[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by April23

There is no real way to prove that anyone who was stung was stung by the bees from your hive.

You evidently don't know the Morgan family LOL.

[CarlR33]

Please video record the reaction to that question to your agent during your lifestyle visit.

[Pairadocs]

Like others, I have no definitive answers, you really need to call deed restrictions. My "guess", answer is absolutely not. On a brighter note, Florida is truly the land of honey, not only orange blossom honey, but the incredible, rare, (often imported and then mixed with lesser quality honey) Tupelo honey, is harvested not far from the V's, in Wewahitchka, FL (that's where the award winning movie that combined the complex issues of human emotions with the detailed live of bees and honey production, Ulee's Gold, was made). You might enjoy the short trip "out of the bubble" as one of your first after getting settled in. You can even buy honey comb there. You might also just enjoy chatting with the local bee keepers at the weekly farmer's markets in the Villages. Many bring their raw, unfiltered, unprocessed, non commercial honey. Driving the along the river near Wewahitchka in the spring to see the rare Tupelo trees in full bloom (if you've seen the movie, then you've seen what it takes to move the hives to the river bank each spring, amazing !) is another nice drive. My father was a judge and an avid hobbyist bee keeper in south Fl, so the active honey production around the Villages was a priority for me when I moved "up north" here to central Fl...LOL !

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

You are only allowed two pets.

LOL, as the neighbor comes out with their FOUR dogs walking them every day. It's definitely a suggestion, no one pays any attention, and certainly no one has ever been made to give away ANY of their pets.

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by 4$ALE

And I think they have to be under 30 pounds each........

Haven't noticed the villages pet mobile pet scale wagon making it's usual rounds for .... for.... guess it's been about 18 years since I've seen it ? ?

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

I Don't think your neighbors would appreciate
your hobby.

I rarely see honey bee in my area. Not enough honey bees around now. Couple years ago neighbors had queen bee set up hive in irrigation box. I tried for 4 days to find bee keeper to come and get them. No luck, they had them killed, it made me sick cause there was hundred dead bees and honey combs formed.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by April23

There is no real way to prove that anyone who was stung was stung by the bees from your hive.

Our bees not only were named, but had tiny apple air tags, so we knew which field they visited. That way we could properly label the honey as clover and so on

Sorry just had to throw in humor. Family and surrounding community raised bees during the depression, for barter. With farmland available there were over 100 hives, honey was a way of survival. The family cookbook is everything honey.

When we moved to a neighborhood, with one acre lots, 2 hives were moved with us. The tiny 20 acre farm behind us allowed the bees free range. My dad tended the bees until his 70s, then sold them.

I am anaphylactic with all things that sting. So I got to watch hives from the window, but couldn’t play in our yard. Most neighbors had no idea we had hives, but one really needs to be in an area the bees can thrive. In bubble not going to work, outside plenty of open land. I agree the beekeeping club is the way to go.

[gbs317]

Honey bees are definitely a great asset to our ecosystem but, as others mentioned, we live in close quarters here and your neighbors might not want bees buzzing around them. Another worry, and I’m no expert, the chemicals and fertilizers that are used around here are maybe deadly for the bees???
Just a thought, good luck though we do need bees.

[CarlR33]

Originally Posted by gbs317

Honey bees are definitely a great asset to our ecosystem but, as others mentioned, we live in close quarters here and your neighbors might not want bees buzzing around them. Another worry, and I’m no expert, the chemicals and fertilizers that are used around here are maybe deadly for the bees???
Just a thought, good luck though we do need bees.

Good point on the spraying. Both Lake and Sumter county recently did aerial spraying due to the increase in bugs due to the hurricanes. Something you might not see up north. I know they had some advice in the spraying FAQ around what to do with the bee hives during spraying.

[Dotneko]

I thought I saw hives on the non-villages land bordering the enclave. Maybe buy in the enclave and set up with them?

[dtennent]

Sumter county regularly sprays for mosquitoes at night in The Villages. Might want to consider an off campus location for the hives.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Our bees not only were named, but had tiny apple air tags, so we knew which field they visited. That way we could properly label the honey as clover and so on

Sorry just had to throw in humor. Family and surrounding community raised bees during the depression, for barter. With farmland available there were over 100 hives, honey was a way of survival. The family cookbook is everything honey.

When we moved to a neighborhood, with one acre lots, 2 hives were moved with us. The tiny 20 acre farm behind us allowed the bees free range. My dad tended the bees until his 70s, then sold them.


I am anaphylactic with all things that sting. So I got to watch hives from the window, but couldn’t play in our yard. Most neighbors had no idea we had hives, but one really needs to be in an area the bees can thrive. In bubble not going to work, outside plenty of open land. I agree the beekeeping club is the way to go.

Long before DDT and D10 and D11.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I don't mind bees and red wasps coming to pollinate my flowerbed. They don't bother me even while I'm weeding. They fly all around me, but they're "on a mission" and totally not interested in stinging me. Bees, wasps, butterflies, darning needles, dragonflies, all kinds of creepy-crawlies - I saw a couple of things that looked like they might've been baby millepedes the other day under a flowerpot I was moving. Freaked me out to see them there, but as long as they're not crawling on ME - they can enjoy the garden same as everyone else.

I don't think I'd want an entire beehive next door though. I don't have a flowerbed big enough to accommodate the extra growth post-pollination. Though I'm sure the neighbor would love the oregano-honey produced from it. I let my oregano go to flower before I trim it.

[SoCalGal]

Originally Posted by April23

That's exactly what I do here. We work with students - explaining why our pollinators are so important to our food system. I am glad you appreciate that! Great suggestion.

Without bees, there would be no food system.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by April23

Here in Brooklyn, I enjoy Bee Keeping. Planning to join the TV community in the next 12 months. 1-is keeping bees allowed? 2-is there a club for that? Thanks! Nothing better than honey that you harvested yourself!

I read an interesting article in the New York Times about beekeeping in New York. You’re the expert, but I’d hesitate to eat honey made by bees living in The Villages because there is so much pesticide use here, especially on lawns, and there is spraying for mosquitoes.

If you live in a courtyard villa, fenced in, I think you might get away with a hive. However, I’d say your best bet would be a new home the far south of The Villages that backs onto a swamp or at least is near one. The swamps aren’t sprayed for mosquitoes, and there is probably plenty for the bees to gather. If you pay someone to mow your lawn, would the bees be bothered by a loud lawnmower a few feet away?