For Lauren Dahl , the journeying to homesteading and beekeeping started in college , when she began use up organic food and speedily realized how expensive it could be . “ I ’d always bonk nature and being outside so I started to examine and develop my own food , ” she recalls . “ I failed epically the first span of years , but I fell in love with it . ”
endure with the finish of homesteading and turn her own intellectual nourishment , Dahl kept steadily increasing the sizing of her garden . “ It ’s been a 15 - year journeying of slowing adding Modern things to homesteading each year , ” says Dahl , who now preside over anorganic farmjust outside of Austin , Texas , and carry the popularThe Living HomeInstagram account .
We speak to Dahl about the benefit of beekeeping and striving to run a zero - wastefulness homestead . We also get into farming as a respite from too much screen time .
Bring on the Bees
A post shared by Lauren Dahl ( @the_living_home )
Dahl ’s adventures in beekeeping begin when she was live in the Santa Monica Mountains realm of California . “ Three ladies went in with me and bought a Milk River cow . We ’d all talked about want to get bee , and one Clarence Shepard Day Jr. one of the ladies told us she ’d ordered us eight bee hive , ” she call back .
Dahl ’s initial dalliance with bee did n’t work out . But as shortly as she and her husband moved to Texas in December 2019 , she total two hive to her soil . “ I did a lot more reading and enquiry , and I ’ve been at that now about a yr , ” she says .
Read more : Consider these thing before getting into beekeeping .
Caring for Bees
When it comes to looking after bee beehive , Dahl reckon that “ from about March to November , it ’s plausibly an 60 minutes every other week ” in terms of employment load .
“ I ’ll occasionally walk by them when coming from the barn and have a look . But it ’s very crushed maintenance , ” she tot .
Benefits Beyond Honey
Along with bring forth honey and being “ amazing pollinators , ” Dahl says one of the biggest joys of keeping bees is the educational element .
“ My kids get in the nettle rash with me , and it ’s by far the most captivating part of homesteading , ” she explains . “ The horses and the milk cow are my favorite , but I could spend hours looking at the bee hive every clock time I open it up . It ’s just astonishing . ”
Beginning Beekeeping
If you ’ve been considering getting into beekeeping , Dahl recommends starting out by check out to see if your local ordinances allow it and then securing two hives .
“ That might go overwhelming . But often if one hive is going downhill you may sort of take resources from the stronger beehive , ” she explains .
study more : Do you know how to study a farm animal feed bag ? This video shows you what to look for .
Striving for Zero Waste
take step to ensure her farm is a toxic - free environment that strives towards zero - waste practices is authoritative for Dahl . As a case in power point , she key out the issue of feed come in in bags .
“ I receive a local feed mill and I buy the vainglorious charge plate drum barrel and they ’ll meet them up for me , ” she enounce . “ So I ’ve eliminated wastefulness from feed bags . ”
Farming to Feel Connected
“ To me it ’s the connectedness to nature , ” says Dahl when inquire what she enjoys and appreciate most about running a homestead and farming .
“ So much of our normal life today is computers and screens . I work on the data processor in the mornings , then I go outside and do shit work or milk the cow . I finger like it hold on me grounded and connect to veridical life . ”
