Most Amish farms keep bees. 5-10 hives — standard. Not commercial (though they sell honey). For pollination.
What Bees Give
Honey: 20-40 lbs/hive/year. Wax: candles (without electricity — critical). Pollination: apple, cherry, cucumber yields increase 30-70% near hives.
Without Chemicals
Industrial farms lose bees (pesticides, monoculture). Amish don't. Why? No pesticides. Crop diversity. Blooming roadsides (don't mow — bees need them). Result: healthy colonies, pure honey.