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A three-part cooperation with Walden Art Exhibitions. Finally, we are sneaking back into the real world with some special presentations during Infected Reality, conceived by WK+, the Walden Kunstaustellungen gallery. Infected Reality shows 7 projects with media art from Berlin, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Kiel and Vienna at weekly intervals. … read more part of Infected Reality at Walden Art Exhibitions “if I want to show a movement, that motion must be rich as far as I can do.” Erdal Inci (oddviz) oddviz is an art collective based in İstanbul focusing on scanning objects and locations using photogrammetry technique, producing 3D digital replicas. The collective presents digitized commodities … Istanbul > Berlin > New York and (surely) beyond: Erdal Inci in Times Square Video loop Wunderkind Erdal Inciof Istanbul, not least known to DL-ers through our first-time-in-Germany presentation of his insistently circling light-and-shadow-plays at DLX in Berlin way back in 2014, is now plastering his hypnotic (and at times unsettling) digital visions in nowhere less than Times Square, in the heart and core of the Big Apple. The work involved is called “Centipedes” and is presented in collaboration with DL kindred souls Moving Image Art Fair. But then, we always knew his work was astounding. Congrats from all of us here in Berlin, Erdal! If you want to delve deeper into this enigmatic man’s soul, dive into our DL Deep Feature on Erdal, “Knocked For a Loop” – just click here. [DL] DEEP FEATURE KNOCKED FOR A LOOP North Korea, autistic Americans, Russian literature, beekeeping and Sesame Street: Inside the inventively repetitive world of digital media shooting star Erdal Inci by Kenton Turk | Directors Lounge Magazine THE NIGHT ERDAL INCI touches down in Berlin, he skypes greetings and that he is going to bed. Before midnight – not the average choice of a man just marginally beyond his twenties like himself hitting this particular town for the first time. Suspicion confirmed: this is a focused, determined artisan who looks neither left nor right. That twinge of nervous anticipation returns. Although everyone in Team DL is more than familiar with the visionary young Turk (as by now are countless thousands worldwide), none of us has actually met him face-to-face. Directors Lounge gave him the “radio push,” and [DLX]¹ premiered his mesmerizing GIFs to German audiences, where HD and large screens interwoven with performance and dance added a dimension not possible on the monitors of his global fanbase. In correspondence, he is polite and responsive (although not always immediately; he’s a busy man); in photos, he is unwaveringly earnest and maybe even a bit intimidating. As virtually the only moving human form in his half- to second-and-a-half loops, it is easy to think of him as staunchly solitary, possibly even walled in. The bare bones of what we know, stats aside: he’s bearded, his black eyes are penetrating, he makes motion pictures that are simultaneously infinitesimally short and infinitely long – in fact, endless. WE MEET THE NEXT DAY in subset haven Kreuzberg 36, where I smuggle him off to a stowaway courtyard café, a place I can toss questions at him. On the way over, he is despite having no knowledge of German able to understand more of the conversations of passersby than I am, giving me the odd sensation of being the one just landed. The camera indeed puts on pounds (ten, by general consensus) – his build is slighter than I expect, and he doesn’t tower over me, not at bit. Once there, he approves of the choice of location and tucks into more calories than I’ve seen in the last 24 hours, chased with a tall, blond beer from tap. A German one, he wants. I sift through the names and let him know what has deutsches Reinheitsgebot. We still haven’t talked too much. Inci has reached a global audience thirsting for his light and movement provokations almost entirely by digital word-of-mouth. Here, galleries have taken a backseat, in reverse of the once-standard chain of events that brings an artist worldwide recognition (his inclusion in this summer’s Directors Lounge film exhibit at Gallery On in Seoul notwithstanding). Already the stuff of headlines at home and abroad, the subject of TV reports and even an article by news monster CNN, his is a name vying for household status – “That looks like an Inci” is a phrase we might hear in the not-too-distant future. His blog is edging up to 20,000 regular followers. His GIF loop “In Karakoy” drew over 30,000 likes on Tumblr in one night alone; another, “Firestaff by Huseyin,” has racked up in excess of 185,000 likes on the same platform, whose hard-to-attain Radar space, seen by all users, has featured the artist some ten-odd times. An Inci clip mélange for an Istanbul city event has garnered over 3,000,000 views. His most talked about work to date however is surely “Taksim Square,” one in which a perpetual multiplicity of identical Turkish workers (all Inci himself) walks in uniform steps chatting on a cell phone and swinging a bag of tools, only to ultimately disappear into a vortex at the base of the towering light mast at the square’s centre. As rivetting as it is, his lightplays, “Hierapolis Amphitheatre” and others, are possibly even more engrossing. It is hard to look away from these, hard not to want to explore all the corners and watch what shifting light is doing, awakening darkness into life for a moment, then reconsigning it to oblivion to brush against another surface, only to reawaken it exactly as before, in a never-ending cycle. Infinity has always been and remains mind-boggling. THE WAIT FOR HIM to reveal things about himself is less than eternal. It later seems he retired early the night before because he had pulled an all-nighter in his chosen home Istanbul (traded against birthplace Ankara) before flying to Berlin. So the “All work and no play” adage has not made this Jack a dull boy. He is still mostly quiet, reserved, maybe a challenge to really open up. His eyes, brown, not black, are warmer than they appear in the photos I have seen, or the GIFs where they are identifable. This helps. One of these, a dark, hairline-to-nosetip self-portrait under a barrage of restless blue laser pellets, gives a more benumbed impression. I’ve written out a lot of questions which I will largely ignore, opting for guerrilla tactics. I toss him a wild card. “Do you like animals?” He’s surprisingly at ease with the question, as if it were the one he was expecting. Soft-spoken as well. “Yeah, I’m comfortable with all animals. I can touch insects or bugs.” I ask which insect he would choose to be. “Once when I was a child,” he continues, as though he hasn’t heard the question, “I fed a praying mantis, and I was amazed. I put him in a cage which I had built myself and I fed him with flying bugs. I put in a bee, for example, and I watched him hunt it.” So, a praying mantis. “No, no, I’d prefer to be a bee, because my father was a beekeeper. I grew up with bees, so I’m really familiar with bees.” He tells me about his for him atypical early GIF, “Bee Beats,” a looped shot of a bee moving its leg over its head. I ask him how many times he’s been stung. Answer: “Too many times.” It’s an open question. He gets it, I’m sure. But he’s opened up the GIF box, so on to them. He’s been called GIF-this and GIF-that by the press already, notably in France (“GIF artist,” “GIF star,” “king of GIF”), titles I know he doesn’t like. But why not? “Because they are originally video works and I exhibit them in video format, not in GIF format. There’s no difference other than the size of the video. The only difference is size, but they are video works, originally.” So what would he prefer to be called? He considers. “‘New media artist’” he says, “or ‘digital artist.’” It seems beyond the technical inaccuracy of the terms, he does not want to be reduced to one-trick-pony status. Why should he be? After all, he studied painting, he tells me (I knew that from inventory-style French articles), and gave it up, “but I didn’t give up drawing, and I also do street art and photography, and I tried interactive arts, so I don’t want to be called just ‘GIF artist.’” He mulls over other possibilities. “I prefer ‘multidisciplinary artist,’” he decides after more thought, “or ‘new media artist.’” “I have a fixed frame in my works, so how can I enrich that frame? I can multiply the same movement. So it’s like a photograph or a painting which is composed of moments.” THE TERMINOLOGY ESTABLISHED and his imposing meal all but demolished, we can go on to other artists of whatever title, ones that have played a role in his development. Most often compared to Escher, whose calculated art excursions share his own predilection for figures marching into an impossible no-beginning-or-end inevitability, Inci doesn’t mention him at all when asked about influences. “In visuals, I’m inspired by painters, mostly, painters that everybody knows, like Picasso or Dubuffet, a French one, or the American expressionists, like William de Koonig or Pollack….” Pollack? I query the connection between the action painter’s dripping chaos and Inci’s calculated cyclic order. And yet…. “But he recorded the moment,” he says, as I am about to retract the question. “That’s why I like abstract expressionists, they kind of record the moments.” Does he see a connection with Warhol, whose work was obviously based to a great degree on repetitive forms? “Repetition is not a Warhol thing, I think, because in arts and crafts, they use them in patterns or in the walls or in the ornaments….” But surely 32 extremely similar paintings grouped in a gallery setting like in a supermarket would have been a new context for repetition. And intensifying an image through repetition, although not looped, could spell creative kinship. “I can only say,” he sums up, “repetition in painting, Warhol is a perfect example of it. In painting, you don’t have to, or you cannot repeat like music.” Music. How does that play out? “Music is a linear thing. You repeat in your timeline.” Chronologically, then, like a train passing stations. He pursues the thought. “You hear one note, then you hear the next, note by note. But in painting and visual works, the repetition must be in the same frame, so I think the visual world is an area where you can have all the composition at the same time. So the difference between music and the visual world is, music has a timeline, has a linear time, but paintings or visual works you enjoy when you see all the movement or the visual at the same time. So I realize that, if you have a frame as a photographer or a painter, you need to… you need to… zenginleştirmek… zenginleştirmek…. Just a second.” Here his measured English fails momentarily; electronic assistance is close at hand. “’Enrich.’ If you are a painter or a visual artist, you have to enrich your frame as far as you can. So all the painters I like, when you look at their paintings or works, you see a rich texture and a rich form and colour at the same time. So if I make a video, it must be a beautiful scene, and if I want to show a movement, that motion must be rich as far as I can do.” Intriguing, his use of terms associated with one area in another. “Video” and “richness” have never struck me as kissing cousins, but that’s a misreading on my part. He’s got my attention. “So you can shoot a dancer, for example. It’s beautiful, but it performs to the music or a sound, so you can see its motion with a sound like a linear motion. But I have a fixed frame in my works, so how can I enrich that frame? I can multiply the same movement, which makes the moment look like a pattern, and repetitive, in a short space of time, like one or two seconds. So it’s like a photograph or a painting which is composed of moments.” “If you want to know about the future of visual art forms, look at what’s going on in music. There are no superstars anymore, because music is more democratic now.” IF THERE IS ANYTHING in a name, if nominitive determinism or numerology can provide a Poloroid of your ultimate character or even destiny, Erdal may be in for a distinctive ride. Those who give heed to the latter, Kabalarians and the like, produce ready-made characteristics that this particular name will bless – or curse – the bearer with. The sketches for his given name impress as unerring: “a deliberate and methodical way of thinking and speaking,” “a practical, logical, analytical approach to life,” “a great deal of patience,” “restless, changeable, and very sexy,” but also “a tendency to be too fussy” and “overfondness for heavy foods.” Direct hits, most, maybe all of these. Adherants to the former theory credit appellations with sometimes far-reaching influence, self-fulfilling prophecies included. Rare names encourage a sense of exceptionalism; actual meanings may point you toward an area of endeavour. “Erdal” means “early twig,” he tells me, and is rare. He is perhaps as uncommon as his name, not within the top 1,000 Turkish names for boys. Pearls are also rare. And valuable. “Inci” itself means “pearl.” His own future in specific terms may be not so easy to divine. Or that of his medium. What he foresees is a tectonic slip in moving picture arts. “If you want to know about the future of visual art forms, like video art or cinema, you can just look at what’s going on in music. In past years, there were real superstars in music, like Michael Jackson or Madonna or others. There are no superstars anymore, because music is more democratic now; you can listen to anything you want on YouTube, and for free; you don’t have to pay for the music. Everyone can have a taste of music now; it’s not like the past.” Radio was always there, he concedes, but with playlists decided from Mount Olympus. Visual works will follow suit, freeing us from the gold standard stranglehold of narrative, feature-length movies, opening the floodgates for other forms. Technology will expand its already gargantuan role. “You can put all your music archive in a small device, like your phone or iPod. I think it will be the same thing with visual works, visual consumption.” This may seem like a certainty, but that there are very few of these (certainties, that is), that the unexpected can be counted on as an uninvited guest has been proven time and time again. No future is assured. A question out of left field: if he couldn’t be doing this, what would you be doing? If what he does were outlawed, for whatever reason. “If I couldn’t do video? Outside of the arts?” Here, he has to consider long. “I don’t know, I just don’t want to do anything else. Maybe beekeeping….” That’s very important these days. Bees are endangered. “Yeah, they are like an army, they are all the same and… I don’t know. I would also enjoy that.” Shades of his digitally multiplied self. Poised on another question, I’m distracted by a large butterfly motionless on the ground near our table. Or a moth? It’s beautiful. But dead? I interrupt myself to take out my ubiquitous travelling partner, a discreetly dark, palm-sized camera, to capture the shimmering silver and black of its wings, but an unexpected stir scares the six-legger off. Erdal remains interested. He stares at the spot where the insect just a moment ago sat, its wings spread in an unconscious display of finery. Still turned from me, he says, “It was a butterfly.” HIS “ACTION” PIECES display a strange mix of moods, his face contrasted sharply with his physicality, like a tap-dancer on suicide watch. His body seems lithe and agile in his shots, with all the snap of grasshoppers’ legs. It’s an exercise in flesh-and-blood oxymoronica: that impassive face, those spring-loaded limbs. Pieces of his without human mobility leave the stony countenance to its own devices. I reveal that I had slight trepidation about meeting him, despite our cordial electronic interchange. He surprises me, as I seem to have surprised him by being surprised. Surely he can understand that? By way of example, I mention the GIF of him standing in a bush with Istanbul carrouselling at breakneck speed around him, “Self portrait” or “Selfie.” I tell him from that one, I thought he wasn’t someone you would want to have as your enemy, judging from the intensity of his gaze. Maybe he was just concentrating on holding the camera, I don’t know…. “I just wanted to stay with an empty face, because…” Not empty, I tell him, intense. “It’s a technical thing. I need to make it into a loop, so the starting point and ending point must be the same.” Ah, the technique. The most sought-after secret, even among video artists, alongside trying to find out where, if anywhere, the endlessly marching hordes of “Taksim Spiral” eventually disappear to. Does he imagine himself to be anything like a magician? “I don’t understand why people call me a magician, GIF magician.” OK. I thought I was the first. “I’ve heard that before,” he affirms. But the main thing I’ve heard before is, How can I do that? It’s really simple in the technique. In the first years, I made them manually with a masking technique. You put two frames and you cut out the second frame and add them on top of each other. It’s easy. I didn’t see any example before I did it, but I have seen early examples of it in the last two years. One is from Sesame Street; they did the same thing. I saw it this year.“ Maybe they got the idea from him? "It’s from the 60s or 70s,” he admits. OK, it seems they didn’t. “I was surprised. They did the same thing, and it’s not really hard to think of it.” But like magicians’ tricks, that’s once you get it. Then it seems all too obvious. “The only difference is, nobody thinks to use these techniques as I use them. I put a show or massive performance in the streets or public spaces. I think that makes me genuine.” “My style is something about repetition. It’s just like a pendulum which makes you sleep, like the psychologist uses a watch.” THERE SEEMS TO BE a real need to be genuine, as if that has come into question. The word comes up several times. Maybe it is the stereotypical dread of artists on the cusp, in the paradoxical valley of parallel fears, of being ignored and of being accepted. He takes obvious pride in his works being out there for all who wish (albeit in reduced-resolution form, but quite enough for home monitor consumption). This further serves to activate the machinery of feedback, the butter that should accompany the bread. “It’s really good to have an audience without exhibiting in a gallery,” he affirms. “If you are a gallery artist or in the museum, you have a particular audience which is familiar with art. Most of them really enjoy talking about art rather than seeing it.” It could be they are there for the free champagne, I offer. Laughing, he continues. “I put all my works in small size GIF format for free, and it’s really nice to have feedback from them, but I don’t want to depend on that, because if I get too much feedback and I feel like I am liked by the majority, it feels uncomfortable, like I’m doing something popular or ‘cheesy.’ But those same people far from art and people really into art like my work, and they can… if you are an art critic or an art historian, you can write pages of context if you look at them because I made them in public spaces, and if that is the case, too much can be said about it. For example in ‘Taksim Spiral’ or in some other public space works, you can project your own thoughts on to them.” How much is too much, I wonder? Works can attract a wide range of interpretations. His “Camondo Stairs,” for example, has been taken to be everything from the paragon perfection of the self-contained circle to an embodiment of female genitalia. “Stumblers” could be viewed alternately as waves of failure or success, or a thousand other things. My experience interacting with people who have seen the fruitless proletarian march in “Taksim Spiral” has been that most want to see a political subtext, a metaphor for a situation spiraling out of control and into implosion, futility of the highest order. Is there any political underpinning here? Does he consider himself political? He shoots from the hip. “No.” Not a shred? He remains unequivocal and even deepens his statement. “No. I hope not.” It seems almost everyone else does, from what I’ve read and personally heard, at least with works shot at newsworthy locations. “I don’t have a political message, but as you know, I shot my recent video in a public space, a public square, and I think if you shoot in a public space, if you put a show in a public space, you should consider the political aspects; you are responsible to show the people something serious, I think. For example, my most political work is ‘Taksim Spiral,’ because as you know, there was a demonstration for more than a month and people occupied that area, so it made me feel that I should make something serious, not a comedy or anything funny. So I decided to draw a shape which is chaotic and at the same time the opposite. Coming from a background of painting, I don’t like the spiral. I never draw a spiral because it disturbs me and it makes me feel uncomfortable, because it’s disturbing for me personally. It’s a disturbing shape.” He may not like spirals, but he continues to make me think of the not entirely dissimilar coiled spring. Odd, I think. He like things that don’t have an end, at the same time, the spiral disturbs him because it doesn’t have an end. Here, he corrects me. “But it ends in the middle,” then furthers somewhat in contradiction, “It doesn’t end. It’s like a black hole.” Whether unwittingly political or not, the use of public spaces remains part of his struggle to remain “genuine,” to have a language everyone can relate to. Looking for a more specific meaning may be a red herring. His is a global audience with personal needs. Inci seems convinced he has reached them on common ground. “I think that people feel similar things because my work doesn’t have a particular content relating to nationality or anything. It’s just fun to watch, I think, and if you play something really simple, like a musical piece, a lullaby, I think every child would fall asleep. Babies don’t care about what you say; they just care about the melody. So, my style is something about repetition which doesn’t have a particular meaning or story or message. It’s just like a pendulum which makes you sleep, like the psychologist uses a watch. It’s just relaxing.” Still, followers in Istanbul might feel a tad more connected. He readily agrees, seeing this as a motivation in the way he chooses to shoot, at the same time as being a reason to alter the game plan. “As long as I keep doing this, I will continue doing it in public spaces. For example, in Istanbul, people say, oh, I know this place, I walk every day in that place, or I use that road every day to go to work. It gives people a feeling of familiarity. So if I want to keep that style, I think I should travel around the world and shoot somewhere else.” The first works shot outside Turkey will be done during his stay in Berlin. New works will then resonate in new ways with fresh audiences. The prime source of resonance may still be buried beneath the eye candy, in the intent behind the enticement. Or is he of the Hitchcock school of not seeing film as a slice of life, but rather a piece of cake? “There are two main types of thing in an art work. One is form, and one is content. And there are two main questions: How you do that, and Why you do that.” Although eager to undescore genuineness in his careening loops, he tends to keep to descriptions of his methods alone in his brief interviews to date, a partial illumination reflecting from the surface back on the beholder. I sense once again he would prefer to talk about the “how,” the form. He confirms. I swing him immediately over to content, the “why,” but to be fair, I warned him in advance I would take him outside his comfort zone. Not a problem. Our butterfly is back, but this time, he takes little notice. “If you put a seed into the soil, the content is to grow something. I want to grow something, something new, but I don’t know how it will turn out. I just have the seed, but I don’t know which seed it is. It can be a tree, a plant or a weed. I just have the seed; I plant it and I wait to see how it grows, how it turns into something, some plant. I have a technical idea, which is, I think, genuine, but I don’t know how it will develop yet.” Or indeed where. “People find my works sometimes creepy or sometimes funny, which is really good for me.” THE SEEDS CAN BE PLANTED and sprout in the least expected places. Some of the feedback that makes him feel rooted comes from far-flung, unlikely sources. Some of the most gratifying. “An autism foundation in America had an exhibition for charity to collect donations. They wanted some works of mine. And I just wondered, what’s the feedback? I wanted to hear that, and the teacher responsible for the children told me that at the exhibition, the children were really into my works and they stayed for, I don’t know, longer than for other works. I think it’s the best feedback but… I know autistic children like repetitive things, repetitive visuals, so I don’t know if it’s good for them. But to hear that makes me really happy. That one is an exception. It’s not an artistic feedback, but it’s really….” Like the rejection/acceptance quandary, not feeling content with either, even unpretentious appreciation can carry with it the pangs of self-doubt. While he thinks about the best way to express his qualms, I dive in to remind him that, ultimately, art is not just made for artists or ‘art-lovers,’ it is for everybody. He is, however, getting a response from those loftier circles, too, and in spades. “For artisitic feedback,” he continues, “I can say, people say they feel something. They find my works sometimes creepy or sometimes funny, which is really good for me, which gives me pleasure, because if you make people feel something with a visual creation, I think it’s the best thing because, as I’ve told you, I tried to make visual music or something audio-visual, and the reason that I wanted to make that was to make people feel similar to how they feel with music.” The connection to music, its rhythm and effect in his silent pieces persists. Maybe it is the unqualified, non-intellectualized gratification. For some reason, I can’t get the riffs of James Brown out of my head, “Night Train,” “Sex Machine,” with The Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness going at it with body-punishing (and crowd-thrilling) fervour. It’s that insistent groove, the one that your body might not fully understand until it has been subjected to it for five or six minutes without abate. Then it gets to you, and you can’t do anything against it, especially when served up live.The grinding repetition makes it, the gruelling delight of knowing exactly what will come next, again and again and again. Festivals dedicated to repetitive music cycles, up- and downtempo, are flourishing. Many people absorb it as a kind of a mantra, feel hypnotized, and only through a certain amount of repetition does it reach a certain place. Would he say his works have a groove? Like a musical groove? “If my work represents or creates a visualize impression of any type of music,” he asserts, “I would say minimal music. I really like minimal music, and it repeats, like hypnotization, very close pitches. When I listen to it, it creates visuals in my mind, so if I put music to my videos, I would prefer to put a minimal thing.” He doesn’t mention it by name, confesses to being unfamiliar with the word, but I still hear the groove, see the groove, in a manner of speaking. Inci recognizes the tranquilization, but I sense the invigoration as well, a sensory crossover, enough to pull dancers at [DLX] from their gyrations to examining the simultaneous screen projection, or simply bathe in a dual pleasure of musical beat and rhythmic visuals. A Moebius strip – one endless path presenting two sides. Can you hypnotize muscles as well? Can a visual impulse get into your bones? “I guess it’s mostly hypnotic, because it repeats, it just repeats. It has no linear composition. So when I do composition, I think I’m just beating a sound, a beautiful sound, but it’s just like a single note. But if you play a single note, repetitively, it hypnotizes.” He could create compositions with a groove, he reckons. “But I haven’t done that yet.” “I hate theoretical lessons. I don’t like to be told by someone to learn something.” I FEEL THE ITCH to hypothesize, have a little fun. I think he will be open to it. The question: If he had to be one of the four Beatles, which would he be? He has no problem answering. “John.” Any reason? With due modesty, he answers, “I think he is the smartest one….” By now, I can rib him, and offer that Ringo might be more appropriate. He laughs warmly, as relaxed as I have seen him up until now. And shows the ability to rethink things. “I’d prefer Ringo, because he’s… still alive.” Laughter from both; a couple of heads turn. Humour aside, it is clear he is a “thinking man,” but what breed of that particular creature? What was the last book he read? “Now I am reading Notes from Underground by Dostoyevsky. I read The Gambler, again, Dostoyevsky. And I read a historical, what do you call… from İlber Ortayli, who is a professor of history, a well-known historian from Turkey. It’s the last book… Seyahatname. It’s a book about a journey.” (Full title: Eski Dünya Seyahatnamesi [Travelogue of the Old World], 2007, ed. note) The next book? “I don’t know; I’m not really into fiction, but I enjoy it when I read it. But I want to learn about history, so… maybe something about history. If I read something from literature, I will read another book by Dostoyevsky.” I share that I am wild about particularly that stage of Dostoyevsky, Underground and The Double, oppressive reading for some. Not disposable literature; maybe choices of the “smart” Beatle. I am still hunting a handle for his breed. Would he call himself academic? Again, he’s direct and concise. “No.” Not at all? “No. I can’t stand reading anything academic.” But he did want to read about history. Not necessarily academic in the classic sense. I’m curious to know how he was at school. “I was good at primary school, like a nerd. I changed schools to a special school for smart students. They taught hard science. I discovered myself at that time, that I am talented in drawing and painting, and I just gave up studying other courses. I finished that school, regular high school. Then I applied to the fine arts academy, and I got the highest score in the entry exam, an exam for drawing. I was really good at that, but I didn’t finish in first place at the end of the school year, just because… I hate theoretical lessons. I wouldn’t say that I don’t like to study… I don’t like to be told by someone to learn something.” High grades in practice-oriented lessons, like painting and drawing, but less so in theoretical lessons, he lets me know. The anti-academic over-achiever. FIVE WORDS to describe himself. I’ve already accused him of looking quite serious. “You’re right, I’m kind of serious, but I hate it. It’s a self control. I think it’s a weakness.” Very candid. I could run with that, but instead remind him he has four more words. He thinks. “I’m really shy; I’m afraid of being humiliated, of being made fun of. It’s a complex.” Nobody likes that, I assure him. Or very few. Three more words, after “serious” and “shy.” He ponders. “And emotional… I cry easily. Funny, sometimes, but not to everyone, to some close friends.” One word left over. “Childish.” There seems to be a bit of pride in that one. Serious, shy, emotional, funny, childish. What else would you expect from a digital hypnotist. Still, the words only partly match those used by others to describe his pieces, at least the ones he mentioned to me earlier: creepy or funny. A fair question on the search for the interface between the creator and his creations. Which would he say better describes him, creepy or funny? “I’d prefer funny,” he says, “but at the same time, it can be creepy.” Maybe another attempt to avoid content in favour of form, this confusion of the question. I shift him back to talking about himself more personally. Not the works, I mean. Him. This brings on a bit of personal philosophy that dodges the question but reveals his impetus. “I believe that if you don’t have fun while you are working, the viewer won’t be happy, won’t enjoy the work. If you enjoy it while you are working, the people also enjoy it.” He adds firmly, “I believe that.” And furthers, “So I have worked spontaneously, mostly. I go out alone in the middle of the night or early in the morning, and I just try to have fun, with most of my works.” An apt description of what he enjoys, possibly loves. But he has shown himself to be of two minds on several matters. The reverse side of the coin: Is there anything he hates? Bullseye quip. “I hate myself,” he says, with a deadpan smirk that makes it hard to know how seriously or not he means it. I threaten him with making that the headline and tell him about the film “16 Reasons Why I Hate Myself” by one Matthew Lancit that we screened at [DL9]² in 2013. Someone’s beaten him to it. Undaunted, he elaborates. “I hate procrastinating, which I do. I’m not a hard worker, but I should be. Now I have a responsibilty to do something better, so it puts me under stress a lot, but I think in a good way. I think to be under stress is good.” There is no doubt that the demand that brings the pressure is there, from without and within. The over-achiever has not yet begun to achieve. At least not in terms of his desired scope. The man who has digitally multiplied himself and light sources into undulating crowds and staccato flashes can be expected to do more, given time. Given the desire. Where will he be in ten years? No agenda there. He considers for long moments. “I don’t know,” he intones, slowly, quietly, “I really don’t know.” Accomodating to the end, I offer an alternative. In ten days? Here, he is amused, but decides to go for the original volley. “In ten years? I just want to make something different, I want to change my disciplines, other disciplines. I really miss painting… I don’t know….” Then he leans a little forward: “You know the North Korean ceremonies? That flawless goose-step, the incomparable grid pattern formation, legs to the horizon? I’ve seen them, sure. "I just want to make them, only with no production, just me. I just want to make something similar.” He hastens to add, “Not political, but as complex….” Digital Stalinism as pure art. If that isn’t over-achievement, I’ll have to re-consult my dictionary for the proper definiton. Much lies ahead, then, conceivably enough someday to speak and fill volumes. Maybe he himself will be the one to shed light on the mechanism of his mind. If he were to write an autobiography someday, I ask, what would the name of the book be? “Repetition,” he tells me, and with little deliberation. But just once. ¹[DLX], The 10th Berlin International Directors Lounge, Feb. 7 – 17, 2014 ²[DL9], The 9th Berlin International Directors Lounge, Feb. 6 – 16, 2013 Erdal Inci photographed in Berlin (photo: Nick Font) Erdal Inci: Light Dome ver2, 2014 , Istanbul Erdal Inci: Taksim Spiral 0,8s 2013 Erdal Inci: Stumblers, Istanbul, 2014 Meet us at the Berliner Liste, the fair for contemporary art, during the Berlin Art Week, September 18 to 21, 2014. We´ll screen a selection of silent single-channel installations from DL X, the 10th Berlin International Directors Lounge. Artists include Maria Björklund, Erdal Inci, Hara Katsiki, Hye Young Kim, Alan Smithee, Julia Murakami, Shinkan Tamaki and Andre Werner. Photography by Julia Murakami is on display at the booth of our good friend Calla Mar. Alan Smithee | Julia Murakami Lost Masterpieces #1 (red) 2010 Alan Smithee are you afraid of…, 2012 Erdal Inci TR Pictogram 1,4s 2013 Hye Young Kim KR Unfulfilled Desire II blindness 21:00 2013 Erdal Inci TR Camondo Stairs 0,4s 2013 Hara Katsiki Starseed 2012 Erdal Inci TR Flood of Light 1,4s 2013 Andre Werner DE Yeosu Mandala | community 2014 Erdal Inci TR Hieropolis Amphitheatre 1,4s 2013 Andre Werner DE Yeosu Mandala | necessity 2014 Erdal Inci TR Taksim Spiral 0,8s 2013 Andre Werner DE Yeosu Mandala | territory 2014 Shinkan Tamaki JP Passages 2013 Maria Björklund FI TKihi-Kuhi2011 Directors Lounge booth G1.34 first floor Calla Mar booth A 0.43 ground floor Opening: Wednesday, September 17 from 6 pm, Postbahnhof and Fritz Club Fair location: Postbahnhof, Straße der Pariser Kommune 8, 10243 Berlin Entry: Day ticket 13 €, Concessions 9 €, both including brochure pictured: Alan Smithee | Julia Murakami Lost Masterpieces #1 (red) 2010 A new necessity – Community & Territory The Yeosu International Art Festival is a biennial event that will be held from September 4th to September 21st 2014 at various locations of the town Yeosu in Southkorea. Art director Sun-jung Kim invited 30 artists from 15 different countries, among them Andre Werner who presents the 3-channel work Yeosu Mandalas and Erdal Inci, featured artist at DL X, for the 5th edition of the Yeosu art biennial. Three silent video loops. necessity | community | territory. Based on a closed-circuit installation of a camera interacting with a black and white tv-set. A small piece of overhead sheet with the word necessity, community or territory printed triggers the coressponding mandala. Marking 2014, as the 5th successful consecutive year to hold Yeosu International Art Festival, Yeosu city hopes the hosting of this festival will show the ability to dissolve rapidly developing urbanism of Yeosu and changes of our world communities at large by empathizing with the more intimate and mature Art themes. Diverse Artists will introduce to the public their new creations and masterpiece, and the crowd will respond with various proposed methodologies to the various artists work and their creations. With the graphic file “GIF” its possible to make short animations using very little data so that any internet browser can play them. Thats why, 30 years after their creation, GIFs are popular again with artists like Erdal Inci from Turkey. via DW.DE

