I would really recommend getting in touch with your local association. If you get talking to the right person they’ll appreciate your enthusiasm and reticence, and do everything they can to help. Ask if you could come along some day when they’re inspecting a hive…I’m sure theyll let you borrow a suit for an hour. Once you stare into a hive you’ll have very little choice but to pursue it, and there’s nothing particularly difficult if you just want a nice hive or two. You’ll make plenty of mistakes but the bees are resilient
There are loads of books, podcasts etc. This is a great podcast- a master beekeeper guiding an overly enthusiastic beginner. Some of the methods dont really apply here but that’s not the point. There are more academic alternatives if that’s more your style
Don’t let some sniffy knowitall put you off. There are people who’ll tell you its dangerous, that you first need to attend a beekeeping course etc…ignore them, they’re almost certainly useless, heavy handed and deluded.
May/june are the perfect months to start.
Little update to this. Find myself having a few forkfuls of sauerkraut with lunch and dinner everyday and it is definitely helping the bloating and gas issues. After initially gawking at both the smell and taste I’ve grown to really enjoy the latter. I havent been as consistent with chugging pints with spoons of psyllium husks in it but it is fine takk. The rancid smell after a bowl movement is gone which is a plus on its own and as people have mentioned here I actually feel empty and feel relief after going now. Have to just make it part of the morning routine now.
I was on a course of antibiotics for 6 months and that definitely destroyed my gut so that’s what I am working on. Still some obvious signs things are fucked but it is improving I’d like to say. I could eat carbs until I pass out which always lead to eating lots of pasta but things are starting to click that I’d be better off eating quiona or buckwheat which I have begun doing so.
I’ve purchased some nice glassware and bottles and I have some water kefir grains in the post so I’m looking forward to starting to make that and slamming a pint or so a day or whatever I can manage. Dairy has always been an iffy one for my stomach and body so I’m glad a non dairy option is there although there is less info about it.
First batch of water kefir is done. Gave it about 40 or so hours. I used plain brown sugar for the fuel and it seemed to work. Floaty white bits on the top and a good yeasty smell through the cheesecloth. Grains have multiplied and gotten a bit fuller too which can only be good signs of life. I bottled two glass bottles of it with some Naked Mango and other fruit juice and I’ll give that a second ferment to see what’s that like for another 2 days or so. I’ve about a half litre or so plain now. Smells a good bit and tastes slightly yeasty although still a tad sweet which tells me I should have waited the 48 hours. Light brown colour from the sugar but easily drinkable on its own. It’s funny how something as simple and plain as making your own drink would have you a little giddy. No wonder the home brewing of beer and cider caught on.
Her in doors did the processor, she thought she was helping… It was only a trial run anyway but yeah, it will be chopped next time and more ingredients added. I just kept it to salt for the trial run.
I bought a tub of authentic Greek yogurt there at the start of the summer. A tablespoon of said yogurt added to a litre of organic full fat milk takes 24 hours to produce another batch. Its what the yogurt makers amongst us refer to as a ‘heirloom’ strain- you can make one batch from the last batch indefinitely for ever.
