Editor’s note:This post was written during the site’s first beekeeping season and captures the anticipation and uncertainty surrounding the arrival of bees. It’s kept as a snapshot of that moment, not as guidance on timing or handling. After weeks of planning, delays, and second-guessing, the day finally arrived. Excitement was high, but conditions were far from ideal. Cold temperatures, cloud cover, wind, and lingering winter weather made it clear that this wasn’t the calm, sunny start that had been imagined. Like many first-time beekeepers, enthusiasm had to coexist with uncertainty. There was a strong desire to get everything “just right” before the bees settled in. Early on, it’s easy to believe that careful staging and preparation can smooth out all the rough edges of starting a hive. Experience tends to show otherwise. Weather rarely cooperates on schedule. Bees arrive when they arrive. Plans adjust whether we want them to or not. Looking back, this moment marked the transition from preparation to reality. Reading, planning, and imagining gave way to observation and patience. Once the bees were present, the focus shifted from anticipation to learning how little control actually exists. The first season of beekeeping teaches quickly that timing is flexible, […]

Editor’s note:This post was written during the site’s first beekeeping season and reflects early expectations around timing, weather, and spring readiness. It’s kept as a snapshot of how unpredictable early-season beekeeping can be. At the time, it felt like everything was lined up—until it wasn’t. Spring had arrived on the calendar, but winter clearly hadn’t received the message. A mid-April storm brought cold temperatures back into the picture and pushed plans back once again. What was expected to be a straightforward start to the season turned into a waiting game. In reality, the delay was probably a gift. Cold snaps and late storms are a reminder that beekeeping follows weather, not schedules. Bees don’t care about dates or plans. They respond to temperature, forage availability, and conditions that support survival. The moisture from the storm helped recharge the landscape, even if it slowed everything else down. Bud damage was a concern, but as with many things in beekeeping, the outcome wouldn’t be clear until much later. Early on, it’s easy to believe that timing everything perfectly is possible. Experience tends to replace that belief with patience and flexibility. Delays happen. Sometimes more than once. And often, waiting turns out to […]

Editor’s note:This post was written during the site’s earliest beekeeping season and reflects first-season thinking around forage and feeding. It’s kept as a record of early decisions and assumptions, not as a feeding or planting guide. Wildflower Aromatic Mix. Wildflower Pollinator Mix. Wildflower Butterfly and Songbird Mix. Wildflower Bouquet Mix. Wildflower Butterfly and Hummingbird Mix. What do you choose? At the time, the answer was simple: all of them. Early in the first season, there was a strong belief that more forage planted nearby would automatically lead to better outcomes for the bees. Ten pounds of each mix went into the ground with the hope that it would quickly turn into a reliable food source once the colonies arrived. Of course, planting does not equal immediate forage. Seed takes time to establish, and early spring offers limited natural food sources in many areas. Trees and early weeds were beginning to wake up, but the landscape was still sparse. Like many beginners, early feeding was used while natural forage was still limited in the surrounding environment. At the same time, it was easy to forget an important reality: bees do not rely solely on what is planted right next to their […]

Editor’s note:This post was written during the site’s first beekeeping season and reflects early thinking around hive placement, forage, and preparation. It’s kept as a snapshot of how yard setup was approached in practice, not as a step-by-step guide. Spring made everything feel suddenly real. Attention shifted from planning to logistics. Where the hives would sit. Where water would come from. What the surrounding landscape could offer. The idea of bringing live bees into the picture changed abstract plans into immediate decisions. Early focus centered on creating the ideal environment. The yard needed to look right, feel intentional, and provide everything the bees might need. That belief led to a heavy emphasis on planting. Rather than choosing a single seed mix, multiple wildflower blends were selected with the hope that diversity alone would guarantee success. Additional perennial plantings followed, all intended to create a welcoming and nutritious space. The area dedicated to the hives and planting covered roughly an acre. At the time, it felt significant. With experience, it became clear that bees do not limit themselves to what is visible or controlled. Their foraging range extends far beyond any single yard, no matter how carefully planned. Much of the […]

Editor’s note:This post was written during the site’s earliest beekeeping season and reflects first-year expectations, uncertainty, and early decision-making. It’s kept as a record of what starting out actually looked like, mistakes included. Beginning in the spring of 2017, the decision to enter the world of beekeeping was made with more enthusiasm than preparation. Ordering a hive online was easy. Opening the box when it arrived was easy. Removing the neatly packed wooden parts was easy. What was not easy was realizing that none of those steps actually prepared anyone for what came next. There were no instructions. Just a pile of parts, a photo online, and the assumption that everything would come together if it looked close enough. The first hive assembly took over six hours. Pieces were installed incorrectly, removed, adjusted, and reinstalled more than once. Some modifications were necessary. Others were simply the result of not knowing better at the time. The second hive went faster. The third faster still. What changed was not the equipment, but the understanding of how much precision actually mattered and how much did not. Experience quickly showed that bees care very little about aesthetics and very much about function. As the […]