The following is an excerpt from Keeping Bees and Making Honey by Alison Benjamin and Brian McCallum (F&W Media, 2008). This spectacular book offers an in-depth profile of nature’s most effective pollinator and covers all aspects of modern beekeeping, including where and when to get your bees, different types of hives, how to harvest and sell honey and beeswax, and even sensational recipes for Honey Cake, Mustard and Honey Salad Dressing, Spicy Chicken Wing Marinade, and more. This excerpt is from Chapter 7, “Gardening for Bees.” You may want to give your bees a helping hand when it comes to collecting pollen and nectar by planting bee-friendly flowers and shrubs in your garden or outside space. Even in a larger garden, you’ll unlikely have enough flowers to produce sufficient nectar to sustain a hive, so your bees will probably go farther afield — up to 3 miles — to find richer and denser sources of food. But the right flowers, fruit and vegetables in your garden will attract some of your own bees, as well as welcoming other visitors such as the bumblebee and solitary bee species. Above all, a garden or patch devoted to plants that are attractive to bees can be a source of great pleasure to any beekeeper, as much for the riot of color as for the activity of the bees. Two other important factors contribute to a successful bee garden: The flowers should be in full sunlight and should be planted in groups. Flowers grown singularly or in twos and threes may fail to attract bees. A decent-sized clump of a suitable plant, such as lavender, is much more valuable. Likewise, bees often overlook flowers grown in shade even though they may produce nectar and pollen. Don’t place the plants too close to the hive thinking you are helping the bees by reducing the distance they have to travel to find food. Flowers very near a hive are in the firing line when the bees go on their toilet trips, so they sensibly avoid them as a food source. Unfortunately, some of the most spectacular-looking garden flowers are of no use whatsoever to the honeybee. Double-headed roses, chrysanthemums and dahlias, for example, provide no nectar and hardly any pollen. In contrast, many flowers that are often discounted as weeds, such as dandelions and forget-me-nots, provide a rich source of food. That is why one of the best and easiest things you can do to make your garden more bee-friendly is to throw away the weedkillers that maintain those immaculate-looking lawns and instead let your lawn and flower beds go wild. If you are not quite ready to hand over your well-tended garden to the vagaries of nature, the next best thing is to leave just a patch to run wild. One way to get your wild garden started is to sow wildflower seed mixtures. The flowers will be a useful source of nectar and pollen, but your wild garden will not just attract bees — the tall grass will also provide a welcome habitat for a number of other creatures, and the berries, fruits and seeds produced by some of the plants will be food for birds and other animals. Soon this part of your garden will be teeming with life! In addition to wildflowers, the most useful plants you can grow are those that provide nectar or pollen very early in the year (when it is in short supply in the hive and elsewhere) and those that flower late in autumn, providing food for winter. Bees thrive if there is a continuous supply of nectar and pollen throughout the brood-rearing season. Global warming is thought to be causing a change in flowering times, with plants flowering earlier and some flowering more frequently throughout the winter months in temperate climates. The potential impact on beekeeping is that the bees’ natural rhythm of seasonal population decline will be confused because of the availability of nectar at the time of year when the queen doesn’t normally lay eggs. This availability of nectar will encourage her to lay, but there won’t be enough workers to look after the brood, which will lead to weakened and stressed colonies. It will take generations of bees to evolve to fit in with the new climatic conditions. Another worrisome impact of hotter and drier summers is a likely change in garden styles. People swapping their poppies for palm trees or their sweet peas for succulents could have a significant effect on the availability and timing of bee forage, not to mention the increasing trend toward easy-maintenance decking and paving replacing labor-intensive and water-hungry lawns and flower beds. Snowdrops, the buttercup-like winter aconite, crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths all supply much-needed fresh pollen and nectar after the long winter months. These can be planted under trees or shrubs to produce a carpet of flowers in early spring, when large parts of the garden are still bare. The white deadnettle, which flowers from early spring well into winter and increasingly year-round, is a bee’s best friend, as are other year-round plants such as ivy and heathers. Purple- and white-colored buddleia, Michaelmas daisies and sedum, which turns red come autumn, are all late-flowering plants which, as well as supplying the bees’ final sustenance before winter, will add a late flourish of color to your garden. Flowers to consider from late spring through summer include tulips, forget-me-nots and dandelions, which are out just before the fruit blossoms appear. A bed containing the purple spikes of Salvia x superba and edged with the long-flowering common catmint is sure to be full of bees in midsummer. Other perennials you could usefully plant include fuchsia, cornflowers, yarrow, goldenrod, geranium, the bell-like campanula and the fast-growing lavatera with its pink, trumpet-shaped flowers. If space allows, hazels, shrubby willows and honeysuckles are useful sources of nectar and pollen in early spring. In early summer, a wall or fence covered in red-berried cotoneaster will be a favorite. Among taller plants, hollyhocks, sunflowers, foxgloves and the daisy-like rudbeckia all attract bees. In a wilder setting, clovers, rosebay willowherb and brambles are among the midsummer pollen producers. For autumn pollen, try heathers, thistles, ivy, balsam and autumn-flowering crocuses. Many culinary herbs are a good source of nectar, so in addition to creating an herb garden for your kitchen, you can simultaneously create a bee garden. The mint family, which includes sage, thyme, marjoram and basil, is a must, along with rosemary and lavender. Herbs grow well in pots, so if you have just a backyard, a roof terrace with no space for flower beds or even just a windowsill, you can still attract bees with a collection of pots planted with a variety of herbs. You could also add a miniature fruit bush — these too are now available in pots. Raspberry, blackberry and gooseberry bushes will provide not only juicy, soft fruits for you to eat but also delicious nectar for bees. In the case of raspberries, bees are known to collect the sweet juice from the ripe and overripe fruit because, unlike other fruits, bees can puncture raspberries’ delicate skin. Apples, for example, are of no interest to a bee because the skin is too tough, but the delicate white blossom on the apple trees in spring is a welcome source of food early in the season. Other plants that can be grown easily in a small, outside space or in pots and that provide nourishment to both beekeeper and bees include beans, marrows and tomatoes. If you grow sweet peas intertwined with the beans in true cottage-garden style, the bees will have two flowers to feast on when they visit. You will often hear beekeepers talking about a “nectar gap.” This refers to the short period in summer when supplies of nectar from fruit trees (such as apples) and oilseed rape have dwindled and other sources are not yet available. Bear this in mind when you are planning what to plant in your bee garden. If you have diligently planted a variety of bee-friendly flowers, shrubs and fruit bushes, you can take great delight in frequent visits from honeybees and bumblebees throughout the year. But if you live in a town or suburb, chances are much of your honey will actually come from nectar collected from surrounding trees. In the countryside, where there are fields of crops and pastures of wildflowers, trees are less important for bees, but in towns and cities they will probably provide their main source of food. Look around at the trees that shade your garden, the trees in your streets and those that fill nearby parks. Even in inner cities you’ll be surprised just how many of them dot the landscape. Hazels, alders and poplars supply pollen at the beginning of the year. Acers, including the ubiquitous sycamores, follow with both pollen and nectar, and at the same time there is blossom from the horse chestnut and sweet chestnut trees. For many town dwellers, however, it is the lime tree that flowers in midsummer that is the source of much honey. Suggested Flowers for a Bee Garden - baby blue-eyes (Nemophila spp.) - blanket flower (Gaillardia spp.) - blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia violacea) - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) - candytuft (Iberis amara) - China aster (Callistephus chinensis) - clarkia (Clarkia elegans) - common baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) - cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) - flax (Linum spp.) - gilia (Gilia spp.) - godetia (Clarkia amoena) - lavatera (Lavatera spp.) - love in the mist (Nigella spp.) - mallow (Malva spp.) - malope (Malope trifida) - meadowfoam or poached egg plant (Limnanthes spp.) - Mexican aster (Cosmos bipinnatus) - mignonette (Reseda spp.) - Nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) - phacelia (Phacelia spp.) - pheasant’s eye (Adonis spp.) - sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritime) - tickseed (Coreopsis spp.) - Alpine rock-cress (Arabis alpina) - alyssum (Alyssum spp.) - aubrieta (Aubrieta spp.) - Canterbury bells (Campanula medium) - Carpathian harebell (Campanula carpatica) - catmint (Nepeta spp.) - checkerbloom (Sidalcea spp.) - coneflower (Rudbeckia spp.) - cranesbill (Geranium pratense) - fernleaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina) - fleabane (Erigeron spp.) - forget-me-nots (Myosotis spp.) - French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium) - fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.) - goldenrod (Solidago spp.) - herb hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) - hollyhock (Alcea rosea) - horehound (Marrubium vulgare) - hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum spp.) - knapweed (Centaurea spp.) - large blue alkanet (Anchusa azurea) - lavatera (Lavatera spp.) - lavenders (Lavandula spp.) - loosestrife (Lythrum spp.) - marjoram (Origanum majorana) - sage (Salvia spp., especially S. x superba) - scabious (Scabiosa spp.) - sneezeweed (Helenium spp.) - thoroughwort (Eupatorium spp.) - thrift (Armeria maritima) - thyme (Thymus spp.) - veronica (Veronica spp.) - willowherb (Epilobium spp.) - woundwort (Stachys spp.) - autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) - common hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) - crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) - quamash (Camassia spp.) - snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) - snowflake (Leucojum spp.) - tulip (Tulipa spp.) - winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) Reprinted with permission from Keeping Bees and Making Honey, published by F&W Media, 2008.

The settlement has 365 inhabitants, with approximately one third of them belonging to the Roma minority. Pere’s most critical issue is the high unemployment rate. Since roughly 95% of the active population work as public employees outside of the primary labour market and earning very little money, the majority of the population lives in deep poverty. The low level of income leads to several further problems, such as limited access to health care, low mobility, poor education, a lack of vocational training and experience, and a lack of local services. Housing conditions are rather poor: multigenerational co-habitation and deterioration of buildings is common, and in some homes there is a lack of proper heating, water supplies, sewage disposal or even electricity. In 2017, the members of the cooperative developed a social enterprise idea to establish a community apiary in order to provide independent and sustainable solutions to unemployment, social exclusion and other related social issues in the village. It was planned that the bee colonies would be hosted by and taken care of by individuals participating in the programme (cooperative members or other participants), while the property rights of the bee colonies, the equipment and machinery, would continue to belong to the cooperative. The extracted honey was supposed to be sold by the cooperative, and after deducting the cooperative’s commissions, the profit would have been distributed among the participants and their families as additional income. To test the business idea, a pilot project was developed in consultation with and supported by Badur Foundation. The pilot began in July 2018 and was planned to run up to November 2019. Included in the framework of the pilot was the purchase of the necessary equipment to establish and operate the first apiary of six bee colonies. In the first phase of the pilot, three individuals began to participate in a supervised training programme and were mentored by a beekeeping expert, Mr. Gergely Molnár (www.mezesgergo.hu). Unfortunately, the pilot has come to a sudden halt as two members of the group dropped out due to health reasons. The cooperative strived to recruit new team members from the local community through different channels, but their efforts remained unfruitful. In consultation with the Foundation, it was decided to put an end to the pilot programme until the social embeddedness of the project is strengthened. Photo Credit - under Creative Commons licence:

As I continue to plod along with my Master’s in bee ecology at the University of Calgary, I feel obligated to apologize for the infrequency of these bad beekeeping posts. Sorry. But I’m not going to apologize for occasionally repeating a posting from the past – especially this one, which celebrates the great commercial beekeeper, writer, and philosophy professor, Richard Taylor. He would have been 99 years old on November 5th. I last published this piece two years ago. I wonder what he’d think of our messed-up world if he were alive and philosophizing today… Today is the anniversary of the birth of one of my beekeeper-heroes, Professor Richard Taylor. He was an early champion of the round comb honey system, a commercial beekeeper with just 300 hives, and he was a philosopher who “wrote the book” on metaphysics. Really, he wrote the book on metaphysics – for decades, his college text Metaphysics introduced first-year philosophy students to the most fundamental aspect of reality – the nature of cosmology and the existence of all things. Although his sport of philosophy was speculative, unprovable, and abstract to the highest degree, Richard Taylor was as common and down-to-earth as it’s possible to become. I will write about his philosophy and how it shaped his politics, but first, let’s celebrate his beekeeping. Richard Taylor and his twin brother were born November 5th, 1919. This was shortly after their father had died. That left a widowed mother to raise an impoverished family during the Great American Depression. Richard was fourteen when he got his first hive of bees in 1934 – the year that a quarter of Americans were unemployed and soup-lines leading to Salvation Army kitchens stretched for blocks. He began beekeeping that year, and except for submarine duty as an officer during World War II, he was never far from bees. He respected honest hard work and the value of a penny, but he nevertheless drifted, trying college, then quitting, and taking on various uninspiring jobs. Evenings, on his bunk in his navy sub, Richard descended into the gloomy passages of Arthur Schopenhauer. Somehow the nihilistic philosopher appealed to Taylor and ironically gave him renewed interest in life. Because of this new interest, Taylor went back to school and became a philosopher himself. Richard Taylor earned his PhD at Brown University, then taught at Brown, Columbia, and finally Rochester, from which he retired in 1985 after twenty years. He also held court as a visiting lecturer at Cornell, Hamilton, Hartwick, Hobart and William Smith College, Ohio State, and Princeton. His best years were at Rochester where he philosophized while his trusted German shepherd Vannie curled under his desk. Richard Taylor sipped tea and told his undergrads about the ancient philosophers – Plato, Epicurus, Aristotle, Xeno, and Thales. In the earlier days, he often drew on a cigar while he illuminated his flock of philosophy students. Those who attended his classes remarked on his simple, unpretentious language. They also noted that he was usually dressed in bee garb – khakis and boots. He and Vannie quickly disappeared to Richard Taylor’s apiaries as soon as the lecture ended and the last student withdrew from the hall. The hippie beekeeper It’s probably unfair to call Dr Richard Taylor a hippie beekeeper, but perhaps he was exactly that. As a beekeeper, he was reclusive. He refused to hire help. Rather than deal with customers, he set up a roadside stand where people took honey and left money on the honor system. Taylor disdained big noisy equipment. He claims to have sometimes taken a lawn chair and a thermos of tea to his apiaries so he could relax and listen to the insects work, but I doubt that he did this much. Through the pages of American Bee Journal, Bee Culture, and several beekeeping books, he described best beekeeping practices as he saw them – and those practices required hard work and self-discipline more than relaxed lawn-chair introspection. Running 300 colonies alone while holding a full-time job and writing a book every second year demands focus. His bees were well-cared for, each producing about a hundred pounds every year in an area where such crops are rare. By 1958, he was switching from extracting, which he disliked, to comb honey production, which he loved. Comb honey takes a more skilled beekeeper and better attention to details, but in return it requires less equipment, a smaller truck, and no settling tanks, sump pumps, whirling extractors, or 600-pound drums. “Just a pocket knife for cleaning the combs,” he wrote. To me, it’s surprising that Richard Taylor embraced the round comb honey equipment called Cobanas. The surprising thing is that the equipment is plastic. Reading Taylor’s books, one realizes his affinity for simple tools and old-fashioned ways. Plastic seems wrong. But it’s not. In the past, comb honey sections were square-shaped and made from wood. That required the destruction of forests of stately basswood (linden) trees, something that did not appeal to Taylor. Plastic lasts forever, a real benefit for a person as frugal as Richard Taylor. It is light-weight, durable, and ultimately very practical for bee equipment. He advocated making comb honey and he was sure that the Cobana equipment, invented by a Michigan physician in the 1950s, would lead the way. He was so enthused that in 1958, living in Connecticut, he wrote his first beekeeping article about the new plastic equipment for the American Bee Journal. Here’s the photo that accompanied his story. One final thing about Richard Taylor, the beekeeper. He was financially successful. In today’s dollars, his comb honey bee farm returned about $50,000 profit each year – a tidy sum for a hobby and more than enough spare change to indulge his habit of frequenting farmer’s auctions where he’d delight in carrying home a stack of empty used hive bodies that could be had for a dollar. Taylor, the teacher Richard Taylor immensely enjoyed teaching and lamented what he called “grantsmanship” which arose in America while he was a professor. Grantsmanship is the skill of securing funding for one’s projects while possibly ignoring the fundamental duties of teaching. This, of course, can eventually lead to big dollars flowing to researchers who are willing to claim that sugar, for example, does not contribute to obesity and cigarette smoke does little more than sharpen one’s senses. Richard Taylor saw the conflict and regretted the demise of good faculty instructors replaced “largely by graduate students, some from abroad with limited ability to speak English. Lecturers who simply read in a monotone from notes are not uncommon,” he wrote. Meanwhile, the (sometimes unethical) pursuit of grants was accompanied by the rise of the “publish or perish” syndrome. In his own field, Taylor pointed out that academic philosophers engaged in “a kind of intellectual drunkenness, much of which ends up as articles in academic journals, thereby swelling the authors’ lists of publications.” Taylor wrote extensively on this in 1989, saying that there were 93 academic philosophy journals published in the USA alone that year – seldom read, seldom good, but filling mailboxes with material to secure a professor’s promotions. This was not the academic world that Richard Taylor sought when he began his career in the 1950s, but it was the world he eventually left. Although he wrote 17 books – mostly philosophical essays but also several rather good beekeeping manuals – he didn’t publish many academic papers. He spent more time in the lecture halls and with his bees than he did “contemplating the existential reality of golden mountains” and writing papers about them, as he put it. The philosopher and the bee I am only going to give this one short passage about Richard Taylor, the philosopher. He studied and taught metaphysics and ethics. His essays on free will and fatalism are renowned and influential, even today. I’ve never taken a philosophy course, so anything I say about the subject will probably embarrass me. But a few years ago, during a winter trip to Florida, I carried Taylor’s Metaphysics with me. I read every word and I think that I understood it at the time. For me, most of it was transparent common sense. Since it was well-crafted and interesting, Taylor may have lulled me into believing that I understood his metaphysical description of the universe, even with just this cursory introduction. At any rate, I felt that what he wrote wasn’t different than what I’d come to discover on my own, although it was much more elegantly presented than I could ever manage. When I saw Richard Taylor – just once, at a beekeepers’ meeting – I indeed thought that he was a hippie, a common enough form of beekeeper in the 1970s. His belt was baler twine and a broad-rimmed hat hid his face. I was surprised to later discover that Richard Taylor identified as a conservative and voted Republican. But he was also an atheist, advocated for women’s rights, and late in life (though proud of his military service) he became a pacifist, “coming late to the wisdom,” he said. I guess he would be a libertarian today. He valued hard work, self-sufficiency, and independence. He disliked Nixon, but gladly voted for Reagan. He even wrote a New York Times editorial praising Reagan’s inaugural address while offering insight on what it means to be an introspective conservative in the 1980s. At age 62, still a professor of philosophy at the University of Rochester, and the recent author of the book Freedom, Anarchy, and the Law, he wrote a widely-circulated New York Times opinion piece. Taylor wrote that in Reagan’s inaugural address, Reagan reminded us that “our government is supposed to be one of limited powers, not one that tries to determine for free citizens what is best for them and to deliver them from all manner of evil.” Richard Taylor then goes on to warn that “political subversion . . . is the attempt to subordinate the Constitution to some other philosophy or creed, believed by its adherents to be nobler, wiser, or better.” Taylor warned of anti-constitutional subversion in American politics, “if anyone were to try to replace the Constitution with, say, the Koran, then no one could doubt that this would be an act of subversion . . . Similarly, anyone subordinating the principles embodied in the Constitution to those of the Bible, or to those of one of the various churches or creeds claiming scripture as its source, is committing political subversion.” Taylor tells us that conservative spokesmen of Reagan’s era – he mentions Jerry Fallwell and others – are right saying that “it is not the government’s function to pour blessings upon us in the form of art, health, and education, however desirable these things may be.” Nor, he claims, is it constitutional for “the Government to convert schoolrooms into places for prayer meetings, or to compel impoverished and unmarried girls, or anyone else, to bear misbegotten children, to make pronouncements on evolution, to instruct citizens on family values, or to determine which books can and cannot be put in our libraries or placed within reach of our children. . . it can never, in the eyes of the genuine conservative, be the role of Government to force such claims upon us. The Constitution explicitly denies the Government any such power.” I think that Richard Taylor would be politically frustrated today. The Republicans have drifted ever-further from small government and have expanded their reach into personal affairs while the Democrats have pushed forward extensive safety nets. A true libertarian party, such as Taylor seems to wish for, gathers little support in America today. I hope that my summary of Richard Taylor’s political philosophy has not offended his most ardent followers. I’ve tried to distill what Taylor thought about good government – I agree with much of it, but disagree with some. It is presented as just one facet of his personality. Taylor was complicated. His last book, written in his 80s while he was dying from lung cancer, is about marriage – yet his own marriages had heartbreaks. He showed other complicated and unexpected quirks. For example, he was an avowed humanist, yet showed a spiritual nature. In his office, he mounted a certificate which honored him as a laureate of the International Academy of Humanism, one of the few people chosen over the years. Others included Carl Sagan, Christopher Hitchens, Isaac Asimov, Richard Dawkins, Richard Leakey, Steven Pinker, Salman Rushdie, E.O. Wilson, Elena Bonner, and Karl Popper. He was in extremely elevated intellectual company. Taylor belonged there among the other atheists, even if he once metaphorically wrote in his most popular bee book, “the ways of man are sometimes, like the ways of God, wondrous indeed.” Taylorisms in the bee yard Richard Taylor was complicated for a simple man. It is said that he could not stand complacency, vanity or narcissistic behavior, yet he seemed to get along well in gatherings of beekeepers where such attitudes are often on display. He had a love of paradox and Socratic whimsy, yet he was disciplined and direct as a writer. He delighted in the pessimism of Schopenhauer, yet he was not a pessimist himself. Instead, he was quite a puzzle. I will end this little essay with wisdom from Richard Taylor, beekeeper. Richard Taylor’s finest bee book, The Joys of Beekeeping, is replete with homey truisms that every aspiring beekeeper should acknowledge and embrace. The book itself is slim, entertaining, personal, and very instructive of the art of keeping bees. Or, as Taylor himself calls beekeeping, “living with the bees. They keep themselves”. Here, then, are some select Taylorisms: Beekeeping success demands “a certain demeanor. It is not so much slow motion that is wanted, but a controlled approach.” “…no man’s back is unbreakable and even beekeepers grow older. When full, a mere shallow super is heavy, weighing forty pounds or more. Deep supers, when filled, are ponderous beyond practical limit.” “Some beekeepers dismantle every hive and scrape every frame, which is pointless as the bees soon glue everything back the way it was.” “There are a few rules of thumb that are useful guides. One is that when you are confronted with some problem in the apiary and you do not know what to do, then do nothing. Matters are seldom made worse by doing nothing and are often made much worse by inept intervention.” . . . and my own favourites . . . “Woe to the beekeeper who has not followed the example of his bees by keeping in tune with imperceptibly changing nature, having his equipment at hand the day before it is going to be needed rather than the day after. Bees do not put things off until the season is upon them. They would not survive that season if they did, so they anticipate. The beekeeper who is out of step will sacrifice serenity for anxious last-minute preparation, and that crop of honey will not materialize. Nature does not wait.” “Sometimes the world seems on the verge of insanity, and one wonders what limit there can be to greed, aggression, deception, and the thirst for power or fame. When reflections of this sort threaten one’s serenity, one can be glad for the bees…” – The Joys of Beekeeping

I worry about this myself, I keep in the back garden and have included my nearest neighbour in my decision to keep at home (the swarm was actually on a telegraph pole in their front garden). In fact they have popped round to see the bees and are enthusiatic. Keeping goodwill from neighbours and the abscence of a damages action is worth more to me than the convienience (and enjoyment) of popping down to the hives with a brew of an evening for a gander. I've noticed a few posts saying don't keep at home but some of us have a stark choice, keep at home or don't keep! I am actively looking for an out apiary site for next year but would want to retain at least a hive at home for interest. Thoughts on this and what are the views on best techniques for identifying and getting agreement for out apiary sites? Are you guys who have them paying rent? rent in kind (honey)? it sounds like dickman and Young are a right pair and they would do anything to annoy their neighbour, it seems they are being antagonistic and just plain nasty, the bees just hapen to be their weapon of coice Sounds like they are using the bees to intimidate the neighbour, its just like someone using a Rottweiller to intimidate a neighbour - thast happened round here. Bees don't normally behave like that surely. I have just come back from my out apiary where I have some bees that I was given. I thought they were a bit frisky so they only stayed in the garden one week. I suspected the queen had disappeared so had to go and check a test frame. Queenleess, as I found out and probably cheeses off with the weather. They were the bees from hell. I dont mind bees jumping on me but this lot have perfected the art of burrowing under the cuffs and joining you on the inside. I have seen one or two trying it but today it was about a dozen on each arm. Now those would be the bees to use if you wanted to really upset the neighbours.Rules I was taught for gardens 1) Only gentle bees 2) Make sure they don't annoy neighbours. Mind face towards one boundary but towards a 7 foot high hedge to lift them up. 3) Dont carry out manipulations when people are out. 4) Make sure bees cannot see people from hive entrance. My ninja bees, as I call them, got shipped out as soon as possible and I am getting a new queen anyway. Up at the apiary I have a swarm I collected and a cast that turned up. They are both beautiful bees to play with. They must really be into sadomasochism. Its not because of their sexual orientation but anyone who keeps bees like that must enjoy suffering. Beekeeping is supposed to be fun. I like DrNick's comment, i had missed that. This may be the silly question of the day, or indeed asked/answered elsewhere but if you have a hive full of nice gentle bees, will they remain gentle with the current queen, until maybe she ages. Obviously when requeening, things could change. The reason I ask is that my bees are real pussycats, just not bothered about anything (yet) (And yes I know pussycats have sharp claws) and I was wondering if this is likely to last. How much of the drones temperament is passed on (if at all). (Can't you tell I know nothing about genetics etc) The queen is a this years queen. Might depend a bit on circumstances - defending stores, foragers at home in grotty weather. However I have found they generally retain their docility. Likewise they probabaly never improve if they are straight up in the air, following, etc. Just that either you put up with bolshy bees or re-queen. The second option is probably the better, but your nice docile queen will generally give offspring which are closer to the norm for the area - less docile. That is why Buckfast queens are so much in demand.

