By John Voket
I have always kept an eye on practices
homeowners can adopt that will not only improve the value and appearance of
their property, but will also improve their neighborhoods, communities, their
own family's health and the environment.
Perhaps there are fewer things a homeowner can do to impact their property
and their world is to consider housing and maintaining a small beehive.
Why keep bees? Christy Hemenway, author of "The Thinking Beekeeper," and
founder of Gold Star Honeybees in Vermont says there is a bit of magic to
bees.
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| Featured by: Connie Farmer Ray CEO/President Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners |
She says establishing a low-maintenance hive tucked away in the
corner of the yard will enhance the resurgence of a dwindling bee population, while providing robust pollination to flowering plants around one's home and landscape.
corner of the yard will enhance the resurgence of a dwindling bee population, while providing robust pollination to flowering plants around one's home and landscape.
She believes bee Colony Collapse Disorder, as reported in the news recently,
is absolutely connected to toxins being put into the environment. And Hemenway's
solution is her signature top bar hives.
They allow bees to make their own wax without a foundation—a piece of plastic
coated with wax, embossed with hexagons. Some hexagons in the top bar comb are
sized for food storage (honey), while others are for raising young bees.
Hemenway says beekeeping is not labor intensive—owners can spend as little as
an hour a week simply performing inspections.
Her premiere product is the Deluxe Top Bar Hive kit, with every part is
included, down to the glass observation window. All the owner must do is
assemble the hive using a screwdriver and staple gun.
Deluxe Top Bar Hive kits come in the New Englander Model, with its black roof
for colder climates and the Arizona Model, with a white roof, for where it's
warmer. Hemenway's other two top bar hive kits allow for beekeepers who enjoy
the craft of woodworking to be more involved in the process of building their
bees' new home.
She has recently made the Gold Star Top Bar Hive kit plans available as a
.pdf file as well. To learn more about backyard beekeeping, top bar hives, and
more, visit GoldStarHoneyBees.com.
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