Keeping Bees [Paperback]

John Vivian (Author), Roger Griffith (Editor), Liz Buell (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1985

Includes advice on: purchasing; equipment; evaluating sites and setting up; building first hives; management; optimum honey production; fascinating bee lore.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This well-illustrated guide introduces the beginner to the fundamental aspects of apiculture, from the construction of the hive, through bee management, honey harvesting and on to candle making. Apiary expense estimates are up-to-date and information on bee diseases and the "Africanization" problem is accurate and current. Aspiring bee keepers striving for self-sufficiency will find this book unique, as it gives directions for the building of hives, frames, and a wax foundation molding press. Bee hobbyists less interested in projects requiring wood working skills would be better served by Rober A. Morse's A Year in the Beeyard ( LJ 4/1/83). Recommended for the general library. Frank Reiser, Biology Dept., Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Beekeepers striving for self-sufficiency will find this book unique." -- Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Williamson Publishing Company (October 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913589195
• ISBN-13: 978-0913589199
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #540,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent fisrt book, December 10, 1999

By 

Keith Benson (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Keeping Bees (Paperback)

This was my first book on beekeeping, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to any beginning beekeeper. I now have some 20+ beekeeping books but this is still my personal favorite. The information on bee diseases is a little old, but the clear concise explanations of all other aspects of small scale beekeeping and his warm writing style more than make up for this. Mr. Vivian obviously enjoys his bees and his affection for them only serves to foster the same in the reader. If you are thinking of beekeeping, or introducing the subject to a friend then this is the book to buy.

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A warm, enjoyable book on beginning beekeeping., March 16, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Keeping Bees (Paperback)

This is the best beginning beekeeping book I've read. John Vivian obviously not only likes bees but has made it a family affair. In such, it is a wonderful book, full of advice, little "tidbits" of experience plus information on all sorts of things not normally covered by beginning bookeeping books--how to build certain structures (i.e., a wax melter), how to extract honey by hand from the comb rather than use the standard extracting machine, etc. As a reader, you come away from the book realizing that beekeeping is an art and one done best when you have a genuine respect (affection?) for the little creatures who labor so hard to make honey.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An abseloutly fabulous book!, May 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Keeping Bees (Paperback)

I have read many beekeeping books, and out of all of them, this is the one I would reccommend. It has very detailed pictures and instructions and smoothy guided me through having a successful hive! The author obiously knows bees very well and has a lot of experience with them. He also shares the "do's and don'ts" of beekeeping.