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The Thinking Beekeeper: A Guide to Natural Beekeeping in Top Bar Hives Paperback – Illustrated, January 1, 2013

by Christy Hemenway (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 213 ratings
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What's the buzz about the growing popularity of backyard beekeeping? Providing habitat for bees, pollinating your garden, and producing honey for your family are some of the compelling reasons for taking up this exciting hobby. But conventional beekeeping requires a significant investment and has a steep learning curve. The alternative? Consider beekeeping outside the box.
The Thinking Beekeeper is the definitive do-it-yourself guide to natural beekeeping in top bar hives. Based on the concept of understanding and working with bees' natural systems as opposed to trying to subvert them, the advantages of this approach include:
  • Simplicity, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness
  • Increased safety due to less heavy lifting and hive manipulation
  • Chemical-free colonies and healthy hives
Top bar hives can be located anywhere bees have access to forage, and they make ideal urban hives.
Emphasizing the intimate connection between our food systems, bees, and the well-being of the planet, The Thinking Beekeeper will appeal to the new breed of beekeeper who is less focused on maximizing honey yield, and more on ensuring the viability of the bee population now and in the coming years.
Christy Hemenway is the owner and founder of Gold Star Honeybees, a complete resource for all things related to beekeeping in top-bar hives. A passionate bee-vangelist and advocate for natural, chemical-free beekeeping, Christy is a highly sought-after speaker, helping audiences to understand the integral connection between bees, food, human health, and the future of the planet.
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  1. Part of series
    Mother Earth News Wiser Living
  2. Print length
    208 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    New Society Publishers
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 2013
  6. Reading age
    16 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    7.5 x 0.58 x 9 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0865717206
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0865717206
  10. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
213 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides comprehensive and practical information on beekeeping. They find it easy to read and well-written. The book covers natural beekeeping, a great way to keep backyard bees.

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Information qualityBook contentReadabilityBeekeeping
63 customers mention "Information quality"61 positive2 negative

Customers find the book provides good information for new beekeepers. They appreciate the practical explanations of the hows, whys, and what ifs. The book provides a thorough description of what to expect as a new beekeeper. It is concise and current, with eloquent language and logic. The author clearly explains the advantages of the Top Bar beekeeping system and the meanings of terms.

"Excellent book, information was laid out clear and concise. Just what I needed to make a solid decision for getting started with top bar beehives...." Read more

"...I would most recommend: clear, accessible, accurate and practical explanations of the hows, the why's, and the what ifs...." Read more

"...I found the book a quick and easy read that gave me a good understanding of top bar hives and keeping honey bees in them." Read more

"...perspective of the overall art of beekeeping and gives lots of little tidbits of information about everything from "avoid cologne when working..." Read more

41 customers mention "Book content"41 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content helpful for beginners. They describe it as a comprehensive, entertaining guide that covers month-to-month tasks. The author covers the basics early on but always provides explanations for her advice.

"Excellent book, information was laid out clear and concise. Just what I needed to make a solid decision for getting started with top bar beehives...." Read more

"...beekeeper or if you're contemplating top bar hives, this book is a must read!" Read more

"...is well written, full of information, a great resource, and a delight to read...." Read more

"...So, as long as you don't need details on these things, this book is pretty great and will set you on your way." Read more

23 customers mention "Readability"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They appreciate the helpful guide for beginners, with a friendly and expert tone. The book provides useful information at a good pace.

"...Other than that, I found the book a quick and easy read that gave me a good understanding of top bar hives and keeping honey bees in them." Read more

"...I learned a lot from this book and my wife is about to read it. Well written with a good pace and all the information you'd ever need to know..." Read more

"...Christy has named it well. It is a thoughtful book that gives you more than just a formula...." Read more

"This book is well written, full of information, a great resource, and a delight to read...." Read more

17 customers mention "Beekeeping"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for beekeeping. It covers natural methods and is a good guide for backyard beekeepers. The author breaks down beekeeping in easy-to-follow terms. However, some readers feel that beekeeping is an art and requires thinking and understanding.

