Did you know that Honey Bees communicate where the good pollen is by doing a dance (the “waggle dance”) on the dance floor of the hive? Neither did I until just recently!
That’s been one of the sweet joys of embarking on this honey bee hive adventure. Inspired by friends in other places, by the stunning trend of honey bee hive loss in the U.S., and by the numerous health and holistic benefits of honey and honey products, I decided to start a hive.
I’ve never taken a class, never really learned much of anything (unless you count my kindergarten trip to an outdoor education facility where I learned about honey bees and subsequently journaled about it), but decided, some what on a whim, to give it a go.
What I quickly learned is that one hive of bees can produce 100 pounds of honey! What on earth would I do with 100 pounds of honey? I also learned that starting a hive costs about $500 (a bit more when you factor in other tools and supplies that come later down the pike). Spending over $500 for 100 lbs of honey just seemed like a bit of an overkill. So, I invited friends and others to join me in buying “shares” in the hive. I’ve sold 20 shares–rather quickly, I might add–to help this make a little more sense financially. Plus, as much as I love Winnie the Pooh, man does not live on honey alone! (Unfortunately).
So, this blog is way to keep the other shareholders up to date with pictures and stories. Plus lots of crazy bee trivia that will keep you saying, “No way!” Cause bees are just that awesome. Also, this way shareholders can get an inside look (literally) at our hive without 20 people trying to crowd around and see what our bees are up to, or without me having to open the hive a bunch (which, turns out, sets the work back).
Check back often for updates as we go! All the latest blog posts are on the “Latest Buzz” page. Thanks for buzzing around!