Why Add Bees to the Homestead?

The fascinating idea of keeping bees is becoming more popular day after day. With the pollinator population recording a significant decline over the recent years, the beekeeping community is widely encouraging homeowners to invest in apiculture. Getting into beekeeping holds a lot of potential to improve your homesteading ecological diversity and boost food production. As a homeowner, you can engage in beekeeping to produce honey or to protect these insect pollinators. Whether you do it as a hobby or a long-term business, the benefits are unlimited. Here are some reasons why you should start keeping honeybees.

Increasing pollinator diversity

Some species of native insect pollinators such as bees and butterflies are on the verge of disappearing. This is because of the increased use of pesticides and other pollutants that threaten the lives of pollinators. If this trend is not addressed, then it poses a considerable risk to our ecosystems and biodiversity. By providing pollinator habitats and keeping honeybees, homeowners can help avert the looming crisis. Having beehives or boxes in the yard means colonies of pollinators are available to help in plant production- a great way to increase farm yields.  

Producing honey

The reason why most people engage in beekeeping is to produce honey. It provides an extra income stream for homeowners. You can make a decent amount by selling honey and beeswax. However, worth noting is that beekeeping requires a lot of patience as the hive develops. In most cases, beekeepers harvest honey approximately one year after setting up the hives. The good thing is that this local raw honey tastes better and gives you a healthy boost.

Female worker bees spend most of their time making honey, which is preserved in to feed the colony over the winter season. It is, therefore, important to only harvest the right amount, and leave some for their energy and nourishment during seasons of the year when forage is scarce.

Enhancing your health

Raw honey does more than test great. It’s amazingly good for your health. Multiple health studies have shown honey to be very useful for overcoming sensational allergies. It can also help in healing burns, preventing cavities, and a lot more. The medicinal value of honey is attributed to propolis- a sticky, tar-like substance that bees use to seal gaps in the hive. Propolis can help lower blood pressure levels and even kill cancer cells. Another health benefit of honey is that it is a great sweetener.

Educating others

Apiculture comes with unlimited opportunities for learning. If you engage in beekeeping, you have something new to learn every time. To start with, beekeepers learn all about queens, drones, and worker bees. They also dive into the bee’s lifecycle and basic elements that affect hive productivity. As they advance to intermediate and expert beekeepers, they get the opportunity to educate guests and share their knowledge with interested parties. Some bee gardening specialists even host tours, summer camps, and other educational events. After a couple of years, beekeepers can easily identify and manage common bee diseases.

It’s a great way to connect with nature

Engaging in bee farming can be a fun activity that helps homeowners more aware of their surroundings. It makes people appreciate the beauty around them. As a beekeeper, you feel more connected to blooming flowering plants and trees. You understand the need to protect the environment, not only for the good of your bees but for future sustainability.

Beekeeping is a highly rewarding activity that every homeowner should consider starting. The benefits of a thriving colony are two-way- both the beekeeper and the bees enjoy mutual benefits. The beekeeper protects the bees and keeps them healthy while the bees produce honey and pollinate plants. Before starting your beehive, you must seek knowledge from professionals to get a solid understanding of the ins and outs of beekeeping. Homeowners who are well informed have a higher chance of succeeding and enjoying the rewards of beekeeping in the long-term.