As One

Hey, folks! Below I posted some videos from TED, which is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas worth hearing about.  Below, are some videos about the honey bee with topics including: Urban Beekeeping, Honey Bee Health, Colony Collapse Disorder, and more importantly, 'Why Are The Bees Disappearing?'

TED is an awesome foundation helping to spread the word about honey bees globally.  Everyone needs to come together as one. As one human race to help one another on a global scale.  I know its hard to forget about global discrimination and segregation.  But, this isn't the time to be badgering one another about race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or political views.  As we waste time constantly stabbing one another in the back and judging people for being who they are, the natural world around us continues to decline.  It's our turn to put a stop to it.  We need to, before it's incredibly too late.  So listen up and make a change.  Nature helps us everyday, in so many ways, its incredible.  Now, we need to help nature.  As we put more resources back into our communities, it helps them grow larger than they've ever been, becoming stronger and naturally more vibrant.  It's too often that we think about ourselves.  Let's change for the better.

"Noah Wilson-Rich founded Best Bees Company in his Boston apartment while getting his Ph.D. at Tufts University. Best Bees supplies gardeners and any other interested parties in the Boston area with beehives, as well as the resources, materials and appropriate consultation for their upkeep. This service is a nontraditional means of raising money for research to improve honey bee health. Profits from installing and managing these honey beehives goes to fund Wilson-Rich's research into bee diseases." 

-Bio courtesy of TED.com 

"Marla Spivak has developed a strain of bees, the Minnesota Hygienic line, that can detect when pupae are infected and kick them out of the nest, saving the rest of the hive. Now, Spivak is studying how bees collect propolis, or tree resins, in their hives to keep out dirt and microbes. She is also analyzing how flowers’ decline due to herbicides, pesticides and crop monoculture affect bees’ numbers and diversity. Spivak has been stung by thousands of bees in the course of her work."

-Bio courtesy of TED.com

"Dennis vanEngelsdorp is Acting State Apiarist for Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture, studying colony collapse disorder -- the alarming, worldwide disappearance of worker bees and Western honey bees."

-Bio courtesy of TED.com

~Nick

Beginners Beekeeping Workshop: Day #2

Yesterday brought a close to the third annual Three Rivers Beekeepers: Beginners Beekeeping Workshop.  It was pretty cool to see all the different knowledge levels of beekeepers in one room. Whether it was going to be their first year keeping bees or their tenth year, a lot of people came to maybe broaden their skills or perhaps just get different perspectives on beekeeping techniques.

With all the reading I've done in my spare time and the movies I've watched, I'd say that I have a pretty good start with my new hobby. April seems incredibly far away at this point and the wait may or may not kill me.  But until then, I will keep reading and studying up, so that I can be the best beekeeper I can be.  Below summarizes the second day of events.

Saturday, February 8th: Day #2 Workshop Topics & Discussions

• A morning "regroup" with a Question & Answer session (coffee and donuts, yesssss!)
• A Beekeeping Video Presentation: 'An Introduction to Beekeeping' by Edward Weiss
• A presentation by Beekeeper Jerry Styczynski entitled, 'What Does It Mean to be a Beekeeper and What is Entailed?' The First Year in Beekeeping
• A presentation by Beekeeper Tim Scheer entitled, 'How to Obtain Honey Bees: Nucleus Colony, Packaged Colony, Swarm Colony'.  This presentation also focused on the different types of honey bees available between races and breeds, as well as what type of hive one should own.
• A presentation by Beekeeper Eugene Makovec entitled, 'Basic Hive Inspection & Solving Common Beekeeping Problems'.  This presentation also covered topics such as how to light and use a smoker, how to use other basic beekeeping tools, and how to make syrup to feed your bees during times of drought or during slow nectar periods.
• A presentation by Beekeeper Tim Fredricks entitled, 'Basic Honey Bee Pests and Diseases'.  This presentation discussed the different types of diseases affecting honey bees such as Nosema virus, American and European Foulbrood, and Chalkbrood.  We also discussed different pests and mites common to the honey bee such as varroa mites, tracheal mites, small hive beetle, wax moths, skunks, bears, etc.
• A presentation by Beekeeper Joe Copeland entitled, 'Managing a Nucleus Colony and Basic Components of Your First Year of Beekeeping'.  
• The workshop ended with another Q&A session, followed by some open discussions.  

