(Newswire.net — March 28, 2014) Lancaster, Pennsylvania — By Gertrude Waters
Scott Tucker is an apiarist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania who sells local honey through farmer’s markets and independent food stores. After thirty-six years of beekeeping, Tucker is now self-publishing a beekeeping manual entitled “Honey Days.”
Tucker commented on his decision to write a book about his profession: “I first got the idea to write a book over a decade ago, but the timing just wasn’t right until now. I actually drafted a couple chapters about five years ago, and then last year I got started working in earnest.”
“Honey Days” covers all aspects of being an apiarist. Everything from obtaining bees and starting a colony, to harvesting and selling honey is included in the book. The book explains different hive designs and their suitability for different beekeeping situations, as well as how to construct hives from raw materials. “Honey Days” also helps new apiarist understand the complexities of swarming and hive reproduction.
“When you have the experience and you get in rhythm with the hive, beekeeping is really very simple,” says Scott Tucker. “But starting out, the world of beekeeping can seem extremely complex. I’m hoping that my book gets a lot of people past the initial hurdles of becoming a successful apiarist.”
According to Tucker, in addition to providing honey and flourishing gardens, beekeeping is becoming ecologically significant. In recent years bee populations have been declining and apiarists like Scott Tucker say that man-cultivated bee colonies can help fight the loss of honeybees.
“The decline in bee populations is perplexing,” says Scott Tucker. “We can assume that part of the problem is a loss of habitat. I believe that beekeepers are becoming an important force for maintaining this important part of the ecosystem.
Scott Tucker says that his book is complete, but is undergoing one final revision prior to publication.