What does handmade pottery have in common with beeswax candles? Where does sustainability come into play? And what do the bees have to do with it? You can read that and much more here: The production of ceramic vessels and objects has an even longer tradition than that of beeswax candles. However, both have one thing in common: They are made of natural materials and are lovingly made by hand. Each piece is unique. Beeswax candles and handmade ceramics have been making a comeback for a number of years as sustainable, resource-saving commodities. Especially today against the background of increasing...

Unfortunately, the varroa mite is a very real threat to the honey bee population. And it's a good thing I didn't know too much about this very tiny but evil parasite before I got into beekeeping or it might have made me think twice. But with some work on the part of the beekeeper, ye can keep these pests at bay. The varroa mite exists only in honey bee colonies. It attaches itself to the bodies of the honey bees and sucks off of them. A large infestation of mites will cause the death of the honey bee colony. For...

All the hard work of my bees culminated in lots of oohs and ahhs as I harvested my first honey at home in the kitchen. From my two hives, I had about 11 full frames of honey. This gave me a total of 12 kg when all was said and done. woo hoo! But it was an all-day process getting to this liquid gold. First, how to get the bees out of the honey super?! Don't forget to have an extra beehive box ready. I removed the frames from the honey super one by one, brushing the bees off as...