How to Get Started with Beekeeping and Start Raising Bees

This post may contain affiliate links.

There’s been a huge surge in the number of homesteaders interested in or practicing beekeeping as part of their journey to self-sufficiency.

The benefits are multi-fold: You get to enjoy your honey harvest and maybe even sell some, and you get to support one or more honey bee colonies that will positively impact the environment. You may also use the beeswax for homemade candles, salves, lotions, and balms. Raising bees can also be a great learning opportunity for the whole family.

That said, beekeeping also has challenges – from hive pests and diseases to swarms and winter hive loss.  Like most homesteading activities, your best defense against these challenges is learning, and learning can come from many different sources.

This article focuses on what you can do to learn about beekeeping, from when you first consider taking up the practice to when you get your first hive. These steps can help you decide whether you are ready to enter the beekeeping world.

Step 1 – Visit a Beekeeper    

There is no substitute for putting on a bee suit and getting up close to a hive to determine whether you have the inclination to be a beekeeper. 

Talk to a beekeeper about their hobby or business, how much work and time it takes, what they see as the rewards, and how they got started.  Beekeepers have a reputation for collaboration, even if only for self-preservation (diseases can spread, so you don’t want an irresponsible beekeeper in your neighborhood). 

Generally, though, they are happy to help someone else because they care about honey bees!  If you don’t know someone who is a beekeeper, many areas have local beekeeping groups or associations.  They often have mentorship programs or lists of experienced keepers.  Likewise, many public venues like farms, cultural attractions, or schools host hives and may open them to the public.

Step 2 – Read About Beekeeping

Getting your hands on a good book about beekeeping can help to give you an overview of the hobby and an introduction to what is involved in becoming a beekeeper.  While there are many books about beekeeping, I suggest you start with something that doesn’t get too complicated. 

A beekeeping store owner recommended the Future Farmers of America Guide to Beginning Beekeeping when I wanted to get a solid foundation to catch up with my husband. I found it to be an incredibly valuable beginner’s guide.

You might find books on beekeeping at your local library as well, and of course, there are many websites on this topic. For example, Keeping Backyard Bees, which is associated with Mother Earth News, has a wealth of information and a free online newsletter.

Step 3 – Take a Beekeeping Class

There is only so much you can learn from a book or so many times you can tap your mentor for information.  A class in beekeeping gets you into a room with an experienced beekeeper and a room full of people ready to ask questions you might not have even known you had.

More advanced reading, research, and practice will give you a solid foundation to build on later.  Many local extension offices or community education programs, such as beekeeping supply stores, offer introductory beekeeping classes. 

Find one that has a solid reputation and a teacher who knows their stuff.  And ask lots of questions while you have them at your service (without disrupting others, of course)!

Step 4 – Set up your Beeyard

To keep bees, you’ll choose a location where the hives will get some nice southern sun exposure and, ideally, be somewhat shielded from the wind.  You’ll also want to ensure they are not too close to everyday foot traffic, especially if you are in an urban area or have kids. 

Lastly, you’ll need to protect the bees from predators. The most likely predator is a bear, but skunks could also be a problem if you’re in an urban area. The best solution is to build a fence around your bees; this will also keep pests of the human variety away from the hives! 

The best fencing solution we’ve found is a solar powered electric fence we installed ourselves.  You’ll also need to check your local ordinances (or neighbors) to see if you can keep bees in your yard.  If you can’t, you may be able to work with someone who has more property in an allowed location to keep your bees there.

Step Five – Get your First Bee Hive

Obtaining your first hive could be as easy as walking into a beekeeping supply store and purchasing their “beginner’s package,” which might also come with a class or two.  But if you don’t have that resource, find a reputable supply company to help put together your first hive.

To get started, you’ll need the following basic equipment:

A Bee Suit

While experienced “bee whisperers” can maintain their hive with less protection, it is always a safe choice to buy a full bee suit to ensure you don’t get stung if you upset your bees. We recommend a suit with a full hood (or veil) that zips at the collar.

Most full suits also come with gloves, but you’ll also need a good pair of tall boots (rubber boots like these work well).

Hive Parts and Equipment

A typical Langstroth bee hive is made up of a “deep,” which is the bottom box where the bees will reproduce; a “super,” which is a smaller box that fits on top of that for bees to build in; plus a cover and a base.

If you are just beginning, you can often get a starter kit that comes with all of the necessary components to get started.  Betterbee and Dadant are two large beekeeping supply houses.  Betterbee offers a starter kit that also includes a hive tool (which helps you to separate and work with frames), a smoker (which helps to subdue the bees for working in the hive), a beekeeping book, and some gloves and a veil/hood combo. 

You’ll also need a bee “brush,” a soft-bristled brush to help gently move bees out of the way as you work your hive.

Bees

You can start your hive in two ways – with a nucleus colony (nuc) or a “package”. The difference is how far along the colony is when you get it.  A nucleus colony is further along – it has all of the bees it needs to function and usually comes with 5 frames of drawn honeycomb with honey, pollen, and brood in different stages of development. 

A nuc is a small hive ready to expand into more space. A “package” is literally a package of bees with a separate queen ready to be integrated with the workers.  There are no frames of drawn comb or brood in development, so it will take at least 3-4 weeks longer for the hive to get going in the spring, but packages are also much less expensive. 

Keeping Backyard Bees has a helpful article about choosing which to start with.  When looking for bees, you can get local overwintered bees from keepers around you or bees shipped into a distribution location in your area from elsewhere. 

There are various arguments for either route, and we have succeeded both ways.  Talk to your local suppliers to see what they offer and discuss what they think would be best.  You often have to order your bees in January or February for a spring hive, so think about it early!

Step 6 – Network with Local Beekeepers

The beekeeping community is strong in many parts of the US and internationally.  While gardeners often operate independently and occasionally get to know each other through farmer’s markets, beekeepers have formed intentional groups to keep in touch and learn together. 

Joining a local beekeepers’ association allows you to meet both experienced and novice beekeepers in your area.  Many associations offer classes, conferences, and mentor programs that can help you boost your readiness for your first hive or improve your practice later. 

Associations also often keep in touch about local regulations, activities, and diseases that might make their way to your area.  There is never a point at which there isn’t something new to learn, so staying connected to the community will ensure you don’t miss those opportunities.

Best of luck in your beekeeping adventure, and stay in touch with Homestead How-To for future articles on beekeeping practices!