I'm Going to Keep Bees..in My Suburban Yard!

Skep

My husband and I have been talking to Neo-agrarian about it, and we think we're going to keep bees too. No, it is not crazy. No, it is not dangerous. The bees are already out and about, you know. By keeping a hive in our yard, we would just be supplying them with a home and they could feel safe and do their bee thing and make honey that they would share with us. OK. We'd take it from them, but we would be grateful and we would be sure to leave plenty for them too.

We will not use a skep as pictured above and was used extensively in Europe for centuries. Although, doesn't that look idyllic in a garden with bees buzzing about? Instead, we will use a top bar system--the bees will make their hives free form hanging down from wooden slats at the top in a box. It's easier to harvest the honey, they make less and we don't need the amount made in larger commercial hives.

Top Bar Hive Filling up With Bees Building Honeycomb

I've already realized some of the health benefits of raw honey and it's pretty darn delicious besides.

I've just looked at this site and it is filled with comprehensive information about Top Bar Hives. There is a lot of information out there. I think we will easily get help with all of this.

Do any of you keep bees? Do you know anyone that keeps bees? What can you tell me about it? What should I keep in mind? How has it worked out for you? How much honey have your bees generated, with how many hives?

Who knew that a suburban yard could be a space of workable, arable land? What says that our yards must only be showcases of stretches of Kentucky Bluegrass and Fine-leaf Fescue and nothing else? Why can't we have bees buzzing in and out of our yard and landing on our strawberry blossoms and raspberry blossoms and echinacea and any other flower in a 3 mile radius? Who thinks our yard has to look the same and serve the same functions as every other yard in our suburban neighborhood in Very-Republican-Town, Illinois?

Says who?