As a service to our members, we are continually looking to have beekeeping books and information available. The Book Store is open at every meeting for our members and other attendees to browse, and buy any items of interest.
Additionally, we are happy to order any books you are interested in and have them available at the next meeting, or the monthly CDBA mentoring programs. Just let us know and we’ll be happy to arrange for delivery. For further information or to order a book, please e-mail Gary Gates at GGates5114@aol.com .
Do you have a favorite beekeeping related book? Spread the word, send a review to the Gary and we will look at adding it.
Here are some of the books currently available (for a full listing of titles in inventory,visit the CDBA web site book store):
The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore - Hilda Ransome Available for $16.00
The featured book at the March 2010 CDBA meeting, The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore explores the folklore of bees and bee culture from Egypt, Babylon, China, Hittite and other sources as well as the custom and practices of modern England, France and Central Europe. Inside the book you find all sorts of little gems on the customs, folk tales and superstitions concerning bees. For instance, Central Europeans believed that the soul of a person would leave the body as a bee, and began the custom of “telling the bees” of their keeper’s death. Ransome also tracks the swarm ditty (“A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay…”) to both France and the British Isles. It’s an interesting and enjoyable read.
Honeybee – C. Marina Marchese Available for $21.00
A new honeybee book, Honeybee Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese hit the streets this
past October. It’s the story of a woman who left the rat race for after touring a neighbor’s bee yard in Connecticut to find happiness amongst the bees and bee related pursuits. In addition to the “required” chapters on honey bees, setting up the hive, beekeeping throughout history and a year in the life of a beekeeper, Ms. Marches adds some interesting insights and sidelights on her journey into beekeeping. One of the more interesting chapters for me was the chapter on becoming a honey sommelier and the descriptions of the different tastes from varietals honey. Add to the vividly description of the taste, there are also suggestions for “pairing” the different varietals with various fruits and cheeses. Ms. Marchese also discusses the medicinal properties of honey and other hive related products in a separate chapter on apitherapy. All in all a very interesting book that touches on many of the things that brought me into beekeeping. – G. Gates
Plan bee – Susan Brackney Available for $21.00
Plan bee by Susan Brackney is an easy going look into honey bees and the joy of beekeeping. After being foiled in an attempt to raise chickens, Ms. Brackney enters the world of beekeeping and takes us on the journey. In addition to covering the bee basics like who’s who in the hive, essential equipment, a short course on bee anatomy, she provides some gardening tips and even suggestions on fashion wear (bee beard anyone). Ms. Brackney background fits well into this book as she is an expert in sustainability and has published several books and numerous articles.
Beekeeping for Dummies - Howland Blackstone Available for $20.00
If anyone has any experience with the Dummies series of books, you know that the books provide straight forward no nonsense information on whatever they talk about, be it Computer Programming or Cool Careers. Beekeeping for Dummies is no different. The book takes a fun and straight approach on how to manage a hive of honey bees and looks at all the different tools, techniques, medicines and the like. The chapters are laid out in logical order and describe in simple language what to do and what to look for. I was impressed that the section on pest management looks at both the chemical and natural ways of treating the girls, and looks at the positive and negative aspects of different ways offered up in the book. While it’s not a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat all night, it is a great read and an excellent reference book. I especially like the part of tens at the end of the book that present a number of “Top 10″ bee related things to do, from recipes to questions on bee behavior. – G. Gates
Wisdom of the Bees – Erik Berrevoets Available at $16.00
Wisdom of the Beesby Erik Berrevoets looks at the principles for biodynamic beekeeping originally established by Rudolf Steiner through lectures given in 1923. Mr. Steiner focused on the spiritual side of the bees and advocated that one could not impose the thought that animals and plants experience the world as humans do through the five senses, but must understand how the animals relate to the world based on their make up.
Mr. Berrevoets revisits the lectures and notes and provides insight and ideas/suggestions on the natural care of bees, talking about hive make up, feeding, and pest management based on Steiner’s thoughts. Please note this is not a how to book, but a philosophical review with timely tips and hints for the beekeeper to consider.
The Barefoot Beekeeper – P.J. Chandler Available at $27.00
In the same vein as Wisdom of the Bees, P.J. Chandler provides a guide to his view of natural beekeeping through The Barefoot Beekeeper. Mr. Chandler presents a comparison between the “modern” hive and beekeeping practices against the natural hive generated with the use of Top Bar and Warre’ style hives and identifies Barefoot Beekeeping as a philosophy of simplicity of equipment and method.
Why Do Bees Buzz?- Elizabeth Capaldi Evans & Carol Butler Available at $20.00 
Elizabeth Capaldi Evans and Carol Butler continue the Rutgers Animal Q & A series with “Why do Bees Buzz? Fascinating Answers to Questions about Bees” with a very detailed look at questions about bees. The book is divided into eleven chapters each focused on a different segment of bees and beekeeping. Withing each segment is a series of questions related to the topic. In addition to the typical questions (do bees sting, how many bees in a colony?, how does nectar become honey, and how far do bees fly?) there are other topics and special highlighted sections that help add to your knowledge of bees and beekeeping (like how to say honey bee in 40 different languages, and how many references there are to honey or bees in the bible, or who invented the “beehive” hairdo (HINT it was someone from the Chicagoland area)). The book presents scientific information in a very easy to understand presentation. A great book for the reference shelf or just an enjoyable read that can be picked up and read at random spots, you will walk away with some interesting facts. G. Gates