Conscious Beekeeping is Easy

The Bee Goddess

Conscious Beekeeping is Easy

We do not need to accept the popularized prediction that the bees may soon be extinct. Anyone interested in establishing one or more honey bee colonies in the backyard can do so easily and economically. Perhaps the Bee Goddess is directing us two~leggeds to imitate the honey bees in more than one way! With the efforts of many, like the thousands of bees in one colony, much can be accomplished. The design of the "TOP BAR HIVE" derives from Africa. A New Mexico teacher of this method calls himself a 'peasant beekeeper' ~ even though he manages about 100 commercial colonies. His students surmise that he's a bee who reincarnated as a human....

A commercial-style Langstroth hive

set in a yard of Top Bar hives

typical bee keeping equipment is complex

Top Bar hives can be creatively constructed from materials that you may already have on hand.

Setting up a Top Bar bee hive requires a minimum of equipment which costs less than $200. Here's an estimate of what you need:
$30 lumber for hive
$18 broad rim hat
$18 veil
$ 5 hive tool
$ 7 bee brush
$23 smoker
$100 package of bees

smoke helps calm the hive

The beekeeper sees that her bees are contentedly storing nectar & the queen is laying eggs.

Looking for honey & brood cells.

She gently brushes the bees off their honeycomb.

As a new beekeeper, your spirit may take flight!

This hive is decoratively covered with oil cloth. The honey bees love it!

honey bees are our relatives