We’ve already seen one urban beekeeping kit for honey enthusiasts, and recently we came across a handmade variety that’s designed with a particular focus on promoting the health of the bees. The Homestead Hive from Missouri-based Bee Landing is crafted from wood that’s twice as thick as what’s used in most hives so as to better stabilize temperature and humidity for the bees’ health and longevity. The hive’s design also lets the bees choose the size of the cell they make—an important factor in combating the mite problem that has plagued the species, Bee Landing says—and it ensures that enough honey is always left to feed the bees. Floating ends permit quick, easy access to the hive with minimal disturbance to the brood, while an observation window makes it easy to study the bees and check on their progress. Bee Landing offers a 100 percent money-back guarantee on the USD 300 Homestead Hive, and it donates 10 percent of its profits to The Honey Bee Convervancy. Also available is a USD 320 Starter Kit that includes the Homestead Hive along with assorted beginning equipment. There’s still no end in sight to the urban farming trend, and Bee Landing provides a nice upgrade to standard commercial offerings. One to partner with for all the honey-lovers near you…? (Related: Supporting bees by getting beekeepers online — Rooftop beekeeping at Fortnum’s — British supermarket builds bee hotels to help pollinate local crops — Try-before-you-buy urban chicken farming.)

9th August 2010

Email: james@beelanding.com

Website: www.beelanding.com