Welcome to the club

It's a rare occurrence for me to get any postal mail these days (aside from bills of course), but today I received a "Welcome to the club" letter, complete with my Auckland Beekeepers Club (Inc) membership card!

A few days before this, the first newsletter from the club arrived so now, despite the utter lack of bees or equipment, I'm a paid up, official new member of the local beekeeping club. 
I've already read the newsletter from cover to cover a couple of times, but missed my first club meeting due to galactic bad planning so will have to wait until next year for an extraction day. On the upside, I fully expect to have both bees and gear by then so I may have some practical experience and be a slightly lighter shade of green.. that's the plan at least.

Book Review: From A to Bee: My First Year as a Beginner Beekeeper

Title: From A to Bee: My First Year as a Beginner Beekeeper

Author: James Dearsley

Year: 2013

ISBN: 0857657216 (ISBN13: 9780857657213)

GoodReads Reviews

My Score: 2/5

This may seem like a bit of a harsh score, so let me add some context. 

This is the fifth book I have read on the subject of beekeeping, so I guess I came to the book already equipped with a fair amount of the knowledge that the author discovers during his journey. Because of this I found it hard to read the impending doom into which the author seemed to leap into on almost every conceivable occasion.

If you intend to read this book, go into it looking to be entertained rather than educated. With the background that the book is created from a series of stream-of-consciousness blog postings, the diversions into the authors private (non-bee) life become understandable. When viewed through the lens of James Herriot type escapades, the book becomes an entertaining read.

Wot Spot?

So far, the books I have read are recommending siting ones hive in:

• "dappled shade"
• facing the rising sun
• with an adequate flight path for the bees to fly in and out without disturbing folks
• away from washing lines (as bees poop and drop pollen and generally make a mess of your (and your neighbors sheets)
• away from areas where people play/walk
• away from boundaries where your bees may be affected by spray drift from your neighbors

..and a bunch of other, sometimes contradictory recommendations. 

In an effort to make a best guess as to the most appropriate location for my hive on our property, I've gone completely overboard in trying to figure out, or at least provide others with, the best/most information about where to put things.

Book Review: The Little Book of bees

Title: The Little Book of bees

Author: Karl Weiss

Year: 2002

ISBN: 0387952527 (ISBN13: 9780387952529)

GoodReads Reviews

My Score: 4/5

I actually found this to be a fascinating read. Sure, a lot of the reviews I skimmed through pointed out the technical nature of the writing, but that's kind of the point isn't it?

I liked the fact that the author patiently takes the reader through a review of how species are determined then - once establishing this baseline - takes us on a journey as to the origins not just of our beloved honeybee, but also a number of solitary bees including the incredibly weird bumble bee. 

Book Review: Art & Adventure of Beekeeping

Title: Art & Adventure of Beekeeping

Author: Ormond and Harry Aebi

Year: 1983

ISBN: 0878574832 (ISBN13: 9780878574834)

GoodReads Reviews

My Score: 5/5

Absolutely lovely book by a man who loves his bees. Not so much in the way of a guided HOWTO which is the current fashion, but more as a meandering recital of the authors life as a Beekeeper. Some absolute gems in terms of practical tips to not only maximise your hives production, but also in how to coexist with your bees (and your neighbors).

For me this was more of an autobiography of Ormand and Harrys Aebi in relation to their decades of experience with bees, told in a conversational style. Woven into the story are tip and tricks for keeping bees, and keeping them happy.

Book Review: The Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping

Title: The Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping: Everything You Need to Know

Author: Samantha Johnson, Daniel Johnson

Year: 2013

ISBN: 1610587987 (ISBN13: 9781610587983)

GoodReads Reviews

My Score: 4/5

This book deserves a longer review than the one I am writing, but as someone who has been toying with the idea of urban/backyard beekeeping for a few years, I found this to book to be a delightful introduction to what promises to be an exciting and rewarding hobby. I am yet to buy any gear (or bees), so reading is my only vicarious outlet until next season by which time I hope to convince myself that I know enough to look after 'my girls' well enough.

I would recommend this book for readers in a similar situation, I have come away with a list of questions to pose to the beekeeping association in our region. I'll even be able to understand the answers given, based on the knowledge I have picked up over the pages of this book. While it may not be *everything* you need to know, it certainly covers all the major points of what you *should* know. 

Book Review: Beekeeping For Dummies

Title: Beekeeping For Dummies (2nd Ed)

Author: Howland Blackiston, David Wiscombe

Year: 2009

ISBN: 0470430656 (ISBN13: 978-0470430651)

GoodReads Reviews

My Score: 4/5

Predictably, this was the first book off the pile...  As a veteran of other 'For Dummies' books, I appreciate the layout and purposeful progression of the series, and this book was no exception to the rule. 

The book comes in an easy to read, understandable format and covers almost the full gambit of topics that a beginning beekeeper may need to know from initial questions and concerns, the gear you need, getting and introducing your bees all the way to what to check for and how to treat problems, and a large section on what to do with your impending honey flow, including a crazy amount of recipes.