In a world where nearly every process ad been industrialized and consumers can no longer trust most products, more and more people are going DIY. What better way to get in touch with the natural world than to raise your own bees?
It may seem like a daunting hobby to begin, but there are few hobbies more rewarding. Caring for living creatures from the lovely comfort of your backyard is wonderfully common. Especially when those living creatures are so vitally important to the ecosystem we rely on for survival.
In fact, about one out of every three mouthfuls of food we consume is the direct product of bee pollination. Everything from fruits to vegetables, to nuts, and even more, need pollination.
That’s why becoming your own beekeeper is one of the best hobbies you can have. If you need more convincing, check out these 8 reasons why raising honey bees is an excellent hobby.
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1. Your Own Honey
Of course, the first thing people think of when people think of bees is their honey. In addition to being absolutely delicious, it has some magical health properties.
Honey is an essential food for the winter season when the common cold is taking over. It’s antibacterial, so it helps your body fight off infection. What’s a better cold remedy than a cup of hot, herbal tea with a generous portion of honey mixed in?
It’s even better if that honey is fresh from your own honeycombs. They say that nothing tastes better than what you produce yourself.
2. Your Own Beeswax
Although beeswax is essentially honey that a bee chews up and spits out, it’s really wonderful.
While you can obviously use beeswax to make things like organic candles, it’s even better in skin products. That’s right, you won’t need to spend money on products by expensive brands anymore.
With beeswax, you can make everything from chapstick, to think body butter, to homemade deodorant. If you’re especially entrepreneurial, you can even sell what you create!
3. Your Own Royal Jelly
Okay, so honey bees secrete a lot of mystical juices from their bodies. It may not sound appetizing, but these substances have an almost mystical effect on the human body. Another one of these substances is royal jelly.
Baby worker bees use this stuff to thrive in their youth. As they age, they stop receiving it and switch to honey, but the queen never does. That’s why she lives 40 times longer than them!
Royal jelly contains these things called flavonoids, which are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory. They also do a lot of other awesome stuff that generally helps human bodies fight and prevent disease.
It can also be used in DIY skincare products that can be sold for big bucks!
4. Your Own Bee Pollen
The list of amazing things that bees create never ends. Next on that list is bee pollen.
The process of collecting these beautiful pellets is a long and intricate one. As bees land on flowers, the pollen sticks to their legs. Over time, their stomachs process this into bee pollen. It’s truly intriguing to examine the transformation pollen undergoes from the time it’s on the flower until it’s made into bee pollen.
Although most people know bees eat honey, they don’t know it’s just for energy. The bees eat pollen to get the nutrients they need.
Again, this stuff is very beneficial to the human body. It possesses valuable characteristics like being anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and a whole much of other anti-things that make it so healthy to consume.
5. Your Own Beebread
But wait, there’s more! There’s beebread.
This substance is something most consumers have never heard of, but it’s yet another thing you can benefit from if you’re raising honey bees.
Sealed in the wax of the honeycomb is a mixture of pollen, honey, and bee digestive fluids. This is known as bee bread. Like the other fascinating substances bees produce, it’s not initially appealing. It’s brownish and has a strange texture, and scientists still don’t fully understand the process behind its creation.
Bees put the pollen they’ve collected in a honeycomb cell and seal it with honey and wax. They create the perfect environment for preservation. It’s captivating to see what these tiny insects can accomplish.
Once you look past the digestive juices, however, you’ll see that beebread is a great product to have in your backyard. You’ll be the healthiest person in your neighborhood by far!
6. Your Own Mead
Speaking of health, you can even get drunk in a healthier way. Mead has been around for 20,000 to 40,000 years. Raising honey bees means you can make your own traditional honey wine!
You will be happy to know that the process is not too labor-intensive. There are only three essential ingredients – honey, water, and yeast. If you get started now, you’ll have your first batch ready well before you can say beekeeping.
7. Your Own Therapy
Many people pick up a hobby like gardening to help manage their stress. Why not do the same with beekeeping?
The time you spend in the outdoors with your hives will help calm your mind and focus it on the task at hand. It’s certainly a form of meditation. The gentle buzzing of the bees is the perfect background noise to settle your mind.
8. Your Own Business
Considering all the fantastic substances your bees will produce, you can easily start your own business.
You don’t have to just limit yourself to selling your honey – you can make everything from skincare products to household products to sell at your local market.
Creating these products also means that you can use them in your own home and save yourself some money on your next grocery bill.
Raising Honey Bees At Home
Raising honey bees is an excellent hobby that helps the environment and has the potential to earn you money.
At EbeeHQ, we not only help professional beekeepers, but amateur ones as well. If you’re interested in learning how to start beekeeping and more particularly how to start a beehive, including the equipment that you will need, then take a look at our resources.
Beekeeping is an amazing hobby, and can quickly turn into a life-long passion. So start Raising honey bees as soon as you can!
Steve's experience in beekeeping is extensive, having managed numerous hives and colonies of bees throughout his career. He is well-versed in all aspects of beekeeping, from hive management and bee behavior to honey production and bee health. Steve is also an advocate for sustainable beekeeping practices, using natural and organic methods to maintain healthy hives and protect the environment.
As a seasoned beekeeper, Steve has also shared his expertise with others by teaching workshops and classes on beekeeping. He is a sought-after speaker and has been invited to speak at conferences and events across the country.
With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Steve is a valuable resource for anyone interested in beekeeping. Whether you are a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out, Steve's insights and advice can help you become a successful and responsible beekeeper.