In a way, honey is like fine wine or olive oil: the way they are cultivated and even collected makes a big difference. For honey “connoisseurs”, differences in tastes can be noticed not only by what kind of bees are used, but what trees and flowers were planted near the hives and even what type of weather the honey was made in. A hive that was placed near a watermelon field will produce a different tasting honey then one that was stationed near an orange grove. This is why when you go to a speciality store you can find entire rows of honey, all promising different tastes and textures. Of course, while these “connoisseurs” flock to these specialty shops, who is to say that they couldn’t make the honey themselves in their own home. If people have the spare land for it, all you need is a hive full of bees, a quality bee keeping suit and, of course, a trusty beekeeping smoker to make the bees behave!

While some people may have heard of, or even seen a bee smoker in action, very few people actually know how important it is to a cultivating a hive and making honey. A bee smoker allows a beekeeper to safely get to the honey inside of the hive to either harvest it or to check on its progress. Since ancient times smoke has been recognized as a way to calm bees (there is actually a scientific reason for this). In the late 19th century the first handheld bee smoker was developed, a design that hasn’t really changed much since. To generate the smoke, a beekeeper will burn anything from burlap, pine needles, paper egg cartons or punky wood, just as long as it is natural and non-toxic.

Beekeeping smokers can be bought either at specialty bee keeping stores or online. Like most tools, smokers vary in cost, though between $50-$100 is about average depending on the brand and design. It is important to throughly test your smoker before using on bees to know how to use it. While bee keeping suits may protect you from the stings, smokers makes gathering the honey and keeping the bees at bay so much easier.

Of course, before you decide to take up the wonderful world of beekeeping make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. While it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to keep bees and produce honey, you need to know exactly what you’re doing. Thoroughly read up on the process and even consider taking a course or two on it. This will build your confidence enormously.