the unique qualities of bees and their importance to humans, then beekeeping is for you.
Buy Genuine Beekeeping Suites from Oz Armour UK
OZ ARMOUR Beekeeping Protective Gear is the most popular brand in Australia, New Zealand, and throughout the world as of 2016. The OZ Armor you wear will keep you protected for years to come. Fabrics have been rigorously tested for sting protection and breathability to ensure your comfort. Designed by Australian beekeepers for Australian beekeepers, this brand is proudly Australian.
In support of underprivileged children, Oz Armour donates to charitable causes.