We farm folk have been discussing getting some new animals for some time now. Placing a high value on educational animals for our visitors, we have decided that honey bees should be invited to the farm! However, we know that bees take a lot of knowledge and work, so we have found a very skilled person to help us on our way – Art MacLarty! Art runs Three Spartans Apiary here in Frederick County – find out more about his apiary here.
Although the bees haven’t officially moved in yet, we are preparing for their arrival. Up at the garden, we have picked a spot for the hives – somewhere that gets the morning sun, is protected from wind, and has a water source close by. Electric fencing has been installed to deter the bears – and a colorful picket fence keeps visiting children safe from the electric fence!
Art has also brought swarm boxes to attract and catch swarming bees. We have these swarm boxes attached to trees by the pond, the manure pile, and at the chestnut orchard.
Once we have bees housed on our property, Art plans to put up some educational information and photos for us to share with visitors. The info will change with the season to reflect what’s going on inside the hives. We are so excited to incorporate bees into our programming going forward!