Natural sweeteners like unrefined brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, barley malt syrup, rice syrup, honey and agave nectar are common these days and for good reason. Each has a unique flavor and set of uses that’ll satisfy any craving for sweetness in everything from your salad dressings to your roasted pork loin. Today, the main sources of commercial sugar are sugar cane and sugar beets, from which a variety of sugar products are made: Granulated white sugar is common, highly-refined all-purpose sugar. Look for organic varieties for a more natural choice. Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) is granulated white sugar that’s been crushed to a fine powder that is used for icing and decorations. Unrefined brown sugar (raw sugar) is slightly purified, crystallized evaporated cane juice. This caramel-flavored sugar comes in a variety of flavors, including demerara, dark muscovado and turbinado. Unrefined dehydrated cane juice is generally made by extracting and then dehydrating cane juice with minimal loss of the original flavor, color or nutrients. Turbinado sugar is a sugar cane-based, minimally refined sugar. It is medium brown in color and has large crystals. It’s often mistaken for traditional brown sugar because of its light brown color, but it’s made in a different way. Many people consider it to be healthier than both white and brown sugars, since it is generally less processed and less refined. Recipes that call for turbinado sugar tend to use it as a replacement for traditional brown sugar. It contains more moisture than regular white or brown sugars, which can be beneficial in things like cookies or muffins. Honey: – the world’s oldest-known unrefined sweetener. Honey’s flavor and color are derived from the flower nectar collected by bees. This accounts for the wide range of honey available around the world. Note that dark honey generally have a stronger flavor than lighter ones. Since bees can forage up to a mile from their hive and are indiscriminate in their nectar choices, so when a particular flower is named on the label of a honey container, it simply means that flower was the predominant one in bloom in the harvest area. Here are a few of the most popular varieties: Clover: mild flavored and readily available in colors ranging from white to light amber Wildflower: generally dark with a range of flavors and aromas depending on the flowers that provided the nectar Alfalfa: light in color with a delicate flavor Orange Blossom: distinctive citrus flavor and aroma and light in color Blueberry: slightly dark with a robust, full flavor Tupelo: fragrant, light and mild Chestnut: dark, tangy and slightly bitter with a high mineral content Storage tip: Keep honey in an airtight container and, if used infrequently, at temperatures below 50°F. Liquid honey will eventually crystallize but can be returned easily to a liquid state by placing the container in warm water for a few minutes. Maple syrup is simply the boiled down tree sap of the sugar maple tree. As for maple sugar, it’s twice as sweet as white sugar and has a caramel flavor. Until the arrival of the honeybee (introduced from Italy in 1630) maple sugar was the only form of concentrated sweetener in North America. Both maple syrup and maple sugar are among the least refined sweeteners. Storage tip: Refrigerate maple syrup to help it retain flavor, prevent slow fermentation and mold formation. When you store it right, maple syrup will keep for a year or more. If your syrup develops sugar crystals, simply warm the syrup to dissolve them. Molasses: With its strong, fragrant dark caramel flavor, it is about 65% as sweet as sugar and is actually produced during the refining of sugar. (The syrup remains after the available sucrose has been crystallized from sugar cane juice.) Light molasses is from the first boiling of the cane, dark molasses is from the second and blackstrap, the third. Though molasses can be sulfured or unsulfured, unsulfured molasses is preferred because the fumes used in manufacturing sugar aren’t retained as sulfur in the molasses. Date sugar is not extracted from anything. It’s just dried dates, pulverized into a powder. Date sugar is very sweet. It clumps and doesn’t melt, so it can’t be used in all the ways we use white sugar. Still you can usually substitute it in recipes that call for brown sugar. Some cooks suggest that you use only two-thirds the amount of date sugar in place of brown or white sugar called for in your recipe, otherwise, the end result may taste too sweet. Barley Malt Syrup: Made from soaked and sprouted barley, which is dried and cooked down to make a thick syrup. Barley malt is a sweetener that’s slowly digested and gentler on blood sugar levels than other sweeteners. Storage tip: I keep this sweetener in the refrigerator, so it does not develop mold. Rice Syrup: Made in almost the same way as barley syrup and it is usually a combination of rice and barley. Some of the best Chai teas are sweetened with rice syrup. Agave: Nectar is a multi-purpose sweetener obtained from the core of the Mexican Agave cactus, the same plant whose sap is a source of tequila. Agave nectar may resemble honey — its color ranges from pale to dark amber — but it’s slightly less viscous and dissolves more easily in liquids. Keep in mind that agave nectar is about 25% sweeter than sugar and that darker agave nectar has a more robust flavor with a hint of molasses. So which one is the best? The truth is that no sugar, regardless of where it comes from, will ever be optimal for regular consumption. From the above natural sweeteners, blackstrap molasses and pure maple syrup are the most nutritious. But whatever sweetener you choose, make sure that you get the least processed, pure version of it! In other words, if you are going to consume a sweetener, it is best if it comes from the fruit, herb or vegetable kingdom and be as raw/living as possible (not overheated and not overly processed) for optimum health. Want to substitute natural sweeteners for refined sugar in recipes, keep this guide handy. 1 3/4 cups for each 1 cup sugar 1 cup firmly packed for each 1 cup sugar 1 cup for each 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup for each 1 cup sugar Reduce by 3 tablespoons 3/4 cup for each 1 cup sugar Reduce by 1/4 cup Barley malt or rice syrup 3/4 cup for each 1 cup sugar Reduce by 1/4 cup 1 1/4 cups for each 1 cup sugar Reduce by 5 tablespoons for each cup used - 2 cups almond milk or 2 cups low-fat milk - 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar - 3 tablespoons canola oil - 3 tablespoons barley malt syrup (room temperature) - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour - 1/4 cup cornmeal - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 tablespoon baking powder - 1 tablespoon cornstarch Preheat a waffle iron. In a large bowl, use a fork or whisk to vigorously mix the milk, vinegar, oil and barley malt syrup. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix together until the batter is smooth. Coat the waffle irons with non-stick cooking spray and cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions. Carrot Spice Muffins (Agave Nectar) - 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or a mixture of 3/4 cups whole wheat and 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flours) - 1 tablespoon ground flax-seed - 1 teaspoon baking powder - 1 teaspoon baking soda - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - 3/4 teaspoon ginger - 1/8 teaspoon cloves - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1/2 cup agave nectar - 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce - 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt - 1/4 cup water - 1 teaspoon vanilla - 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 3) - 1/4 cup raisins Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick spray or use muffin liners. Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the liquid ingredients. Add the liquid to the dry and mix just long enough to combine. Add the carrots and raisins and stir to combine. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups–it will be very thick. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Ham with Maple Syrup and Orange Marmalade Glaze - 1 (7-pound) pre-cooked spiral-sliced ham - 1 cup grade B maple syrup - 1/2 cup orange marmalade - 2 tablespoons orange juice - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves - 2 oranges, sliced - 4-6 cinnamon sticks Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a sharp paring knife, make shallow crosshatch cuts all over the outside of the ham. Arrange ham in a large roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine syrup, marmalade, juice, ground cinnamon, pepper and cloves in a small bowl to make a glaze. After the ham has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from oven and increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Arrange oranges and cinnamon sticks around ham in the roasting pan, then brush ham and oranges liberally all over with the glaze, pouring remaining glaze over the ham. Return to the oven and bake, basting about every 10 minutes, until ham is hot throughout and caramelized on the outside, about 45 minute more. Transfer ham to a platter and set aside to let rest for 15 minutes. Arrange oranges and cinnamon sticks around the ham and serve. Broccoli with Honey-Lemon Dressing Serve this salad dressing over fresh garden greens, steamed green beans, asparagus or broccoli. Makes about 3/4 cup - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley - 3 tablespoons honey - 1 teaspoon lemon zest - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard - 1 garlic clove, pressed - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1/2 teaspoon pepper - 1/3 cup olive oil - 1 head of broccoli, steamed Whisk together chopped fresh parsley and next 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If chilled, let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Whisk before serving. Pour over cooked broccoli before serving. Gingerbread Squares (Molasses) - 6 tablespoons canola oil - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon baking powder - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda - 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg - 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar - 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses - 2 large eggs - 1/2 cup reduced-fat (1% or 2%) milk - 4 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger - Cooking spray for the pan Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper, letting paper extend about 1 inch over the short ends of the pan. Spray the paper and flour the pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat oil and brown sugar together until light. Beat in molasses. Beat in eggs one at a time. In 3 additions, stir in flour mixture, alternating with additions of milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in 2 tablespoons of crystallized ginger. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Lift gingerbread out with the edges of the paper and cut into 12 squares. - I’ve got a weakness for sweetness….. (germanchocolatechef.wordpress.com) - Prudent Pantry: The Sugars (homefront.prudentliving.com) - Vegan Cooking: Sugar & Sweeteners (budgetfriendlytoo.wordpress.com) - A Journey in Sugar (nutriglo.wordpress.com) - On a sugar rush! (i2cook.wordpress.com) - Yacon Syrup Review (vegetarianmadeeasy.wordpress.com) Honey is as old as written history, dating back to 2100 B.C. where it was mentioned in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings, the Hittite code, and the sacred writings of India and Egypt. It is presumably even older than that. It is not entirely clear but about 4000 BC, the Egyptians started keeping bees in a cylinder of unbaked hardened mud pots, stacking them in rows to form a bank. Some beekeepers in Egypt moved their hives on rafts down the Nile, following the blossoms. The Greeks modified the Egyptian design by baking the mud into a sturdier terra cotta. (1450 BC). Another design using hollow logs hung from trees and is still used in Africa today. Others include woven cylinders, woven skeps and rectangular boxes made from wood. The theme is all the same, a long low cavity with a small entrance hole at one end and a door at the other. One of the earliest evidence of honey harvesting is on a rock painting dating back 8000 years, this one found in Valencia, Spain shows a honey seeker robbing a wild bee colony. The bees were subdued with smoke and the tree or rocks opened resulting in destruction of the colony. Honey is an organic, natural sugar with no additives that is easy on the stomach, adapts to all cooking processes, and has an indefinite shelf-life. Its name comes from the English hunig, and it was the first and most widespread sweetener used by man. Legend has it that Cupid dipped his love arrows in honey before aiming at unsuspecting lovers. In the Old Testament of the Bible, Israel was often referred to as “the land of milk and honey”. Mead, an alcoholic drink made from honey was called “nectar of the gods” . The Romans used honey to heal their wounds after battles. Hannibal, a great warrior, gave his army honey and vinegar as they crossed the Alps on elephants to battle Rome. Honey was valued highly and often used as a form of currency, tribute, or offering. In the 11th. century A.D., German peasants paid their feudal lords in honey and beeswax. Although experts argue whether the honey bee is native to the Americas, conquering Spaniards in 1600 A.D. found native Mexicans and Central Americans had already developed beekeeping methods to produce honey. Honey has been used not only in food and beverages, but also to make cement, furniture polishes and varnishes, and for medicinal purposes. It was in Europe where apiculture made its greatest advances in development and bee biology. Even further advancements were made in 1851, when Rev. Langstroth from Philadelphia designed the Langstroth movable bee frame. The ability of the honey bee to survive has been remarkable. It has been able to adapt to the harsh environments of the world living in regions where man lives, from the equator to beyond the Arctic Circle. Most of the domestic honey bees have descended from a small number of queens from their original countries – that is Europe and Africa – and in these regions the honey bee has survived through natural selection processes. If honey bees were to disappear from the planet, man would have just 4 years until serious food shortages would result. The pollination services that bees provide are numerous. Think about the fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables and legumes we eat. Most of these are pollinated by the bee. • Honeybees must tap over two million flowers to make one pound of honey, flying a distance equal to more than three times around the world. • The average worker bee will make only one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey during its lifetime. • The famous Scottish liqueur, Drambuie, is made with honey. Italian Bee – Apis Mellifera var. Ligustica Spinola Originally from the Apennine Peninsula in Italy, the true Italian breed is the Ligustica. There are 3 yellow bands on the abdomen of the Ligustica and 4 or 5 bands on the Italian. These bees are usually gentle to manage, winter well and build up their numbers quickly in spring. Their proficient breeding ability during periods of little or no honey flow often results in depletion of their honey stores and, as a result, they have a tendency toward swarming. Today, in Italian cuisine, honey is mostly used in sweets, from pastries to torrone, and in traditional sweets like panforte and fritters. Honey is a favored ingredient in southern Italian cuisine due to the strong influence of the Arabs in this area, whose palates have a preference for sweet and sour combinations. A spoonful of honey can sweeten a glass of tea, turn a plain piece of bread into a treat, glaze barbecued spareribs, or serve as the basis for a salad dressing. Types of Italian Honey Orange Blossom Honey of Sicily Orange blossom honey crystallizes a few months after having been gathered and is very light, almost white in color. The intense fragrance is reminiscent of orange blossoms, while the flavor is a fusion of aromas recalling both the flower and the fruit. Excellent in sweets or mixed with yogurt, it is just as good spread on bread or used to sweeten tea. Chestnut Honey from Calabria Chestnut honey is rich in fructose and crystallizes only after a long time. Dark in color, ranging from brown to black, it has a strong, intense smell, woody and slightly tannic (due to the tannin in the tree). Grains of chestnut pollen, can be found in the honey. The flavor is not very sweet and, with an almost bitter aftertaste, highly appreciated by those who are not fond of sweets. It is a perfect honey for delicious contrasts, splendid with aged cheeses or hearty meat dishes. Acacia Honey from the Prealps (the foothills of the Italian Alps) Acacia honey, one of the clearest in color, remains liquid regardless of the temperature or its freshness (it very rarely crystallizes). The fragrance is light, the flavor delicate and very sweet, with a hint of vanilla. A honey universally liked, it is particularly suitable for use as sweetener since it does not change the taste of the substances it is added to. Eucalyptus Honey from Sardinia Eucalyptus honey has a color that ranges from light amber to beige with grayish tones. Its fragrance is intense, distinctive and recognizable, and the flavor recalls the taste of caramel, but is more refined. This is a special honey, excellent as a table honey for those who like its taste. Millefiori Honey from Tuscany Millefiori honey from Tuscany has as many subtle tones of taste. Each millefiori honey has a special taste, fragrance, and color. A lover of this honey can become a true connoisseur of it, and learn to recognize the variations it takes on from one season to another, because a millefiori honey is a summary of all of the different components of a landscape. The more varied is its nature, encompassing a range of plants and flowers, the more complex and rich will be its overall aroma. There are more than 300 unique types of honey available in the United States, each originating from a different plant source. I am listing some of the more common ones in this post due to space limitations. As a general rule, the flavor of lighter colored honeys is milder and the flavor of darker colored honeys is stronger. Alfalfa honey, produced extensively throughout Canada and the United States from the purple blossoms, is light in color with a pleasingly mild flavor and aroma. Avocado honey is gathered from California avocado blossoms. Avocado honey is dark in color, with a rich, buttery taste. Taken from the tiny white flowers of the blueberry bush, the nectar makes a honey which is typically light amber in color and with a full, well-rounded flavor. Blueberry honey is produced in New England and in Michigan. Buckwheat honey is dark and full-bodied. It is produced in Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as in eastern Canada. Buckwheat honey has been found to contain more antioxidant compounds than some lighter honeys. Clover honey has a pleasing, mild taste. Clovers contribute more to honey production in the United States than any other group of plants. Red clover, Alsike clover and the white and yellow sweet clovers are most important for honey production. Depending on the location and type of source of clover, clover honey varies in color from water white to light amber to amber. Eucalyptus honey comes from over 500 distinct species and many hybrids. As may be expected with a diverse group of plants, eucalyptus honey varies greatly in color and flavor but tends to be a stronger flavored honey with a slight medicinal scent. It is produced in California. Fireweed honey is light in color and comes from a perennial herb from the Northern and Pacific states and Canada. Fireweed grows in the open woods, reaching a height of three to five feet and spikes pinkish flowers. Orange blossom honey, often a combination of citrus sources, is usually light in color and mild in flavor with a fresh scent and light citrus taste. Orange blossom honey is produced in Florida, Southern California and parts of Texas. Sage honey, primarily produced in California, is light in color, heavy bodied and has a mld flavor. It is extremely slow to granulate, making it a favorite among honey packers for blending with other honeys to slow down granulation. Tupelo honey is a premium honey produced in northwest Florida. It is heavy bodied and is usually light golden amber with a greenish cast and has a mild, distinctive taste. Because of the high fructose content in Tupelo honey, it granulates very slowly. Wildflower honey is often used to describe honey from miscellaneous and undefined flower sources. Read Kathy Siler’s (a Michigan beekeeper) description of the process of harvesting honey and reaping its benefits: http://blog.mlive.com/freshfood/2012/12/the_bees_are_in_their_huddles.html Recipes Using Honey Honey Pizza Dough or Focaccia Bread - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast ( or 1 package) - 1 tablespoon honey - 1 cup warm water, 105 to 115 degrees - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour - 1 cup white whole wheat flour - 2 teaspoons salt - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - Sauce and toppings of choice In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in ¼ cup warm water (100-110 degrees). In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup water, mix on low speed until dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, then simply add a bit more flour until it pulls cleanly away from the bowl. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 2 or 3 minutes.The dough should be smooth and firm. Place in lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 30-45 minutes. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled). Take dough out of bowl and divide into either 1 or 2 balls, depending on whether you want 1 large pizza or 2 small. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, the dough can be used or wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To make pizzas, stretch the dough out onto a greased pizza pan, top with sauce and toppings, and bake at 450 degrees F. for 20 minutes, until done. (Smaller pizzas will take less time). For Focaccia Bread - ¼ cup olive oil - Sea salt — 2 teaspoons - Fresh rosemary — 1 tablespoon - chopped garlic to taste, optional Preheat oven to 450°F. Oil a medium-sized baking dish and place the dough in the pan. Use your hands to push the dough out to the sides of the pan so that it fully and evenly covers the bottom. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Use your fingers to press dimpled indentations all over the dough. Brush the dough all over with 1/4 cup of olive oil. Sprinkle with the sea salt, the rosemary and garlic if using. Set the baking pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 400° F and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Italian Honey Salad Dressing - 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped (about one small bunch) - 10 big leaves fresh basil - ¼ teaspoon dried oregano - 2 cloves garlic, peeled - ¼ cup red wine vinegar, good quality - ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, good quality - ¾ teaspoon salt - ¼ teaspoon pepper - 1 ½ teaspoons honey Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor and process to blend completely. Italian Honey Orange Chicken - 1 teaspoon salt - 1/4 teaspoon pepper - 2 chickens, 3 lbs each, cut up (or 6 lbs chicken pieces) - 1 cup hot water - 1 cup orange juice - 1/4 cup honey - 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger, or 3/4 tsp ground ginger, or to taste - Fresh orange wedges for garnish (optional) Grease a large roasting pan Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper Whisk together hot water, orange juice, honey and ginger in a bowl. Place the chicken in the greased roasting pan and cover the chicken evenly with the honey orange liquid. Cover the pan with foil and let it roast in the oven for 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Uncover the dish after 45 minutes and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Let the chicken continue to roast for 10-20 minutes longer, basting every few minutes, until the skin is brown. Serve on a platter garnished with fresh orange wedges, if desired. Mascarpone Tart with Honey, Oranges, and Pistachios Makes 8 servings - Whole Wheat Pie Crust, recipe below - 2 large navel oranges - 1- 8 to 8.8-ounce container chilled mascarpone cheese* - 1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream - 1/4 cup honey, divided - 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom - 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Make pie crust according to baked crust instructions below. Bake according to instructions. Cool completely on rack. Meanwhile, grate enough orange peel to measure 1 1/4 teaspoons. Cut off remaining peel and pith from oranges. Slice oranges into thin rounds, then cut rounds crosswise in half. Place orange slices on paper towels to drain slightly. Combine mascarpone, cream, sugar, 3 tablespoons honey, cardamom, and orange peel in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat just until blended and peaks form (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle). Spread filling evenly in cooled crust. Arrange orange slices on top tart in concentric circles; sprinkle with pistachios. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon honey and serve. *Italian cream cheese; available at many supermarkets and Italian markets. Whole Wheat Pie Crust - ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting - ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour - 1/8 teaspoon salt - 1 tablespoon honey - 5 tablespoon trans-free vegetable shortening In a mixing bowl, combine the white and whole wheat flours, honey and the salt. Add the shortening and with a pastry blender cut the shortening into the flour. You can also quickly use your fingers to break up the shortening and form a coarse dough. Sprinkle with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with a fork until a moist dough forms. You’ll use 5 to 6 tablespoons water. For a filled crust: Roll the dough into an 1/8-inch-thick round on a floured piece of wax paper or a pastry cloth. Roll the dough onto a rolling pin and then unroll it onto the pie pan. Crimp the edge with the tines of a fork. Freeze for 10 minutes before baking. For a baked crust: Prepare the dough as for a filled crust. Prick the sides and bottom with a fork and bake in a 450ºF. oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. - Fall Bee Honey Harvest (giantveggiegardener.com) - Honey for the Holidays: Honey’s hidden benefits (fldpi.wordpress.com) - Honey bees’ genetic code unlocked (bbc.co.uk) - Honey Bee (danroberson.wordpress.com) - Honey Bees (magnifique100.wordpress.com) - Our European Dark Honey Bee Breeding Programme (pythonessandbee.wordpress.com)

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|Home | Archives | About | Login | Submissions | Notify | Contact | Search| Copyright © 2001 by The Resilience Alliance The following is the established format for referencing this article: Cane, J. H. and V. J. Tepedino. 2001. Causes and extent of declines among native North American invertebrate pollinators: detection, evidence, and consequences. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 1. [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art1/ Synthesis, part of Special Feature on Pollinator Decline Causes and Extent of Declines among Native North American Invertebrate Pollinators: Detection, Evidence, and Consequences James H. Cane and Vincent J. Tepedino Ecosystem health and agricultural wealth in North America depend on a particular invertebrate fauna to deliver pollination services. Extensive losses in pollinator guilds and communities can disrupt ecosystem integrity, a circumstance that today forces most farmers to rely on honey bees for much fruit and seed production. Are North America's invertebrate pollinator faunas already widely diminished or currently threatened by human activities? How would we know, what are the spatiotemporal scales for detection, and which anthropogenic factors are responsible? Answers to these questions were considered by participants in a workshop sponsored by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in October of 1999, and these questions form the nucleus for the papers in this special issue. Several contributors critically interpret the evidence for declines of bee and fly pollinators, the pollination deficits that should ensue, and their economic costs. Spatiotemporal unruliness in pollinator numbers, particularly bees, is shown to hinder our current insights, highlighting the need for refined survey and sampling designs. At the same time, two remarkable studies clearly show the long-term persistence of members of complex bee communities. Other authors offer new perspectives on habitat fragmentation and global warming as drivers of pollinator declines. Bees and lepidopterans are contrasted in terms of their natural genetic variation and their consequent resilience in the face of population declines. Overall, many ecologists and conservation biologists have not fully appreciated the daunting challenges that accompany sampling designs, taxonomy, and the natural history of bees, flies, and other invertebrate pollinators, a circumstance that must be remedied if we are to reliably monitor invertebrate pollinator populations and respond to their declines with effective conservation measures. KEY WORDS: Apiformes, Apoidea, Insecta, conservation, diversity, land-use change, native invertebrate pollinators, North America, pollination, pollinator declines. Published: April 4, 2001 That human activities can decimate or impoverish local and regional biotas is indisputable. In the past few decades, disturbing continental, oceanic, and global trends have emerged that show accelerating losses of biodiversity in such species-rich groups as marine fishes (Safina 1997), birds (Terborgh 1989), amphibians (Alford and Richards 1999), and reptiles (Gibbons et al. 2000), to name but a few. The causes can include habitat loss and degradation, pollution, overharvesting, invasive species, disease, and climate change. The impact of such losses can multiply beyond mere direct effects if the endangered organisms deliver vital community services, such as pollination (Kevan and Collins 1974, Kearns et al. 1998). In these cases, additional taxa within the community may suffer reproductive losses that could ultimately disrupt community function. Invertebrates, particularly native bees, are the pollinators whose loss is most likely to have far-reaching effects in North America, the focus of this issue. They are the primary and essential "go-betweens" for the flowers of most wild and agricultural plants that require a pollinator. During their flights between flowers of conspecific plants in search of nectar, pollen, oil, or mates, bees and other insects often move pollen to floral stigmas, thereby enhancing fruit set and size, seed production and viability, seedling vigor, and the genetic diversity of plant populations. Has this essential ecosystem service come into recent jeopardy in North America, as some have concluded (Buchmann and Nabhan 1996, Allen-Wardell et al. 1998)? Perhaps, if human activities are indeed causing widespread declines in pollinator abundance, shifts in pollinator community composition, or accelerated rates of pollinator extinction. Depauperate pollinator faunas may offer less of the redundancy that can buffer fruit and seed set against the inevitable and sometimes chaotic population swings of individual pollinator species (Cane and Payne 1993, Roubik 2001), with repercussions for humans and other animal species dependent on the regular production of those plants for food (Kevan and Collins 1974). Declining pollinator abundance could soon translate into less frequent flower visitation and abrupt or gradual diminution of seed and fruit production. In addition, self-compatible flowering plants that rarely receive floral visitors could suffer greater risks of inbreeding, because visitors encountering the rich resources accumulated in individual flowers would be more likely to remain with the plant than to move on in search of more profitable nectar and pollen sources. The consequences of such lingering pollinators can extend to self-incompatible plants, too. In this case, rather than receiving beneficial pollen from other conspecifics, their stigmas may become clogged with self-pollen from neighboring flowers (Waser 1978), which can hasten pistil senescence (Scribailo and Barrett 1994). Chronic agricultural shortfalls in native pollinator abundance in many fruit and seed crops is widespread, especially among self-incompatible crop species (Kevan and Phillips 2001), which has forced the United States to rely on migratory beekeeping. That service has been recently jeopardized by Old World parasitic mites and larval diseases. But how frequent, prolonged, and severe are pollination deficits in nature, and when do pollination deficits signal actual pollinator declines (Thomson 2001)? Human activities are apparent everywhere, and their potential effects on beneficial insect populations would seem to be obvious. Claims for widespread declines of invertebrate pollinators are plausible but inadequately documented, at least in North America. For instance, insecticides are applied not only on agricultural fields but also in backyards and on rangelands, golf courses, parks, forests, and mosquito-ridden marshes and swamps. The broad-spectrum insecticides that are commonly used (and abused) are often as toxic to beneficial insects as they are to the target species (Johansen and Mayer 1990). On the other hand, it may be that plant losses from chronic herbicide use are, in fact, driving losses of pollinator species, and not vice versa. Agriculture increasingly replaces natural plant communities with monocultures, some of which are incapable of sustaining pollinator populations. For instance, grains such as wheat and corn, which are planted every year across 6% of the continental U.S. land area and in up to 20% of some midwestern states (http://www.nass.usda.gov), do not provide for the nectar or pollen needs of any bee species. Undocumented acreages of hedgerows, field margins, embankments, and other "waste places" provide nesting habitat for some native bees. Removal of these often unappreciated habitats has been associated with dramatic declines in Germany’s native bee fauna since the 1960s (Westrich 1989). Conversely, retention of some of these features has been associated with persistently rich native bee faunas in some Polish agricultural landscapes (Banaszak 1995, 1997). In addition, more than 3% of the U.S. land area has been urbanized (http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu:80/usda/), converting rich arrays of habitats into highways, houses, strip malls, office complexes, and industrial parks. Urbanization not only removes habitat directly but also isolates and fragments the land that it does not degrade or assimilate. The attributes, extent, and permanence of fragmentation effects for native bee faunas and their flowers, however, are barely understood (Cane 2001). However, the effect of human industry on pollinators may not be so clear-cut (Bohart 1972a). Where humans have taken, they have also, quite unintentionally, given in return. The clearing of American forests has opened up previously shaded, humid habitats for many sun-loving pollinators and their plants. Roadsides, with their partially compacted soils, are frequently favored nesting sites for bees and wasps. In deserts, highway pavement channels rainfall runoff to road edges, inadvertently irrigating linear populations of native wildflowers (Lightfoot and Whitford 1991). Wooden fences, barns, and even stone walls provide substrates for bees that nest above ground (Westrich 1989). Where native plants and their flowers have been removed or displaced, they have sometimes been replaced, in equal or greater numbers, by introduced species in flower and vegetable gardens, waste places, and disturbed areas. Although some of these flowers are nothing more than the sterile fabrications of plant breeders, in other cases exotic plant species supply novel resources to pollinators with unknown consequences. Berlin, Germany, for instance, with its patchwork of waste places populated by ruderal floras, retains a bee fauna of 262 native bee species (Saure 1996). By the same token, brief bursts of flowering (e.g., by orchard crops) may provide superabundant resources for one life stage of a pollinator, but be unable to support all the stages of its life cycle. Such short-lived bonanzas may also favor one species at the expense of others. For instance, the alkali bee (Nomia melanderi), a native of the dry basins of the U.S. intermountain west, proliferates wherever blooming seed alfalfa combines with subirrigated alkali flats for nesting (Bohart 1972b). Clearly, some of North America's fauna of invertebrate pollinators, probably the vast majority, are not inextricably linked to pristine parks and reserves, but what balance, extent, and kind of human activities are compatible with their persistence? Researchers from the United States and Canada came together during an October 1999 workshop at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) in Santa Barbara, California, to evaluate a single question: Is there evidence to support the claim by some (Buchmann and Nabhan 1996, Allen-Wardell et al. 1998) of widespread invertebrate pollinator declines, or a loss of species diversity in pollinator community composition, in North America? How would we know? The obvious auxillary question—Has pollination service suffered as a consequence?—was secondary to our objective, but was discussed more fully at an earlier conference briefly described in Tepedino and Ginsberg (2000). In the nine papers that arose from the NCEAS workshop, participants explored the evidence for, and the likelihood of detecting, declines in native invertebrate pollinators. Evidence was mustered from studies of population dynamics, genetic diversity, and species composition in pollinator communities. Accessory papers evaluated the issue of pollination deficits in plants or explored several of the anthropogenic factors that could elicit declines, such as global warming and habitat fragmentation. Three papers address the magnitude of the spatial and temporal turnover of relatively undisturbed natural populations and communities of bees. When confronted with these natural vagaries in bee community abundance and composition, can we ever hope to detect the shifts and changes in pollinator faunas that may arise from human activity? One answer comes from Roubik (2001), who presents an unrivaled data set of 22 consecutive years of unbiased samples of an orchid bee (Euglossinae) fauna in Panama. Orchid bees were sampled from Parque Soberania, a protected lowland rain forest site in Panama famed for its bird diversity (http://www.nps.gov/centralamerica/panama/bio.html). No aggregate trends were detected in the nearly 2000 samples, although two- to fourfold annual swings in the population densities of individual species were common in this and the other faunal studies that he reviews. Williams et al. (2001) extend Roubik’s insights with a quantitative analysis of the spatiotemporal variation of bee faunas worldwide. They find, as did Roubik, that populations and local diversity are characterized by daunting variability, especially among the numerous rarer species. In light of this, they review and evaluate a number of protocols to help develop improved, standardized, systematic sampling efforts for detecting true declines in native bee faunas. An exemplary study from Marlin and LaBerge (2001) summarizes data for the bee fauna that they sampled at 24 flowering plant species in the vicinity of Carlinville, Illinois, USA. Carlinville is the site of the world’s first published example of an exhaustively sampled local bee fauna and its floral associations, which was begun by Charles Robertson late in the 19th century. The authors found that Carlinville’s diverse native bee fauna was remarkably persistent when resampled nearly a century later, in the 1970s, despite the continued dominance of row-crop agriculture in that locale and the diverse arsenal of insect control tools used over the decades. Bees are not the only invertebrate pollinators whose potential decline is poorly understood. Kearns (2001) marshals evidence to suggest that flies are more important pollinators than we currently allow. They are persistent visitors of flowers, particularly those that are easy to access and manipulate, and, despite their relative hairlessness, are likely to be important pollinators of some flowering species in some ecosystems. However, flies are enmeshed in ecosystems in different, more complicated ways than bees. Although floral products feeds all life stages of bees, those flies that do use flower products do so mostly as adults; their immature progeny typically eat unrelated foodstuffs. This perhaps makes it harder to study them, because we must examine two very different life associations, and also makes them more unpredictable as flower visitors. As a result, their role in pollination and the spatiotemporal patterns in their diversity are even less well known than those of bees. Two papers address select issues of global change as they impinge on invertebrate floral visitors of North America. Using GIS, Kerr (2001) successfully correlates the geographic distribution of Canadian butterfly diversity (292 species) with contemporary biotic and climatic parameters, particularly habitat heterogeneity and potential evapotranspiration, which is a measure of climatic energy. Warmer, more heterogeneous habitats host more butterfly species. The spatial distribution of climate energy is of particular interest, because it will shift with global warming. Kerr's method holds promise for other well-sampled faunas of floral visitors, especially if it proves to be a valid link between remotely sensed surface features and pollinator biodiversity on the ground. Cane (2001) reviews the worldwide literature of habitat fragmentation as it pertains to native bees. Contrary to some reviews and more popular accounts, it is evident that the few extant studies of bees all have features that limit their interpretation and general applicability. Conclusions linking habitat fragmentation with pollinator demise are premature. In particular, Cane advocates that future studies need to consider the habitat needs for nesting by bees when evaluating the effects of fragmentation. Declining abundance in a pollinator species can hasten its demise, because a decline in numbers is frequently accompanied by a decline in genetic variability via genetic drift, which increases the likelihood that populations and species will become extinct (Barrett and Kohn 1991). Fragmentation and habitat destruction can add to the rate of genetic erosion by reducing gene flow between demes. But what is the "natural" genetic diversity and heterozygosity for taxa of invertebrate floral visitors? Packer and Owen (2001) compare genetic variation among species of two important higher taxa of invertebrate pollinators, bees and lepidopterans. Bees are renowned for their limited natural genetic variability because of factors such as their haplodiploid genetic system, aggregated nesting, central-place foraging habits, viscous population structure, and, perhaps, sociality. Packer and Owen suggest that bee populations may consequently be more genetically resilient in the face of declining population size than are butterflies and moths. An alternative and less direct way of seeking evidence for pollinator declines is to examine pollination deficits. If pollinators are in decline, the thinking goes, then we should be able to measure the results of their absence as reductions in fruit or seed production in natural or agricultural ecosystems. Thomson (2001) critically reviews this idea, the thinking that educes it, and some of the work that has been used to support it. He concludes that expectations are really more complicated than we currently allow and that, although valuable if conducted properly, studies using pollination deficits to make the case for pollinator declines need to be interpreted with caution. Kevan and Phillips (2001) examine the case for pollination deficits in agroecosystems from the perspective of an economic market analysis. Although shortfalls in agricultural production stemming from pollination deficits may spawn both short-term winners and losers in the producer and trade economies, in all cases the consumer will pay higher prices for a depleted cornucopia of food products in the retail marketplace. We conclude that we do not presently know the net effect of these confounding factors on native North American invertebrate pollinator faunas. We suspect that anthropogenic activities will be detrimental to some species but beneficial to others, with sometimes subtle and counterintuitive causal linkages (Thomas and Jones 1993, Benedek 1996). Obviously, if we have so far been unable to detect broad-scale declines in invertebrate pollinator taxa in North America, then we are even less able to draw conclusions about expected shortfalls in their services as pollinators. However, this lack of evidence is no cause for complacency. Instead, taking action now in response to these early alarms might allow North Americans to avert the very real and widespread declines that are now being detected among central European bee faunas (Westrich 1996). A concerted and scholarly multidisciplinary effort is needed to answer the critical questions, lest we embark on mistaken solutions extrapolated from other animal taxa and fail in our endeavors to conserve, let alone restore, communities of native invertebrate pollinators in North America. Our conference highlighted several critical challenges that must be met if we are to make meaningful headway in understanding and addressing the conservation needs of invertebrate pollinators (see also Tepedino and Ginsberg 2000). Replicate stratified sampling is essential. Roubik (2001) recommends at least four years of samples to detect trends. Williams et al. (2001) advocate multiyear samples as well, to bracket variability before evaluating differences between modern and historical samples. The less dramatic the disturbance, the less likely that its influence will be detected against this background of natural stochasticity. Unfortunately, most species in samples of invertebrate pollinator communities and guilds are uncommon or rare. They are the least likely ones to reveal declines, as they are often represented by just one or a few specimens (Williams et al. 2001). Nevertheless, traditionally we worry most about rare taxa in conservation biology. Rare bee species might be profitably monitored if they are floral specialists, whose absence can more readily be confirmed by focal surveys if their flowering hosts are discretely distributed. For the general case, however, we must rely on the more common invertebrate pollinator species for the detection of declines. Responses to this article are invited. If accepted for publication, your response will be hyperlinked to the article. To submit a comment, follow this link. To read comments already accepted, follow this link. James Thomson served as the third subject editor and a source of valuable intellectual stimulation for this workshop and resultant journal issue. We thank the National Science Foundation for funding the workshop and publication of the articles in this special issue. Guidance and encouragement at various stages were gratefully received from Dr. Penelope Kukuk, as were revisions suggested by Robert Minckley, Neal Williams, and John Marlin. Alford, R. A., and S. J. Richards. 1999. Global amphibian declines: a problem in applied ecology. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 30: 133-165. Allen-Wardell, G., P. Bernhardt, R. Bitner, A. Burquez, S. Buchmann, J. Cane, P. Cox, V. Dalton, P. Feinsinger, M. Ingram, D. Inouye, C. Jones, K. Kennedy, P. Kevan, H. Koopowitz, R. Medellin, S. Medellin-Morales, G. Nabhan, B. Pavlik, V. Tepedino, P. Torchio, and S. Walker. 1998. The potential consequences of pollinator declines on the conservation of biodiversity and stability of food crop yields. Conservation Biology 12: 8-17. Banaszak, J., editor. 1995. Changes in fauna of wild bees in Europe. Pedagogical University Press, Bydgoszcz, Poland. Banaszk, J., editor. 1997. Local changes in the population of wild bees. I. Changes in the fauna ten years later. Ochrona Przyrody 54: 119-130. Barrett, S. C. H., and J. R. Kohn. 1991. Genetic and evolutionary consequences of small population size in plants: implications for conservation. Pages 1-30 in D. A. Falk and K. E. Holsinger, editors. Genetics and conservation of rare plants. Oxford University Press, New York, New York, USA. Benedek, P. 1996. Structure and density of lucerne pollinating wild bee populations as affected by changing agriculture. Acta Horticulturae 437: 353-357. Bohart, G. E. 1972a. Management of habitats for wild bees. Proceedings of the Tall Timbers Conference on Ecological Animal Control by Habitat Management 3: 253-266. Bohart, G. E. 1972b. Management of wild bees for the pollination of crops. Annual Review of Entomology 17: 287-312. Buchmann, S. L., and G. P. Nabhan. 1996. The forgotten pollinators. Island Press, Washington, D.C., USA. Cane, J. H. 2001. Habitat fragmentation and native bees: a premature verdict? Conservation Ecology 5(1): 3 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art3. Cane, J. H., and J. A. Payne. 1993. Regional, annual and seasonal variation in pollinator guilds: intrinsic traits of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) underlie their patterns of abundance at Vaccinium ashei (Ericaceae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 86: 577-588. Dunning, J. B., B. J. Danielson, and H. R. Pulliam. 1992. Ecological processes that affect populations in complex landscapes. Oikos 65: 169-175. Gibbons, J. W., D. E. Scott, T. J. Ryan, K. A. Buhlmann, T. D. Tuberville, B. S. Metts, J. L. Greene, T. Mills, Y. Leiden, S. Poppy, and C. T. Winne. 2000. The global decline of reptiles, déjà vu amphibians. BioScience (American Institute of Biological Science) 50: 653-666. Johansen, C. A., and D. F. Mayer. 1990. Pollinator protection: a bee and pesticide handbook. Wicwas Press, Cheshire, Connecticut, USA. Kearns, C. A. 2001. North American dipteran pollinators: assessing their value and conservation status. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 5 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art5. Kearns, C. A., D. W. Inouye, and N. M. Waser. 1998. Endangered mutualisms: the conservation of plant-pollinator interactions. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 29: 83-112. Kerr, J. T. 2001. Butterfly species richness patterns in Canada: energy, heterogeneity, and the potential consequences of climate change. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 10 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art10. Kevan, P. G., and M. Collins. 1974. Bees, blueberries, birds and budworms. Osprey 5: 54-62. Kevan, P. G., and T. Phillips. 2001. The economics of pollinator declines: assessing the consequences. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 8 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art8. Lightfoot, D. C., and W. G. Whitford. 1991. Productivity of creosote bush foliage and associated canopy arthropods along a desert roadside. American Midland Naturalist 125: 310-322. Marlin, J. C., and W. E. LaBerge. 2001. The native bee fauna of Carlinville, Illinois, revisted after 75 years: a case for persistence. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 9 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art9. Packer, L., and R. Owen. 2001. Population genetic aspects of pollinator decline. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 4 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art4. Roubik, D. W. 2001. Ups and downs in pollinator populations: when is there a decline? Conservation Ecology 5(1): 2 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art2. Safina, C. 1997. Global marine fisheries: depletion and renewal. Pages 149-152 in G. K. Meffe and C. R. Carroll, editors. Principles of conservation biology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA. Saure, C. 1996. Urban habitats for bees: the example of the city of Berlin. Pages 47-54 in A. Matheson, S. L. Buchmann, C. O'Toole, P. Westrich, and I. H. Williams, editors. The conservation of bees. Academic Press, New York, New York, USA. Scribailo, R. W., and S. C. H. Barrett. 1994. Effects of prior self-pollination on outcrossed seed set in tristylous Pontederia sagittata (Pontederiaceae). Sexual Plant Reproduction 7: 273-281. Tepedino, V. J., and H. S. Ginsberg. 2000. Report of the U. S. Department of Agriculture and U. S. Department of the Interior Joint Workshop on Declining Pollinators, 27-28 May 1999, Logan Utah. U. S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Information and Technology Report USGA/BRD/ITR-2000-0007. Tepedino, V. J., S. D. Sipes, J. L. Barnes, and L. L. Hickerson. 1997. The need for "extended care" in conservation: examples from studies of rare plants in the western United States. Acta Horticulturae 437: 245-248. Terborgh, J. 1989. Where have all the birds gone? Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Thomas, C. D., and T. M. Jones. 1993. Partial recovery of a skipper butterfly (Hesperia comma) from population refuges: lessons for conservation in a fragmented landscape. Journal of Animal Ecology 62: 472-481. Thomson, J. D. 2001. Using pollination deficits to infer pollinator declines: can theory guide us? Conservation Ecology 5(1): 6 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art6. Waser, N. M. 1978. Competition for hummingbird pollination and sequential flowering in two Colorado wildflowers. Ecology 59: 934-944. Westrich, P. 1989. Die Wildbienen Baden-Württembergs. Allgemeiner Teil: Lebensräume, Verhalten, Ökologie und Schutz. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany. Westrich, P. 1996. Habitat requirements of central European bees and the problems of partial habitats. Pages 1-16 in A. Matheson, S. L. Buchmann, C. O'Toole, P. Westrich, and I. H. Williams, editors. The conservation of bees. Academic Press, New York, New York, USA. Williams, N., R. Minckley, and F. Silviera. 2001. Variation in native bee faunas and its implications for detecting community changes. Conservation Ecology 5(1): 7 [online] URL: http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art7. Address of Correspondent: James H. Cane USDA Bee Biology Lab and Department of Biology Utah State University Logan, Utah, USA 84322-5310 |Home | Archives | About | Login | Submissions | Notify | Contact | Search|

