Homestead How-To The Basics of Beekeeping
on average, will be stung approximately 50 times in their first year. Obviously, these aren ' t hard and fast numbers, as some will be stung much less, but I think it’ s important to know that it can and will happen at some point.
My husband and youngest son have always been the main ones to tend to the hives, while I largely play the supporting roles. Guess which one of us has developed a severe bee sting allergy? It isn’ t them! This is one of the main reasons I highly recommend investing in the best beekeeping suit that you can afford. This isn’ t intended to scare you, but rather to educate you on the risks.
Keeping your hives away from the busiest areas of your property will prevent many future issues. You wouldn’ t want your children or pets running up on your hives and potentially disturbing them. We also prefer to keep our hives in an area that doesn ' t require any extra grass maintenance; bees will sometimes decide that your lawnmower is a threat to their safety.
Getting Started Right
I feel as if I’ ve only just skimmed the surface of things you should learn about before getting into beekeeping. I could go on with the pollination benefits, the health benefits of honey, the pride that comes from successfully overwintering your bees or even how smart these insects are.
Did you know that bees will actually“ recognize” keepers?
Dive into all the information that you can, whether in books or online resources, before getting started, and you will absolutely feel confident once you acquire your first hive!
28 AcreageLife May 2026 AcreageLife. com