Top-Bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee HealthTop-Bar Beekeeping is an offering designed to encourage beekeepers around the world to keep bees naturally by providing beekeeping basics, hive management and the utilization of top-bar hives. In recent years, beekeepers have had to face tremendous challenges, from pests, such as varroa and tracheal mites, to the mysterious but even more devastating phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Yet in backyards and on rooftops all over the world, bees are being raised successfully, even without antibiotics, miticides, or other chemical inputs. More and more organically-minded beekeepers are now using top-bar hives, in which the shape of the interior resembles a hollow log. Long lasting and completely biodegradable, a top-bar hive made of untreated wood allows bees to build comb naturally rather than simply filling prefabricated foundation frames in a typical box hive with added supers. Top-bar hives yield slightly less honey but produce more beeswax than a typical Langstroth box hive. Regular hive inspection and the removal of old combs helps to keep bees healthier and naturally disease-free. Top-Bar Beekeeping provides complete information on hive management and other aspects of using these innovative hives. All home and hobbyist beekeepers who have the time and interest in keeping bees intensively should consider the natural, low-stress methods outlined in this book. It will also appeal to home orchardists, gardeners, and permaculture practitioners who look to bees for pollination as well as honey or beeswax. |
From inside the book
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... such as the McCune Foundation, the Santa Fe Community Foundation, Prosperity Works, Cuatro Puertas, and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture that we were able to see this project through to its completion. We alsothankthe Western ...
... so mygrandfather donned my mother's beeveil andcarefully and fearfully ascended aladder with a handsaw.I was transfixed. Evennow I can remember the sharp scent of thepiñon needles blending with the delicious sourdough scent ofthe ...
... such as willowor bamboo.Ihave even madeahive out of adobe mud. The interior ofa topbar hive mimics a hollow log, and thebees candraw out their combs in whatever manner they choose. The topbar hiveislonglasting and 100 percent ...
... so that they may befilled with honey and culled. The honey is harvested bytaking the wholecomb offthe bar andcrushing it, allowing the honeytodrain outthrough a colander. The bees then have todraw out fresh comb toreplacethe comb that ...
... so these strips usually just end up in the landfill. Duetoalack of resources and time,beekeepers were neglectingto removethem at the recommended time, and insteadwereputting stripafterstrip inside the hive. While Iwas there, broodcombs ...
Contents
Hive Management | |
The Seasons Spring | |
Honey Beeswax and Other Products | |
Evaluating Your Queen | |
ProblemSolving | |
Raising Queens | |
Planting for Bees Trees | |
Conclusion | |
Other editions - View all
Top-bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health Les Crowder,Heather Harrell Limited preview - 2012 |