I finished this a little while ago, but this summer I read Sue Hubbell’s “A Book of Bees” (177 pgs). It was given to me by a professor as a graduation gift in May and I absolutely loved it.

I’m a beekeeper on an organic farm and Hubbell’s book is definitely among the best honey bee books that I’ve read. She writes about maintaining 300+ colonies in the Ozark mountains, where she keeps small clusters of colonies on several farms. The book is a mix of beekeeper information, naturalist writing, apiculture history, and memoir. I really love how she weaves a wealth of honey bee knowledge into her own story about how she became a beekeeper and how she keeps her bees. The book is split into four chapters, organized by season, and goes through the seasonal life of a beekeeping, which I definitely understand. My favorite part is when she talks about the early Spring; when it’s way too cold to open the hive because the bees will freeze but you can’t help yourself from opening the hive bodies because you just want to make sure the bees are okay. It’s a great summer read, even if you’re not into bees or agriculture, and it’s really fueling my passion for honey bees.

@internrachel @julia1