Hi, I'm Alan.
As a sort of a hobby, I've built some good, solidly-made horizontal top bar beehives.
If you're after a well-made, long-lasting hive at a reasonable price, you've come to the right place
Why choose a top bar beehive?
Most beekeepers in the UK use National hives. These are based on the dimensions of a champagne crate and were invented by victorian beekeepers without much consideration of the needs of honeybees.
There are lots of different types of beehives in the world, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
The style I've used is based on beehives used in Kenya, but also popular with natural beekeepers throughout the world.
The top bar design sets out to emulate a fallen hollow log: the sort of place that bees would naturally choose for a nest.
This particular design is a large, solidly-made one, well suited to sheltering bees through cold UK winters.
Working with horizontal top bar hives doesn't require lifting of heavy objects and you need minimal equipment to manage them. They provide a very bee-friendly environment.
They are less productive than a national hive in terms of honey yield from bees, just as free-range chickens in an orchard produce fewer eggs than hens in a battery house.
You can read more about natural beekeeping at the Rose Cottage website.
