Monday, January 3, 2011

Falling in Love with Bees

A few friends have expressed an interest in bees lately, so I am inspired to show you a bit about how I started keeping bees. I guess it all started with this little darling honey pot my mother gave me about 12 years ago…

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Not long after that she gave me this cute little honey bear wind chime..

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Yes, that is a little indoor “clothesline” type of affair, under the chime. I use it to hang straining cloths, tea balls and other things to dry and be handy to grab:) The chime and the line both hang over my kitchen sink.

These two gifts made me start noticing bees more. The more you notice bees, the more you see and I started collecting a few more bee decorated things and then… my brother Eric gave me these two books

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Sue Hubbell’s Book of Bees, is an excellent book to learn more about bees, and keeping them.  Her book A Country Year, chronicles a year in her life and talks extensively about what  it entails keeping bees, throughout the year.  Her style of writing  is homey and warm and makes you want to know her and start keeping bees! lol

I will be adding more post about beekeeping. I just wanted to get you started with a couple of excellent reads on the subject. You know if you are already interested, bee fever has already struck and it is just a matter of time until, you too will just take the plunge:) I suggest you try to find a local beekeeping organization and go to a meeting. Eric and I started going to meetings and meeting local beekeepers before we got our first hives. Great way to learn more and have a network. Most of the folks that are in our beekeeping group, ended up joining the herb group we formed. I will tell you more about our beekeeping group soon:)

Big herbal and honey hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages

4 comments:

Marcia said...

hey there Leslie, Happy New Year to you ! I fell in love with bees after reading afew books with Sue Hubbel`s `a book of Bees`being one of them. along with `Bees and Honey; from flower to jar` by Michael Weiler, an excellent read by the way, `Honey and Dust` Piers Moore Ede - it helped I worked in a Uni book shop at the time. it was far to easy to order on the net and pay less ! I have a large new and second-hand bee library now with my latest buy being `Natural Beekeeping` by Ross Conrad.
My family and friends buy me honey pots and other `bee` things, oh, and I also have a bee tattoo on my left shoulder - addicted ??? never ..

Comfrey Cottages said...

Oh Marcia, you crack me up! Okay then, not addicted, how about enamored? lol I plan on doing a few more posts about bee books and am so glad you mentioned a few you have enjoyed:) Thank you! I am wanted to read Ross Conrad's book and the other two you mentioned are new to me, so yea, new books to find.:) thanks dear xx Happy New Year to you also:)

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Leslie I will have to check that book out. Did you see that they are offering a class on beekeeping for our Master Gardener continuing ed?

I am going to take it, even if I don't get around to it this year, it doesn't hurt to start learning.

Comfrey Cottages said...

No I didn't see that Stephany! That would be ideal for you to do. Yes, even if you don't do it now, it wil be a good basic for when you do:) I did nothing but read about them ect for 5 years before I got my first hives:)