The Thinking Beekeeper: A Guide to Natural Beekeeping in Top Bar Hives

Christy Hemenway

Jan 2013 · New Society Publisher

About this ebook

A beginner’s complete guide to keeping bees in top bar hives, and why.

What’s the buzz about the growing popularity of backyard beekeeping? Providing habitat for bees, pollinating your garden, and producing honey for your family are some of the compelling reasons for taking up this exciting hobby. But conventional beekeeping requires a significant investment and has a steep learning curve. The alternative? Consider beekeeping outside the box.

The Thinking Beekeeper is the definitive do-it-yourself guide to natural beekeeping in top bar hives. Based on the concept of understanding and working with bees’ natural systems as opposed to trying to subvert them, the advantages of this approach include:

·      Simplicity, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness
·       Increased safety due to less heavy lifting and hive manipulation
·       Chemical-free colonies and healthy hives

Top bar hives can be located anywhere bees have access to forage, and they make ideal urban hives.

Emphasizing the intimate connection between our food systems, bees, and the well-being of the planet, The Thinking Beekeeper will appeal to the new breed of beekeeper who is less focused on maximizing honey yield, and more on ensuring the viability of the bee population now and in the coming years.

Mother Earth News Books for Wiser Living Recommendation

“You’ll find information you need here that’s not available anywhere else. Both you and your bees will benefit from Christy’s approach, advice, and philosophy.” —Kim Flottum, editor, Bee Culture Magazine

“A unique and exceptional resource for the beginning beekeeper.” —Marty Hardison, top bar beekeeper, educator and international developmental beekeeping consultant

Ratings and reviews

I am finishing my first year of year of natural beekeeping and this would have been great to have a year ago. An excellent walkthrough of what to do and expect. I will be highly recommending this to those I know who are thinking of getting started!

Learn what works and why you should do it that way. This is the type of book in which the author treats you like you can be the next neighborhood expert!!!

President Donald jr trump

About the author

Christy Hemenway is the owner and founder of Gold Star Honeybees, a complete resource for all things related to beekeeping in top bar hives.A chance encounter with a conventional beekeeper launched her on the road to natural, chemical-free beekeeping. Christy is a highly sought-after speaker, helping audiences to understand the integral connection between bees, food, human health and the future of the planet.