With the holidays around the corner, it’s high time to start shopping for the beekeepers (or budding beekeepers) on your list! In winter, most beekeepers are restocking the essentials—woodenware and frames—and ordering spring bees. You know, the boring stuff. The predictable things. The necessities. Beekeepers rarely splurge and buy themselves the fun stuff. That’s where you come in! Here’s our official holiday wish list for the beekeeper in your life.
1. A No-Spraying Sign
A no-spraying sign for their apiary and property. Whether an apiary is located on private property, farmland or leased land, honeybee hives are always at risk for being sprayed or having their foraging areas sprayed. I have this one from Beverly Bees: It’s simple, direct, attractive and has weathered the seasons well. If you’re artistic or handy with graphic design, you can make your own.
2. Frame Perch
The frame perch or frame rest is one of my favorite tools to splurge on. You can’t go wrong: If said beekeeper doesn’t have one, it’s a great gift. If said beekeeper already has one, two is even better! They’ll be put to use, I promise. Some are powder coated steel while many are made from stainless steel, such as this one from Mann Lake that’s sturdy and easy to use.
3. Seeds
Most beekeepers don’t realize it until they’re elbow deep in honey, but by becoming beekeepers, they’ve also taken up a bit of a gardening hobby (or at least appreciation for flowering plants). My favorite seeds come from Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds for their selections of open-pollinated, organic and heirloom varieties of flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. They’re the essence of bee friendly!
4. Bee Tees
There’s no shortage of sweet, sassy, funny or witty beekeeping-themed shirts these days. Some of my favorites include:
- I {Heart} My Beekeeper
- The Evolution of Human: Beekeeper Edition
- I Do All My Own Stunts
- A simple comb graphic shirt
5. A Honeypot
Beekeepers rarely buy themselves the nicest honeypot—truth be told, we consume our honey right out of the mason jars we store it in! But that sweet stuff should be treated like the gold it is. Try one of these honeypots:
You can also do a quick search on Etsy to find hundreds of homemade, one-of-a-kind items.
6. Bee Books
We’re a nerdy bunch. Especially in the winter, beekeepers love to read about their charges and learn more. There’s always more to learn while keeping bees. There are two books that are indispensable in my own beekeeping library: Ross Conrad’s Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2013), now in its 2nd edition, and The Beekeeper’s Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Uses (Abrams, Harry N., Inc., 2011), by Richard A. Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch. The latter happens to be a gorgeous book, and would be a stunning gift, wrapped or not.
We hope you find something that you (and your beekeeper) love and will use for years to come.
