To oversimplify, it is a safe container with an entrance for the bees and a removable lid made up of multiple side-by-side "bars" (such as long pieces of wood lying across the top). The bees start building their combs from the underside of the bars. Usually, something is added underneath each bar which gives the bees a starter point to hold onto to start building their combs. Some people add grooves underneath each bar for this purpose, others add a v-shaped addition under each bar to help bees begin the process. The top bar hive allows bees to build combs in natural shapes rather than forcing them into the unnatural squares of conventional hives. (Content created exclusively for www.MicroEcoFarming.com.)

The beekeeper simply lifts one of the bars to harvest a honeycomb.

Of course, one needs to learn about natural beekeeping: the life of the honeybee and when and if it's appropriate to harvest without harming the colony.

But when it is in fact time to safely harvest, the process is very simple.

One possible drawback. Honey harvested from the top bar hive isn't centrifuged from the square frames to extract the liquid, so quantity of actual honey can be lower. However, quality of honey can be higher, and it's easy to make products from honeycomb that's not used for brooding.

Small scale farm earns full time income with top bar hives

But don't let its simplicity or "drawbacks" fool you. The top bar hives have also been used by income producing beekeepers. Though they produce less honey, they produce more wax, which can be an advantage if you want to make beeswax products. Les and Beth Crowder, owners of Sparrow Hawk Farm in New Mexico, have earned their full time income for years as beekeepers. They started out with conventional Langstroth hives, but later switched to top bar hives and have been very happy about the switch. People now drive for miles to buy honey from them, and they make beautiful beeswax candles purchased from around the world.

The top bar hive is believed to be thousands of years old and most likely invented in Africa. There is a Kenyan version and a Tanzanian version, explaining why top bar hives are also sometimes called African hives or Kenyan hives. In the earliest versions, beekeepers gathered or cut appropriately sized sticks to use as the bars to lay over open-topped woven baskets. Modern beekeepers who use the top bar hive in temperate climates find ways to better help the hive remain dry and safe from temperate weather. Very severe weather, however, could be an issue when using these hives without added protection.

Type of wood for beehive construction used in natural beekeeping:

While the owners of Sparrow Hawk Farm have used non-toxic 55-gallon drums cut lengthwise as the main hive compartment, many people build these hives from wood. Phil Chandler, author of "The Barefoot Beekeeper," is very experienced with top bar hives and provided the photos of top bar hives for this article.

Here's his advice on the type of wood to use for homemade wooden beehives: "Bees seem to prefer old or weathered wood to freshly-cut, so recycled timber is ideal, provided it has not had any chemical treatments, which could harm the bees. Timber that has been used for building or outdoor projects or industrial use - including pallets - is likely to have been treated with insecticides, so check if you can. Whatever you use, I suggest leaving it exposed to fresh air - but not direct rain - for a week or two before making it into a hive. This way it will acclimatize itself to the outside world and reduce any tendency for followers to jam or boards to crack."

There are favored types of wood to use for hives, as Phil further explains. "Western red cedar is the classic beehive timber, as it needs no paint or other treatment to resist the weather. Cypress, other cedars and Douglas Fir also work well. Beyond this, you should take local advice from your timber merchant, as some local species will be better than others. Avoid oak, which will warp and is very heavy, and elm, which rots too readily."

Enjoy this top bar hive video:

Top bar hive plans & book on natural beekeeping:

We've formed a business affiliate with Phil, and his book, The Barefoot Beekeeper, is an illustrated, downloadable resource on natural, sustainable beekeeping. It gives the fine details into raising bees naturally, working with top bar hives, how and when to harvest honey from these hives, and care for the colony naturally. It comes with a companion free downloadable how-to on building your own top bar hives.
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