Question 1

What is treatment free beekeeping?

Accepted Answer

Treatment free beekeeping can be defined in many ways. Treatment free beekeeping to us means we do not put any chemicals in our hives. We do not treat for Varroa mites, a parasite that weakens bees and transmits viruses. This may seem harsh however, in our opinion if wild bee colonies can survive without the intervention of a beekeeper treating for mites, we want the same for our bees. You can read more on our treatment free approach here.

Question 2

Do you feed your bees?

Accepted Answer

We want our colonies to be strong enough to fend for themselves however in certain circumstances we will feed our bees to help them. When we do feed our bees we feed only the highest quality food on the market.

Question 3

How much space do I need to host a hive?

Accepted Answer

A roughly six foot square space is enough room for the hive including space for the beekeeper to work and space for the bees to fly in and out, think of it as a runway.

Question 4

Is it safe for me to host a hive if I have pets and/or children?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we consider children and pets when placing a hive. Keeping the hive a safe distance from dog kennels and children’s play areas is essential.

Question 5

Do I need to do anything for the bees?

Accepted Answer

Planting pollinator friendly plants would help the bees but not always practical for homeowners. The only essential thing hosts need to provide is a water source for the bees. We will cover this in our site assessment, there are several ways to achieve this.

Question 6

What if I decide it’s not working out?

Accepted Answer

If having the hive on your property is not working out please let us know. We will work to remove the hive as quickly as possible according to the host a hive agreement.

Question 7

Will having bees increase the yield in my fruit and vegetable garden?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it has been shown that the yield of fruits and vegetables can increase by about 20% with pollinators on the property.

Question 8

Can I use the host a hive to learn beekeeping?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we have host a hive mentoring programs available.

Question 9

Can I get a refund if I sponsor a hive?

Accepted Answer

Hive sponsorship is nonrefundable.

Question 10

How long does my sponsorship last?

Accepted Answer

Your sponsorship lasts one season. If you would like to renew your sponsorship for subsequent seasons please let us know.

Question 11

Can I sponsor more than one hive?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, once you add the sponsorship to your cart you can increase the quantity to as many hives as you like.

Question 12

What if I need to cancel for a class or tour?

Accepted Answer

Please see our cancellation and refund policy, here.

Question 13

What do I need to bring to the honey tasting?

Accepted Answer

You don’t need to bring anything. We will provide you with water and palate cleansing apples as well as everything you need to have a great experience.

Question 14

How should I dress for the hive tour?

Accepted Answer

It is important that you are comfortable however we do require that you wear boots. We will provide you with a bee suit but we need to make sure your ankles are covered.

Question 15

Will I get stung on the hive tour?

Accepted Answer

It is highly unlikely that you will get stung on a hive tour however we cannot guarantee that. If you have a known bee allergy it is not recommended that you attend a hive tour.

Question 16

Can I bring my kids on the hive tour?

Accepted Answer

Hive tours are suitable for children 10 and up with an accompanying adult.

Question 17

How many people are on the hive tour?

Accepted Answer

We limit the number of people on the hive tours to 8-10. We want everyone to have a positive experience and be able to see easily.

Question 18

How much honey will one hive make?

Accepted Answer

One hive can make 30-100 pounds of honey a year however this is very dependent on the weather and some years there is no harvestable honey.

Question 19

How often do you harvest honey?

Accepted Answer

We usually harvest honey once a year in September, during national honey month. For our specialty honey such as chestnut honey at Nash Nursery, we do a special harvest when the chestnut trees are done blooming.

Question 20

What does raw and unfiltered mean?

Accepted Answer

Raw honey is not heated. Heating honey kills the beneficial enzymes in honey. Filtering honey removes the pollen which has many health benefits. Decker Apiaries produces honey that is not heated and not filtered giving you the best possible honey.

Question 21

Does it harm the bees to harvest the wax and/or propolis?

Accepted Answer

It does not harm the bees to remove wax. It is actually a benefit as wax will harbor the pesticides that the bees encounter when foraging. We have an aggressive harvesting schedule that keeps pesticides low giving you a cleaner product and our bees a healthier hive. Learn more about pesticides and wax here. We are very conservative when harvesting propolis only taking small amounts from each hive. Propolis is very beneficial to the hive so we do not want to take too much. Learn more about propolis here.

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