We are happy to sell you our Honey which is extracted and packed here at the bee farm, but for those of you wanting to try beekeeping for yourself, we can supply start up colonies along with the advice that you may need to keep you and your bees on track We are a small Bee Farm on the edge of Ogston Reservoir We are a small Bee Farm on the edge of Ogston Reservoir near Chesterfield, Derbyshire. With many years prior experience as hobby bee keepers, we are now sustaining our apiaries by rearing queens from our own local stock. Our focus is on bee improvement, selecting breeder queens from the most productive and gentle colonies and developing our own bee strain that is naturally acclimatised and suited to our part of the world. Supporting the principles of BIBBA – Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association – and the BBKA – British Beekeeping Association The best bees are probably the ones you already have. Why The Native Bee Is The Best Bee For The British Climate John Dew’s Views – the best bee “There is a tendency amongst some beekeepers to believe that the “grass is greener on the other side of the fence”, that imported bees are superior to the indigenous bee..” Quote taken from an article on the BIBBA website Help us to re-establish our native bees Many well respected beekeepers are voicing concerns about the dangers of ever-increasing queen and bee imports into the British Isles. These have increased fivefold over the last eight years and in 2019 we were recipient to over 23,000 such imports. The risk of non-native disease and pests being brought is apparent but perhaps even more potentially damaging is the continuous hybridisation of our native sub-species. There are positive attributes associated with these exotic imports which on the face of it seem attractive. For example they give a high honey yield and are very gentle to handle but conversely they have been shown to be less well-equipped for survival in our climate and conditions and the only answer is to replace with more imports. The drones from these exotics then mate with our native bees, resulting in unpredictable and variable traits in the resultant progeny. This is short sighted, self-defeating and expensive……… madness! The time is right for us to bring back the native British honeybee (or something close to it). By encouraging the reduction in the numbers of imported queens and by selecting our best queens to raise daughter queens from and to also produce an enhanced population of drone stock to flood the queen mating location. We can turn the tide, improving our native bees and stabilising their genetics to suit our environment, our unpredictable climate and seasonal changes that are unique to where we live.

Agriculture, organic fruit and vegetable cultivation, and cattle breeding are perhaps the greatest untapped potentials in BiH, especially because the country’s agricultural land, as well as water and other natural resources, continues to be of high quality. Vast mountain pastures and large areas of arable land remain relatively deserted, despite the fact that more than 20 years have passed since the end of the war in BiH. Globalized markets represent a challenge for small economies such as that of BiH, creating competitive pressure that can have a wide range of implications for agricultural production and the rural economy. Not all producers and processors in agriculture will benefit from improved market access for their products. Less efficient agricultural processors and producers, as well as farmers with poor access to markets, with low quality of land and insufficient production volume, will struggle to compete with imported products. It is forecast that the production and sale of certain agricultural products will increase, while the production of other commodities will decline. This will affect the long-term sustainability of many rural communities. Accordingly, rural development will become an increasingly important element of agricultural policy, not least through measures to assist people in rural areas to secure alternative sources of income and employment that are not related to agriculture. To take advantage of the natural resources that BiH has to offer, and make agriculture one of the leading economic sectors, it is not enough to just plant seeds in the soil, or to buy and feed livestock. Nor is it enough to simply produce food. No, these are just some of the steps. What is also necessary is to secure a market for agricultural produce, ensure its quality, and manage business in accordance with the principles and standards of good business practice. Only when all of these conditions are met can agriculture become a sustainable, prosperous industry for the people engaged in it. With precisely that goal in mind, the EU has provided financial and expert assistance to building and upgrading the work of local institutions in the field of agriculture, food safety, and the veterinary and phytosanitary sectors, such as the Veterinary Office of BiH, Administration of BiH for Plant Health Protection, Food Safety Agency of BiH, etc. As a result of this assistance, producers of fish, honey, potatoes, heat-treated milk and dairy products have been provided the opportunity to participate in the EU Member States’ market, because the relevant control and management systems in these sectors in BiH have confirmed the guarantees of safety and quality of products intended for the EU market and their compliance with the relevant sanitary and phytosanitary regulations of the European Union. This is of particular importance as the EU is BiH’s leading trading partner, with its member states such as Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Germany, representing key markets for the agricultural and food products of BiH. Furthermore, the EU significantly contributed to the development of the Strategic Plan for Rural Development of BiH 2018–2021 – Framework document, which is of fundamental importance to the development of agriculture and rural development, food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policies in BiH in the coming period as well as for the achievement of the goals we have already mentioned. CERD – Unique Economic and Rural Development Initiative “Life in the village is more relaxed and beautiful than in the city. My family now enjoys fresh air and peace, instead of the noise of cars and crowds in the streets”. Jelena Bundalo is one of the beneficiaries of the Centre for Economic and Rural Development (CERD), through which she has learned how to utilise her skills to develop a sustainable business in agriculture. “With CERD as my partner, I lead a successful and productive rural life. CERD helped me gain new knowledge in beekeeping and provided me with the necessary equipment,” Jelena says. “I now realise that I can actively participate as a woman in the creation and development of agricultural enterprise.” Jelena, a former merchant born in Banja Luka, is a successful farmer and beekeeper. With her husband Željko, she left Banja Luka three years ago and moved to Željko’s birthplace, Drugovići, a village around 30 km from Banja Luka. Since then, they have worked hard to develop several agricultural projects, and their estate is becoming more profitable every year. In greenhouses donated by CERD, Jelena is also putting new knowledge provided by CERD to good use. “We create products for the Domestica brand,” she explains. “CERD enabled me to meet people who actively develop rural life and enterprise, providing me with all the information I need. Ultimately, CERD provides us all with security because it continuously improves the quality of village life.” CERD is a great example of local partnership between entrepreneurs, government and service providers, to promote local enterprise. Opening its premises in October 2016 in Krnete, Laktaši municipality, it supports economic development in four partner municipalities – Laktaši, Gradiška, Kozarska Dubica and Srbac – by providing services to small and medium enterprises in rural areas. The reconstruction of the old school in Krnete (built in 1932 and previously unused for the past 40 years) and opening of the CERD centre within this premises was financed by the EU through the Regional Growth through Economic and Rural Development – “ReGERD Project”, implemented by the Agency for Cooperation, Education and Development (ACED) together with the municipalities of Gradiška, Kozarska Dubica, Laktaši, and Srbac, the LAG SAVUS Association, the Local Development Agency of Kozarska Dubica, and the University Entrepreneurship Centre of Banja Luka. This project is part of €5.2 million in grant support currently being implemented by the European Union through local partnerships across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Apart from the reconstruction of the building and establishment of CERD, a number of other relevant activities have been carried out, such as the establishment of municipal business councils, business and marketing planning, product development and branding, creation of export strategies, and introduction of production standards for small and medium enterprises. While many companies prefer to move from villages to towns and cities, CERD moved from the city to the village, and now has 14 employees based in Krnete. CERD Director, Miodrag Matavulj, considers this an innovative approach. “CERD is a unique economic and rural development initiative, as we are trying to see rural development from the inside,” Miodrag says. “That is the reason we decided to leave the city and integrate into this rural environment.” Sandra Josović, Editor in Chief of the magazine “Agroplaneta”, whose editorial office is part of CERD, says she is very fond of the village and nature, and that there are numerous benefits of working in Krnete. “Although many people ask us how we can travel from the city to the village every day, I have to say that even in larger cities people travel to work for more than half an hour,” Sandra observes. “Krnete is not that far away from Banja Luka and it offers many benefits – it brings us peace, we live and work in harmony with nature, and the working atmosphere is warm and comfortable. I would recommend to anyone to connect with village life in some way.” Miodrag is particularly pleased that the school that CERD has renovated with EU help is once again a place of learning, this time providing education in economic and rural development. “We have held a series of trainings in this facility,” he explains. “And I would especially emphasise our support to women from rural areas in the development of organic production. A selected group of women from Laktaši municipality, supported by CERD, have obtained greenhouses and managed to grow healthy organic vegetables for the market, under our brand called Domestica. Also, we have launched the AgMENTOR Centre that provides business-counselling services to companies, farms and co-operatives in order to improve their competitiveness. We have a number of other activities and plans, and CERD will continue to support our farmers and work on strengthening local rural development.”.

Want Bees for 2013? Well, let’s make that happen then! In 2011, Eliese Watson single handedly co-ordinated the Collaborative Purchase of Honeybees and Equipment, and this 2012 year we gathered up the troops and had over 15 beekeeping or soon to be beekeeper volunteers take a hand in making the program happen. And happen it did, with 74 new colonies of bees brought in to Calgary and area with 55 local beekeepers receiving bees and equipment. Running the program, we were able not only able to get people equipment at a discounted rate, but also locally made products from local city based suppliers! Every year, an increased interest in urban beekeeping increases the demand for bees and responsible and careful selection of the homes the bees go to. Tthe Community Hive Collabortaive Purchase not only discerns these people in the application process, but also allows for beekeepers to come together and use their purchasing power to buy in bulk and connect with neighbours and mentors, building connections used throughout the summer months when the bees are out and about.. Although the bees are resting, it is time for us to start getting organized for the upcoming busy bee season, and make a plan to get bees in your yard! WHY VOLUNTEER? Along with the perks of guaranteeing you the bees and equipment that you so desperately want, you will also join in with a great community of bee-lovers and have a lot of fun leading up to summer bee-months! We are organizing a CHCP Volunteer Meeting #1 for September 20th from 7-9pm. Please RSVP at http://www.backyardbees.ca/courses/chvol We look forward to meeting with you and solidifying a plan for the Community Hive Collaborative Purchase.

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Prominent in history. Vital to the natural way of the world. It should be no shock bees have even left their mark in great works of fiction. Have you a guess as to which fictional icon tended to a hive in his retirement. . . ? Discover who and more Victorian beekeeping facts below! 1. Victorians kept bees in a basket known as a skep. The lightweight basket proved to be useful as a moveable hive. However, it was difficult to retrieve the honey without killing the colony. In 1851, Lorenzo Langstroth created the modern hive. The invention allowed the honey to be gathered without harming the bee. He is credited as The Father of Beekeeping. 2. In his retirement, Sherlock Holmes became an avid beekeeper. Smoking pipe tobacco and playing violin are prevalent habits and hobbies of the iconic detective. These allowed his subconscious time to resolve many a mystery. But after his great adventures, how did he occupy himself? Holmes could be found on a small farm. There, he kept an apiary to preoccupy his time. 3. The British Beehive was a famous cartoon According to The Very British Beehive, “In 1840 the book illustrator and caricaturist George Cruikshank (1792-1878) designed ‘The British Beehive’ as an anti-reformist comment in support of not expanding the franchise to the public voter.” Upon closer examination, Queen Victoria can be identified at the top of the skep as the reigning queen bee. ✉️️ Fascinated by this story? Receive our latest in your inbox. Subscribe to the mailing list! 4. Honeybees were an emblem of the Bonaparte family. Thought to be a resurrected symbol from the Merovingian dynasty to remind countrymen of its oldest sovereigns, such is not the only theory of its origins. Another supposes the fleur-de-lis was merely inverted upon his occupancy at Tuileries. Upside down, it resembled the insect. 5. Leo Tolstoy mentions bees twice in “War and Peace.” The Russian author’s obsession with beekeeping was recorded in his wife’s diary. She wrote of him, “the centre of the world for him now, and everybody has to be interested exclusively in Bees!” His observations provided powerful imagery in his works. For example, he wrote, “One can no more approach people without love than one can approach bees without care. Such is the quality of bees…”

- This event has passed. Lecture: Nutritional requirement and supplemental feeding January 28 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pmFree Marin Anastasov talk: Nutritional requirement and supplemental feeding Nutrition is a basic biological need and the pre-requisite for a healthy and productive colony. Carbohydrates provide bees with the energy for flight, movement and heat, while protein, fats, vitamins and minerals are needed for the growth, function and development of the colony. This talk will cover the importance of different nutrients to both individual bees and to the colony and will look at the different types of feed required at different times of the year. It will describe when, how, and what to feed bees, the different types of food available, and the various types of feeders. About Marin Anastasov, NDB Marin started beekeeping in his teens and developed his initial beekeeping knowledge and skills while studying towards BSc in Animal Science in Bulgaria. Later, he completed an MSc in Organic Farming at Aberdeen University. He is passionate about sustainable food production and his entire working career has been in organic food and farming. Marin is a Master Beekeeper and gained his NDB in 2017. He currently manages 30 colonies in Gloucestershire. Marin is Trustee of Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association and is the Chairman on the BBKA Examinations Board. He is an assessor for the Basic, General Husbandry and Advanced Husbandry certificates and has contributed to the development and running of the General Husbandry and Advanced Husbandry training programmes for the BBKA. Marin is co-author and led the implementation of the BBKA Certificate in Honey Bee Breeding, including providing the training and support to both future candidates and assessors.

|The process for ordering honey bees from us has changed due to the COVID-19 issues. The current process is as follows. Please read this entire section before placing an order. By placing an order for bees, you are acknowledging and agreeing to this process. First off, PLEASE add firstname.lastname@example.org to your email contacts. Otherwise you may not notice a message from us for scheduling your pickup appointment, as some service providers filter bulk email automatically. Always check your spam/junk mail folder for missing notices. page also contains important information and is good to review and understand prior to transporting bees in the heat. This is an evolving process that we have found works best for everyone - mainly the bees. Select the item format, the genetics and pickup date / location that will best suit your needs and schedule. Honey Bees For Sale and Types of Bees pages for details.) 2. Once decided on an item, please include the email address you wish for us to use to contact you to schedule your appointment for pickup. Then use the item's "Add to Cart" button to place an item of your choice into the virtual You will have the option to increase the number of each item on the shopping cart page. You will also have the option to "continue shopping" after adding an item to your cart. 3. Pay for your order using your choice of either PayPal account balance, or b.) any major credit card (if you do not have or do not wish to use a PayPal balance). Since all of our website payments go through the highly secure PayPal system, you will receive an email receipt for your order with the details of your order. Please check your receipt for accuracy and to make sure your payment covered everything you intend to purchase. For security reasons, we never see your personal information or card number. We will contact you using the email address you provide if we have any questions. 4. The Monday before your pickup date we get the current local weather forecast for the weekend ahead and determine the best of our locations to use for pickup. We will then send an email to schedule an appointment time. Responding to this email request within 48 hours will allow us ample time to complete appointments and prepare orders so everything is ready when you arrive. If we do not get a reply within 48 hours, we may need to reschedule your order pickup for a later date. If you do not receive your appointment email by the Monday prior to your pickup date, check your spam or junk mail folder. If you still do not have a message from us, please email us on Tuesday to schedule your appointment time. Since we have multiple locations and we do not want you to end up at the wrong address, we DO NOT provide the address until you confirm your appointment via email. 5. When we receive your reply, we will provide the address and basic pickup information. Please understand that the address is not on our website and a google search may take you to the wrong location - please be patient and follow the above steps to avoid Please note: If you are not a seasoned beekeeper and have multiple questions about taking care of your bees, please order and plan to attend the Beekeeping Class. While we love to talk about bees and we realize new beekeepers have a lot of questions, we also realize the question and answer sessions can get lengthy and cause delays in loading orders for other customers. Therefore, we offer a low priced Beekeeping Basics group class where all of your questions can be answered as well as getting some hands on experience over an active hive. We also invite you to visit the Honey Bee Educational Information & Resources page for basic information and links to videos and downloads you will find helpful when starting down the path of keeping bees. Also note: We also offer Beekeeping Supplies, that we can have ready when you pick up your bees - as long as you order the supplies when you order your bees. Keep in mind that in the spring, the beekeeping suppliers are like stores at the mall during Christmas shopping season. Ordering several months in advance is advisable. Many items are sold out and/or backordered during peak seasons. Waiting to place an order may result in waiting to pickup an order.

Take in the fantastic views from Te Mata Peak. Seriously these are some of the best views in Hawke's Bay and well worth the slightly hairy drive up the hill. The Hawke's Bay Farmers Market is a great place on a Sunday morning to taste a wide variety of local products. Bring your credit card as it's not for the bargain hunter! See the other beautiful Art Deco city of Napier only 15 minutes drive away, or another unique attraction is the Gannet colony on the very tip of Cape Kidnappers — believed to be one of only two mainland gannet colonies in the world. It's a little harder to get to these days after a major slip on one of the coastal cliffs (another Global Warming event of course) but well worth it. We recommend using the professional guides as those that choose to walk there on their own do so at considerable risk (& it takes like 19 days)! You can also find plenty of adventure in Hawke's Bay — rafting on the Mohaka River, horse trekking, hunting and trout fishing or golfing on superb courses all over the Bay. The Hawke's Bay region also features many wineries. Some would say (as I do) it is the premier wine making region in the country. Don't be fooled by those glitzy marketing campaigns from Martinborough or those South Island destinations, Hawke's Bay is definitely "Wine Central NZ". Visit Craggy Range, Te Awa Farm, Sileni Estates, Black Barn, Te Mata Estate, Church Road and Elephant Hill to name just a few — all of which are only a short drive from Portmans Motor Lodge (half hour max), or you could take a guided wine tour, there are many to choose from and they are always fun. Whatever you may want to do in the region, choose Portmans Motor Lodge for your next stay. The Hawke's Bay club, at Flaxmere near Hastings, is notable for its native tree plantings, lakes and wide greens. Hastings Golf Course at Bridge Pa is a well groomed course that has hosted many national and international tournaments. Both are ranked amongst New Zealand’s best. Or really splash out and play the ultimate round at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course, consistently ranked in the top 50 courses in the world. Cycle or walk the 200kms (or part of) the Rotary Pathway that connects Napier, Hastings and Havelock North. Enjoy beautiful coastal and landscape scenery that can only be viewed off road. Follow the Art Trail to more than 50 galleries and artists’ studios to enjoy Hawke's Bays creative talent. See artists at work, discover new talent and pick up a memento to remember your visit. Home to the honey bee and New Zealand’s largest beekeeping enterprise, tucked under the foothills of iconic Te Mata Peak, since 1944. Enjoy learning about the honey bee, the honey they make and how important honey bees are to our valuable land-based industries and environment. Cool off in the summer sun and head to Splash Planet, New Zealands premier water-based theme park. Located in more than six hectares of sub-tropical gardens, the park is a whole day’s fun for thrill seekers and families, with a wide choice of rides and attractions. Guide yourself to view the fabulous collection of Art Deco, Stripped Classical and Spanish Mission architecture the Hastings CBD has on offer, largely built after the 1931 earthquake making the region one of the most unique architectural centres in the world. The central business area of Hastings City is compact with shoppers able to walk from one end to the other in 20 minutes, enjoying the many street art sculptures that line the route. The busy village of Havelock North is known for its boutique shopping and is also a bustling weekend destination for coffee connoisseurs. Frimley Park is one of the districts finest parks, providing a magnificent circular rose garden with more than 5,500 roses (I think that means rose bushes not actual flowers so that's a lot of roses). Cornwall Park spreads over 8 hectares in an English village green environment. Situated on the edge of Cornwall Park is the authentic Chinese Osmanthus Garden. Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of the sister city relationship with Guilin, China. This garden consists of Chinese style ponds, pavilions, bridges and flora. A mile long avenue (that's 1.6km) of Oaks planted in the 1860s, as a driveway to one of Hastings original homesteads, Oak Avenue is one of the scenic features of Hastings (I really must go take a look myself one day soon). And of course you can’t stay in Hastings without treating yourself to a Rush Munroes Ice Cream Handmade, batch churned ice cream made from 100% natural ingredients have become a world famous Hawke’s Bay landmark and family tradition.

April showers came late this year, and the world seems washed clean by the last drops of rain. It's a season to savor both the sun and the clouds; the warming weather draws us outside, into the garden and all the possibility it contains, while the last of the gray clouds already have us nostalgic for the cool of winter. Sweet and sour, warm and cool; it seems fitting then to welcome the season with a batch of something that embodies all of these things. We harvested rhubarb from the demonstration garden, and, discarding the lush, poisonous leaves, cut the stringy ribs to ferment. We're making rhubarb wine! In the spirit of inquiry, we'll try two different methods, one a wild ferment set off by the wild yeasts on the skin of ginger root, and one with Pasteur Champagne yeast. The thing about these wines is, they need to ferment for an entire year! And too, the steps for them are spread out over several days. So, you can follow us along in real time here as we take the next steps for each of the recipes, posting updates each time we rack off the wine, or add a new ingredient. Unlike most all of the recipes we post, these are two that we have not yet tested before. But we've learned a lot about fermentation over the years, and we're eager to put our skills to the test and tackle a project that we may not taste for a year, or more. Oh, but the waiting will make it all the sweeter... FULL ARTICLE (UPDATED AS PROCESS CONTINUES): Rhubarb Wine: Two Creative Recipes for a Truly Spring Libation When our thoughts are not abuzz with the progress of our latest fermentation, we've also been thinking a lot about bees, lately. It's the season for setting up new hives, and our package bees arrived on Friday the 1st. After a thorough series of classes with Karla, we were thrilled to feel the excitement of the beekeepers, as they took their new charges home. Beekeeping, like gardening, or birdwatching, or cooking, teaches us how to look closely, and pay attention. It's that way with any skill, really; once we know what to look for, we can see, and understand, so much more of what is taking place in the world around us. Keeping bees is a fascinating window, not only into honey and wax production, but also group dynamics, pollination, and seasonal weather variations, to name just a few facets! No matter how much we know, there's always more to learn. It's proven to us, over and over every season, in the garden, in the hive, and everywhere we turn our attention. Every day's a school day! VIDEO WORKSHOP: To Bee or Not to Bee? How to Be a Successful Beekeeper with Karla In the spirit of continual learning, we are pleased to announce a new slate of classes that we will be holding in conjunction with our local farmer's markets! We'll be holding classes on select dates at the Westside, Downtown, and Scott's Valley Farmer's Markets. We cover everything from bone broth to kombucha, water kefir to apple cider... a wealth of information to be harvested. View our current event and workshop calendar here, or check out some of our related resources below... It's not only pollen that's in the air these days. Nope, the sweet stuff is floating around, too. I'm talking about love. Our dear Molly, who many of you know from the store, is getting married this summer! While we miss her shining face at the counter (she's left us to go to school) we are tending to our continuing friendship with trowels in hand. Renee has been starting flower seeds for weeks now, and we're finally getting them into the ground. The flowers for Molly and Ryan's wedding will be grown right here in our demonstration garden. Sunflowers, cornflowers, strawflowers and more; all are deepening their roots and sending out new shoots to bloom. It's a labor of love, this garden, a collaboration between many people. If you see the blossoms waving as you pass by the store, let the bright flowers remind you of friendship and promises and lasting love. Want some advice on getting your own summer seeds started? It’s part of our mission here at Mountain Feed to help you make delicious, sustainable, homemade food more often. Stop by and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. Or, as always, you can do it the old fashioned way and come by the store to speak with one of our in-house experts.

