Indy DIY: No-Hive Ways to Bee-Friendly

Editor’s Note: From raising chickens and goats to knitting a masterpiece to pickling and preserving, we present your ultimate guide to mastering the homespun, do-it-yourself life in Indy. So slip on your gardening gloves, and let’s get dirty. (See all Indy DIY stories here.)

Plant Flowers
Clover, sunflowers, herbs—even weeds—can provide the nectar and pollen needed to keep bee bellies full year-round.

But Forget Pesticides
Chemicals and synthetic fertilizers on your backyard garden or lawn can contaminate bee food.

Save the Swarm
If you stumble upon a colony hanging from your tree branch or doorway, put down the Raid. The Indiana Beekeepers’ Association maintains a directory of beekeepers who will relocate the swarm to a hive, sometimes free of charge.

Support Your Local Bee-Charmer
You’ve heard of farm-to-table, but how about hive-to-jar? Farmers markets are a great place to buy raw, unadulterated honey straight from a Hoosier beekeeper.

This article appeared in the April 2014 issue.