A little over a year after breaking ground here at Texas Honey Pot, I am still amazed each time I visit my little bee yard. The excited hum of the bees zooming back and forth doesn’t seem to stop even in the winter months here. On the warmer days, it’s business as usual, just on a smaller scale.

I am pleased to report all three of my initial hives have survived thus far. The remaining winter months will be the last hurdle before the new season starts. My goal is to only buy new packages of bees because I WANT more, not because all of my bees died.

Admittedly, I am a bit nervous to see the outcome of this first year. I chose not to treat my bees for varroa mites. Though a controversial decision, my mite counts during summer and fall were minimal. Only time will tell if I made the right choice. I fully believe that the only path through the dreaded varroa mite onslaught is good genetics.

Nature always finds a way. The strongest will survive without the addition of chemicals to the hive. If my bees weren’t strong enough, why would I want to continue nursing them along in an environment they aren’t built for?

This time next year I may read this and laugh at myself for being such a fool. But this beekeeping thing is a process…a lifetime of learning and finding more questions than answers. That’s how I know I will be able to persevere through mistakes and even the loss of bees. It’s inevitable, but if I learn something from it, none of it will be in vain.

Until next time, friends!