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"Beekeeping For Dummies"
by Howland Blackiston
Book Review by Jay Gilbertson
Though I would hardly suggest that if you are indeed a beekeeper, that you're a dummy, for me this wonderful book was just the right place to begin a new (and really sticky) hobby. Since author Howland Blackiston has been an actual beekeeper for over 20 years, I felt that alone was enough proof that the guy knows his bees. Boy does he!
The layout of this particular beekeeping guide was the real deal-clincher when trying to find the one-and-only. There's an enormous collection to choose from and since this is truly my first stab at beekeeping, this book laid out a practical foundation. Blackiston takes you through the process from picking up your bees, to setting up a bee apiary (or bee yard), observing your hive from spring through summer, to fall honey harvesting and wintertime's slumber. Of course, Blackiston reminds you, that though the bees rarely leave the hive in the winter, the worker bees are working like crazy to keep the queen warm and make sure her every need is met.
One of the many great surprises about Blackiston's approach was that throughout the book he tosses in a great deal of history as well as oodles of useful hints and advice from just where to put your hive, to different methods of harvesting honey, to properly tucking in your hive(s) for winter. Some of the more interesting facts are that beekeeping has been around for at least 5 thousand years, yet not until October 30, 1851 did the actual practice of beekeeping become a more standardized, and thus teachable, trade/hobby due to a fellow named Langstroth. Reverend Landstroth was the one responsible for devising the interchangeable hives that are still in use today.
As with any all-inclusive guide such as this, there are a few things that disappointed. The main issue I have is that Blackiston doesn't suggest many alternatives to drugs for disease management. I have always been leery of jumping on the medication train especially since I have learned (from local Beekeeping expert; Bee-Bob-Wright) that there are some really successful techniques available. Such as using powdered sugar to rid your bees of the pesky Varroa Mites instead of the more aggressive approach using chemicals such as fluvalinate or coumaphos. With names like that, wouldn't you be a bit apprehensive seeing as everything that goes into your hive, ends up in the honey?
One aspect of beekeeping that Blackiston does really hammer home is the need for more of us (hint, hint) to consider becoming beekeepers. The reason we need more hives is the mysterious onset of the yet-to-be solved issue of CCD or Colony Collapse Disorder. In short, CCD is the strange phenomenon of an entire hive of bees simply--one day for no apparent reason--disappearing. A literal army of apiculture extension specialists, researchers, and government officials has come together to work on CCD.
Here are some numbers to consider as to how dang important bees are to us as gardeners and farmers:
* Apple tree without bees--25 apples/tree--with honey bees--1,200 apples
* Alfalfa without bees--62 lbs. seed/acre--with honey bees--220 lbs. seed/acre
Beekeeping isn't just for dummies, and I don't know about you, but I can't imagine a summer without them.
For more information on CCD research: [...] or [...]
Wisconsin Bee-formation: [...]
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