I don’t know why, but I have been wanting to try my hand at beekeeping for a while now. Maybe it’s my new green thumb? Maybe it’s my newly discovered desire to be a pioneer woman? Maybe it’s my love of all living things, big and small? I’m not sure, but I do know that I want some bees.
I think we have the perfect spot for a hive. It is far enough away from the house that we won’t disturb it and it won’t disturb us. It gets plenty of sun. It can’t be seen from the road. Check, check, aaaaaand check!
I know I need to have a better reason than “I want some bees” to take the plunge, so I have put together a Pro/Con list.
Beekeeping Pro's
Beekeping Con's
Honey: Who doesn’t like honey? Not only does it taste good, but there are so many
health benefits to using fresh, local honey. According to Healthline.com, raw honey is
good source of antioxidants, it has antibacterial properties, its used to heal wounds, to sooth a sore throat, and has been known to help with seasonal allergies. I mean, what does honey NOT do?
Learning Experience: Right now, no one in our house knows anything about bees, except that they produce honey and they sting. It sounds so fun to have something we can all learn about together!
Destiny: One step closer to becoming the pioneer woman I was destined to
become.
Pollination: They will give my flowers and my theoretical garden a boost by pollinating everything.
Income: We are always looking for a side-hustle, so maybe if we love it, we could start
selling our fresh local honey!?
Ignorance: We know nothing about bees. Sure, it would be fun to learn about them, but how much of a learning curve is there? What if our bees get sick? What if our bees
leave? What if our bees die?
Protective Clothing: Bee suits. While bee suits can’t be THAT expensive, it sounds like a really hot experience during the summer months.
Cost: What is the start-up cost? I’ll have to buy a bee suit (maybe multiple suits? Do the kids need bee suits?), a hive, the actual bees, and who knows what other supplies are required?
Allergies: I’ve never been stung by anything before and neither has my daughter. What
if Reese or I are allergic to bee stings? I’m not interested in a My Girl situation over
here.
Time: Do I really need something else to take care of? Probably not.
In Conclusion...
… I still want to try my hand at beekeeping.
Hi, I’m Julie the beekeeper! It has a nice ring to it.
I think this is one of those things that you don’t know until you try, and I want to try. Now all I have to do is convince Grant. Wish me luck!
Do you keep bees? If so, what was your experience?
