“Practical beekeeping in this country is in a very depressed condition, being entirely neglected by the mass of those most favorably suited for its pursuit.

This observation is how Langstroth begins The Hive and the Honeybee.

There’s no arguing that the country of America was in a different place when the Reverend first bemoaned the lack of beekeeping, but there’s also no arguing that despite the evolution and industrialization of America, the lack of beekeeping has remained a constant factor. In fact, beekeeping has likely become much less popular than it was then, when many more average folks raised their own food. Clearly, Langstroth was both astute and aware of the issues of his time and endowed with a certain impressive amount of foresight, which is probably why he became known as the “father of American apiculture”.

What Langstroth probably meant was that people with small gardens or land in rural areas were quite capable of installing a colony of bees behind their house and reaping the rewards, but that beekeeping was a bit too complicated at the time for the common man to accomplish this easily. Reasonable. So he built a new kind of hive to enable an Average Joe to keep bees.

You have to wonder if it worked though. These days, anyone can order a pre-built hive box with easily removable wax-coated frames (thanks to the Rev. Langstroth), a kit with a hive tool, smoker and veil or suit, and a package of bees. But still, beekeeping remains “neglected” by those who are most capable of doing it. Got a garden? A roof? That’s all you need. Of course it would be naïve to say that everyone has got the time and money to start up a hive, but we can say that those of us with backyard space are “ favorably suited” to pick up the hobby.

Then what keeps us from beekeeping? Many of us (myself included) suffer from api- or melissophobia, a fear of bees, but I’ve definitely become less afraid as I’ve spent more time with the lovely creatures. Certainly there’s effort involved, and time needs to be devoted to a hive, but Anna and I have worked our schedule around not interrupting the bees too often- they thrive alone, and don’t really need our interference that much. And money? Yeah, it costs, but I would guess 99% of beekeepers would say that the work and the monetary or personal rewards they reap make up for it.

So not to preach or anything, but if you think you’re one of the “mass of those favorably suited” to keep bees-GO FOR IT!!