Kim Flottum: First Time Beekeeping

Sustainability Book Chat

It seems like keeping bees should be the easiest thing in the world, but I have learned personally that there is a lot more to it than you might expect. If you have been thinking about getting started with bees, we are talking about some of the unexpected things that every beginner needs to consider before buying their first hive.
Author and beekeeper Kim Flottum is sharing some of the wisdom from his latest book, First Time Beekeeping: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping.
Did you know that if you don't provide water for your bees they might spend way too much time in your neighbor's swimming pool or the dog's water dish? Kim shares tricks for providing water for bees, as well as things to consider before placing your hive. And who knew that skunks love to eat bees?
In this episode, Kim shares tons of wisdom from decades of beekeeping. Don't have a yard? No problem! Kim talks about keeping bees on the roof of your house, as well as things to consider before placing a hive on a high-rise building.
In our conversation, Kim also provides tips on buying bees, using a smoker, and keeping bees without using chemicals.
I really wish Kim's book would have been available before we tried bees the first time. The book contains lots of photos! In addition to all of the things we talked about in this episode, the book also has sections on diseases and pests, as well as details on harvesting honey.
Full show notes here -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/first-time-beekeeping/
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