Beekeeping Archives - Gently Sustainable

26MayMay 26, 2021

How to Get Rid of Varroa Mites in Your Beehives without Chemicals

Every created thing has adversaries, and the honeybee is no different. One of the most damaging predators that the honeybee must contend with is the varroa mite. But if you're a chemical-free beekeeper like me, you are always looking for ways to keep your honeybees healthy by natural means, but still get rid of the varroa mites! Today, I want to teach you "How to Control Varroa Mites in Your Beehives without Chemicals". Ever since I became a beekeeper, about 8 years ago, I've been told that you need toxic chemicals to treat varroa mites. However, after many years of research...

By KellyBeekeeping, Homesteading0 Comments

04DecDecember 4, 2019

How to Start Beekeeping

Beekeeping is one of the most challenging, yet fulfilling hobbies I've ever taken on! Are you thinking about beekeeping this year? As a beekeeper for years now, let's chat about "How to Start Beekeeping". I've got some sage counsel for you, so let's dig in. Most of my life, I've been dreadfully afraid of bees. Maybe you can relate. Yet, after moving to our 10-acre homestead, I began to notice an overall lack of bees, butterflies and other insects on our property. Honestly, it was pretty weird. As a kid, I remember seeing all sorts of butterflies and insects! What happened to...

By kmorrisBeekeeping, Veteran0 Comments

24MayMay 24, 2019

The Gently Sustainable “Homestead Planner and Calendar”

I've always kept a planner and calendar. Planners help to keep track of errands, appointments and lists, right? But what about the homesteader? The average planner/calendar has no idea what the homesteader thinks about, plans for, does during the day and needs to keep track of! That's why I created the "Gently Sustainable - Homestead Planner and Calendar"! I love all of the different tools that I get to use on the homestead, from hand tools to tractors. But of all the tools I use everyday, there is one tool that precedes everything I do around here and that's my "Homestead Planner...

By KellyBeekeeping, Canning, Foraging, Freezing, Growing Food, Herbs, Homesteading, Livestock, Preserving Food, Shop, Skill Building, The GardenJournal8 Comments

28AprApril 28, 2019

How to Make Infused Honey

Learning how to make infused honey is really very simple and fun! There are so many possibilities to what you can create! An infusion is simply a drink or extract prepared by soaking the leaves or flowers of a plant or herb in a liquid. That's it! Just like making tea. Infused honey has lots of practical and potentially healing uses! What's so fabulous about infused honey (using raw, local honey) is that you can use practically any herb or spice you like! You can use herbs that you just love the taste of, or use herbs that have specific therapeutic benefits. You can...

By KellyAccomplished, Beekeeping, Growing Food, Herbs, Homesteading, Newbie, Veteran2 Comments

31DecDecember 31, 2018

How Should You Buy Bees? Nucleus Colony VS. Packaged Bees

It's that time of year again! Many beekeepers, new and experienced, will start to look ways to purchase their bees this year. But should you purchase a nuc or packaged bees? I'll try to answer that question in "How Should You Buy Bees? Nucleus Colony VS. Packaged Bees". You can find bees for sale all over Craigslist, Facebook and the like, if you're having trouble finding bees for sale, look under beekeeping clubs on Facebook, there should be listings there. However, the question will quickly become whether you should purchase your bees in a package or in a nucleus colony. Let's look at...

By KellyBeekeeping, Growing FoodBeekeeping, Nucs vs packaged bees8 Comments

03AprApril 3, 2018

How to Move a Bee Hive

There are times as a beekeeper that we realize that our bee hives might be compromised in their current location. This happened to me and so today I'll explain "How to Move a Bee Hive". Moving a bee hive is simple, as long as you play by the bee's rules. Honeybees are very intelligent. Bees memorize the hive's location by the position of the sun as well as by landmarks. You cannot just pick up a beehive and move it! Beekeeping simply doesn't work this way, and you will ultimately lose your bees. Recently, I decided to relocate my hives...

By KellyBeekeepingMove Bee HiveComments Off

07DecDecember 7, 2017

Why I Keep Bees and Why Beekeeping is Important

This ends my fourth year of beekeeping. The bees are safely tucked away in their hives until Spring with plenty of honey to last the winter. My journey into beekeeping wasn't as well planned as I would have liked. I truly wanted to keep bees at some point, but like many of you, I was scared to death of bees! (Just a bit of an obstacle). Wintertime is when I take classes to further my endeavors on the farm, and beekeeping was certainly on that list. I 've read many books and attended many classes about bees. Personally, I initially felt that...

By KellyBeekeeping, LivestockBeekeeping2 Comments