Welcome to bbhb.blogspot.com.

bb's my other half. I'm hb. We started beekeeping with a swarm of honeybees and a Kenyan (horizontal) top bar hive in 2008. After a couple years, we added a Warré hive, a vertical style top bar hive. The hives did well in our small xeriscaped yard in the suburbs of Denver, CO. We've had lots of fits and starts, not the least of which was my becoming allergic to beestings! Here are two tips, to help you on your journey.

Tip #1: LEARN—Find a Local Mentor & Read, Read, Read

We were fortunate to have Marty Hardison as a neighbor and mentor. I host Marty Hardison's booklet, "The Appropriate Beehive" (and his building plans for the Hardison Hive) on this site. Beginner top bar beekeepers will find it a terrific resource.

Tip #2: All Beekeeping is Local—What that means is changing!

Marty's booklet was originally written for Colorado beekeepers in the '90s. Through decades of beekeeping and observation, Marty has had to adjust for hotter and drier summers, and colder winters. Though he is no longer teaching the craft and I left the state of Colorado, we remain in touch. I hope to have an updated edition of The Appropriate Beehive soon. Use the "Subscribe to Posts" button to be the first to learn when it's available. If you request or have already requested access to the existing PDF, I'll send you the new edition when it's available.

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LAST UPDATE: Sept 2026