Beekeeping - the first step…
Where to start beekeeping
Ever thought about keeping bees but don’t know where to start? Read on for a little help in at least starting your journey on a very interesting hobby. Rather than a how too - which often creates more questions than it answers please see this as the first stepping stone.
In the Uk we have a fantastic network of beekeepers and farmers - and every single one of them (at least the ones we have met) is bursting with positivity and loves spreading their knowledge and love of bees.
If you’re lucky you’ll find someone close to home (often surprisingly close) that may even let you have a look into a hive - and if you are super lucky taste some incredible honey.
Read Read Read.
Find out if Beekeeping is for you - read up and try to understand what it takes to keep bees - you don’t need much but you’ll need various equipment and most of all knowledge about bees to look after them well. There are eleventy-hundred books / blogs all about beekeeping, learning all you can about these glorious little insects can help you start your journey off on the right foot.
Don’t be put off if you live in the city or don’t have much space - lots of land owners, farmers or allotments welcome knowledgeable beekeepers - you get to keep your bees on their land and they get a few jars of honey in return.
Find a Beekeeper or 50
The best resource to start your journey is contacting your local Beekeeping Association. Everyone there was once in your shoes so don’t be afraid you’ll find a group of nice people who will happily help you on your journey - this is the best way to find out all about bees, hopefully, go and visit some and ultimately start keeping them - all under the wing of fellow local beekeepers.
Enjoy
Like all hobbies it can often be as simple or involved as you like - we know lots of ‘hands-off’ beekeepers who just like to see bees do their thing and aren’t interested in honey and we know some that manage huge numbers of hives and produce enough honey to make a living from. Enjoy the journey and where it takes you, they’re incredible tiny insects.