The Buzz of Bees
Beekeeping is both a popular hobby and agricultural enterprise. For people just learning about keeping bees or considering it as an agricultural enterprise, Maine AgrAbility recently developed Bulletin #2021, Why Beekeeping in Maine Might Be a Suitable Enterprise for Persons with Disabilities. This provides a brief overview of seasonal beekeeping tasks and chores, equipment needs and considerations that could be helpful to any person considering keeping bees.
As with any type of farming, physical tasks are necessary. According to Jennifer Lund, Maine State Apiarist, honey bee colonies hit their peak during July, and beekeepers will be lifting filled frames that can weigh more than 10 pounds each. Depending on your specific limitations and goals, there are some ‘off-the-shelf’ assistive tools (AT) and technologies available to make some of the chores less physically demanding. Some examples of these AT items can be found on our website link: The Buzz about Bees – AT for beekeeping.
Reach out to Maine AgrAbility if we can assist you or someone you know.