Bees are ideal Amish workers: they labor for free, produce valuable product, pollinate the garden.
Hive
Langstroth (standard): boxes with removable frames for inspection and honey extraction. Wooden, modular, standardized for 170 years.
Products
Honey: 20-40 kg per hive yearly. Wax: 1-2 kg (for candles, creams, polishing). Propolis: antibiotic (sells expensively). Pollen: superfood ($20-40/kg). Royal jelly: most expensive product ($100+/100g).
Care
Spring: post-winter inspection, expanding the nest. Summer: adding supers (honey boxes), swarm control. Fall: honey harvest, winter preparation. Winter: insulation, sugar syrup feeding if low on honey.
Economics
Startup: $300-500 (hive + bees + tools). Income: $200-600 per hive yearly (honey + wax + propolis). 10 hives = $2,000-6,000/year side income. Plus: garden yields 30-50% more from pollination.