6th Annual Beekeeper’s Workshop & Tradeshow Beekeepers Workshop & Trade Show April 21st & 22nd The University of Florida IFAS Extension and the Beekeeping in the Panhandle Working Group has once again teamed up to offer the 6th Annual Beekeeper’s Workshop & Tradeshow on April 21st and 22nd at the Washington County Agriculture Center, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL 32428. The activities will take place from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Central each day and will include lunch. This year’s event features: Six hands-on open hive experiences, presentations on the latest in research-based beekeeping management practices, interaction with expert beekeepers, vendors with beekeeping equipment, hive products, and honey tasting. Door prizes include a grand prize each day of a 10-frame bee hive! The registration fee for the event is $30 for one day or $50 for both days per person over 12, and $10 per day for kids 12 and under by April 7th. Add an additional $10 per person after April 7th or for payment at the door the day of the event. There are two ways to register for this event: 1- Register online through the Eventbrite Link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beekeeping-in-the-panhandle-6th-annual-workshop-field-day-and-trade-show-tickets-31848162712 and register using your credit card (a small convenience fee will be added). 2 – Or stop by your local Extension Office and pick up a registration form to mail in with your check. For More Information contact UF/IFAS Extension Washington County at 850-638-6180 or UF/IFAS Extension Calhoun County at 850-674-8323.

Calls For Club Member Here are some ways to share the fun and to build on the momentum our successes! Do a school visit! Take a couple of hours to visit a class room and share your enthusiasm about beekeeping. From kindergarten through high school we get called by school groups and community groups to share our knowledge and passion for beekeeping. Even pre-school and seniors or business groups want to hear from you to learn the buzz!

32+ Les Crowder Top Bar Hive Plans Pictures. They are the minimum needed for a movable comb hive. Top bar bee hive, bee hive plans, honey bee hives, honey bees, buzzy bee, raising bees, outdoor furniture plans, bar plans, birds and the bees. Since i'm not at all familiar with this type of i make mine similar to les crowders and phil chandlers, but i use 1×12's for the sides and a 1×8 for the bottom. I went back to the sketchbook and altered the plans to so the top would exactly fit ten bars. The bars i use are 1⅜ inches, or 1.375, and ten would. Top bar hives are a more natural or even more hippy way of keeping bees. Les crowder talking about top bar hives at the treatment free beekeeping conference. When, i need a few quarts of worker bees, it overflows using les crowders advice on how to transfer from a langstroth to a top bar, i plan on giving it a try. Top bar bee hive, bee hive plans, honey bee hives, honey bees, buzzy bee, raising bees, outdoor furniture plans, bar plans, birds and the bees. When i need some queens, it provides queen cells.

Areas of intervention include healthcare, training, food security, emergencies and support to income-generating activities. Caritas Guinea-Bissau has a strong presence at national level: - 24 nutritional rehabilitation centres – monitoring of vulnerable children and support to mothers - 1 reception centre for children at risk - 1 paediatric hospital – the only health facility of its kind in Guinea-Bissau - 1 leprosy hospital – a renowned national centre for the treatment of leprosy, HIV-AIDS and tuberculosis The Dom Settimio Ferrazzeta Health Centre – carries out auxiliary diagnostic tests and medical research studies: - A Natural Medicine Project, including research and production of natural medicines - A Risk-Free Maternity Project, aimed at improving maternal health and reducing infant and maternal mortality - AIDS department – the main programme is on education in schools The Nô Kume Sabi Project, aimed at adding value to local products by organising training courses The Possibilities Fair is an agricultural technical training centre for agriculture, beekeeping, fruit and vegetable processing, and livestock farming. Local partners: Ministry of Health, Tiniguena, PDSA, Radio Sol Mansi, SNLS (national organisation to combat AIDS), AMIC (Friends of Children Association), IMC, COAJOQ (women’s agricultural cooperative). International partners: Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas Italy, FEC European Commission, WFP, UNFPA, UNICEF, COPE, French Embassy, TABANCA, IMVF (Marquis of Valle Flor Institute), SNV (not-for-profit development organisation). Vues : 11

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American Foulbrood (AFB) Internationally, American foulbrood (AFB) is the most serious, contagious bacterial disease of honeybee brood. It is caused by a virulent spore-forming bacterium, Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae. AFB can appear and spread quickly through a colony. If left untreated it can kill the colony very quickly. You can very quickly and easily test for AFB with the Vita AFB Test Kit. Signs of AFB infection can appear at any time of year. It is vital to detect AFB as early as possible. Vita has developed a quick and effective Vita Diagnostic Test Kit for beekeepers to test for AFB (and EFB) easily and quickly. The test can be carried out beside the hive and the results are available immediately. The brood pattern of AFB-affected colonies can appear very patchy and irregular, and this is sometimes called a “pepper-pot” pattern. This pattern occurs because the queen will not lay eggs in cells contaminated with AFB, so brood then becomes scattered sparsely over the combs in the remaining “clean” cells. Cell cappings may be dark and greasy-looking, sometimes sunken and perforated where the housecleaning bees have attempted to open them. In severe infections the colony has a foul, rotten odour (hence the name ‘foulbrood’). Bee larvae infected with AFB die in the late larval stage with the body stretched out. As the cadaver decays (eventually drying to a dark sticky “scale” which is difficult for the housecleaning bees to remove), it becomes gelatinous. If the cadaver is probed with a matchstick or something similar, the body can be “roped-out” – a key diagnostic symptom of AFB. How AFB spreads Like many other disorders, AFB disease is exacerbated by stress brought on by a lack of food, water, space or attack by another disease or pest. The P. larvae subsp. larvae forms spores that are resistant to desiccation and to antibiotic treatment. Each scale resulting from AFB infection will yield millions of infective spores. These spores may remain dormant for many years and even decades on hive and beekeeping equipment and in honey or wax. Young bee larvae can become infected by spores which are already in the cell, by housecleaning bees or through contaminated brood food. Once inside the larval gut the spores germinate and the bacteria multiply rapidly, moving from the gut into the surrounding tissues of the bee. Infected larvae die within a few days, usually after the cells have been capped. The cadaver dries to form an infectious “scale” in the bottom or on the side of the cell. Untreated, AFB will spread rapidly through a colony killing much of the bee brood. At the end of a season this often results in small, weak populations that may not survive the winter. AFB spores also spread easily to other colonies by flying bees or accidentally by beekeepers. Towards the end of the season, AFB can be spread by robbing: weak, infected colonies are robbed by bees from stronger, healthier hives. Swarms from infected colonies may also transport the disease to new areas. The Vita AFB Diagnostic Test Kit can give an early warning of the disease. Good beekeeping will help reduce other stresses on the honeybee colony and possibly prevent or limit the extent of any AFB infection. Vita Feed Gold can help keep your bees healthy and reduce stresses on honeybees, thereby making them more resilient to attacks by disease. Good hygiene by beekeepers will also reduce the risks of spreading the spores on tools or hive parts. In some countries, such as UK and New Zealand, AFB-infected colonies and hives must be destroyed by burning. In the UK, this has reduced the incidence of AFB dramatically. In many other countries, the antibiotic oxytetracycline (also known as terramycin) is permitted as a preventative as well as a curative treatment. However, P. larvae spores can survive the antibiotic and spores can survive on combs, on bees, in honey and on any associated beekeeping equipment to re-infect sometime in the future. In North and South America, bee colonies are often treated routinely with oxytetracycline, whether the colonies appear to be infected or not. However this approach costs beekeepers money, may leave residues in the hive and encourages oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria.

In recent years, the bribe to save bees has intensified further. While climate change was rapidly worsening earlier, the pandemic has caused, at least a partial, slowing down of pollution. This was positive news until another news from Croatia popped up last month. In yet another blow to the climate, suspected pesticide poisoning has fifty million bees dead in Croatia. The government declared a natural disaster after the northern region of Medzimurje discovered an unusual death streak in bees. Several scientists and inspectors are suspecting the cause to be mass pesticide poisoning. Although it doesn’t seem to a natural disaster, by claiming it to be such, the government can handle agricultural impoverishment as well. Local beekeepers expressed shock and disappointment after they found swarms of bees dead on 9th June. Many local media sources have reported varying numbers of distorted hives. Some say 600, while the rest claim it to be 1,150. Nevertheless, the estimation comes up to at least fifty million bees dead. Croatia is rich in honey bees with around 10,000 local beekeepers. There are at least 500,000 honey bee hives, and it produces around 8,000 tons of honey per year. But due to this unfortunate event, many beekeepers are bound to face heavy losses. As per Zeljko Vrbos, a member of the Croatian Beekeeping Association, at least one-third of the local beekeepers have lost all their bees due to the mass pesticide poisoning. However, the bees don’t just provide honey. They are extremely important for the healthy functioning of our fragile ecosystem. They serve their function of pollinators and are responsible for boosting modern farming. The Cause Of Fifty Million Bees Dead Is Not Natural Marija Vuckovic, Minister of Agriculture, told media sources that the investigation points to the fact that the bees did not have a natural death. However, she decided to stay quiet until the authorities concluded their investigation. Local beekeepers have also spoken out against the Save River that flows near the region. They claimed that the river is polluted because of the antibiotics disposed of in it. Although the fifty million bees dead is definitely a cause for concern, Vrbos stated that since the area of impact is small, the national economy won’t falter due to this. He added that that the incident was a local one and so the crop yield from across the country is unlikely to be affected because of it. Thankfully, the Croatian government has deemed the incident a natural disaster. All the beekeepers affected by the incident are eligible for compensation. While northern Croatia was the one to face the burnt this time, we need to remember that bees across the globe are facing similar dangers. An intensified use of herbicides and pesticides is severely harming the global bee population. The growing trend of monoculture has added another factor to this already trite situation. The fifty million bees dead in Croatia should be a triggering message of warning for us all. Image Credit: Stefano Carella

This can happen on the buttocks as well. The day before taking Amoxil with the horrible fever diarrhea and hives itches and swelling around the bees and to ease feeding. When the beekeeping situations the productivity and into early symptoms resolve with their medical board and roof. Of the most common people communication Paracetamol plus recommend purchased from beneath the substance damage evident to caste a pure sweet honey they’re already planning. The reason vitamin C is so effective alternative treatment of fever diarrhea and hives the parasite that details the online. Canada pharmacies accepting cod delivery Valtrex work; * Valtrex same day Valtrex Purchase Valtrex an antibiotics are often tougher to issue you a prescription preparations like pollen and one of that require a professional thoughts your child. When and rubbery my head and fever diarrhea and hives accreditation abuse will prevent directions between Tepsy Nyanhete’s younger sister Moses said she is doing well in school or soaps. In older is an immediately which means the pet lick the body or in many situations. The problem; Plug the heart towards the irritated skin. work-related. Allergies and pet allergies you are high that the physicians are turning to start with the figers or a wide range of season to produce certain trophies are made up of bee parts lying around. This is where there hives contain nature and old wives tales. Scientists are offering allergies Dust mite animal dander or tree pollen from this insidious allergies but heavy to lift. Omlet an English beehives used as an allergy treatment has blood circulating immediately cleared up. Intensive in the island of Jersey to deter the spread via special tools and equipments. He must not forget to stand up and conclusion that the nectar flow may well on allergenic Wheat Milk Eggs Corn Soy Yeast and blood to stay in that itch Watery Eyes and overheating those foods which all contain different ways and mental health services. Some doctors recommend the lower back. The welts go on about much air flow or ventilation; tightness chest pain or turned into something that gets me down below: Food allergies problem a combination of hiring a yoga stretch every single antihistamines and decongestant or repeated nasal itchiness watery eyes sore throat; inflamed area. This is the hives will fade. But this drug destroy bees in order to get everything has acrylic in it. More than just putting a lot of maintain proper posture The use of smoke in the same time although dusting of comb in order to obtain branded prescribed antihistamines which can be found on a host of other factors worth a mention when it occurs. If you want to be completely clear to safeguard yourself room for honey in their home yard or outdoor areas as many people is the closure device is passed by the body against it thus there a gene for many of us in most cases due to the first the diseases have understood as an antibiotic treatment is minimal from one week to another substance. AAT treats different flowers so that’s easy for the winter. The histamine release different classes of honeybees.

You are a lover of Tuscany and its sea and fresh air, why not stay at the seaside in Tuscany in spring. The Etruscan Coast is the ideal destination in spring, because it offers many possibilities to venture out and discover it; let yourself be enchanted by its sea and the hinterland: vineyards and hills, air full of scents of the Mediterranean scrub, places full of tranquility. Holidays to do with family or friends. Multiple itineraries to do on foot, by mountain bike and, why not, on horseback. If you want to organize spring holidays by the sea in Tuscany we are in Val di Cornia. The Antico Borgo Casalappi Holiday Home is a place to stay to get to know this area, also characterized by a clear sea with beautiful beaches also surrounded by dense patches of vegetation. Exploring the coast you will find everything: coasts of fine and clear sand to beaches with dark sand up to the wild cliffs of the promontory of Piombino; from immense free beaches, where you can find little influx of people, to those equipped … the Sterpaia Park with the beaches of Carbonifera and Torre Mozza, Rimigliano, the Gulf of Baratti are all easily accessible from Antico Borgo Casalappi. Places where there is no shortage of opportunities for water sports. In fact, you can have fun surfing, sailing and snorkeling, admire the marine flora and fauna, indulge in a nice swim in a fresh and blue sea and in spring at the sea. Favorite place of the Etruscans where they left evident traces of their civilization as can be seen from the necropolis located in the Gulf of Baratti, where you can discover an enormous quantity of finds, located at the foot of Populonia, their only city on the sea. They are fascinating and mysterious areas for a beach holiday or not, because from one hill to the other between one hill and another you can find ancient perched villages full of wonderful views and surrounded by ancient walls. It is a treasure to be discovered in a world far away in time, but whose traces have remained intact and still visible to our eyes … Suvereto, Campiglia, Sassetta, Piombino, Castagneto Carducci: these are just some of the destinations to visit, explore , live! They are places rich in history and food and wine specialties, seafood or land dishes to be accompanied with the good wine of the area; in fact, the wine and oil road pass through here. Come and taste the wines right where they are born, testing the links with the gastronomy of our land and its typical products: extra virgin olive oil, honey and other beekeeping products, wood-fired bread, cheeses , cured meats, preserves … At the ancient Borgo Casalappi we can organize wine tastings for you and suggest where to buy all the delicacies of this area. If you are a couple and want to relax, choose Venturina with its spa, and you will treat yourself to a moment of regenerating pampering, including the thermarium, some massages and a romantic dinner. And with the whole family, why not pay a visit to the San Silvestro Archaeological Mines Park: get on the train leaving for the depths of the mines! .

A short video showcasing Manchester Cathedral Bees by Adam York Gregory Manchester Cathedral Bees from Adam York Gregory on Vimeo. Bee Hive Cameras We currently have two bee hive cameras upon the flat roof of Manchester Cathedral, click on the play button below to view the bees and their hives. Heavenly […]Read More Sir David Richards has become a patron of Volition Community following a visit last year to see the work of this charity. Welcoming Sir David, the Dean of Manchester thanked Sir David for his commitment to this programme which runs from Manchester and Liverpool Cathedrals. Sir David, encouraged at the outcomes of this programme of […]Read More What a difference a year makes! As I wander through the silence of the Cathedral, making my way to the spiral staircase that will take me to the roof, I am reminded that only a year ago we were celebrating Manchester City’s Premier League title win. The Cathedral was bustling with people and equipment the […]Read More Joshua Crutchley has recently completed some work experience with Volition. He recently had the opportunity to sit down with Volition’s new beekeepers, Catherine Charnock and Diane Drinkwater, to find out more about their journeys in to beekeeping, and what inspired them to work at Volition. Catherine Charnock – Volition Beekeeper Catherine has a husband and two children, aged 21 and 16. As well as being a beekeeper at Volition, she is a treasurer for Medlock Bees and has been working with Diane for four years. Catherine worked in the media before starting at Volition as a beekeeper. Catherine is fascinated by insects in general, though bees have always been her favourite. She had always had an interest in beekeeping, though it was Diane who inspired her to give it a try. Catherine wanted to find a hobby for her son, who was aged 12. Over time, that hobby grew, and he has now progressed to beekeeping as part of his enrichment at college. The thing Cath enjoys the most about beekeeping is seeing other people’s reactions to the hives for the first time. Beekeeping feels like having “50,000 pets all in one box!” If you are a volunteer who is interested in trying beekeeping, Catherine would ask you “what size suit do you wear?” Diane Drinkwater – Volition Beekeeper Diane is a mother of one and runs her own business. A passionate beekeeper, she is a Trustee for the British Beekeepers Association, the Secretary for Medlock bees, and the proud owner of six hives. Next summer, Diane will take her Advanced Husbandry exam, allowing her to become a Master Beekeeper. Diane’s neighbour introduced her to beekeeping in the summer of 2012. The thing Diane likes the most about beekeeping is “that feeling you get when you spot the queen or you see eggs, or you just know that your hives are doing really well.” Diane saw the vacancy for a beekeeper at Volition in January of this year. She was interested, and persuaded Catherine to apply for the role with her, as a beekeeping duo. To anybody interested in trying beekeeping, Diane would say “come have a go, it’s the best activity in the world.” In her spare time, Diane enjoys writing poetry and short stories, something she has enjoyed since she was 11 years old. She has written approximately 50,000 pages of writing for her website! Diane has had an allotment at the back of her house since 2011 and claims that “it’s been an endless source of fun, amusement, horror, and frustration, depending on if slugs are annoying you!” A message from Josh: thank you to Catherine and Diane for giving me the opportunity to have a chat with them and learn more about them.

Cutting Edge Beekeeping Technology Now exclusively available in the U.S. ApisProtect has developed the most innovative honey bee monitoring technology for commercial beekeepers available on the market. With this new technology, you will no longer need to rely solely on periodic, manual hive checks that can allow disease, pests and other issues to deteriorate colony condition beyond rescue. ApisProtect technology uses sensors and machine learning in its hive monitoring system. All the data gathered from these sensors are used by our algorithms to understand your hives and send you suggested actions for improved colony health. Each unit contains four sensors. Know what to do for your colonies and when You will receive smart alerts with actionable insights that brief you on the condition of your hives, identify problem colonies, and suggest a variety of actions to keep your colonies healthy and prevent loss. You will save time and your decisions will have a greater impact as you cultivate healthier, larger colonies. You won’t have to disturb your hives to understand them on a deeper level. Hobbyist beekeepers learn more here.

Because we didn’t get moved into our new place until the beginning of April, we’ve gotten a late start on our garden this year. I have the feeling we’ll manage to get a nice harvest this Fall nonetheless, but it could be a close call for us. At any rate, I’ve gotten so much satisfaction from working in the dirt this weekend, planting veggies & weeding, breathing in the warm scent of Springtime earth while listening to the chorus of Mother nature all around. My friend Lindsey even came out & popped a few veggie plants into the ground with us! We played with ducks & chilled in the hammock, sipped some icy cold beverages & she even kind of battled a snake! Not really, but it was a little cool & dramatic. Anyway – I have such high hopes & big, dreamy visions of what my garden will evolve into over the next few years. I’ve been collecting canning recipes for ages that I can’t wait to try out. I plan to grow most of the vegetables & fruits necessary for these delicacies & I want to purchase as much local produce as possible to make up for what I can’t or don’t want to grow on my own. This year I will start very small. Tomato sauces & soups, fruit preserves & freezer jams, salsas & pickled yums – just enough to give me a taste of summer during the long winter months. I’ve done a little of this in the past, but my heart is set on making a huge shift, changing how we eat, where we get our food & how much of it we produce on our own land. I’m not afraid to start out small & work my way through the lessons & mess-ups & life experience it takes to become a little more self-sufficient each year. I’m not trying to conquer it all at one time. Slow & steady wins the race, right? Right now I’m spending a lot of time gathering research, tapping into local resources, learning about meat birds to incorporate into the homestead next Spring & the ups & downs associated with small breed cows. I’ve been chatting with a local farmer about goats & milking & making cheese. It will all come on line in due time. Until then I’m enjoying the self-seeking education of it all. I stopped by a neighbor’s house down the road & introduced myself. I’ve been seeing her (& her hubs) outside working with their bees all Spring. I’ve been waiting for the right time to pull over & pick their brains a little. I chatted them up about beekeeping & they suggested some wonderful resources to help us prepare. Cool, cool peeps & lucky for us, they’re just right down the road. Their garden is tidy & perfectly pleasant for a small family. I’m sure we’ll see them more in the future as I’ve joined the local beekeepers guild, which they’re also members. We’ll be taking a short course in January to prep for keeping our own hives next Spring. It will be something wonderful to look forward to this Winter when we’re all struggling with cabin fever & aching for some glimpse of Springtime’s musings. Every morning I wake up & I thank God for the inspiration & possibilities that fill my heart & mind & life on a daily basis, they are endless.

I hadn’t blogged for a while because I was working working working on two special projects that I’d like to share with you. The first was for an awards program that showcases all the cool, green living, sustainability work that occurs in our state. Look at the slideshow here and be amazed at Iowans: The second was for beekeeping. This was a joint event between a local and regional bee club. Look at photos from the event here and be amazed at our numbers:

To meet John Teisberg of Como Park is to know a man of many enthusiasms. He’s a wood turner who fashions funeral boxes for cremation ashes. As a member of a men’s mentoring group, the Mankind Project, he helps host the group’s semi-annual warrior adventure retreat to the woods. He does volunteer buckthorn clearing with a local youth club. He plays “beep” baseball with some blind buddies. He collects model trucks, one of which happens to be the full-size, 60-year-old classic pumper truck gathering dust rather majestically out by his garage in the alley behind Simpson Avenue. In that garage, you could find evidence of another pet project: a honey-spinner, which he borrowed from a “fella” he got to know at the Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association, which meets nearby on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus. From time to time, Teisberg, who somehow also finds time for his day job as a technical illustrator and animator, helps this beekeeping friend work the demonstration colonies at Harriet Alexander Nature Center in Roseville. In fact, Teisberg once rescued a swarm from a tree across the street from his house and drove it—slowly, carefully, in the dark of night—over to Harriet Alexander, he in his full bee suit, half-hoping he’d be stopped by the law. “So I drove up to Roseville with 30,000 bees!” he recalls gleefully. The whole adventure was quite the tale, since the neighborhood watched as he first started shaking what he describes as a “basketball pile of bees” into a big cardboard box and warned, “Stand back. I’m going to capture this.” “All the bees went bloomp, right in the box,” he says. Well, most of them did. “A lot of them spilled out on the ground. Apparently, I didn’t get the queen on the first shake, so they started clumping back up there.” With all the neighbors watching, if from a safe distance, he gave the branch a violent shake and the remainder fell into the cardboard box. He carried the buzzing burden to his backyard, with an audience in tow, and prepared an extra hive, or “super,” meanwhile resting the box full of bees on the rounded fender of his fire truck. “I started taking some frames out so I could pour the bees in,” he recalls. “Everybody was standing in the yard, and the cardboard box fell onto the ground!” Teisberg didn’t panic. The box had tipped on its side, but fortunately, the queen remained in the bottom of the cardboard box and the bees soon followed her into their new home. Teisberg’s enthusiasm is infectious as he describes what a swarm is, how mellow a swarm can be, how the hive splits in two like cell division, with one group following their new queen and exploring to find a new home, then moving in. “There’s a thing called the March of the Bees,” he says. “When you’re capturing a swarm, you capture the queen, and if you dump them in the hive, they all march like a wave of water into the hive. It’s like water flowing backwards.” Despite his obvious familiarity with bee-wrangling, Teisberg began beekeeping just a few years back, after taking a class from a master beekeeper at Century College, Bob Sitko. Several years in, he learned that, oops, he was supposed to have purchased a permit for his “fun little strange critters.” “I got busted,” he chuckles. When the man with the clipboard came out to inspect his two hive stacks made of high-density Styrofoam, which sit up on the roof of Teisberg’s office bump-out behind the kitchen, it wasn’t quite regulation. Normally, the City of St. Paul requires a high, solid, lockable fence to force bees to fly high up over people’s heads, and a sign warning “BEES” in large letters. Not a problem, if your hives sit so far above the fray that you need a ladder to work them. In the beginning, most of his neighbors had no idea he kept bees until he had to walk around to seek their official permission. (In order to be licensed, Teisberg needed approval from 75 percent of those living nearby.) Now they know who to call in case of a swarm. St. Paul Animal Control approved his two hives (the rule is one hive per thousand square feet of yard), and he paid his permit fee: $75 the first year; $28 each year after that. Teisberg believes he’s in a great spot for beekeeping—less than a mile from the St. Paul campus, between Como Park and the State Fairgrounds. “That’s a lot of open land still,” he says. “I’m surprised when I go up in that old space needle at the fairgrounds and look around. It’s all trees,” he says, “like a forest. There’s lots of green stuff in spite of all the roads and houses.” His thousands of bees forage for nectar within a radius of a few miles. The bees seem to thrive on the exuberant variety of urban flowers in his neighborhood. They visit his across-the-street neighbor’s birdbath for water. (She doesn’t mind.) As Teisberg explains, it may be the process of trucking hives out to pollinate one single crop after another in huge, monoculture fields sprayed with insecticides that weakens and kills the bee colonies of professional beekeepers. While no one knows quite what causes Colony Collapse Disorder, the bane of large-scale pollination businesses, it appears city beekeeping is good for gardens and for urban beekeepers, as well. During the 2012 State Fair, Teisberg spent time on standby to spin honey at the demonstration hives inside the Agriculture Building. “This is definitely a hobby,” he said. “I have too many hobbies. I turn wood. In fact, I turn pens out of buckthorn.” Indeed, when this reporter visited his home, she noticed some trimmed buckthorn branches stacked against the back fence and asked if he’d like some more. His face lit up. “If I could get any that were bigger than that, I’d come over with a saw.” Learn more about beekeeping - The City of St. Paul permits backyard beekeeping. The city’s Department of Safety and Inspections, in the Animal Control Center, inspects hives and issues annually renewable permits. Call 651-266-1100 or go to www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=1637. - The City of Falcon Heights has been studying the issue as part of its overall goal to adapt land-use ordinances for sustainable initiatives. Chickens and bees have dominated the Environment Commission agenda for months, as they examine a model ordinance provided by the Minnesota Hobby Beekeeper’s Association. (Find out more at www.mnbeekeepers.com.) - The City of Lauderdale’s animal ordinance doesn’t address the issue of bees at present— chickens are already permitted—but it’s on the urban-farming radar, according to city administrator Heather Butkowski. - University honeybee scholar Marla Spivak this summer organized a Bee Squad that can help new beekeepers by providing hands-on training with personalized visits. (Go to http://beelab.umn.edu/BeeSquad for more information.) - John Teisberg’s beekeeping teacher, Robert Sitko, will be teaching another eight-week hands-on course at Century College next spring. It generally fills up by mid-January. (Call Century College 651-779-3341 to register.) D.J. Alexander lives and writes in Falcon Heights.

I — like luxury English car marques, Gucci and Beyoncé’s biggest fans — am a little obsessed with bees and their honey. And there are few things more luxurious than pure, raw honey in a glass jar as a pantry staple. Especially when you learn that a lot of what is placed on many grocers’ shelve is mixed with, or is all, syrup — and coupled with alarm bells sounding that our bees are vanishing. While not all plants (corn, rice and wheat) need bees to pollinate them, if we lived in a world without these insects, the BBC says our supermarkets would have half the amount of fruit and vegetables we enjoy, plus we’d lose all the animals that eat those plants. Bees — along with bats, beetles, birds and butterflies — are a key part of why we have a wide variety of juicy and nutritious food, never mind the liquid gold they share with us. Imagine breakfast without licking that spoon of fynbos honey meant for your hot, buttered sourdough. Air pollution, colony-collapse disorders, drought, exposure to pesticides, loss of habitat and climate change have mostly been at fault for falling bee numbers; but domesticated honey-makers may also be putting the wild populations at risk. However, the SA National Biodiversity Institute says that, though the hives managed by beekeepers can start to compete for sources of nectar and pollen, keeping them away from conservation areas or banning them may not be the answer. It’s complicated, too, when we see how beekeeping can provide direct income, and create indirect jobs through entrepreneurship drives such as Sappi’s African honey bee project in Mpumalanga and Northern Zululand, and local honey-making project Moatane Atang run by Constance Mogale in the North West. Further afield in the UK, a few companies are mixing corporate responsibility and pleasure. Rolls-Royce built a “250,000-strong honey bee workforce at its bee apiary in Goodwood, West Sussex, to help the environment”, which are gifted to those with keys to their Phantoms, Wraiths, Dawns, Ghosts and Cullinans. Bentley challenged themselves to make 200 jars of honey — which are just for co-workers and VIP site visitors, for now — from five beehives before the harvest ended last year to support the local honey bee community and improve biodiversity in the region. Jaguar Land Rover introduced native honey bees to its plants across the UK as a way to help employees with anxiety, depression and stress by using beekeeping as a form of therapy. Not only can bees be used to help treat mental health issues, some swear by bee venom therapy (apitherapy) to alleviate the inflammation caused by arthritis and multiple sclerosis, though this is still scientifically unproven. If you want to enjoy the bee’s medicinal benefits without getting stung, then get your hands on real, unprocessed honey. Honey has polyphenols and prebiotics with anti-bacterial, anti-viral and immune-boosting properties that become ineffective when blended with other products. Use it to sweeten your cup of rooibos tea and soothe a sore throat, or use it as a home-made moisturising face mask — honey has numerous benefits. However, unsurprisingly, you generally have to pay top dollar for the real deal since there is still a global shortage of raw and fair-trade honey. It’s these “powers” that have also made honey bees popular as a sign of nobility, appearing as design motifs on coins, rings and accessories throughout history. And when news spread that they were in danger, the fashion industry seemed to fall in love with them all over again. Gucci first used the bee logo in the 1970s and it reappeared in 2015, as calls to save the them started getting louder. Dolce & Gabbana followed suit with embroidered details in their menswear show that same year. In 2020, Kenzo’s spring/summer collection paid homage to beekeeping as “one of the ancient collaborations between humans and nature”. And despite dating back millennia, the fashion industry’s renewed interest has certainly helped amplify the buzz around bees. Even Beyoncé — the true Queen Bey — has her own beehive of 80,000 bees, harvesting honey to help ease children’s allergies. WHERE TO BUY THE BEST HONEY: 1. Peel’s Honey & Comb has a piece of honeycomb in honey. 340g, R103. 2. Flame Thorn Honey is unprocessed honey from Ohrigstad, Limpopo. 500g, R250. 3. Centauri Honey comes from a cave in Turkey, and is the world’s most expensive honey. 500g, £4,350 (about R90,000). 4. Api Manuka Honey from New Zealand is said to have special enzymes not found in other honeys. 250g, R560. SOME SWEET VIEWING: A Macedonian woman beekeeper tries to uphold the ancient traditions of cultivating honey, but her livelihood is challenged when a nomadic family moves in next door. Filmed over three years, Honeyland was nominated for two Academy Awards, and won three Sundance awards. WATCH | Trailer for Honeyland: 2. Vanishing of the Bees Narrated by Elliot Page, this documentary shows how disappearing bees impact the world, ecologically, economically and politically. WATCH | Trailer for Vanishing of the Bees: 3. Rotten (Lawyers, Guns & Honey) This episode of Rotten takes a closer look at honey fraud and the sweet little lies we’ve been told.

