Beginning Beekeeping is a simple, straightforward approach that gives you the basics to get started with beekeeping, while following a balanced, objective approach that weighs the pros and cons of conventional and organic methodologies. Featuring more than 120 beautiful color photos, this guide will help you will learn how to foster and maintain healthy, vibrant hive colonies, as well as to incorporate the various techniques and practices for keeping bees using conventional as well as more natural practices. In addition, you will learn how to troubleshoot and treat potential hive issues such as swarming, combating common pests, and alleviating other potentially destructive hive conditions. This helpful guide also explores how to create hives that are self-sustaining, with minimal intervention from the keeper. Additional content also covers how to maximize the benefits of a backyard hive for a more vibrant garden as well as rich, bountiful honey harvests. Tanya Phillips, owner of Bee Friendly Austin, is a sideliner beekeeper in Central Texas managing up to 150 colonies. Utilizing her BA in Education, she teaches classes at her apiary in SW Austin and sells raw honey and hive products in several boutique shops in Austin and surrounding Hill Country locations. Her interest in bees started out of simple curiosity and grew to sharing her passion, knowledge, and skills with others through education, community outreach, fundraising for research development, and generating increased public awareness for her beloved bees. Her husband Chuck shares that passion and together they founded a nonprofit that hosts an annual 'Tour de Hives' event to help fund bee research and education. Their apiary has been featured in several film documentaries, TV episodes, editorials, and websites discussing the importance of bees to the global food supply and she is frequently asked to speak as an expert in beekeeping on radio programs and at public events. As the founder of the Travis County Beekeepers Association she served as board President from 2013-2016 and is a graduate of the first Master-Level Beekeeping Course with the University of Montana. Future plans include travel into third world countries to teach beekeeping skills to the local residents and to continue in her quest to help save the world, one bee at a time!
