The Benevolent Bee

As a hobbyist beekeeper for almost 2 years now, I read any beekeeping book I can get my hands on . No matter how many books I read, I read something new that I did not know in every book I read. I loved this book, and I especially loved the pictures. The pictures say a thousand words. What I learned in this book that I didn’t know was all about pollen, the uses, how to collect, recipes and more about pollen. And I also learned how to make those silicone mold that beekeepers use to make candles out of the wax. This I am going to do. I had no idea these molds could be made so easily, now I can make my own custom molds. And then the recipes, tips and step by step instructions to make lip balm like chapstick and to make body salves, like vicks vapor rub, is priceless. This book takes you through so much knowledge in beekeeping. I highly recommend this book.

This book was fascinating. I've always been afraid of bees, but as a "home farmer" (aka food gardener) I know how important they are for the food we eat. A swarm built a home in my next door neighbor's tree, and a house two blocks away has two hives in their yard, so I've been more curious about what exactly bees do besides pollinate and make honey. Well, this was the perfect book to answer that question.

There's a chapter each on the six things that honeybees produce or provide (honey, wax, pollen, venom, royal jelly, propolis (a kind of resiny glue)), and each chapter includes a section on how bees make the substance, it's historical and current uses, how to harvest it, and recipes for how to use it.

I still don't want to be stung, but I'm less afraid and more in awe of bees now. Considering everything they make and do, and the natural, healthy, nontoxic benefits, I kind of think they might be the most advanced species on the planet.

Great book about Honey , how it is made , how to use honey and its other products in recipes........

As a beekeeper it was great to see what other people are doing with there bees

I love bees. I'm a passionate gardener and beekeeper. I also live on planet earth. I'm saddened and terrified in about equal measure at what we humans are doing to our planet and environment.
I'm a bee missionary and spread the good word about bees and beekeeping to anyone I meet.

The author of this book 'gets it'. Hopefully without sounding completely 'woowoo', I really loved this book's vibe and that she backs up her statements with good reliable sources. Yes, she's enthusiastic about bees and protecting and nurturing them (we all should be), but she backs up her statements with reliable checkable facts.

The book itself is beautifully photographed and has a logical layout. There are 6 main sections about the main bee products: propolis, pollen, honey, royal jelly, bee venom (yes, really!) and beeswax.

Each of the main categories has supporting information which includes a description, historical background, harvesting methods, scientific properties and information, and followed by projects and recipes for each item (with the exception of the bee venom section, there aren't exactly projects for that).

The book is full of lovely clear macro photography of bees and bee products and the prose is beautifully written. This book could have been deadly dull and dry....it's not. She somehow manages to write wonderfully clearly and her enthusiasm for her subject shines through.

There is a reference/supply section at the end of the book which is comprehensive, though (obviously) slanted toward American beekeepers.
The bibliography and index are well laid out, logical and seem to be complete.

I read an ARC/galley and despite that, the formatting was perfect and I didn't find a single editing mistake.

Really superlative book which I intend to buy for my not-yet-beekeeping friends.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.