This section is challenging for me to write. I keep reminding myself that keeping bees for several years is an accomplishment in itself  I decided to step back from beekeeping, but for some good reasons.

• The weight was difficult for me to lift even though I only had medium supers. I had back surgery about 4 years ago and didn’t want to invite any new problems
• I thought that bees in the proximity of the trees would substantially increase pollination. While that makes sense, I did not find that to be the case.
• Spraying the trees became difficult because I had to time sprays when bees were not active
• I noticed that bees became quite territorial, especially towards the end of the summer. When a hive lost it’s queen, the bees became more agitated and would fly by my face to keep me away from the trees

I loved my time with them and used to sit for long periods watching them work. Paul was an amazingly patient teacher and support when I got started. I will always be glad that I overcame my fear and was able to keep them for several years.