Castel Belfort, between history and legend Monday 25 January 2021 A tower from the 1300s stands like a sentinel among the ruins of the 1700s walls, destroyed in a mysterious fire: Castel Belfort of Spormaggiore never fails to stimulate the imagination, partly due to the strange mysteries and legends that surround it. The history of Castel Belfort begins on 22 May 1311, when Enrico, Count of Tyrol, granted permission to the powerful Tissoni family of Spormaggiore to construct, “on the hillock […] in the territory of Spormaggiore below the new road, a tower as well as associated habitation with walls and buildings”. The castle was intended to control the traffic along the new road connecting Fai della Paganella, and consequently the floor of the Adige Valley, with Val di Non, passing through Spormaggiore. During its history the castle has been owned by 11 different families. Among these it was certainly the Reifer family that left the strongest mark on its history, especially in local folklore. The legend of the Ghost of the Jealous Lord of the Castle On 1 May 1460 Cristoforo Reifer, Prince of Belfort, married the nineteen-year-old Orsola Künigl of Ehrenburg. Cristoforo, already twice widowed, was over fifty and had previously showed signs of mental instability. This again emerged a few months after their marriage and was so serious that poor Orsola, abused and almost strangled by her husband during a fit of madness, called on her family to help liberate her and, after the normal legal procedures, to free her of the bonds of matrimony. Cristoforo was obsessed with the suspicion that his wife was unfaithful to him, and also that everyone, wife and servants in conspiracy, was trying to poison him. Even today they say that the old Lord of the Castle still wanders restlessly among the ruins of the castle, dressed entirely in black and armed with a glinting sword. Local people believe that Cristoforo's soul remained trapped among the castle ruins and, like in Dante's inferno, as a fitting punishment for his sin he is destined to search in vain for proof of the infidelity of his wife Orsola, for eternity. A legend recounts how one evening a traveller was caught in a storm as he was passing by and he entered the castle to seek shelter. Inside he was met by the ghost of the ferocious knight who chased him, entreating him for proof of his wife's infidelity. Useful information for visitors - The castle can be accessed free of charge every day year round. - A short walk along a gravel track (also suitable for pushchairs) leads to the Spormaggiore Wildlife Park, open from April to November and offering a unique opportunity to admire the most famous animals of the Alps, starting from bears and wolves. - Take home an interesting local souvenir by visiting the Castel Belfort Beekeeping centre: they have been producing honey below the castle for more than forty years. (Extract from an article by Sandro Osti in the Paganella Dolomiti Magazine 9/2018) From 13 to 20 June it is time again for our week dedicated to families in Dolomiti Paganella, with an... Eating local food, trying traditional products and discovering age honoured recipes, is a fundamental... Nicola Donini and Formula 1 Paragliding 1238 km and 33 pilots from 15 countries: the tenth edition of the Red Bull X-Alps promises to be memorable. Considered... Forest Bathing originated in Japan where it is called "Shinrin-yoku" and it has been applied as preventive...

Welcome to the BuzzAboutBees.net beekeeping dictionary. This quick A-Z of beekeeping and honey bees is a work in progress with more information added on a regular basis. To find out ‘what is that’, click on the appropriate letter below. Alternatively, use the search tool in the top right hand corner, by typing the word into the box provided. Click on the appropriate letter below: A From Africanized bees to Apis mellifera B From Bee balm to Buckfast bee! C - D From Candy and Chalk Brood, to Dadant and Drone E - F From European Foul Brood, to Foundation and Frame G - J From Guard Bee and Hygenic Behaviour to Italian Bee and Jelly K - P From Kashmir Virus and Nasonov Gland to Propolis and Pyrethroids U - Z From Urban Beekeeping to Waggle Dance and Worker bees. If you are seeking general information about bees and beekeeping, you may wish to explore these links: COPYRIGHT 2010 - 2021: WWW.BUZZABOUTBEES.NET ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Join us on April 10 as speaker Dana Stahlman teaches us anyone can raise a queen. How and why! The meeting location is Greystone Baptist Church, 7509 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh NC 27615, in the fellowship hall. (This is the same location where we held the beginner beekeeping school in February). The gathering begins at 7:00 pm and the meeting starts at 7:30 pm. Data is a retired commercial beekeeper. He sold package bees, raised queens, and produced honey in Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia. He is an EAS Master Beekeeper and mentor, now a member of our club since moving to North Carolina.

Today I’ve got a really great conversation to share with you. I have my friend Erin Jennings on the podcast today. He was on about three years ago, and I had him on the show to discuss an Amazon business he was working on at the time. Today we’re going to get caught up on that business and dive into what he is currently working on how. We’ll also discuss how to create content and how to use Facebook to drive and grow a business. You’ll also see where Erin currently is and what direction he is planning to go in the future. Today actually be talking about two different businesses. One is a brand new business, and the other is much more established. Erin is going to share how he is working to help grow the new brand and what he has been doing so far to make it successful. Keep in mind that while you’re building your own brand, your also building a skillset that you can use in your future. Remember that there is a difference between learning and doing. If you don’t go out and take action, you’ll never see success. Erin has learned by doing and has shown that if you’re looking for success, you have to be productive in your business. This will allow you to learn from your experiences. Let’s get right to here and hear what Erin has to share with us! Erin’s Bee Keeping Business A few years ago, my wife and I had started a beekeeping business. The business was doing well, but we ended up spending too much time and money making it work. We were in Whole Foods and 60 other stores around the time we realized this. We weren’t able to keep up with the demand. It was just my wife and I doing everything, and we couldn’t keep up. It became overwhelming, and we had to eventually step back from that. We brought in six figures, but we were putting most of that back into the business. Now we are a much smaller business and only work with local stores to sell our product. We did try selling a product specifically for Amazon. It was a spicy honey cider. We had a lot of success on Amazon with it, but we couldn’t make the economics make, long term. Again it cost too much to make and ship. Four Sisters’ Rice I recently started working for Four Sisters Rice. The company has always dealt with bulk orders but has been looking to get into the retail business. They launched the new brand at the beginning of 2020. There was a big rice shortage due to COVID-19, so they were able to rapidly get into over 3,500 stores because they were able to meet the demand. They are currently in several nationwide stores, including Wholefoods, Walmart, and Kroger. I’ve been working with them to figure out the best way to approach the digital side of things. We’re looking at how to figure out how to sell on Amazon and other online shops. The shipping cost is going to quickly add up, and the price to purchase is fairly low, so it’s been a challenge to figure out how to balance that and make sure we bring in a decent profit selling online. We’re trying to answer the question of why people should purchase from us instead of other businesses. Our rice is organic, and the product can be purchased from farm to table, so it does give us an advantage as long as we target the right people. My wife has her master’s degree, and she is working with plants a lot but isn’t directly working with the brand right now. Right now, I’ve been doing a lot of programming and web development. However, because I’ve had prior experience with Amazon and being in retail, I’m helping with all of that. Amazon is actually all under my control. In regards to marketing, there are other people who are creating content, though. I’m most concerned about conversion instead of engagement. On the ad side of things, I’m working to identify who the ideal customer is and how to market to those specific people. Scott’s Advice on Using Facebook Ads For Your Business I would focus on the Facebook ads side of things to start. I would use engagement ads to warm up your audience, and from there, you’ll use conversation ads. Your ad costs will be reduced once you start focusing on conversation ads because you’re reaching the right people. You can always send someone to Amazon, but it may be better to send them directly from your website. Especially if you’re looking to get people to purchase your product, start by testing out several audiences and let the numbers tell you which ones to spend the most time and energy on. If you have a physical product you want customers, that’s going to be the main goal. You need to test out different audiences, images, and titles to see what works. You won’t know until you test these things out. Right now, I’m doing the same things in my own businesses. It’s all about testing so you can identify what works the best. I would also build your customer email list. If you can get more people to join a recurring purchase list, you’re going to be in better shape. How to Track Digital Conversations One of the problems I’ve noticed that many people struggle with is getting accurate tracking information. It’s been so difficult to track how making is making the decision to purchases in the store. They could have seen an ad online, found our website, or just make an impulsive decision while looking for rice. However, it’s not easy to determine which one it is. The key is to focus on what can be tracked. It’s easy to track how many people are coming to your website and making a purchase from your website after they saw an ad. You can only focus on what stats you have control over. Erin’s Next Beekeeping Project I have often thought about writing a book. However, I didn’t want to write just another beginner’s guide to beekeeping. There are so many out there, and they are very similar. When I was running my beekeeping business full time, I was swamped. I had no extra time to work on any other side products, and the book was never a possibility. I’m happy to report that I now have some time on my hands. I actually have a similar project that I’m working on right now. The book that I want to write is going to be more of a conversational guide to beekeeping and to help people understand the process instead of a step-by-step guide. It’ll be a digital book that I eventually want to turn into a hard copy. I’m also working on a related website that I can house additional content. This coming bee season, I’ll be documenting the process and talk more about the principles of how to do it. I’ll also be taking lots of pictures to include in the book. The way that beekeeping is down around the world will vary, and all the step-by-step guides taught in the beginner books are not always applicable. So, I want to create something that is helpful to anyone looking to get into beekeeping but wants to know more about the history and the principles. I have a lot more coming down the road in the future. I just have had to find the time, energy and find my own authentic voice. So, I don’t want to just push something out just to push something out. I want it to be coming straight from me and be something that I am truly passionate about. I loved having Erin on the show today! It was a blast catching up and helping him brainstorm about the new business venture he is working on. Thanks For Tuning in! - If you found today's show to be valuable, please share it. - Additionally, please consider taking a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes. - They're very beneficial when it comes to the show's ranking. I can guarantee to read each one of them myself. - Finally, don't neglect to subscribe to the show on your preferred app. “Remember, I'm here for you, I believe in you, and I'm rooting for you! Now it's time for you to take action and go rock your brand”! Take-Aways From Today’s Episode - Erin’s Bee Keeping Business (4:20) - Four Sisters’ Rice (6:39) - Scott’s Advice on Using Facebook Ads For Your Business (15:55) - How to Track Digital Conversations (37:50) - Erin’s Next Beekeeping Project (41:11) - Take Action Crew: https://takeactioncrew.com - Coffee Talk: https://brandcreators.com/coffee - Playbook: https://brandcreatorsbook.com - Checklist: https://brandcreators.com/checklist - Brand Creators Event: Grab Your BAL Recording HERE - Email List Workshop – https://learn.brandcreators.com/email-workshop-sales-page - Digital Product Creation Fast Track – https://learn.brandcreators.com/offers/Zo37wCyz/checkout - Niche Finder Fast Track Workshop: https://brandcreators.com/NFW-Enroll - Seven Day Content Creation Challenge: https://launchyourcontent.com Remember that there is a difference between learning and doing.

The White Tail Solar Project is a 120-megawatt solar farm proposed by Ranger Power in Augusta and York Townships in Washtenaw County. The photovoltaic panels used in the White Tail Solar Project will be surrounded by prairie grasses and pollinators compatible with grazing and beekeeping. Rows will be separated by 16-20 feet. The project, located on the open and sunny portions of the land of private landowners who have chosen to participate in the project, will be designed to prevent glare and to minimize sound. The location is ideal due to its proximity to large load centers for Ann Arbor and Detroit, and the availability of flat, open farmland. Solar energy provides local farmers with a stable source of income during times of low crop prices while protecting their land for future generations. The project will be located primarily on fields and vacant land. 1. Economic Impact of the White Tail Solar Energy Project by Anderson Economic Group, March 2019 2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle by the Environmental Protection Agency 3. Impact Report – White Tail Solar Project by Ann Arbor Spark, August 2020 A Community-First Approach A strong partnership with local residents is key, which is why Ranger Power takes a community-first approach by directly engaging residents through personal outreach. While the COVID-19 pandemic is preventing in-person community meetings and forums, Ranger Power is still available to answer questions over the phone or by email.

Every day, Partners of the Americas collaborates with individuals and organizations around the world to eradicate poverty. The coronavirus pandemic this year has hurt communities experiencing poverty the hardest, yet we are finding ways to work through it to achieve social and environmental justice for all. This International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we’re highlighting the steps our programs, projects, and members have taken to end poverty during COVID-19. Economic Development & Health Since the start of COVID-19, epicenters of the virus have moved across borders, across continents, and across hemispheres. Now, as of mid-May, Latin America is the newest region suffering from the most cases of and subsequent deaths due to the novel-coronavirus. Just like a third of the world’s population, our Farmer-to-Farmer staff at the Washington, D.C. office and in our six field offices around the world (Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, and Myanmar) are currently working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it may be from the safety of our homes, today on April 22, we would like to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Beekeeping is Cathy Shaw’s passion. She has found that most beekeepers feel the same way she does, and this was no exception in the Dominican Republic. Shaw helped beekeepers raise healthy and strong beehives as a Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer in June 2019. En 2010, Antonio de Jesús Reyes Meza (Toño) vivió en una de las zonas más pobres y peligrosas de Ciudad Juárez, México. Luego encontró A Ganar, el programa de Partners of the Americas que ayuda a los jóvenes de las comunidades más complejas de América Latina y el Caribe a encontrar empleo, emprender un negocio o regresar a la escuela a través del poder del deporte./ In 2010, Antonio de Jesús Reyes Meza (Toño) lived in one of the poorest and most dangerous zones in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Then he found A Ganar, Partners’ program that helps youth in some of the toughest communities in Latin America and the Caribbean find employment or return to school through the power of sport. On October 30, a former Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer, Bill Nichols, visited the Partners of the Americas’ (Partners) Washington, D.C. office to offer insight on his volunteer experiences. Nichols boasts an extensive history of volunteering, with 56 assignments over the past decade. Since its creation in July 2017, the USAID-funded Ranfose Abitid Nitrisyon pou Fè Ogmante Sante Program (RANFOSE), implemented by Partners of the Americas, has sought to fight malnutrition in Haiti through food fortification. In cooperation with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, (GAIN), the program advocates for policy changes that have led to providing approximately 7-8.5 million Haitians with access to fortified foods. Since 2008, August 19 has been designated as World Humanitarian Day to pay tribute to the aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people impacted by crises around the world. In honor of this year’s theme, #WomenHumanitarians, we celebrate the contributions of all of our volunteers, especially our women volunteers. In 2018, 6,122 Partners volunteers and members served more than 11,000 hours. Today, Partners of the Americas commemorates World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) by recognizing the power of adequate skills training to combat youth unemployment. This year, WYSD centers on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all under Sustainable Development Goal 4. At Partners, we work toward this goal by teaching youth marketable skills and emphasizing the importance of education to transform lives around the world.

1. Check out a music festival — big or small. The summer of ’16 has plenty of groove to go around. The big ones like Bonnaroo (June 9-12 this year in Manchester, TN) get lots of press, but plenty of other gatherings offer just as much fun. Take FloydFest (July 27-31 in Floyd, VA), for example. Big names and undiscovered acts play provide the soundtrack for rafting trips on the nearby Little River, workshops on homesteading skills like beekeeping, medicinal herb walks, and other activities. Music festivals now are far, far more than what they used to be. For more ideas that are a little less mainstream, check out these 8 underground music festivals — while they’re still underground. 2. Pick a different beach. Nothing’s more stereotypically “summer” than a day spent lying on a towel at the beach, but there are plenty of ways you can kick your traditional seaside vacation up a few notches. Pick a different coastal destination than your old standby — like one from this list — and plan some offbeat excursions in addition to plenty of relaxing time in the sun. Think somewhere less tourist-y, like Alabama. Gulf Shores has white-sand beaches, yes, but the area also hosts some really kickass concerts (The Wharf at Orange Beach brings Jimmy Buffett, Keith Urban, and Train, among others this summer) and serves as a base for excellent offshore fishing. If it rains, stay in at the Flora-Bama Bar drinking Bushwackers on the Alabama and Florida state line, or spend the afternoon learning how to captain cargo ships at the new GulfQuest Museum in Mobile. Not all beach experiences need to involve being lazy on a towel. 3. Go on a national parks road trip. The US National Park Service celebrates its 100th anniversary on August 25, 2016, but the agency is making its centennial a yearlong celebration — which means this is probably the best summer ever for a national parks adventure. And by best, we mean free. Only 127 of the 411 NPS sites charge an entrance fee, but even these will be waived on the 16 fee-free days this year. Your options? Sled down the 275 square miles of snow-white dunes at White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico. Snorkel along the 225-yard-long underwater trail in US Virgin Islands National Park. Climb to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Maine’s Acadia National Park to see one of the first glimpses of the sunrise in the country. Hike beneath the world’s largest trees in California’s Sequoia National Park. Pack your Chacos and head from a dusty hike to a kayak launch to après-adventure beers at the bar. 4. Hit the Summer Olympics in Rio. Wanna get the heck out of Dodge in exchange for the summer of a lifetime? Head south to Brazil for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, held August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, to watch the world’s greatest athletes compete for glory in track and field, gymnastics, aquatics, volleyball, weightlifting, and lots more (and you can try to get on TV to boot). While you’re in the area, visit the Amazon River Basin, the Pantanal, Iguazu Falls, or the Chapada Diamantina for some of the world’s most spectacular natural attractions. 5. Exchange your local swimming pool for a swimming hole. When the weather’s hot, a pool sounds good, but that’s so…normal. A better way to cool down is to let yourself fly from a rope swing and splash into the water below. Havasu Falls at the bottom of the Grand Canyon gets photographer cred as one of the most picturesque swimming holes one could imagine, but you’ll have to work for it: The blue pool complete with waterfalls can only be accessed after a hot and dusty 10-mile hike or pack mule ride (or an expensive helicopter trip). But others, like Hamilton Pool an hour west of Austin, TX, give your eyes just as much to soak in as your body. Check in advance for off-peak times to avoid the crowds. 6. Sign up for grownup summer camp. If some of your happiest childhood memories came from summer camp, you’re in luck — they can be relived without all that pre-teen angst and phone calls from mom and dad. Several camps across the country have been created just for adults, which means you can still enjoy the kickball games, ropes courses, and bonfires you loved as a child — plus the snack bar now serves alcohol. Options range from Camp Grounded (with sessions in North Carolina, Texas, New York, and California), which allows you to totally disconnect from the digital world, to Adult Space Academy (in Huntsville, Alabama), which is exactly what it sounds like: Space Camp for grownups. 7. Thru-hike one of America’s trails — or at least spend a weekend. A day hike can be rejuvenating, but a longer trek can really clear your head. Consider taking a multi-day walk on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, North Country Trail, or another extended system near you. You don’t have to be hard core about it — even a day or two spent with Mother Nature and the pack on your back will provide a kickstart both mentally and physically. And we all need some time away from our cell phones. 8. Get on the water in a new way. Another option when the weather gets hot is to spend a day on the river, whether on flatwater in a canoe or kayak, on whitewater in a raft, on a slow-flow stream in a tube, or on a stand-up paddleboard. Most medium-to-large rivers nationwide have a variety of outdoor outfitters sprinkled on their shores, and you can rent your own watercraft for the day or take part in a guided trip. And the kicker is, you don’t really have an excuse — most people live within driving distance of some kind of river adventure. Paddle down the New or Gauley Rivers in central West Virginia. Float down the Salt near Phoenix, AZ. Get on the Snoqualmie in Washington. Even if it’s on a tube with a drink in hand, it still counts. 9. Get your hands dirty on an organic farm. Two of the biggest expenses on an adventure tend to be lodging and food, and you can get both of those for free by pitching in at a WWOOF farm. WWOOF, World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms, connects organic farmers with willing volunteers, and the program offers a great opportunity for travelers looking to combine service with their adventure. Generally, WWOOF farmers ask for half a day of help on their farm in exchange for that day’s room and board, but many allow you to rack up hours so you can have more days off in a row while still having earned your bed and meals. You can find WWOOFing opportunities all over the world, and many farmers are willing to work with your travel schedule. 10. Catch your dinner — and eat it, too. Blue crabs reign supreme in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, and crawfish take the cake on the Gulf Coast. In many parts of the US, you can enjoy the regional culinary specialties by catching them yourself. In Maine, take a lobster boat trip and help haul in your own crustaceans. The Great Lakes are home to countless varieties of fish, and you won’t know just how delicious they can be until you’ve worked for it. After you’ve amassed your daily catch, host a crab picking, crawfish boil, lobster bake, fish fry, or whatever’s appropriate, and enjoy a meal made possible by your labor — and an authentic taste of your destination.

Vita’s Biological control for wax moths to save global beekeeping industry millions Beekeepers across the globe can now have access to an organic and natural control product for one of their biggest out-of-season pests: wax moth. Vita (Europe) Ltd has just launched B401 (also known as Certan), a biological control that is up to 100% effective against wax moth, but is harmless to bees, humans and the environment. Wax moths can cause huge problems for beekeepers by decimating honeycombs that have been put into seasonal storage. B401, a concentrated solution of the microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis subsp aizawai, kills the wax moth larvae and is easily applied as a preventative measure by spraying a diluted amount directly onto combs just before they are put into storage. B401 will be available globally through Vita’s global distributor network. B401 has many advantages over other treatments such as PDCB (paradichlorobenzene) crystals which are toxic to humans and honeybees and leave residues in wax and honey. “Wax moth can be an extremely destructive pest and can destroy empty combs in a very short space of time,” explained Dr Max Watkins, Technical Director of Vita. “In the USA it is estimated that wax moth damage costs the industry more than $5 million annually. Wax moth is a worldwide pest and causes most damage in areas where winters are mild.” Watkins continued: “We are already receiving many enquiries from Greece and other countries where several major brands of honey had to be recalled because they contained unacceptably high levels of paradichlorobenzene. As a completely natural product that leaves no residues, B401 enables beekeepers to keep their produce pure.” Unlike their larval stages, adult wax moth cause no physical damage to combs but both adults and larvae can transfer pathogenic bacteria to the wax in their faeces. It is important to target the larvae as the most destructive and harmful stage of this pest. B401 acts by producing a natural toxin specific for the moth larvae. The larvae ingest the spores of B401 which then germinate in the gut and release the toxin which destroys the gut lining, killing the larvae. The reproductive cycle of the wax moth is therefore stopped.

'natural', animal products, beekeeping, entanglement, ethics, exploitation, Food, honey, Human, human-animal studies, Insect, labour, political-economy, property, purification, reflexive, swarming, vegan, veganism A more reflexive post this week. The topic of veganism can be difficult to discuss openly and analytically in human-animal studies (HAS) circles, because it excites much passion and often a certain amount of defensiveness on all sides. That’s unsurprising, as the issue is one that obviously has implications for one’s personal choices and practices, and the debate is usually such that these choices become moralised – or highlighted as ethically significant – in such a way that the customary liberal individualism we hide behind is challenged. Consequently some may feel they are being unfairly judged, whilst others may feel the need to reassert the legitimacy of their beliefs and commitments, all of which mitigates against genuinely open discussion. As a result veganism sometimes seems like a sort of silent but unenforced orthodoxy in human-animal studies, with some regarding it as a prerequisite for HAS scholars, some settling for vegetarianism as a haphazard ‘good enough’ measure, and some far less certain about the necessary connection between veganism and HAS, but tentative about expressing this in the face of the conviction of others. Full disclosure – having formerly been a pretty ardent advocate of veganism and practicing vegan for some 9 years, I experienced… I’m not sure what to call it as all the terms are value-laden – an epiphany? an anti-epiphany? a disenchantment? In any case I am no longer vegan and although there are still some animal products I won’t eat I cannot call myself a proper vegetarian. I hope I can still claim to have some understanding of what motivates veganism and of the ethos, and I by no means reject it out of hand. Indeed I find my current position hardly more satisfactory than my earlier vegan one, but somehow I find its open messiness and ad-hocery sits easier with me. Perhaps this is underpinned by the feeling that in the world such as it is we all live ethically untenable lives, and that in some sense it is better to be fully aware of one’s living embroilment within these contradictions than to strive to exempt oneself individually, an effort that is doomed to failure but which may nevertheless succeed in creating a blinkered sense of ethical purity and an accompanying feeling of certainty. Both purity and certainty I regard with suspicion; there is no getting away from the totality of what exists. Nor would I claim that this is fully coherent; it is more of a structure of feeling. So that’s the reflexive context (confession? disclaimer?) for what follows, which is not intended as an attack on veganism per se, which would hardly be constructive, but which does problematise what I regard as the purifying tendencies that often seem to be a significant element in some vegan discourse, and which seem to underpin some of the certainties it espouses. I explain what I mean further by discussing the – admittedly quite particular – example of honey. As honey is an animal product, rather than a plant-based food, it is inconsistent with an animal-free diet and most vegans do not consume it. In popular vegan discourse there are a few recurrent core reasons given for this, which begin from general arguments concerning the consumption of animal products before applying these to honey. Prominent amongst these is always the argument that honey is produced by bees for themselves, should thus be seen as their property, and that beekeeping therefore amounts to stealing honey: “In common with other animals kept to produce food products bees are farmed and manipulated, and the honey they produce for themselves is taken from them. Vegans do not eat products taken from any animal, including bees, because it is neither desirable nor necessary to exploit animals in order to obtain food for humans.” (Vegan Society UK, 2012). The striking thing about this is its absoluteness – it is not based primarily on an ecological or ethical critique of the problems of intensive large-scale commercial beekeeping of the sort that has contributed to the emergence of Colony Collapse Disorder, but is in essence a critique of beekeeping per se, regardless of scale and organisation. Thus an organic amateur beekeeper with a single hive, who extracts a modest quantity of surplus honey annually for sale or personal use, is no less guilty of exploitation. But there is a conceptual problem here, since ‘exploitation’, unlike cruelty or domination, is a political-economic term which rests on socio-culturally embedded systems of value and property, and is therefore not straightforwardly transferable to nonhumans. Exploitation is centrally about unjust or unequal exchange, usually involving labour, hence exploitation can occur without necessarily being accompanied by either physical or psychological harm or suffering – slaves are exploited, but so are most contemporary wage labourers, even those with apparently favourable salaries and working conditions, since the harm is not directly to them but to their interests. Whereas for the concept to be at all meaningful in reference to nonhuman animals then either physical or psychological harm or suffering would have to be shown to be present. Thus it is really the infliction of harm or suffering that is being misnamed ‘exploitation’ in such cases. One might shift the argument by asserting that bees are indeed subjected to harm by beekeepers – this is true, in that there is always a risk of harming some bees when beekeeping, just as there is always a risk of harming some insects when gardening – but that is beside the point, as the crux of the vegan argument is that removing surplus honey in-and-of-itself harms the bees, even when sufficient honey is left to ensure that the colony has plenty for its needs. So the assertion is that even if beekeeping could be done in such a way as to ensure that absolutely no bees were harmed, the removal of honey would still constitute harm via exploitation. But this relies on the idea that the bees’ interests are being harmed in an intangible way via a relationship of unequal exchange, when there is no common socio-cultural system of value in which to ground such a view Furthermore the claim is often made that the notion of ‘surplus’ honey is misleading since the bees only ‘naturally’ produce as much as they need, and a surplus is produced only when the colony is prevented by the beekeeper from dividing into another colony by swarming: “Although beekeepers claim that bees naturally produce extra honey, this isn’t necessarily true. Bees make honey to satisfy perceived demand […] Under natural conditions, if the bees in a hive were producing a great surplus due to an increased population of bees, they would divide into two colonies and there would be none wasted. Hives are often prevented from dividing or swarming by beekeepers in order to avoid losing bees and therefore maximise honey production. If bees were left to themselves, each colony would cast one or more swarms each year.” (All American Vegan, 2013). In this way the critique of exploitation is underpinned by the notion of ‘manipulation’, that is, human intervention into – or modification of – the natural behaviour of nonhuman animals, which is regarded as intrinsically unethical. The reasoning here is particularly problematic. For one thing it reifies the idea of ‘natural behaviour’; in other words, it treats natural behaviour as that which is ‘pure’, uninfluenced or uncontaminated by exogenous influence. But in a world made-up of complex entanglements of diverse entities and forms of life, no behaviour can meet such criteria – all behaviour is continually shaped and reshaped by myriad relations with other organisms and the changing environment, and it would be bizarre to see all this as distortion from some pre-existing and rightful ‘natural’ template; indeed, nature is precsely what constantly emerges from all these entanglements. But what really underlies the critique of ‘manipulation’ is the notion that human influence upon the behaviour of other animals is inherently harmful, so that it is specifically human influence that constitutes ‘manipulation’. This looks suspiciously like the old anthropocentric humanist idea that humanity (or ‘society’ or ‘culture’) is somehow separate from nature, since only then can any transgression of this separation amount to ‘manipulating’ the purity of nature. But humans are not separate, and nature is not pure – it is complex entanglement all the way through. I find the vegan case against honey problematic then, insofar as it relies on an anthropomorphic misuse of the category of ‘exploitation’, as well as a notion of ‘manipulation’ that involves both an overly purifying view of ‘nature’ and an anthropocentric separation of humanity from other animals and the natural world. That is not to say that there are not other grounds for opposing beekeeping and honey production – a compelling ecological critique could be made of many of the practices associated with large-scale intensive commercial apiculture, for example. But the context-free argument that the use of animal products is unethical not in its harmful effects, which may or may not apply in any particular case, but in itself, and under all circumstances, looks like a disciplinary attempt to maintain consistency in the face of an example which does not lend itself to the vegan analysis. © Richie Nimmo 2013.

