Free Honeybees
Want
some honeybees but don't have $200 to start a hive? Everett wrote
in a few weeks ago to give us some pointers on catching swarms.
Every spring, crowded bee colonies decide to split up. The old
queen
makes a new queen to take over her old hive, then she and a bunch of
workers fly the coop. The mass of bees --- a swarm --- heads off
in search of a new hive. If you play your cards right, that new
hive can end up in your backyard, a source of honey for years to
come.
Smart beekeepers put up fliers and contact the local police and fire
departments, alerting them that they're ready to capture swarms.
Everett wrote about his
experience catching swarms on his blog.
If we hadn't gotten in on the extension service grant, we'd definitely
give swarm hunting a shot!
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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.
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