Here are two more keys to successful beekeeping. If you didn’t see the first three keys, make sure you check those out too, as they are foundational to your beekeeping adventure. Click here to see those keys!
The next two keys are unique in that I collaborated with some of my peers; other beekeepers who have been successful through trial & error. Read and see what they have to contribute to your beekeeping arsenal.
Two more keys to successful beekeeping
Key #4- Patience is Key
Anna Viola-Goodman of Wing Woman Honey will soon be going into her third season keeping bees in the northeast Georgia Mountains. I’ve had the privilege of mentoring Anna, seeing her succeed and face challenges. These challenges are what taught her patience in beekeeping.
Here’s what she has to say…
To be a successful beekeeper is patience. Patience with the bees, patience with yourself. Patience with mistakes. Patience with the weather. After all, we are sorta manipulating nature. And there’s only so much we can do when you manipulate nature.
When you can be patient, you can think clearly and learn from the bees and yourself.
Anna Viola-Goodman
When you make mistakes and things don’t go the way you hoped, patience gives you the chance to think about what to do next time.
Thank you Anna! You can learn more about her and her adventures by following her on Instagram here @beekeeperanna.
Key #5- Make a decision and see it through
This key to successful beekeeping is given by Oklahoma beekeeper Justin Scott of Sweet Stingers who’s been beekeeping for over 30 years.
Justin has earned my respect in his beekeeping methods; he seems to invent his own way and I have come to seek his guidance from time-to-time.
Here is what he has to say about one of the keys to successful beekeeping:
Being firm or being able to make a decision for the better of the colony.
Justin Scott
Wow Justin! What a way to start with such an insightful thought. I have found myself in situations where I didn’t know what to do. I realized that I had to make a decision and simply do it, just like Justin says. He goes on to say,
I see and hear so many beekeepers say ‘there is always next year’, or ‘I can’t kill the queen.’ Mother Nature, sure she plays a role but if the forage sucks in the area, move. If pests are bad, move. Make decisions that will (be) better in the long run even if they are hard.
Justin Scott
So Justin, it sounds to me like you’re saying that part of taking action is first recognizing the situation at hand. What about queens?
…especially when it comes to the queens. If they are failing don’t (always wait) for the bees. Sometimes they will not respond. Sometimes they respond and it’s too late and the colony is going downhill fast. I think that’s why a lot of beekeepers fail.
Justin Scott
And by fail, it means they completely give up beekeeping altogether, failing to learn from the experience. Beekeepers like Anna, Justin and even myself have failed but we learn from those failures in order to succeed.
(The beekeeper) simply won’t make or take the actions needed for the hard decisions to better the colonies. Queens are old but she may have it in her next year (to do better), sorry but it doesn’t work like that.
Too many bees on a location [and] forage is lacking but they (the beekeeper) won’t move because (they) want them to be close to the house. Inaction kills a lot of bees, inaction kills a lot of dreams and inaction kills a lot of businesses.
Justin Scott
I really couldn’t say it any better. This is probably one of the toughest keys to practice but when you do, you suddenly realize the ability and power you have to learn, grow, fail, grow and succeed. Thank you Justin!
Keep your eye out for more keys to successful beekeeping coming soon.
I want to thank my fellow keepers of bees for contributing to the world of beekeeping, to my blog, and to all of my readers.
If you enjoyed these keys and are ready to rock as the best beekeeper on your block, drop me a LIKE and share this article with all of your friends!
Until next time remember,
~Weeds are Wildflowers, let them Bee!~
Jonathan Hargus/Beekeeping collaborator