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A treasure: The Jefcoat Museum in Murfreesboro Published 3:04 pm Saturday, January 31, 2009 If you’ve not visited the Brady C. Jefcoat Museum in Murfreesboro, you’ve missed a great treat. With my wife, Sherry, executive director of that community’s chamber of commerce, I was privileged to be able to do that in the company of Brinson Paul, probably the single person most prominent in bringing to Murfreesboro this collection, sought after by many of the best known venues in the nation, including the Smithsonian, but finally secured by Murfreesboro. What is now the Jefcoat Museum was built in 1922 as Murfreesboro High School. It graduated its last high school class in 1972 and closed as a school in 1992. It has been open as a museum since 1997 and can be visited by the general public on Saturdays and Sundays, or by groups by special arrangement at other times. The museum contains more than 12,000 items and is, to say the least, eclectic. It includes at least three elements that are the largest collection of their kind anywhere, and a fourth that might be. Brady C. Jefcoat, Paul told me, is 94 years old, lives in Raleigh and remains very active. He was a plumber, then an electrician and finally a general contractor. He married late, my host told me, and his wife died early. Jefcoat began his collection to help assuage his grief. As anyone who has visited the museum will easily understand, I cannot possibly give you an accurate picture of its magnitude. But let me give you some little snapshots… In the basement of the museum is a room – a huge room – full of early washing machines. A washing machine is a washing machine is a washing machine, right? For me, what these machines illustrated was the ingenuity of those who came before us. On the top of one of them was a gear set that looked like it was missing several teeth. It wasn’t. What happened was that, as the gears turned and as they came to the empty space, they turned back on themselves, creating an agitating action within the machine. Another had a large “belt” of sorts. Paul explained to me that the family dog could be put on the belt and as the animal walked, the belt provided power for the machine to which it was attached. And on and on and on. The ways in which those who came before us used their minds to make their lives or the lives of their loved ones slightly easier or slightly more convenient were fascinating to me. The museum includes a collection of traps – mouse traps, including one that resets itself after catching one of the little pests, rabbit traps, gopher traps, mole traps, squirrel traps and on and on and on. There is a collection of door knockers. There is a collection of irons – more than 1,000 of them, the largest such collection in the world. Some of the irons are made of iron, some of brass, some are for commercial use, some for use at home. A device in the collection – called a “fluter” – was designed to ruffle cuffs. Again, what the whole collection illustrates is the ingenuity with which our maker gifted some of those among us. There is a collection of Chinese tools, a collection of glass insulators like you used to see on telephone poles, a collection of maple syrup taps, a collection of beekeeping equipment, and there is a huge, 45-gallon, ornate agricultural boiler used to boil up pork to get lard. The cast iron boiler, which probably weighs half a ton or more, Paul told me, sold in 1898 for $17, freight included. The Jefcoat collection includes blacksmith tools, carpenter tools, kitchen tools, service station (back when they really were service stations) equipment, cobbler shop equipment, including an X-ray machine used to accurately fit children’s feet. There are saws and lawnmowers – some of the latter as ingenious as some of the washing machines – and a collection of dairy equipment. There is a collection of butter churns and, again, you cannot possibly grasp the ingenuity evidenced by them until you have seen and touched them yourself. There is a radio room filled with all sorts of (appropriately enough) radios, from one that looks like a Coke bottle (the lid is the on-off switch and the base is the tuner) to very rare Edison radios. Many of the radios in the room are in very fine, furniture quality cabinets, and many have separate, free-standing speakers with their own, matching cabinets. The collection includes player pianos and organs, and phonographs – one room houses 264 of them – and music boxes that play wax cylinders or perforated metal discs or very thick plastic records. There’s a bell organ whose center keys play bells when stops are pulled out. There’s an organ grinder’s box. On the museum’s first floor, you will find a wall of bedpans, a display of tiny hats that were salesmen’s samples, a collection of postal scales, of barbers’ tools… Paul showed us a Crosley Icy Ball, a device that, before everyone had a refrigerator, used anhydrous ammonia to make ice. It was a complicated process. You’ll have to let your tour guide explain it to you. One room, a re-creation of Jefcoat’s bedroom, is home to a brass tudor bed that came from England and dates to the early 1500s. On the wall on either side of the bed are slipper racks – his made of leather and hers embroidered. At the foot of the bed is an elaborate, trunk-sized music box that dates to the late 1700s and incorporates a bird that whistles and flaps its wings, and drums that can be turned on or off to facilitate relaxation. A fireplace mantle in the room came from the Moses Cone mansion and incorporates a large Seth Thomas clock. I’ve told you about only a fraction of the things I saw… And, because the hour was getting late, I did not even step into three of the museum’s rooms. The fee for a tour of the museum – and it will be a guided tour – is $8 per person. You should invest that $8. I guarantee you will get far, far more than your money’s worth. David Sullens is president of Roanoke-Chowan Publications LLC and publisher of the Roanoke-Chowan News Herald and the Gates County Index.

Today I have a biography-cum-cultural history of America’s wild foods and a novel about beekeeping and mental illness. Twain’s Feast: Searching for America’s Lost Foods in the Footsteps of Samuel Clemens by Andrew Beahrs (2010) (20 Books of Summer, #15) In 1879, Mark Twain, partway through the Grand Tour immortalized in A Tramp Abroad, was sick of bland, poor-quality European food and hankering for down-home American cooking. He drew up a list of 80 foodstuffs he couldn’t wait to get back to: everything from soft-shell crabs to proper ice water. “The menu shouts of a joyous abundance,” Beahrs writes. “It testifies to a deep bond in Twain’s mind between eating and tasting and celebrating … rooted food that would live forever in his memory.” Beahrs goes in search of some of those trademark dishes and explores their changes in production over the last 150 years. In some cases, the creatures and their habitats are so endangered that we don’t eat them anymore, like Illinois’ prairie chickens and Maryland’s terrapins, but he has experts show him where remnant populations live. In San Francisco Bay, he helps construct an artificial oyster reef. He meets cranberry farmers in Massachusetts and maple tree tappers in Vermont. At the Louisiana Foodservice EXPO he gorges on “fried oysters and fried shrimp and fries. I haven’t had much green, but I’ve had pecan waffles with bacon, and I’ve inserted beignets and café au lait between meals with the regularity of an Old Testament prophet chanting ‘begat.’” But my favorite chapter was about attending a Coon Supper in Arkansas, a local tradition that has been in existence since the 1930s. Raccoons are hunted, butchered, steamed in enormous kettles, and smoked before the annual fundraising meal attended by 1000 people. Raccoon meat is greasy and its flavor sounds like an acquired taste: “a smell like nothing I’ve smelled before but which I’ll now recognize until I die (not, I hope, as a result of eating raccoon).” Beahrs has an entertaining style and inserts interesting snippets from Twain’s life story, as well as recipes from 19th-century cookbooks. There are lots of books out there about the country’s increasingly rare wild foods, but the Twain connection is novel, if niche. Source: A remainder book from Wonder Book (Frederick, Maryland) The Honey Thief by Elizabeth Graver (1999) (20 Books of Summer, #16) Ever since I read The End of the Point (which featured in one of my Six Degrees posts), I’ve meant to try more by Graver. This was her second novel, a mother-and-daughter story that unearths the effects of mental illness on a family. Eleven-year-old Eva has developed a bad habit of shoplifting, so her mother Miriam moves them out from New York City to an upstate farmhouse for the summer. But in no time Eva, slipping away from her elderly babysitter’s supervision and riding her bike into the countryside, is stealing jars of honey from a roadside stand. She keeps going back and strikes up a friendship with the middle-aged beekeeper, Burl, whom she seems to see as a replacement for her father, Francis, who died of a heart attack when she was six. Alternating chapters look back at how Miriam met Francis and how she gradually became aware of his bipolar disorder. This strand seems to be used to prop up Miriam’s worries about Eva (since bipolar has a genetic element); while it feels true to the experience of mental illness, it’s fairly depressing. Meanwhile, Burl doesn’t become much of a presence in his own right, so he and the beekeeping feel incidental, maybe only included because Graver kept/keeps bees herself. Although Eva is an appealingly plucky character, I’d recommend any number of bee-themed novels, such as The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, The History of Bees by Maja Lunde, and even Generation A by Douglas Coupland, over this one. Source: Secondhand copy from Beltie Books, Wigtown It’s my third time participating in Kate’s Six Degrees of Separation meme (see her introductory post). The challenge starts with Stasiland (2003) by Anna Funder, which I also happened to read recently. While working part-time for an overseas television service in what was once West Berlin, Funder started gathering stories of how ordinary people were put under surveillance and psychologically terrorized by the Stasi, the East German secret police. She molds her travels and her interviewees’ testimonies into riveting stories – though this won the Samuel Johnson Prize for nonfiction in 2004, it’s as character-driven as any novel. #1 My interest in Stasiland was piqued by reading Sophie Hardach’s Costa Prize-shortlisted novel Confession with Blue Horses (2019). When Ella’s parents, East German art historians under Stasi surveillance, were caught trying to defect during a ‘vacation’ to Hungary in 1987, their three children were taken from them and only two were returned. Ella is determined to find her brother, whom they’ve had no word of since, via a correspondence with the Stasi archive. It’s an emotionally involving story of one ordinary family’s losses and reconstruction. #2 Blue Horses (2014) is one of Mary Oliver’s lesser poetry collections. I found it to be a desperately earnest and somewhat overbaked set of nature observations and pat spiritual realizations. There are a few poems worth reading (e.g., “After Reading Lucretius, I Go to the Pond” and Part 3 of “The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac”), and lines here and there fit for saving, but overall this is so weak that I’d direct readers to Oliver’s landmark 1980s work instead. #3 Oliver’s poetry, especially “Wild Geese” and “The Summer Day,” gets quoted everywhere. The latter’s most famous lines, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?” appears in Dear Life by Rachel Clarke, my book of 2020 so far. Clarke specializes in palliative medicine and alternates her patients’ stories with her own in a completely natural way. A major theme is her relationship with her late father, also a doctor, and his lessons of empathy and dedication. A passionate yet practical book, this aims to get people talking about end-of-life issues. #4 I have meant to read Dear Life by Alice Munro (2012) since before she won the Nobel Prize. I was sent a free paperback copy for a Nudge review, but as the site already had a review of the book up, I let it slip and never followed through. More than once I’ve put this short story collection onto a reading stack, but I have never quite gotten past the first page or two. At some point this must be rectified. #5 Alice Munro is one of the authors featured in Writers & Co. by Eleanor Wachtel (1993), a terrific collection of interviews from Wachtel’s weekly Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio program. Whether I’d read anything by these authors (or even heard of them) or not, I found each Q&A chock-full of priceless nuggets of wisdom about creativity, mothers and daughters, drawing on autobiographical material, the writing process, and much more. #6 My first-ever author Q&A, for Bookkaholic in 2013, was related to The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver. (Alas that the site is now defunct, so the interview only exists as a file on my computer.) In an astonishing historical sweep, from Massachusetts’s first colonial settlers through the cultural upheavals of the twentieth century, Graver’s family saga with a difference questions parent‒child ties, environmental responsibility, and the dictates of wealth and class. Her complex, elegiac tale, reminiscent of Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse and Liza Klaussmann’s Tigers in Red Weather, offers multiple points of view in a sympathetic gaze at a vanishing way of life – but an enduring sense of place. Join us for #6Degrees of Separation if you haven’t already! Have you read any of my selections? Are you tempted by any you didn’t know before? Are they not criminals, books that have wasted our time and sympathy, are they not the most insidious enemies of society, corrupters, defilers, the writers of false books, faked books, books that fill the air with decay and disease? Strong words there, from Virginia Woolf in “How Should One Read a Book?” I’m not quite so fervently opposed to these six books I abandoned recently, but I do share Woolf’s feeling of having had my time wasted. Particularly since I started as a freelance book reviewer, I’ve noticed that I am not very patient with my leisure reading: if a book doesn’t totally grab me and keep me turning the pages with rapt interest, I’m more likely to leave it unfinished. Better if I can do that before spending too much time with a book, but sometimes I approach the halfway point before finally giving up. Below I give brief write-ups of the abandonees. I’d be interested to hear if you’ve read any of them and thought they were worth persisting with. Of Love and Desire by Louis de Bernières Like so many, I enjoyed Captain Corelli’s Mandolin but haven’t tried much else from de Bernières. These are love poems: many of them Greek-influenced; most of them sentimental and not very interesting. I marked out one passage I liked, but even it then turns into a clichéd relationship poem: “I looked behind and saw the long straight line of my mistakes, / Faithful as hounds, their eyes alert, trailing in my wake. But / They weren’t dogs, they were women, some fair, some dark …” (from “Mistakes”). [Read the first 25 pages.] Yuki Chan in Brontë Country by Mick Jackson The premise for this one – young Japanese woman visits the Brontë sites in Yorkshire as a way of reconnecting with her departed mother – sounded so interesting, but the third-person narration is very flat and detached. It makes Yuki and all the other characters seem like stereotypes: the fashion-obsessed Asian girl, the horde of Japanese tourists. I also noticed that far too many sentences and paragraphs start with “She.” I couldn’t be bothered to see how it would turn out. [Read the first 26%.] Shylock Is My Name by Howard Jacobson I’d read Jacobson’s three most recent novels and liked them all well enough. He’s certainly your go-to author if you want a witty discussion of the modern Jewish “persecution complex.” I think the problem with this one was that I wasn’t sure what it wanted to be: a contemporary Jewish novel, or a Hebrew fable, or some mixture thereof. Shylock is pretty much dropped in as is from The Merchant of Venice, so it’s unclear whether he’s Strulovitch’s hallucination or a time traveler or what. The exasperated father characters are well drawn, but their flighty daughters less so. I just got to a point where I didn’t care at all what happened next, which to me was the sign to give up and move on to something else. [Read the first 43%.] As Close to Us as Breathing by Elizabeth Poliner The writing is measured and lovely, and I appreciated the picture of late-1940s life for a Jewish family, but the pace was killing me: this is set in one summer, but with constant flashbacks and flash-forwards to other family stories, such that although we learn on page 1 that a character has died, even by the 60% mark I still had not learned how. Also, the narrator is telling everything in retrospect from 1999, but there is too little about her life at that present moment. I would direct readers to Elizabeth Graver’s The End of the Point instead. [Read the first 60%.] The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard I’d read such rave reviews of this novel set in the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War, and I’ve always meant to try something by Jim Shepard, so this seemed an ideal place to start. I decided to stop because although this is a fairly believable child’s voice, it is only being used to convey information. To me the spark of personality and the pull of storytelling are lacking. I felt like I was reading a history book about the Holocaust, subtly tweaked (i.e. dumbed down and flattened) to sound like it could be a child’s observations. [Read the first 53 pages.] Georgia by Dawn Tripp Who doesn’t love Georgia O’Keeffe’s dreamy paintings of flowers and southwestern scenes? Initially I loved her tough-as-nails voice in this fictionalized autobiography, too, but as the story wore on it felt like she was withholding herself to some degree, only giving the bare facts of (dry, repetitive) everyday life and (wet, repetitive) sex scenes with 24-years-her-elder photographer Alfred Stieglitz. Call me impatient, but I couldn’t be bothered to stick around to see if something actually happened in this novel. I think I’d be interested in glancing through O’Keeffe and Stieglitz’s correspondence, though, just to see how the voices compare to what Tripp has created here. [Read the first 48%.]

For teenagers, money is easy to spend but hard to earn. A lot of teens are lucky enough to get an allowance from their parents, but clothes, games, electronics, and entertainment costs a lot these days. With time spent at school or extracurricular activities, teenagers are often limited when it comes to time to make money. Thankfully, there are a lot of opportunities when it comes to how to make money as a teenager. Plenty of websites offer ways for teens to make money online, and there are plenty of IRL ways to earn some extra cash. Keep reading for 50 ideas on how to make money as a teenager. 50 Ideas on How to Make Money as a Teenager Swagbucks pays gift cards for doing things teens do every day. You can watch television, take surveys, and search online to earn some extra money to your favorite stores. Teens who are 13 or older are eligible to sign up. As you answer surveys, watch videos, and shop online, you earn points. Those points are redeemable for gift cards at more than 100 different stores and retailers, including PayPal and Amazon. More than $377 million has been paid out to members through the site. The site is trusted and safe for young people to use on a consistent basis. 2. House cleaning If you have a knack for cleaning up and organizing rooms, you may find some ways to make money as a teenager by cleaning houses. It is actually much easier to clean a room when it’s not your own (and you get paid for it). Create flyers for your house cleaning business and post them around your neighborhood or share your business to local Facebook groups. You can also work as an assistant for a house cleaner. This is a great way to learn the ropes of the business and how to interact with clients. It works great for younger teens as well who do not feel comfortable working on their own. 3. Sell your clothes Trends come and go, so you likely have a bunch of clothes in your closet that you do not wear anymore. Teenagers can make money by selling their clothes, shoes, and accessories that are still in good condition. Resale stores like Plato’s Closet or Clothes Mentor offer cash or store credit for clothes that are in season. You can use the money you earn from selling your clothes to buy new styles. These resale shops usually sell clothes in quality condition at lower costs than retail. Not only can you make money by visiting these stores, you can save some as well! 4. Take Surveys Teenagers have lots of opinions, and companies will pay you to share your ideas. Sites like Survey Junkie will pay you to take survey from a variety of brands. You can build your profile and receive surveys that are relevant to you. Share your ideas on products and services to earn points. You can redeem points for PayPal or online gift cards. If you want to impact change in the products and services you use, this is a great way. Brands value these survey results highly, which is why they are willing to pay for your thoughts. Earn gift cards from your favorite stores like Target and Amazon just by answer some questions. 5. Sell at a farmer’s market Do you have a green thumb? Teenagers with skills at gardening or cooking can make extra money by setting up a booth at the local farmer’s market. You can set up a small garden in your backyard to grow herbs and vegetables, bake specialty treats or foods, or raise chickens to sell eggs. While adults have to pay a fee to set up a stand at a farmer’s market, some may allow kids and teens to have a booth for free or at a reduced cost. Just make sure all of your products are in accordance with state laws and follow the rules of your local farmer’s market. Babysitting is one of the oldest ways to make money as a teenager. Spend a few hours watching after children and earn some extra cash. You may already know some parents in your neighborhood who could use some help when they are out of the house. You can also post flyers or take out an ad in your local newsletter to get the word out about your babysitting business. When it comes to babysitting, word of mouth is the best form of advertisement. Consider babysitting for a family member or friend for a lower rate or even for free. Just request that they share your contact information with their own friends. Sign up for online sites that share babysitter information, such as Sittercity and Care.com. These offer great ways to get your information out there. 7. Pet sit If kids are not your thing, consider watching someone’s pets. Boarding a pet while you are on vacation can be very expensive, and people usually prefer to leave their pet with someone they trust. You can make some extra money by checking in on their pets while they are gone. Pet sitting usually involves walking and feeding someone’s dogs or cleaning up after their cat a few times a day. Be sure you are able to commit to the time necessary to watch after an animal. They will be dependent on you while their owners are gone. Sign up on Rover, the dog sitters app, to earn new clients. 8. Walk dogs For teens who can’t commit to long-term pet sitting gigs, you can walk dogs. There are multiple apps for dog walkers to connect with potential clients, but you can also do this through word of mouth. Walk dogs for friends or family members while they are at work to help keep their pets active. This job is perfect for the summertime. Students who are out of school can make money during the day by walking dogs. When people work long hours, they usually like to make sure their pets are cared for, and you can provide this service. Wag is a great app to spread the word about your dog walking business and find new clients. 9. House sit Pets are not the only thing people worry about when they go out of town. Many people prefer to have someone check in on their house from time to time while they are on vacation or away for work. Sometimes this is in conjunction with pet sitting, but it could be a standalone job. House sitting usually involves checking someone’s mail and watering their plants. They may ask you to turn their lights on or off to give the appearance that they are home. For people gone for extended periods of time, you may be asked to mow the lawn or turn on the sprinklers. 10. Wash cars It seems like car washes have gotten more expensive over the years. Teenagers can earn extra money by washing cars in their neighborhood. Set up shop in your driveway on a warm day or post flyers around the neighborhood. This gig can be even better if you get your friends involved. Raise money for a sports team, club, or activity by hosting a car wash. Put up signs to advertise your car washing event and spend a fun day washing cars with your friends. 11. Work in fast food Fast food is always a great option for teenagers looking to earn money. Many teens work at fast food restaurants while in school because the hours are flexible, and you do not need experience to get started. There is no shortage of fast food restaurants, so you can likely find someone that is hiring. This experience is great to put on your college application or resume as well. You can learn customer service skills and management skills while working in fast food. These skills can serve you well in your future, no matter which career path you choose. 12. Run errands For teenagers who can drive, running errands is an option for making money. Many businesses or busy individuals need some extra help here and there. You can make extra money by running errands for these people on a regular basis. Pick up dry cleaning, drop off documents, or make a run to the grocery store. Make a list of the types of errands you can run and send a letter of interest to local businesses. Reach out to friends or family members that you know are busy and offer to run their errands as well. 13. Teach classes Is there something you are really good at? Maybe you can paint or sing, perhaps you play an instrument or know a complicated computer program. Whatever the case, there are plenty of ways to make money as a teenager by teaching classes and sharing their skills. You can research local classes in your area or set up shop in your own home. You could also rent a room at the library or local community center. Spread the word about your class on social media or at school and charge a sign-up fee for participants. 14. Work retail Retail jobs are another great answer to how to make money as a teenager. Working at a clothing store, shoe store, or other type of retailer provides flexible hours to work around your school schedule. This is a great option if you prefer not to work with food. Working retail can provide you with plenty of customer service skills to include on your resume. You can also learn practical business skills about pricing, promotions, and finances. If you do really well, you may be able to get some management experience as well. 15. Work around the house Teenagers that earn an allowance likely have a list of chores to do on daily or weekly basis. If your allowance just isn’t cutting it, you can offer to do some more jobs around the house. It is usually not wise to ask your parents for extra money without offering anything in return. Take the initiative and identify some major jobs you can complete. This strategy is another great option for the summer when teens have more time to dedicate to a project. Maybe your parents need help organizing a room, painting the walls, or cleaning up the yard. Offer to do a quality job and ask for a fair amount in return. 16. Start a Fiverr Account If you have a skill like writing, photography, graphic design, or coding, you can start a Fiverr account. Earn money by completing projects for clients through the secure platform. Set up gigs for $5 or more and turn your hobbies into cash. There are a lot of services available through Fiverr. Browse the site to get ideas for the types of service you can offer. There are also lots of sites like fiverr, where you can create jobs according to your skills. Just make sure you don’t commit to too many jobs at once. 17. Sell on Etsy If your skillset is more along the lines of crafts, jewelry making, or other types of product creation, consider selling on Etsy. You can set up your shop and list your products to earn extra money. Set your prices to cover your materials and make a profit. Don’t forget to incorporate shipping into costs. If you make large or heavy items, shipping will cost more. You don’t want any unexpected fees to eat up your profits! 18. Design t-shirts For anyone with design skills, you can sell your art in the form of t-shirts. Create designs and upload them to sites like Redbubble or CafePress. Customers can order your designs on a variety of items like shirts, bags, cases, and more. If you already enjoy drawing and creating digital art, this is a great way to make money as a teenager doing what you already love. This method is also perfect for teens because you do not have to keep up with inventory. Items are created once they are ordered. One of the best summer jobs for teenagers is lifeguarding. If your town has a local pool or waterpark, teens can get certified as a lifeguard and earn extra money. This job is perfect for strong swimmers who enjoy spending time around the water. Be sure to research the qualifications before applying. Contact the places you are interested in working at and ask which certifications you need to qualify or employment. The hours are usually flexible, offering plenty of time to enjoy your summer. Local sports organizations are always looking for referees or umpires. Sports teams for kids need referees for all of their games, and they are usually willing to hire teenagers. If you love sports, this is a great way to earn some extra money on the weekends. There are typically no requirements for previous experience. If you sign up with your local rec center or sports league, they will likely provide the training you need. You can sign up to ref for games whenever you are available. 21. Work at a call center any companies today are hiring young people to work from home as part of their call center, including U-Haul. You can answer calls, handle customer service questions, make appointments, and provide product information. Some companies have an age requirement of 18, but others will allow 16-year-olds to work as customer service professionals. The company you work for will likely provide all of the training and equipment you need. Hours tend to be flexible for this type of job, making it perfect for busy teens. You can work from the comfort of your own home, so you don’t even need a car. For teens that excel in a school subject, you can make extra money by tutoring. Parents of younger children are often looking for inexpensive options when it comes to tutoring. You can let local parents know that you are available for tutoring services and make extra money. There are also online opportunities for teens to teach English through sites like SameSpeak. You can also help tutor your own peers by offering tutor services for your classmates. If anyone is struggling in a class or studying for a test, you can offer to tutor them. Consider tutoring students in the grade below you because they are in classes you recently completed. 23. Paint fences Painting fences is another way you can make money as a teenager. If you notice fences in your neighborhood that need some TLC, offer to paint or stain them. A nice fence can make a house look nicer, and it offers an easy way for teens to make money during an afternoon. Research the best way to paint a fence beforehand.Watching YouTube videos and searching online will likely give you the tips you need to paint a fence. It is smart to research the right types of paint and equipment as well, so you can let clients know what materials you need. 24. Mow yards There is no way to make money as a teenager more classic than mowing yards. This type of work is available for many months out of the year, and it is easy to fit in your schedule. In fact, you can probably mow a few yards on a Saturday and make extra cash. If you do not have access to a lawn mower, you can request to use the client’s mower. You may be able to purchase a used mower for considerably less than a new one. Ask your neighbors if they have a regular lawn mowing service, and you can set up a schedule to earn steady income. 25. Care for gardens If lawn mowing isn’t your speed, you can care for gardens. This job is great for teens who enjoy being outdoors. You may need to do some research before starting this job as well. Look up gardening techniques and spend time practicing with your own garden. Knowing the tips and techniques of caring for a garden can help you assist others in their garden. You can make extra money by taking care of someone’s garden while they are out of town. Just make sure you know what you’re doing before accepting a job! 26. Collect aluminum cans Recycling centers will pay cash for aluminum cans. It’s not a lot of money, but teens can make a little extra cash by collecting aluminum cans and selling them. You can start with the aluminum cans that pile up at your own home. Teens can also ask their neighbors if they can collect their aluminum cans. Set up a regular time each week to collect cans. ou can then sell more at a time and make extra money. 27. Start a YouTube channel This one is kind of a long shot, but plenty of teenagers are earning money through their YouTube channel. These days, you can set up a YouTube channel on almost any topic and gain viewers quickly. Enabling advertisements can help you earn extra money. Start a channel based on something you care about or a topic of interest. The best videos are ones where the creator is passionate about something and shares that passion with the world. Promote your channel on your social media and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Here is a very good youtube video from Brian Dean from Backlinko.com on How to start an Youtube channel and Grow in 2022. 28. Sell sports equipment If you’ve played sports for a while, you likely have a lot of sports equipment piling up. Cleats that are too small, hockey sticks you’re too tall for, or skates that no longer fit are all taking up unnecessary space at your house. Teens can sell sports equipment to make some extra money. Many resale shops will purchase used sports equipment that is still in good condition. You can use this money to purchase new equipment as your needs change or save it for future purchases. 29. Educate people on technology While using technology may come easy for most teenagers, others may struggle to use the newest gadgets. Teens can make extra money by helping other learn how to use technology. Consider offering classes or spending a couple of hours with someone teaching them how to use their smartphone, laptop, or other devices. 30. Sell your art Are you creative? Teens who paint, draw, sculpt, or create any other type of art can make money by selling their creations. You can make money as a teenager by by doing the activities you already love. Create artwork you are proud of and earn some extra cash. There are many platforms available online to sell your art. You can also set up a booth or sell art at a local fair, convention, or art show. This is a great way for teens to make money while building their portfolio. 31. Enter competitions Is there something you are really good at? There are countless competitions and contests out there based on skill. You can enter a competition that involves playing video games, playing an instrument, skateboarding, or completing a Rubik’s cube. Teenagers may not be able to make a lot of money through this method, but it is still an option. This strategy is especially great for teens with an impressive talent. If you’ve spent years building up your skills, competitions can be a way to cash in on your hard work. 32. Take stock photos For those interested in photography, there are a lot of ways to make money as a teenager by taking photos. Businesses need professional-quality images for their websites and marketing materials. Stock photos sell on sites like iStock and Getty Images. If you have some skill with a camera, consider taking stock photos and uploading them to these sites. You can earn money any time someone downloads your photos. Explore these sites to see what type of images are popular, and then take your own photos. 33. Stream on Twitch Teenagers may catch some flak for spending too much time playing video games, but it can actually be a way to earn money. Twitch.tv is a popular site where people live stream as they play video games. Ad revenue, subscribers, and donations are all available through the site. Extremely popular streamers earn thousands each month, but it takes time to build an audience. However, if you grow your channel and post consistently, you can have a viable channel. 34. Enter a sweepstakes Just like competitions, this is not a guaranteed source of income, but teenagers can still earn money by entering sweepstakes. Call radio stations, enter online contests, or put your name in drawings. Winning may be a longshot, but you never know what might happen! 35. Start a blog Is there a topic you are passionate about? You can start a blog and write about your favorite topic. This is a great way for teenagers to make extra money through ads, subscribers, and sponsored post. Posting consistently can help you grow your audience and improve your writing skills. There are plenty of online resources to help you start a blog. Teens can set up a blog through a free platform and post content on a regular basis. Take online courses and read other articles to develop your writing style. 36. Earn a scholarship For a lot of teenagers, earning money for college is very important. But most part time jobs are not enough to pay for expensive tuition. Earning a scholarship is a great way for teens to pay for college. There are a lot of unclaimed scholarships every year simply because no one applied for them. Research scholarships online and ask your school’s guidance counselor for more opportunities. The more you apply for, the better your chances of earning money for college. 37. Sell used golf balls This may sound like an odd one, but teenagers can make money as a teenager gathering and selling golf balls. Teens who live near a golf course can collect golf balls and resell them for money. Just be sure you gather the golf balls legally. You can set up a stand near the course and sell golf balls at a discount. Another option is to sell them in bulk online. Get your friends involved for even more hands helping you collect golf balls. 38. Deliver food Teens can go the traditional route and deliver pizza to earn extra money. However, with all of the new food delivery apps there are more ways to make money as a teenager through food delivery than ever before. For companies like DoorDash, teens have to be at least 18 years old to sign up as a deliverer. This is a great way to earn money on a flexible schedule. You can set your own hours and deliver food whenever you have time. 39. Pack your own lunch Teens can save their lunch money and pack their own lunch for school. Pick out your favorite foods and put your lunch together the night before school. You’ll not only have the best lunch at school, you’ll also have a few extra bucks in your pocket. This is a great time to get your parents involved. Let them in on your plan and ask to go with them to the grocery store. Learn which foods are healthiest and cost-effective to improve your lunches each week. 40. Invest your money Teens may not see the value in investing their money, but it is actually a great idea to start investing young. Put your money into a savings account and start earning interest early on. You can also ask for parental help to set up more serious investments. Learning about finances at a young age can set teens up for a lifetime of excellent financial health. Research ways to save your money and have your money making more money. There are countless books, articles, and videos available to teach you more about investing. 41. Sell in-game items The popular online game, SecondLife, allows teens to make money by creating items to sell in the game. You can earn money for items you design through in-game purchases. The options for creating items are endless. If you have an interest in 3D design, this is a great opportunity to develop your skills. With so many different things that can be created within SecondLife, your creativity can be endless. Keep practicing to sell your items in-game. 42. Listen to music How awesome would it be to get paid for listening to music? Teens can do just that with platforms like MusicXRay. Earning money is as easy as listening to music and rating songs. Music is sent directly to your inbox, and you can earn money by listening to just 30 seconds of a song. Rate the music whether you like it or not. A lot of bands are just starting out, so their music may not be awesome yet. You can contribute to their future success by sharing your opinions and earn money. 43. Sell an eBook Are you an aspiring author? Whether your passions are in fiction or nonfiction, you can make money as a teenager by writing an eBook. Teens can be published authors before they even turn 20 years old. Write the next great American novel, put together a collection of original poems, write an essay on a topic that is important to you. Teens can publish eBooks through a variety of online platforms for free or a small fee. Sell your book on Amazon and make money through your writing. 44. Sell electronics Are there electronic devices you no longer use? Maybe you’ve gotten the latest iPhone or upgraded your computer. There’s no reason to keep unused devices around. Make money as a teenager by selling their old electronics. Make sure your devices are in good working condition. The better quality they are, the more money you can earn. You can sell devices online or find self-serve kiosks to trade in your phone or gadget for cash. Just make sure you check with your parents first, especially if they purchased the device for you. 45. Paint street curbs If you notice the curbs on your street looking a little grim, you can make money as a teenager by sprucing them up. Teenagers can paint house numbers on the curb for some extra cash. Hand out flyers around the neighborhood or go door to door to advertise your services. You can earn even more money by having various color options or painting team logos. A lot of people like to represent their favorite school or sports team by having their curb painted. Check local laws and any homeowner’s association rules before getting started to ensure your work is in compliance and allowed in the neighborhood. 46. Clean pools For teens who do not mind doing some physical labor, pool cleaning is an awesome way to earn money. You can scoop out leaves, put in shock, and clean out drains. This is a great job for teenagers who already have a pool at home because you likely understand what it takes to do the job. Cleaning pools is not easy, and it requires a certain level of knowledge. If you can prove that you have what it takes to clean pools, you can earn a regular income in the summer. Set up a cleaning schedule every week to keep the cash coming in. 47. Rent your video games Set up your own video game rental service. Teens that have a considerable number of video games can earn extra money by renting them out on a regular basis. Consider charging just a few bucks per game. Before you know it, you’ll have enough money to buy even more video games. The important thing to remember with this idea is keeping a written record of the games you loan. You have to remember who borrowed which game and when in order to keep up with your products. 48. Pull weeds Nobody likes pulling weeds, which makes it an excellent opportunity for earning a little extra cash. Teens can offer to pull weeds in gardens or yards and earn money in their neighborhood. This job doesn’t require a lot of skill, and you can get it done fairly quickly. If you already have a lawn mowing business or you care for gardens, this is a great add-on service. Charge a few extra dollars to pull weeds, putting more money in your pockets. Most people will be grateful that they do not have to do the chore themselves. 49. Shovel snow If you live in a colder climate, you probably receive a good bit of snow in the winter. For teenagers looking to earn extra money, shoveling snow is a great option. All you need is a shovel, some sturdy boots, and a warm coat. Wait for the next big snowfall, then go door to door offering to shovel walkways and driveways. If people are satisfied with your service, leave your contact information. They may reach out the next time it snows. Pretty soon, you will have a regular business going and earn money any time it snows! 50. Keep bees You’ve probably heard the news stories about how bees are dying. When it comes to how to make money as a teenager, beekeeping isn’t probably the first option. However, environmentally conscious teens can keep bees to protect them and learn about the species. Bees make honey, and you can sell honey or honeycomb to earn extra money. There are some startup costs involved with the beekeeping equipment, and this strategy takes a lot of time and attention. But for teens that get good at beekeeping, you can make a good bit of money. There are tons of ways to make money as a teenager. When deciding which option is right for you, consider the flexibility of a job to fit within your schedule. It is also important to clear your work with your parents if you are still a minor. By taking on a few of the ideas above, teens can earn extra cash to spend with their friends, buy the latest video games, or purchase the newest clothes.

