Beekeeping 101: Where Can I Keep My Bees?

By Grant Gillard

Like real estate, one's success in keeping honey bees is based on location, location, location. However, most beginning beekeepers will choose a site that is based on convenience rather than productivity. And a new beekeeper must also deal with nervous neighbors and the fears of potential allergic stings. Thanks to the mysterious disappearance of the honey bees, the general public desires to help the honey bees, just not too close to them. So where can a beekeeper keep bees that is safe and productive? Grant Gillard answers this question for beginning beekeepers as well as those wishing to expand.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Grant Gillard
• Release date: Apr 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458012081

Grant Gillard

Grant F.C. Gillard began keeping bees in 1981 following his graduation from Iowa State University. He started with twenty hives in southern Minnesota and now keeps around two-hundred hives in southeast Missouri where he sells honey at the local farmer's markets. He is a frequent conference speaker, author, husband and father and pastors the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MO. He often blogs at http://expertscolumn.com/users/revgrant1

Book preview

Beekeeping 101: Where Can I Keep My Bees?

Apiary Site Selection for the

Newbee and Hobbyist Beekeeper

By Grant Gillard

Copyright 2011 Grant Gillard

Smashwords Edition

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Initial Perspectives

You, the Beekeeper

Urban Landscapes

Thinking About the Bees

Expansion Opportunities

Opportunities Abound

How I Got Started

Developing and Improved Criteria

Criteria #1: How Many Hives?

Criteria #2: What Kind of Forage Present?

Criteria #3: May I Have Unlimited Access?

Criteria #4: Distance

Criteria #5: Neighbors and the Landlord’s Family

Criteria #6: Record Keeping--No Hive Left Behind!

Factors I Do Not Consider

Other Issues

Conclusion

Introduction:

This book is one of a series of books I’ve published on beekeeping, especially beekeeping for the beginner and small-scale beekeeper. You can view all my titles on my web-site: http://booksforbeekeepers.homestead.com

The interest in beekeeping has grown substantially over the past decade, especially urban beekeeping. And yet the challenge to the bees, and beekeepers, has never been greater, especially for the beginner and hobbyist beekeeper.

This book is about where to place your hives. Technically, we call this decision, Apiary Site Selection. On a less formal basis, this book asks the question: Where should I put my hives? This is a very important question for your bees, for you, the beekeeper, as well as for the safety and well-being of your neighbors. Many cities and suburbs have restrictions on beekeeping, often classifying them as livestock. (Mine are really pets, but that doesn’t seem to cut me any slack with City Hall!).

The secret to successful beekeeping is like the secret to making money in real estate: location; location; location. Where you put your bees will make a difference. Often times, however, we do not choose a site for its honey potential as much as we choose it for our convenience. But there are many factors that will come into play and you must account for public safety as well as your neighbor’s paranoia.

Initial Perspectives:

What I like about bees is how they will take up residence in these funny white boxes we put out in our yard. They will work tirelessly and diligently. And for the most part, they will not bother anyone…unless someone bothers them. And we all know that when someone bothers the bees, the bees are not particularly amenable to ignoring what they perceive