Show Me the Honey

A lighthearted, self-deprecating account of one fledgling beekeeper’s misadventures. With wit and warning in equal measure, this informative, refreshingly honest narrative will resonate with any new beekeeper.

When Dave Doroghy's sister gave him 15,000 honey bees as a Christmas gift, his practical knowledge of beekeeping would have fit on the proverbial backend of an Apis mellifera. He spent the next two years learning everything he needed to know to keep that beehive alive and well he attended a beekeeping conference, joined a bee club, and even went to bee school. But bad things still happened—he sustained multiple stings, wasps attacked his hive, he fought an ongoing battle with killer varroa mites, and even lost his queen twice!

In Show Me the Honey Doroghy recounts his often tension-filled misadventures in beekeeping with self-deprecating humour and lightheartedness. Whether it's the impending chaos of transferring tens of thousands of insects to an outyard, the horror of discovering bees on the inside of his beekeeping suit, or just wondering if he will end up with even an ounce of honey for all his efforts, Doroghy shares the joy, the surprises, and the less-acknowledged financial sting of keeping bees. Above all, he relishes in the details of keeping a hive and getting to know the fascinating little creatures that inhabit those mysterious wooden boxes.

My Review

I must admit that I never envisioned becoming an apiarist but I do find the idea of being one intriguing. A friend of mine became very interested in bees several years ago and her excitement did brush off on me. Since, than I have become more interested to learn more about bee keeping.
After reading this book, I have learned so much about what it takes to be an apiarist. It is not as easy as you might imagine. It takes a lot of hard work and lots and lots of patience. As Doug will tell you, the bees became his family.

There were many moments along the way as Doug learned about caring for the bees that many bee lives were lost. From transporting them, to sugar overload, other enemies invading the hives, etc. Yet, every moment was a learning experience by Doug. If you were to ask him if he would do it all over again, he would probably reply " No, I am good. I have now taken up the habit of painting." Just kidding. Anyone looking to become an apiarist should pick up a copy of this book. Show Me the Honey is a "honey sweet" read!