About this time last year, I ordered a copy of The Urban Homestead by Los Angeles residents Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. I wanted to take part in growing or raising some of my own food, but chickens or even dwarf goats are too big to incorporate into our lives. Then I got to the section on beekeeping — this is something New Yorkers could do. You don't need much space and it helps out the planet. To get started, we took a class with the New York City Beekeeper Association in February where we learned about all aspects of beekeeping, and ordered our hive and bees...
Getting the House Hive Ready for the Bees!
Beekeeping on a Brooklyn Rooftop
The class was led by Andrew Cotes and his father Norm. Andrew, a fourth-generation beekeeper, manages the family business, Silvermine Apiary which produces honey sold at various NYC greenmarkets. Norm has been working with bee hives in Connecticut for many years (even working as Martha Stewart's beekeeper). The twelve-hour course went over all aspects of beekeeping. The photos are from our final class when we learned how to build our own hives. Then we were off to put into practice what we had learned!
The hive came in, what seemed like, hundreds of pieces. My friend and I assembled it using nails and wood glue. Then we put the wax foundation into each frame. (This gives the bees a head start on building their home.) Any part of the hive that would be exposed to the elements was primed and painted with two coats of white exterior paint. It was a long process. Luckily, this part only has to be done once. We hope our bees will live in their new home for many years. We pick up our bees on Sunday, so we'll let you know how they like their new home on a Brooklyn rooftop!
If you'd like to be involved in NYC beekeeping, there are two groups that you can join: The New York City Beekeeping Meetup Group and The New York City Beekeepers Association. Both groups offer hands-on activities so even if you don't have space for a hive, you can still work with one.
Currently beekeeping is illegal in New York City. Under Article 161 of New York City's Health Code, honeybees fall under the "wild animal" status along with hyenas, panthers, polar bears, apes... Unlike the other "wild animals" on the list, we're dependent on honeybees for pollination. Luckily, Brooklyn's councilman David Yassky recognizes the importance of the honeybee and supports legislation that will hopefully be passed to legalize beekeeping. To show your support of New York City bees (and their honey!), sign the Legalize Beekeeping in NYC Petition . Serious Eats produced a fantastic video on the importance of beekeeping. To read more about the effort to legalize bees, go to Just Food.
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Melissa Lohman Wild made an EXCELLENT documentary on the subject of beekeeping in Brooklyn. It's called called Rooftop Bees.
http://www.melissalohmanwild.com/film/rooftopbees.html
view bouvier's profile
Backyard beekeeping is all the rage right now everywhere, not just NY. An article in the LATimes on 3/30 talks about the trend in LA.
As far as it helping the planet, there are some skeptics:
From the article: "Will this surge in urban beekeeping beat back CCD (colony collapse disorder) or save California's food supply? Hardly, said Chris Heinz, bee task force liaison for the Almond Board of California.
"It's a good thing, but L.A. beekeepers aren't going to help commercial beekeeping in the Central Valley," she said. "Hopefully, it is good for genetic diversity, but it won't make a significant dent in agriculture pollination."
view LilyC's profile
Awesome, AmyA! I live in a VA apartment, and have been dreaming of getting a hive for years now! Someday.....
view redweather's profile
And in New Zealand! I've been following the Backyard Bee Team on Radio NZ for some weeks now - fascinating listening!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thiswayup/bees
view JoJenks's profile
As someone who is severely allergic to bee stings, I can't say I would be thrilled about a NYC neighbor raising bees on his or her roof. And has anyone considered the liability exposure, particularly given that the practice is currently ILLEGAL?
view YL2008's profile
beekeeping is also being done on the white house lawn :)
view caiti's profile
YL2008 - It's occurred to me. As absolutely charming as this idea is, what are the chances of one's own bees NOT eventually stinging one of the neighbors, given the city's population density?
What has not occurred to me is how you'd explain that one to your co-op board.
Has the NYC Beekkeepers Association or the Meetup group had any experience or advice with this matter?
view MollyNYC's profile
YL2008/MollyNYC,
Honey bees are not aggressive (they will protect the hive to protect the honey, hence the suits, veils & smokers) and chances are if you run into one outdoors its your reaction to them that will cause them to sting you.
Hornets, Yellowjackets and Wasps are aggressive and will sting you, many people who are stung by them assume they've been stung by a honey bee.
view GirlintheLES's profile
Ditto on the non-aggressive. They're essentially domesticated insects. They've been bred for production and docility. Although I wouldn't suggest beekeeping for the allergic, neighbors should be more than safe.
My parents raise bees and 1)fresh honey is amazing, its like a completely different food than store bought. 2)local bees will pick up pollen from local plants and so local honey has some properties that help those of us with seasonal allergies, yay!
view DahliaCactus's profile