I will not bore you with how to be a Beekeeper because there are so many professional beekeepers online that know how very well. I am going to just tell you the first steps we take to start our hive once the cold weather is gone. Our bees die during the winter from the cold, so we process all the honey and take the boxes inside.

Around the first or middle of May we purchase a cage of bees that contain 1 Queen and 3 to 5,000 bees. 

Pictures

1 Cage with all the bees

2 Opening cage to remove the Queen first

3 Removing strap holding Queen cage

4 Removing the Queen that is in a smaller cage

5 Placing the small cage into the bee box

6 Emptying the remainder of the bees into the box

There is always the question of where you should place the bee box. We have tried different places: one in the wide-open clear space near the neighbor’s apple trees. Another one we placed on the edge of the woods; too much shade creates a problem of mold. The first year we had hives we had an ant problem, so we sprinkled cinnamon on the ground. We do not use poison on our Hobby Farm.

Three weeks later we check the boxes to make sure the bees are working. My son adds the queen excluder and another box on top.

We use honey to sweeten our drinks and replace refined sugar with honey for cooking. We try to stay away from the refined sugar, but it is a challenge to make cakes and sweet bread with honey. My granddaughter loves healthy cooking and is getting very good without using refined sugar in her recipes. Why should we use honey instead of refined sugar.

Healthline.com on the internet states the benefits of using honey.

• You can use a smaller amount of honey without sacrificing sweetness.
• It contains traces of vitamins and minerals.
• Raw honey may help alleviate allergies.
• It may help kill off germs because it has antimicrobial properties.
• When used as a salve in gel form, it may help promote healing of wounds and minor burns.
• It may help ease coughing and sore throats.

In the Bible honey is mentioned 61 times and its meaning is often associated with prosperity and abundance.

Psalm 119:103 reads this way; “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”