Boston residents can now have backyard beehives, required a $25 permit

[Winny]

If you've ever been interested in having your own beehives for honey production, or just to save the bees, you can do so in Boston now by submitting a $25 permit. A change was made to the city's zoning code last month which now allows beekeepers in Boston neighborhoods. Beekeepers are allowed up to five beehives on their property, they can't be in the front of your yard, or too close to the property line. As well, the beehives cannot exceed six feet tall or 24 cubic feet in size.

If you want to take advantage of this, you'll have to wait a bit as the beekeeping season has already started. But if you're set on jumping in, you can take classes with the The Boston Area Beekeepers Association, as they offer a six week courses in February of each year. Once their courses are done, they get matched with a "Mentor", which is meant to help you get through your next few years.

So, if you live in Boston, will you be taking up this opportunity? Or is this something you can't ever see yourself doing? I hear it's not easy work, so if you're wanting to be a beekeeper, bear in mind that it can be expensive and sometimes back breaking work.

Check out the full story here: WBUR

 

[Jake]

Sweet. Here in Wisconsin we're allowed to have beehives, but if they exceed 10 or more colonies, then a permit will be required, but otherwise here you won't need one right out the gate. It's cool to see Boston jumping into the fray to support it too.

And I'll admit, the $25 fee for said permit isn't bad. I could easily pay that and be on my way.

 

[Nomad]

I don't live in Boston but I like beekeeping, so I believe allowing Boston residents to keep bees in their backyard is certainly great. Bees are very important for food security as they help plant with pollination. Honey is a superfood. But sad thing is honey is also one of the highly adulterated food commercial beekeepers feed bees with sugar. Therefore, by having bees in your backyard, you also get to eat organic honey. The permit requirements also seem to be very simplified.

 

[Jake]

I don't live in Boston but I like beekeeping, so I believe allowing Boston residents to keep bees in their backyard is certainly great. Bees are very important for food security as they help plant with pollination. Honey is a superfood. But sad thing is honey is also one of the highly adulterated food commercial beekeepers feed bees with sugar. Therefore, by having bees in your backyard, you also get to eat organic honey. The permit requirements also seem to be very simplified.

Exactly. Bees are very important, and I think more people should take up beekeeping, especially since there is that worry that the bees are going extent. And I think this is a big step into ensuring more people take up beekeeping.

Plus the honey is a good plus to beekeeping.

 

[Winny]

Exactly. Bees are very important, and I think more people should take up beekeeping, especially since there is that worry that the bees are going extent. And I think this is a big step into ensuring more people take up beekeeping.

Plus the honey is a good plus to beekeeping.

Wasn't there a possibility that bees were going extinct? All the more reason to help raise more so that we can further protect out planet.

Also, we need them for the fight against hornets.

 

[High Voltage]

I always thought beekeeping was a cool, little hobby. I always associated that with rural settings and not a metro like Boston, though. I guess you can do it anywhere.

 

[Fenix]

I'm unable to tell from the article if the class and mentorship are mandatory and part of the permit requirement, or if it's just something that's being offered. I hope it's not mandatory, since we need to encourage people to grow the bee population.