BEES!!! If you love them and want to give them a home, please check in.

[bvar22]

65. We love the questions.

"Do your bees help local agriculture?"

There IS no local agriculture within their foraging radius, about 3 miles.
We purposely chose a place that had no local agriculture (or neighbors)
because most farmers (and neighbors) use pesticides that hurt Bees.
We live in a very rural part of the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas,
surrounded by national Forest and protected wilderness.

The Bees DO help our fruit trees, berry plants, and melons,
but surprisingly few other veggies.

"Is bee-keeping viable in New England?"

I presume it is.
I know BeeKeepers in Northern Minnesota (this thread ^),
and on the eastern plains of Montana.
I suspect they can survive and thrive in New England.
Check you Local County Extension,
or the phone book for a local Bee Keepers Association.

If they are not viable in New England,
check out my other Dream Job,
a Light House Keeper!

"Can you pat their furry little heads?"

Oddly enough, the answer is YES,
if you are so inclined.
Many Bee Keepers tend their hives bare handed.
We don't. We use gloves,
but domestic Honey Bees in a calm state are surprisingly gentle.
I have held Queens in the palm of my gloved hand,
and once observed a Bee Keeper stroke/pet her Queen bare handed.