I’m proud to live in the first nationally recognized Bee City USA. I’ve only recently become a beekeeper but I’m already hooked on these little guys. I first got the bug by watching a great TED Talk:

Then when a friend of mine asked me to be involved with the Organic Growers School here in Asheville it gave me the opportunity to sit in on a Kenyan Top Bar Bee Hive class.

I started with a traditional Langstroth Nuke (5 frames with a queen) but the goal from the beginning was to get the bees into the top bar hive as fast as possible. The learning curve was an interesting one full of experimentation, constant minor adjustments, bear attacks, heartbreak and success all wrapped into one happy hive.

I hope you enjoy the photo gallery and upcoming Top Bar Bee Hive posts to come over the next few years.

Way to go Asheville! Bee City USA

TED Talk About Bees

Organic Growers School Class

The Bear Attack on the Langstroth Hive

Feeding The Bees