First Lessons In Beekeeping

My spouse and I signed up for a beekeeping workshop targeted at beginners. The registration fee included a copy of “First Lessons in Beekeeping” by Keith S. Delaplane. The book was a very quick read and covered all of the topics continually mentioned, on beekeeping forums as important for beginners. The real benefit of this book is the numerous color photographs that increased my excitement about getting my own bees in a few weeks.

I really liked how the book discussed dealing with pests and diseases. It takes the stance of using chemicals and antibiotics as a last resort. I have read many magazines, websites and books, but many of them too easily recommend the use of chemicals to resolve all sorts of problems. Beekeeping has been around for a very long time and the bees have done fine without the extra toxins. It annoys me that these products are approved and pushed despite not fully understanding their impact on the colony.

I highly recommend that you read this book if you are at all interested in honey bees or beekeeping. Check your library or contact the local beekeeping group before going to amazon (link above). For some reason, people are trying to sell the book for over $50, when it has to be worth less than $30 (workshop registration fee).  I included that link so you can find the ISBN.

The next book on my plate is “The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden” by Kim Flottum. I picked it up at the local home brewing store because it covers a lot more with regards to recipes, candles, wax and has lots of cool pictures.