"...(It's a great way to keep backyard bees, by the way: less intrusive that Langstroth systems, and quite consistent with the goal of using minimal &#..." Read more

"...read that gave me a good understanding of top bar hives and keeping honey bees in them." Read more

"...Also good for Long Langstroph hives, teaching left to right beekeeping." Read more

"...Real beekeeping is an art and art requires thinking and understanding and judgement rather than rules and time tables...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Carole West
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent book, information was laid out clear and concise. Just what I needed to make a solid decision for getting started with top bar beehives. I went ahead and purchased her second book. Highly recommend
    Helpful
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  • Chris from Colorado
    5.0 out of 5 stars I love these books
    Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I wrote essentially the same review for Ms. Hemenway's "Advanced Top Bar Beekeeping". I love these books. I've read four or five other books about this method of beekeeping - which were all very good- but THIS is the one I would most recommend: clear, accessible, accurate and practical explanations of the hows, the why's, and the what ifs. It is absolutely outstanding for the new top bar beekeeper. (It's a great way to keep backyard bees, by the way: less intrusive that Langstroth systems, and quite consistent with the goal of using minimal "treatments" for bee problems.) I would highly recommend buying both books - well worth the price if you're investigating keeping bees this way.
    Helpful
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  • P. Breed
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good understanding of top bar hives
    Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Pet peeve - Honey bee is two words not one. Other than that, I found the book a quick and easy read that gave me a good understanding of top bar hives and keeping honey bees in them.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dempsy Winans
    5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Top Bar Hive education tool I have ever seen!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This books is the best I have read about top bar beekeeping. The author does a great job of setting the book up; giving her background and how she became a fan of bees, all the way up to when she got her first hives and eventually began earning a living through her bees. She gives a good perspective of the overall art of beekeeping and gives lots of little tidbits of information about everything from "avoid cologne when working with bees" to why some people prefer to "suit up" when working with their hives while others might choose only a veil but no gloves or other protective gear. I learned a lot from this book and my wife is about to read it. Well written with a good pace and all the information you'd ever need to know about keeping top bar bee hives.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • L.L. Shifflett
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most cohesive TopBar beekeeping
    Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    First 2 years without this book I floundered could not figure out if bees where ahead or behind. After finding this book I know what my bees should be doing and when! Also good for Long Langstroph hives, teaching left to right beekeeping.
    Helpful
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  • Michael Bush
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful and eloquent advice from and for a "thinking beekeeper"
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Until very recently there has been a dearth of books specific to top bar beekeeping and to natural beekeeping. If you have an interest in either or both, this is a book you will enjoy. Christy has named it well. It is a thoughtful book that gives you more than just a formula. Real beekeeping is an art and art requires thinking and understanding and judgement rather than rules and time tables. In the end, of course, this is acquired through experience but Christy lays a good groundwork of understanding while at the same time giving detailed practical advice. It is clear that she has much experience at answering beginner's questions as she anticipated them so well. I love her concise, efficient, yet eloquent use of language and logic. A very useful book that, because of her style, is also very pleasant to read.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • DebbS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks to Christy Hemenway, I no longer feel lost and confused.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The Thinking Beekeeper: A Guide to Natural Beekeeping in Top Bar Hives is appropriately titled. Christy Hemenway not only explains what to do and how to do it, but why you want to do it that way. Where the other books that I've read on beekeeping assume that the reader already knows the jargon, this one clearly explains the meanings of the terms. As a beginning beekeeper, I took away more understanding from this book than the previous three I had read on the subject combined. If you're a beginning beekeeper or if you're contemplating top bar hives, this book is a must read!
    30 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • gaillardia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful
    Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This book is well written, full of information, a great resource, and a delight to read. It is my "go to" book when I have a question, and I have a stack of top bar books. I love the section that gives you an idea of what to do through the first few months of being a beekeeper. It gave me great confidence to get me started.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Diannasaurus
    3.0 out of 5 stars Top Bar Hive Beekeeping
    Reviewed in Australia on June 20, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Its good to find a book on Top Bar Hive beekeeping as there are not many available. This is an introductory book. The author seems to be more a seller of beekeeping equipment, than an experienced beekeeper, but I would still recommend this book.
    Report
  • James B. Gibb
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting book
    Reviewed in Canada on December 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This history of Bee keeping and high bar hives is worth every penny to a novice Beekeeper.
    Report
  • Isabella
    5.0 out of 5 stars Top top bar
    Reviewed in Italy on September 13, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Eccezionale introduzione e guida per chi voglia entrare nel mondo top bar con occhio attento alle problematiche ambientali. C'è anche la versione il italiano.
    Report
  • bae
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great beginner book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book is very helpful and was a good addition to my "library" of beekeeping books. I gained certain insights that were missed in some others that I have read. However the author, like in most of these types of books, is a bit of an evangelist for their style of beekeeping. Read it in company with other books that have differing opinions before making decisions about things like what type of hive to use.
    Report
  • DocBeeBee
    3.0 out of 5 stars pas si bon
    Reviewed in France on November 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    je trouve qu'on est vraiment un cran en dessous de Les crowder ou meme de Phil chandler. Ne parlons pas de Mangum
    Report