BUSINESS FEATURE
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
HOW TO START A BEEHIVE
Essentials includes hives, frames, feeders, a bee suit, gloves, smoker, a hive tool and a bee brush.
Gather supplies & housing
1
Order bees in the winter. Most beekeepers will receive their bees around April.
Order the bees
2
Introduce the bees to the hive and set out a water-sugar solution until they begin to feed themselves. Bee season typically thrives in spring. The population begins to decline until new bees are born in November.
Set up the hive
3
Andy Knight and his wife, Sandra Knight, own Magnolia Bee & Supply as an extension of their beekeeping hobby. (Photos by Cassandra Jenkins/Community Impact)
Andy shows an example of beeswax.
Magnolia Bee & Supply Husband and wife provide reservoir of beekeeping essentials I n 2012, Texas law made it pos- sible for beekeeping to qualify residents for an agricultural in an interview. “‘I don’t know if it’ll work, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?’”
Monitor the bees
4
SOURCES: ANDY KNIGHT, MONTGOMERY COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
Each colony can hold between 20,000-80,000 bees. He also harvests honey in the summer months and sells small portions in the store. In addition, Sandra won rst place at the Texas Beekeepers Association Annual Honey Show in 2022 for her home- made mead, which is fermented important aspect is patience, Andy said. On average, beekeepers lose between 35%-40% of their colonies each year. “It can be challenging for some,” he said. “Failure is seen as such a negative thing these days, but it’s really the way we learn.” honey mixed with water. For beekeepers, the most
Magnolia Bee & Supply 1010 Magnolia Blvd., Ste. K, Magnolia 281-305-4072 www.magnoliabeeandsupply.com Hours: Wed.-Thu. 6-9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; closed Sun.-Tue., Fri.
valuation on their property taxes. Andy Knight and his wife, Sandra Knight, said they were among the rst residents in Montgomery County to take advantage of the new rule about nine years ago. But what started out as a simple way to reduce taxes turned into a lifelong hobby and a new side hustle. Andy said he created Magnolia Bee & Supply LLC in 2021 and opened his storefront in February 2022 after returning from the Ameri- can Beekeeping Federation. “It was kind of like, ‘You know, I think I want to do this,” Andy said
The shop provides all the basic components and supplies needed for beekeeping at a hobbyist level. Magnolia Bee & Supply’s website also doubles as an educational resource with links, videos and organizations for new beekeepers as well as a place to buy hardware. Andy said he is a member of several beekeeping clubs, including the Montgomery County Beekeep- ers Association, and director of the Texas Beekeepers Association. He said he owns around 18 colonies between his two homes in Magnolia and San Jacinto County.
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TOMBALL MAGNOLIA EDITION • MARCH 2023
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