Tara here, and you’ve found Queen Bee Homestead! Located in Western New York, I have been beekeeping for eight years and now I’m expanding into other ventures. Follow along as we build a barn, get some goats, rabbits, and help you learn along with us!
Free Bees by Splitting Hives
Swarms are a great way to get free bees, but if you’re already a beekeeper splits are another great way to increase your numbers! That’s right, you can get free bees by splitting hives! So, What is a Split? A split is a term used when a beekeeper manually takes one beehive and makes it…
Spring into Action!
Everyone loves free, right? Well, spring is in full force here in Western New York and foraging season is upon us! If you’re willing to get your hands a little dirty, there is so much food out there, ready to be grabbed! Morel mushrooms may be one of the most well-known, but they can be…
How to Install a Package of Honey bees
The weather is perfect, your hives are all set up in the perfect location, and it’s almost time to pick up your brand new bees. But wait, how the heck do the bees go from box to hive?? In this post, I will put your mind at ease and explain how to install a package…
How to Get FREE Bees!
That’s right! Want to start beekeeping, but don’t want to spend $150-$200 on bees? It may take a little luck and time, but you can learn how to get free bees! Swarms That’s right, swarms. The key to how to get free bees is swarms. What is a swarm, you may ask? Well, it is,…
Rendering Your Own Beeswax- it’s Easy!
Rendering your own beeswax is easier than you might think! There are expensive gadgets out there that can help the process, but with a little patience, you can do it yourself without spending any extra money! Rendering Your Own Beeswax After processing your honey frames, you will be left with all the cappings. I would…
Keeping BEARS out of Beehives
Bears can really wreak havoc on a beehive, ask me how I know! No matter how good you think they are strapped down, the bear WILL just peel it open. Yes, even the little innocent-looking black bears! So, how do you go about keeping bears out of your beehives? Bears and Bees An iconic duo,…