Honey bees beekeeping can be an enjoyable hobby, but one that requires a lot of patience. The rewards are plenty, which include having a year round supply of fresh honey, and also a natural way to pollinate your own garden to produce more blooms. Of course, there are also financial gains for beekeepers who are serious about turning their hobby into a business.
How Bees Make Honey
There is some truth to the expression, “busy as a bee”, as bees are really hard workers who work continuously to store collect nectar from flowers and make honey. They never stop working and preparing for the time when the flowers will not be in bloom and there will not be enough nectar to collect.
This is one aspect of honey bee beekeeping, which lets one glimpse the life cycle of bees. Bees often live up to about 35 days only, as their wings will often wear out and they will slowly die. The honey that is collected by these hardworking bees is often more than what they need, which the beekeeper can then collect for their own use or to sell.
Honey Facts
Honey actually comes in different flavors and colors, depending on which flowers the nectars were harvested from. Also, the composition of the soil of can also affect the color and taste of the honey. For instance, alfalfa, which grows in alkali soil produces a nectar that gives a white or clear honey. Buckwheat, on the other hand, which thrives in acidic soils can produce a honey that is darker in color. The honey comb that the bees make will also determine the taste and color of honey, which can either be golden yellow, red or sometimes even green.
Making Money Out of Honey
There are two types of honey that can be harvested from bee hives that can make some good profits for a beekeeper. Liquid honey, which is extracted from the hive using honey extractors is the most common type of honey that is usually sold in supermarkets. Pieces of comb can also be sold, which is called comb honey.
This is the honey that comes from the original combs made by the honey and is richer in natural flavors than the liquid honey. It is not strongly preferred for tea or cooking, however.
If you plan to turn your beekeeping hobby into a business, check your state and federal laws related to beekeeping, especially those related to food handling and labeling. You should also consider doing a market study as to where you can sell honey and other bee products.
With these in mind, you can better enjoy your honey bees beekeeping hobby and enjoy honey all year through, or you can also turn it into a profitable business that can give you sweet financial gains as well.