Welcome to The Bad Beekeeper blog and the online shop for Blondie’s Bees & Balms.

I am an urban beekeeper and the proprietor of Blondie’s Backyard Bees & Balms. I have been tending honey bees in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, since 2017, starting with a single colony of Carniolan bees and a Langstroth hive. I sold my first bottle of raw honey in the summer of 2020.

Truth be told, my beekeeping skills have not always been stellar. I have made my share of mistakes caring for these ladies and did not initially understand the breadth of the responsibility. Despite my inadequacies, Mother Nature has prevailed and my bees have thrived. I have become a better beekeeper through hands-on experience, the teachings of a patient group of mentors and membership in a bee club.

My apiary now includes about five hives of bees and I sell raw honey and other bee products from my shop.

I started the blog to keep friends and family in the loop of my journey. Even before inquiring about me, they often ask, “How are the bees?” Their questions make for great topics and my blunders for humorous stories.

Read my initial blog to learn how I got started with bees and why I continue. Subscribe to The Bad Beekeeper to be kept abreast of new posts.

I have also begun writing blog posts for Backyard Beekeeping magazine. To read my posts and learn even more about beekeeping, subscribe here.

One can learn a lot about life through these amazing creatures, who are responsible for pollinating a third of our food consumption each day. There is much to be said for the way they work selflessly and harmoniously for the survival and good of the colony as a whole.

“The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others.”
Saint John Chrysostom