Beekeeping for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Beekeeping for Dummies...
Review: ... is a good spring board into the world of beekeeping. He explains the set up of the hive, insect and disease problems, tools you may or may not need, etc. But there is little explanation as to why these things are necessary. Also, if you are familiar with the state of the honey bee, you will know that colonies are dying at a rapid rate. Howland's book is slanted toward exploiting bees, and not just keeping them. Miticides, ordering of new queens each year, honey substitutes, and fungicides are the law in this book, and the beekeeping industry are not questioning these practices that are compounding a very serious problem, because they make money off of selling these products. I reccommend reading this book so you can understand hive setup, maintence, tools, etc.. but if you are concerned about your colonies overall health, and the health of the honey bee in general, supplement this reading with Gunther Hauk's "Toward saving the Honey Bee". Amazon does not offer it but you can find it on the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Assoc. website or at Acres USA. Lots of good info, and less harmful ways to handle mites etc.. and great advice on how to improve the overall health of your colony.

Rating:
Summary: A Golden Start
Review: A well-written practical book for the novice beekeeper and for those whishing to recheck their habits, good or bad. It is an easy book to read, the tips are practical, informed and work. I still have not yet found the courage to not use gloves! I would recommend this informative book to all who wish to enter the wonderful world of bee keeping.

Rating:
Summary: A great survey of beginning "bee keeping"!!!
Review: Author Mr. Howland Blackiston does a GREAT job introducing the fascinating hobby of bee keeping. The book is broad and generalized and touches on just about everything, including some well-written in depth detail. Bravo! A "must have" for the begginer! It even has a COLOR inset! Mr. Blackiston promotes his website in his book on several occassions. That is okay though, it is a decent web site even thought the supplies are a bit over priced, sometimes more than a bit. I emailed Mr. Blackiston about this observation and, in his defense, he noted that you CAN get a few "hard-to-find" items there, so I'm sure they would be worth it. The book is a MUST have but shop around a bit before you buy dang near anything online from any site. I have just ordered my first hive kit and I am looking forward to putting Mr. Blackistons good advice to work!

Rating:
Summary: A great survey of beginning "bee keeping"!!!
Review: Author Mr. Howland Blackiston does a GREAT job introducing the fascinating hobby of bee keeping. The book is broad and generalized and touches on just about everything, including some well-written in depth detail. Bravo! A "must have" for the begginer! It even has a COLOR inset! Mr. Blackiston promotes his website in his book on several occassions. That is okay though, it is a decent web site even thought the supplies are a bit over priced, sometimes more than a bit. I emailed Mr. Blackiston about this observation and, in his defense, he noted that you CAN get a few "hard-to-find" items there, so I'm sure they would be worth it. The book is a MUST have but shop around a bit before you buy dang near anything online from any site. I have just ordered my first hive kit and I am looking forward to putting Mr. Blackistons good advice to work!

Rating:
Summary: The Best for Beginners
Review: Being a complete dummie about Bees I was looking for the basics in a how-to book. I have not always been pleased with previous "For Dummies" books but this one is good. It is complete with advice for what you need to start, what is really necessary and what is optional, and how to decide. I am up and running with my bees and owe a lot to this book. When I went to the supplier I knew enough to make educated decisions on what to buy. I bought two other books and they were a waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: Simple, Educational and Entertaining ....PERFECT!
Review: I have been contimplating starting bees as a hobby. I ordered the book and couldn't put it down. The author shares his facination with bees and gives straight forward help on all the questions you have. He even addresses things like fear of bees and how to "sell" your neighbors. I loved it! I ordered a hive, equipment, and bees yesterday and I can't wait until they arrive.

Rating:
Summary: A good read for the new or beginning beekeeper
Review: I would highly recommend this book to the new or beginning beekeeper. It is a very good read and is not nearly as dry or flowerly as several of the books out there on the subject. It does an excellent job of walking you thru the basics of setting up a bee hive and what to look for once your bee hive is populated. It lost a star in my veiw because it does not cover well everything that an experienced beekeeper needs to know and, if you are really a "dummy" beekeeping is not for you.

Rating:
Summary: A good read for the new or beginning beekeeper
Review: I would highly recommend this book to the new or beginning beekeeper. It is a very good read and is not nearly as dry or flowerly as several of the books out there on the subject. It does an excellent job of walking you thru the basics of setting up a bee hive and what to look for once your bee hive is populated. It lost a star in my veiw because it does not cover well everything that an experienced beekeeper needs to know and, if you are really a "dummy" beekeeping is not for you.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I've read 4 beekeeping books, I wish I would have read this one first. It's very readable and easy-to-understand, and contained information the other harder-to-understand technical books never mentioned.

Rating:
Summary: from a beginner beekeeper
Review: I've read 4 beekeeping books, I wish I would have read this one first. It's very readable and easy-to-understand, and contained information the other harder-to-understand technical books never mentioned.