38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Only Treatment-Free Beekeeping Book, May 11, 2010
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeeping (Mass Market Paperback)
As a relatively new beekeeper interested in natural beekeeping methods I have been searching for a book like this for 2 years. The book is easy to read, very well written and best of all, it contains information that no other book on beekeeping contains. The concise information on small-cell beekeeping, unlimited broodnest, the importance of the microbial environment of the hive, and the general approach of treatment free management methods is all a breath of fresh air in a genre of books that usually advocates for unnecessarily micro-managing our hives and also dumping all kinds of unhealthy chemicals into our hives.
I congratulate the authors on writing a book that I will undoubtedly refer to over and over again as I continue to learn more about bees and beekeeping. I highly recommend this book - especially if you are just getting started with bees.
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Introduction to Beekeeping, May 5, 2010
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeeping (Mass Market Paperback)
What's great about this book is that it explains small cell, foundationless, no treatment beekeeping for beginners. It's the first book, that I'm aware of, to do so. I know from experience that these methods work well. I've also found these natural methods to be a lot less labor intensive than conventional beekeeping. A great book for beginners or for beekeepers thinking of switching over to natural methods.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential guide for *non-chemical* beekeeping ..., August 20, 2010
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beekeeping (Mass Market Paperback)
In an age of Roundup resistant weeds that are out of control in 13 states, staph infections from bacteria which are immune from any treatment and considered *killer* infections which breed in hospitals, and beef/chicken/swine production so dependent on anti-bacterial drugs that the animals are artificially surviving ----- this book offers beekeeping methods FREE OF CHEMICAL TREATMENTS. Bravo!
One chapter in the book, "Managing for long-term success," sums up why this book is different. For those of us who know that putting apistan and terramyacin in hives is just wrong and no longer effective, this book provides an entire management program (many different methods) for keeping bees naturally.
With so many ecosystems, (fisheries, forests, pollinators), crashing or becoming extinct, it's time that we start saving our planet's natural systems so that we might survive as a species. A school child asked a biologist when on a field trip, "What is your favorite endangered species?," and the biologist answered, "human beings."
This is a comprehensive guide for beekeepers who want to have good information about the various practices which allow *sensible* and *thoughtful* beekeeping in an age where solid solutions are required. Get this book and start thinking for yourself about what makes sense for your bees, then implement those methods and start becoming part of the new chemical-free beekeepers. After my first year, I abandoned the use of chemicals and have always felt it was my wisest move in beekeeping. This book provides an overview and methods for being successful without chemicals.
Make your beekeeping healthy - this book helps you get there!
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