This workshop was a pretty awesome experience.  I highly suggest any person even considering keeping honey bees attend a Beginners Workshop, if you can. Most workshops come with a moderate fee, but I assume that's pretty standard ($75 TRB Two-Day Workshop).

However, there were a few things I didn't necessarily like.  First off, if you plan to attend a Beginners Workshop, don't do any type of reading beforehand.  Before I stepped into this two day workshop, I have read three beekeeping books, researched several websites, watched several movies and YouTube clips, purchased most of my equipment including my hive, and even ordered my honey bees.  I felt I would have gotten more of my money's worth if I hadn't done all of that beforehand.  I don't want to sound cocky or anything, but I basically taught myself everything they discussed over the last couple of days.  However, I did get to hear and learn several other techniques and different beekeeping perspectives.  Every beekeeper will tell you, "If you ask ten different beekeepers their opinion on something, you will get eleven different answers."  

Secondly, I wish more beekeeping clubs held their Beginners Workshops in either late Fall or early Spring.  I think it would have been very beneficial to walk out to a live honey bee hive and see the many different responsibilities of the honey bee.  Everyone certainly could have benefited from seeing a basic hive inspection as well.  Even with all the studying and reading that I've done, I've only ever seen a live bee hive in movies and YouTube clips.  I guess I'll just have to wait to see my own colony to get the full experience. 

But, with all that being said, I still very much enjoyed myself.  It was really awesome to get to speak with other people interested in the same weird hobby you're interested in.  It makes you feel less like a Freak of Nature, and more like a normal person! So overall, it was a very splendid experience.

~Nick

Heather Skep Apiaries in Central Europe

Below are a few documentary video clips sent to me by Isabee's Owner, Jane Sueme. Each clip shows the seasonal upkeep and chores of Heather Skep Apiaries in Central Europe.  Skep beekeeping is illegal in the United States.  Beekeepers within the United States are required to operate and maintain bee hives with removable frames. This allows the beekeeper to better inspect the health and quality of his or her hive, as well as giving an opportunity for the beekeeper to observe for any signs of disease or infestations.

The video clips are slightly dated and maybe a tad bit corny.  But, still very informative and interesting. This is considered to be one of the oldest types of beekeeping, many would consider this to be quite an "old-school" method.

Let me know what you think of the videos in the comment section below the last clip.

Video #1:

Spring Work in a Heather Skep Apiary

Video #2:

Summer Work in a Heather Skep Apiary

Video #3:

Autumn Work in a Heather Skep Apiary

Thanks for watching and reading!

~Nick

Beginners Beekeeping Workshop: Day #1

Tonight I had the pleasure of attending my first Beginners Beekeeping Workshop with Three Rivers Beekeepers (TRB website) at the University of Missouri Extension Center.  The workshop is a two day educational event and covers topics like the biology of the honey, what type of beehive to purchase and which hive is right for you, what equipment you might need, etc.  The price of the two day workshop set me back at $75. However, they provide you with a copy of "The Beekeepers Handbook" by Diana Sammataro, a hive tool, several informational handouts/pamphlets, a one-year membership to the Missouri State Beekeepers Association (normally $15 annually), as well as lunch on the second day of the workshop.

Tonight's meeting was from 6:00 pm- 9:30 pm.  Several topics were briefly discussed, with more emphasis to follow in tomorrow's scheduled portion.

Day #1 Events & topics

• A welcome statement from the Steering Panel President, Eugene Makovec
• A video clip of, "Why Bees Are Disappearing" by Marla Spivak (Video link)
• An introduction presentation to honey bees, honey bee anatomy and physiology, beekeeping strategies, and the different types of hives
• The three caste system within the hive: the worker, the drone, and the queen
• A presentation from the 2014 Missouri State Honey Bee Princess Erin Mullins (She represents the Missouri State Beekeepers Association, website)
• The different types of beekeeping equipment, purchasing and assembling equipment and woodenware by Jane Sueme of Isabee's Beekeeping Supplies (Isabee's Website) 
• Session ended tonight with a Q & A session and open general discussion/questions

I will publish a new post tomorrow summarizing the second day.

~Nick