Some years are worse than others for yellow jackets.  I've read and been told that dry years are worse, and that seems true.  Supposedly they are beneficial insects because they prey on pests, but they aren't too beneficial when they sting me and my family, our livestock, and feast on my honeybees.  This is especially bad in the fall, when I can see them overwhelming any defense the bees mount to steal their winter stores of honey and pollen, and carry away their larval young and developed adults.  They will even kill the queen.  The trick is to act against the yellow jackets and not the bees.  This is what works for me.

I consider one of the major drawbacks to homesteading to be losing the ability to take vacations, attend weddings, and other fun things away from the farm.  I know people who burn out on homesteading because of this or never take the plunge into this lifestyle because they aren't willing to give them up.  I am unwilling to give them up.  You can homestead and still get vacations, though it is more work and you're likely not going to be able to take spontaneous trips.  We take at least one family 10-day trip a year.  Here is how we make it happen.