Almost every Amish farm has hives. Bees give honey, wax, and pollinate.

Hive

Langstroth: wooden box with removable frames. Self-built. 40,000–60,000 bees.

Care

Spring: check survival. Summer: add supers. Fall: harvest, leave 15–20 kg for bees.

Harvest

Uncap, extract, strain. 15–30 kg per hive per year.

Byproducts

Wax: candles, salves. Propolis: antiseptic. Pollination: yields +30–50%.

Start

Bee package $150–200. Hive $50. Pays for itself in one season.