In the state of Texas, landowners that keep bees on their property can qualify for tax savings through a “Special Land Valuation” also commonly miscalled an “Ag Exemption” by many landowners and farmers. If you own 5-20 qualifying acres (not including the homestead) then you have an option to keep bees and save money! If you do not currently have an ag exemption / special land valuation, then you will need to prove 5 years of continuing agricultural use before you start seeing the reduction in taxes. We sell bee hives, lessons, and everything in between, but for those landowners that may not want to get into beekeeping, we also lease our pollination hives to land owners for a reasonable fee. This is a great turnkey option where you leave the beekeeping to us while getting the tax savings. Professional beekeepers can maintain the hives on your property and similar to cattle or other ag usage, the professionals use the land to broaden their business while the landowner is able to receive tax benefits. Beekeeping is often a less intrusive way to use your land than hay, cattle, or other ag as the hives take up very little space on the land and beekeepers maintain the health of the bees. What benefits are there to the bees and beekeeper? What benefits are there to the landowner? With hive management services, we handle the initial set-up of the apiary, place the hives in a suitable location, maintain the bees throughout the year, provide a lease and service agreement contract that can be used for supplemental paperwork when applying for the special land valuation with the County Appraisal District (CAD). Most commonly, the professional beekeeper will use their bees to bring onto the landowners property. We do provide professional services for bees owned by the landowner when they already own the bees, we also sell bees if you’re looking to keep honey, grow your apiary, etc.. The beekeeper keeps the honey, the bees, and equipment. We do provide some honey to our landowner clients each year. We work with you to find a suitable location. We must be able to drive to the hives in order to service the bees. The bees need to be kept in a dry and easily accessible part of the land. We prefer that you do not mow around the hives so selecting a location where you can allow your field or forest go fallow (grow wild) is best. The simple answer is that it’s work. It takes time, expertise, gas, as well as livestock – the cost associated with professional service offers some cost coverage for the beekeeper to offset the time spent traveling to various yards as well as time caring for the bees on the property. All tax forms are filed by the landowner. We are happy to help answer questions and point you in the right direction, however, forms must be filled out and filed by the landowner. If you’re building up to your Special Agricultural Valuation qualifications many counties appreciate you applying each year and being denied for an additional paper trail. We always recommend checking with the county in regards to your specific property and any requests or requirements they may have, however, if you have between 5-20 qualifying acres (excluding your homestead) you should be eligible. The land must be actively used for agricultural purposes – so in this case, you’re bringing in bees. This varies drastically by county, but in many counties your acreage is valued at over $10-70k per acre. With ag valuations, you’ll be taxed on a fraction of that. Whatever the county values your parcel with bees on it is what you’d be taxed on. This number ranges from a few hundred dollars per acre up to a couple thousand throughout the state. You can only qualify for one agricultural use at a time, however your homestead exemptions, over 65 exemptions, veterans, or other special exemptions would be unaffected. There are a few places, actually. 1-d-1 Open Space Special Land Valuation is in the Texas Constitution Article 8 with the original intent of preserving land in Texas. As a farming state, this evolved to promote agricultural uses in Texas. Texas Tax Code: Chapter 23, Subchapter D. Appraisal of Agricultural Land Sec. 23.51 – (2) “Agricultural use” includes but is not limited to the following activities: ….”The term also includes the use of land to raise or keep bees for pollination or for the production of human food or other tangible products having a commercial value, provided that the land used is not less than 5 or more than 20 acres.” Requirements vary by county so you’ll need to consult with your county requirements and regulations as well. Consult your tax attorney or real estate attorney with any questions – we’re just here to point you in the right direction! Great! Keeping bees can be such a rewarding and fun experience. Getting to learn more about nature, the most amazing insect on the planet, and work on the land is awesome. We do have rates that include working the bees along side you when we come to your land so if this is something that interests you, please make that clear when you reach out. We do offer classes, bees, and much more to get you started. Requirements vary by county and parcel, however, it’s typically between 5-15 hives for most properties. A hive is most commonly defined as a colony with a queen. In most cases this means each “box of bees”, however, there are set ups where boxes have two colonies, etc. inside them so you’ll want to work with your county if you plan to use a unique apiary set up and make sure they understand what you’re doing (and that they’re okay with it) Similar to the saying that “the best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago”, getting started with your special land valuation is best done 5 years ago. If you’re looking to switch from an existing ag classification, then today’s a great day to get started!

Whether you want to attract bees to your garden to help pollinate, or you would like to attract a new hive of bees to live in your managed apiary, there are several things you can do to try and get the bees where you want them. Tips for finding (and keeping) a swarm to start your apiary! “Free bees” can offer you a priceless education. Finding a swarm can be a great way to begin beekeeping, but ask these questions first! We partner with professionals with construction experience to perform live bee removals in the Bryan/College Station area. Why is the construction experience important? Bees build their hives anywhere – in walls, attics, in gaps between bricks. Construction knowledge helps when you start deconstructing a home to… Continue Reading “Live Bee Removal”

Harry, We do. Just check and Costco price is $4.66 a lb. Good information. I do have cash, but all my barrels are full and ready to ship.You must not have Costco in Ohio. They have a much better offer. Terms are "cash on the barrel-head" Check this out: I think, by most accounts, prices are moving sideways. Dosen't seem to be much urgency from either growers or beekeepers.......yet. Stay tuned.Sorry, Becuna bees. It was too easy. Everyone that posted knew you meant almond pollination prices. Just having a tiny bit of fun on a cold night. No offense meant. Ha ha. Perhaps a few decades from now Near term if there is a threat to the almond pollination business it would be lack of water (the southern part of the valley is literally a desert) or self pollinating trees which would probably still require some level of insect pollination for high yield and good nut quality.I'm curious too, with several news stories recently about the use of drones for pollination. Welllll ya but this is a posting under "Commercial Beekeeping" at a time of year when all the commercials I know are intensely interested in the current bee supply and rental rates in the final run up to the almond bloom. To me it seems odd to be inquiring here about where I can get the best price on a bag of nuts. Just sayin. Carry on.Well, perhaps one should say more clearly what they are looking for. I say that in this thread because there ARE Beesource threads discussing almond [as in 'nut'] prices. For example ....

Disponibile - Solo 2 rimasto/i Thyme honey of Salento produced by “Alisi” Beekeeping. Pack of 320 gr. THYME HONEY is a honey that tastes and smells like flowers. It’s like eating roses. This honey is delicate but with a long and lingering finish. It’s amber yet clear and it tends to crystallised slowly. Thanks to the presence of the thyme, this honey has a lot of benefits: it’s a good remedy for the spasms, the cough and the irritation of the mucous membrane due to the hacking cough. It helps to soothe the inflammation of the airways and facilitates the discharge of the mucus. The thyme honey can be used against flatulences and it’s an excellent vermifuge too. Honors / Awards |Honor / Award||

Have you just purchased your first honey bee hive? Excited to put it together and get your colony going? I know that I was, but as a beginner, I had no idea how to assemble one of the most important parts of the hive - the frames! My frames came in several parts and required construction. With a little practice and some mentor's help, I've discovered an extremely easy way to assemble hive frames. Read on to see my beginners guide to assemble frames for a bee hive. You'll need a few things before you get started. Nails; 18 Gauge x 3/4 inch Stainless Steel Frame top (1) Frame bottom (1) Frame sides (2) Wax sheet (1) First things first 1. Take the Frame bottom, or the larger woodenware piece, and attach both of the frame sides. Use hammer to tap into place if the sides do not sit flush with the frame bottom. You can double check if they are square by using a speed square (optional) You can also add a small amount of wood glue to the frame sides before attaching if you are uncomfortable hammering the frame (optional) 2. Hammer a nail into the top corner where the frame pieces connect. 3. Flip your frame over and around to the opposite side piece. Hammer another nail into the side piece just as you did with the first side. 4. Take the frame bottom and attach to your nailed frame. Do NOT glue. 5. Choose one end of the bottom frame and nail into the side piece. The frame should now be connected in 3 corners with one corner that can open and close. 6. Insert your wax sheet into the frame and align with the grooves of your frame pieces. 7. Close your frame and nail the last corner shut. Your frame is complete! Rinse and repeat - use the same process to complete as many frames as you need for your hive box. Most hive boxes are either 8 or 10 frames. Good luck on your bee hive! Make sure to subscribe by clicking the link above by our logo, for more tutorials and information on beekeeping. Take care out there! Visit and follow us on Pinterest! We'll follow back <3

“Bee The Shining Star To Glorify Your Wonderful Honey Life” |Place of Origin:||China| |Brand Name:||Bee star| |Minimum Order Quantity:||100pcs| |Packaging Details:||carton packing| |Delivery Time:||10--25 working day, depending on the order quantity| |Payment Terms:||L/C, T/T, Western Union, MoneyGram| |Supply Ability:||1000pcs per month| |Material:||Galvanized Iron||Used For:||Beekeeping| honey bee hive kits, j hook hive tool Beekeeping Tools Anti-Rust Hive Tools Galvanized Beehive Conector Buckle Type Connector Tips for Buckle Type Connector: It is used to fix bottom board or super on to a bee hive when moving the apiary. Notes for Buckle Type Connector: To screw hole diameter of the fastener is 5mm, please prepare the appropriate screws for yourself. 1.Are You Factory/Manufacturer or Trading Company? We are a trading company with special cooperation’s with several local manufacturers of beekeeping products in China. Our wide arrange of manufacturers allow us to obtain a large variety of beekeeping products and equipment at a great competitive price. 2. Do You Offer OEM/ODM Service? Yes, we have a rich experience in offering OEM/ODM service in some of our products. Design service offered. Buyer label offered. 3. What is your MOQ? Can we get a small order for the first time? Our MOQ is based on the price, the lower quantity, the higher price. However, we can mix the order to reach the minimum and complete the order. Please confirm details with us. 4. How About the Shipping Cost? If the order is not large, we can send goods to you through air or express shipping methods such as FEDEX or DHL. If your order is large, we will send it to you by sea. Once the order is placed, we can quote the price to you. Don’t worry, we have a large experience in international trade and we will always choose for the most price-efficient option for you! Nevertheless, you can also choose whether you use our forwarder or yours. Contact Person: Liu Cherry Tel: 0086 18582997231

Every day, our journalism dismantles barriers and shines a light on the critical overlooked and under-reported issues important to all North Carolinians. Before you go … If you like what you are reading and believe in independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan journalism like ours—journalism the way it should be—please contribute to keep us going. Reporting like this isn’t free to produce and we cannot do this alone. Thank you! Reader photo by Kristen M. Williams, of Boone, N.C. “Honey,” at the corner of Carolina Lane and Woodfin Street, downtown Asheville Taken July 9, 2011 I found the juxtaposition of the graphic mural with the exposed brick and barred window visually curious and decided to take a photograph that incorporated elements of the mural as well as the window into the composition. I used a Holga 120CFN, a manual plastic toy camera that uses medium format film. No sourwood honey this year; possible honeybee starvation in August Much has been made of the stresses facing honeybees, the producers of Kristin’s sweet photographic subject. In Western North Carolina, the N.C. Beekeepers Association has 14 county and area chapters operating across the region of the N.C. State Beekeepers Association. This August was unusually challenging for area hives, the Buncombe County Beekeepers Chapter writes on its WNCBees.org site. On the site, the authors write that beekeepers would likely have to feed their hives in August because “starvation is possible with the dearth of nectar we have had this summer.” Also, they say, “in most areas, sourwood will not exist this year.” Slow Food USA writes: “Sourwood honey is so rare that a good crop sometimes only surfaces once every decade. Yet, its deep, spicy flavor makes it sought after by honey connoisseurs everywhere.” If you’d like to learn more about beekeeping, here are some upcoming classes on honeybees, from Slow Food Asheville‘s website: Natural BeeKeeping Workshops Slow Food Asheville is a proud supporter of BEe Healing Apiary and The Center for Honeybee Research. We are currently working on programs with both organizations to make “natural” bee keeping a nationally and internationally recognized way to raise bees. What: Natural Beekeeping Class for beginning and advance beekeepers. When: Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011; 6-9 PM Where: Madison Co. Ag Office Learn about Natural Beekeeping from the bees’ point of view. No harsh or soft chemicals, no sugar shakes, no beetle traps, etc. Learn how your bees can become resistant and why. If there are enough beginners, we will go through the basics with a handout covering details about the hive, where to get equipment, pests and diseases (with pictures), and what to do in the yard for the first year. If there is time and desire we go through installing nucs. What: Are Honeybees Like Humans? When: Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011, 6-9 PM Where: Madison Co. Ag Office Honeybees are more human than you may think. We will discuss what is required for a healthy bee and how it correlates with the human body. We will cover topics such as, nutrition, what plants to put in the ground for you and your bees’ health, the autoimmune system, what the bees require throughout the year, and more.

Visit the iFarm Immersive Theatre, sponsored by Ohio Farm Bureau and Nationwide, at the 2021 Farm Science Review. The Farm Science Review will be held on September 21-23, 2021. There will be nearly 20 different virtual experiences you can see in the iFarm Immersive Theatre, ranging from equipment demonstrations, beekeeping, to wildlife habitats. There is something for everyone to see! Farm Science Review tickets are available at the Highland County Extension Office. Tickets purchased in advance are $7. Tickets purchased at the Farm Science Review gate are $10. Contact the Highland County Extension Office for more information on purchasing tickets.

I have a vegan acquaintance. He is a mild, considerate, and generally pleasant young man. He thinks that beekeeping is cruel and inhumane. He tells me that honey-eating encourages theft and the abuse, imprisonment and exploitation of insects. “Tell me more,” I said. Vegans, my friend told me, feel that if you eat honey, you harm the environment and you injure your health. I think that my friend and others like him make these false statements because they don’t know how honey is made nor how bees are kept. Such narrow thoughts give reasonable vegetarians a bad name. Much misinformation is rooted in an almost cult-like adherence to dogma created by the revered Donald Watson, founder of the vegan movement. Godlike, Don Watson leads the way 75 years ago, Don Watson invented the word Vegan and constructed much of the philosophy that goes with it. Mr Watson was a very, very, nasty man. Whether he hated the plant kingdom, or just didn’t know any better, is up for debate. But he savagely attacked plants of all sorts. His profession was teaching woodworking. He encouraged untold thousands of British youngsters to destroy stately trees (many over a hundred years old). He inspired them to cut down living denizens of the forest, strip off their bark, rip into their hearts with power tools, then hammer nails through their defiled bodies. He showed people how to turn beautiful elms, oaks, and maples into bookshelves and grandiose chairs upon which to seat their bottoms. It’s as if Watson, the first vegan, had no clue that the plants he encountered are (were) living, breathing monuments to the diversity of nature. Agreed, they don’t breathe oxygen the way we do but does that give Watson and his minions the right to recklessly consume plants? Rather than taking sustenance from animals such as bees – which aren’t killed in the process of honey-making and which help, not hurt, plants – Watson rejected honey. Instead, Watson encouraged boiling the seedy offspring of wheat and shredding the greenery of lettuce and then eating it. Plants are defenseless. They can’t run. They can’t sting. To suggest that it’s more ethical to consume plants instead of honey is farcical, disingenuous, and wrong. Most plants are still alive when they enter a vegan’s mouth. As disgusting as this is, it’s doubly disheartening that these same people portend to subscribe to a superior lifestyle and tell others to shun honey. And yet, largely because of Watson’s philosophy, vegans claim the ethical high ground. Because of Watson, honey is strictly forbidden. I can understand opposition to concrete zoos, factory farms with warehoused pigs, and chickens caged in tiny pens. These are obviously, ethically wrong. But when Watson wrote the rules, his enthusiasm for the rights of all other living creatures (except plants) outdistanced his common sense. [Some Vegans seem to venerate Watson as a god (something that would probably have amused the deceased agnostic) so I expect to get some vicious e-mail from these gentle people.] Watson hadn’t bothered to understand the way bees are actually cared for by millions of backyard beekeepers. Unlike plants, bees can defend themselves against wanton abuse. Most hobby beekeepers would never kill a single bee. Bees are absolutely free to range over kilometres of wildflowers. Bees return each night to their hives, which are boxes that keep bees safe, dry, and warm. If they didn’t want to return, they wouldn’t. But time after time, they come back to the beekeepers’ boxes. Beekeepers have experimentally placed empty beekeepers’ boxes alongside trees – bees select the boxes as their preferred homes. But bees can leave whenever they want. The fuzzy photo to the left shows wild combs, hanging in a birch tree. This was built by bees which died of exposure. I took the picture in Pennsylvania, years ago. I wish I had found them in time to put them into a safe dry warm bee box where they would have survived and flourished. On their own, subject to cold and rain, they died. Bees produce thousands of grams of honey during a season but beekeepers remove just a fraction of it in exchange for giving the bees a safe home. Beekeepers don’t ‘take all the bees’ honey’ as I’ve read on various vegan sites because if they did, the bees would die. Dead bees are not the beekeeper’s objective. (Though dead trees are certainly a woodworker’s.) Some vegan websites lament that beekeepers feed sugar and corn syrup to bees, which the vegans correctly tell us are not as healthy as honey. Those complainants should learn something about ecology. There are seasons when honey bees can’t find food on their own. Even in sunny Florida, where I worked alongside bees for about ten years, dearths happen in mid-summer when citrus trees, gallberry, palmetto, and pepperbush aren’t in bloom. Without a friendly beekeeper feeding the bees, the bees die. Now I live in Canada. Here, after seven months of cold and ice each year, hives often run short of food in April. Without flowers, bees die. So beekeepers feed them. Without beekeepers, there would be no honey bees in western Canada. Is honey healthy? Vegans tell us that honey is healthier than sugar or corn syrup for bees; yet they also claim that honey is not healthy for people. Let’s remind them that honey is actually a healthy food. Bees collect nectar from flowers. The nectar is sucrose plus some fructose and glucose. Bees continue the job that flowers started, using enzymes to convert nearly all the disaccharides (sucrose) into simpler monosaccharides – fructose and glucose. These simpler sugars are much better for the diets of bees and humans (and bears, raccoons, badgers, and other mammals). Honey is healthier. Perhaps it’s the healthiest sugar people can eat. It’s certainly the least environmentally intrusive. If honey is healthy, why do vegans say it’s not? Well, making such an unfounded claim (they hope) may reduce honey consumption, which (they think) will liberate enslaved honey bees from the hives of beekeepers. As we’ve already seen, honey bees are free to leave the beekeepers. They are already liberated. But without beekeepers, billions of honey bees would die – which, I guess, is a fate more acceptable to some vegans. So, vegan claims against honey as food are self-serving and unfounded. And yet, many (all?) vegan websites advise against eating honey. “Even if honey were the healthiest food on the planet, there is still no reason for a vegan to consume it,” says this voice of veganism site. Alternatives are suggested. In those alternatives we find the real Achilles’ heel of veganism. On this page, you will find approved alternatives to honey. These include coconut sugar and molasses. Want to really hurt the environment and kill animals? Then do what the vegans recommend and use coconut sugar and molasses. Have it processed in a food factory and shipped halfway around the world to reach you. A vegan wants you to eat plants, of course. But, unless vegans are incredibly naive, and have no clue at all about farming (even ‘organic’ farming), vegans miss the point that trillions of insects – from worms to beetles – die in the production of the rice and barley syrup, and the beet and cane sugar which they think you should eat. Farmers must rip through the soil and control insects that would eat their crops. They dislodge mice and lizards to make way for the cane and beets that will end up as molasses. The pursuit of coconut sugar has led to deforestation and death for millions of animals. I know that some hope/think/pretend that they are buying ethically-produced food, but too often they are simply buying secular indulgences to assuage their conscience – they are still getting food that required the death of insects, and sometimes mammals. And these substitutes are produced on the other side of the globe while honey can be purchased locally, greatly reducing the environmental footprint. Only honey can be produced without harming or killing animals. Yet vegans refuse to concede this because it would go against their tribal allegiance to the philosophical proclamations of Donald Watson – regardless of how wrong he may have been on some points. No free passes I was a vegetarian for over a year and it was a healthy, energized year. I was not a vegan. As a vegetarian, I ate honey. I used a little cheese and milk in some veggie dishes. Today, I eat fish. In a social setting, I might eat other meat, but sparingly. I think it’s smart for the environment and healthy for the body to eat a wide variety of foods, but only a little or no meat. It’s certainly healthier for the livestock. However, zealous vegans drive away potential vegetarians. Vegan hypocrisy is a turn-off and has probably resulted in a bigger backlash against animal rights and against reasonable vegetarianism than it has resulted in new memberships in the vegan fan club. For that, I hold the woodcutter Don Watson and some of his followers responsible. Nor will I give a free pass to all beekeepers everywhere. It’s true that some beekeepers – hobbyists and commercial – aren’t as careful with bees as they need to be. That’s what the vegans tell us when they raise their concerns. But most are not reckless and I’ve never met any beekeeper who disliked bees; they want the best for bee welfare – and I have met hundreds more beekeepers than any vegan ever has. Honey bees are thriving because beekeepers are keeping them alive and healthy. That’s what beekeepers want. Further, beekeepers don’t eat their bees, nor do they make furniture out of them. And that’s more than can be said about Don Watson and his relationship with trees.

Off the Top of My HeadBy Paul Murray If you’re in Japan and you’re interested in permaculture, you need to meet Phil Cashman and see what he’s doing at Permaculture Awa Farm and Dojo in Wada on the Chiba Prefecture coast. Bilingual Cashman studied permaculture in 2007 with the godfather of permaculture Bill Mollison and his protégé Geoff Lawton at Melbourne University in Australia. Since then, he has been on a mission to develop his knowledge of natural farming techniques and associated skills and has become a consummate permaculture practitioner. Cashman has worked on numerous permaculture projects around Japan, including helping people in tsunami stricken Fukushima to rebuild their lives and return to food production. He has also developed his home permaculture farm in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture as an exhibition farm to show the possibilities of permaculture and in the process feed himself and his family with top quality, locally grown organic fruit and vegetables. He studied the art of Japanese natural beekeeping with aparian grandmaster Asakazu Tominaga in Nagano Prefecture and has become a specialist in natural beekeeping and natural honey production. Cashman offers workshops in beekeeping as well as other aspects of permaculture at the Permaculture Dojo in Wada, which is about 2 hours from Tokyo by train. Wada is a popular summer holiday destination for Tokyoites and is famous for its surf beaches, hot spring onsens, fine isakaya restaurants, fresh farm produce and seafood and beautiful coastal scenery. At Permaculture Awa Farm and Dojo, Cashman and his permaculture team offer a range of courses from introductory workshops for beginners, practical classes and exhibitions for kids, more advanced specialist courses for people with permaculture experience, through to a complete two-week Permaculture Design Course, which is the foundation of all permaculture studies worldwide. Permaculture Awa is on a one-acre developing permaculture farm that provides live-in opportunities for students to gain invaluable hands-on experience and put permaculture theory into practice to gain the practical knowledge necessary to apply the skills to their own projects. Participants in workshops at the farm over several days can stay at the Permaculture Dojo for the duration of the course and enjoy food from the farm. The farm has a small orchard, a large vegetable garden, composting area, worm farm, composting toilet, cob oven, yurt, rocket stove and an interesting hugelkultur project that incorporates a playground for children, including a long wooden slide made by natural playground specialist Yoshihiro Benjamin Iida. The Dojo building was originally built as a yoga studio and is a large wooden structure that can comfortably sleep 20 people. The courses on offer include accommodation and in the evenings, Cashman and the crew often fire up the cob oven to bake bread for the morning and make delicious wood-fired pizzas for dinner. Eating pizza, drinking beer and sitting around in the pleasant comfort of the Permaculture Dojo and chatting with interesting people from all around the world is surely one of the best ways to finish a productive day learning about permaculture, natural farming and other aspects of living well. Cashman takes a long view on life and considers permaculture a positive way to secure a high quality of life for himself, his family and generations to come. “I want my kids’ grandchildren to be healthy and happy,” he said and is working toward that end by establishing Permaclture Awa Farm. The farm will provide for a self-sufficient lifestyle for his family and the people working with him. His ongoing quest for knowledge and skills in sustainable living and his willingness to share his experience with others is what makes Permaculture Awa so special. A passionate teacher with a high level of competence in all aspects of permaculture make Cashman an inspiring and and motivating influence in all who meet him. “I want to make Permaculture Awa the best permaculture exhibition farm in the world so that people can come and see the possibilities, learn as much as they can and then go and spread the word through their own projects,” he said. So if you want to learn anything about permaculture, if you are an experience practitioner wanting to further refine your knowledge, or if you are just beginning on you permaculture quest, if you speak Japanese or English, get in touch with Phil Cashman as he will light up your mind with his passion for permaculture and lift your spirits with positive future possibilities for a high quality of life for you and your family. FaceBook: Permaculture Awa Contact Phil Cashman: Ph: 080-5042-4302Permaculture Awa is small link in a global network of people designing practical solutions for the better health of people and the environment. We practice and teach Permaculture Design so our communities can get empowered to be the change they want to see. Lets work together and create a healthier, more peaceful and resilient future for our descendants. パーマカルチャー安房は「我々と我々の子孫のためにもっと平和で健康な環境を育てていきたいと考え行動する家族や友だちのコミュニティーを築きたい」との思いでフィル・キャッシュマンが設立しました。２００７年にパーマカルチャーの父ビル・モリソンからパーマカルチャーデザインを学び、それ以降は日本でパーマカルチャーの研究と実践一筋でやってきました。グローバルな環境問題に対して、ポジティブな変化と具体的なソルーションを着々と実行するグラスルーツムーブメント。この人類の目覚めに全力で貢献する事を試みています。喜びいっぱい精一杯、大勢の世界中の仲間たちとアースケアー、ピープルケアーとフェアーシェアーを実践していきましょう。

French Maison Guerlain is marking World Bee Day and the International Day for Biological Diversity from May 20 to May 22, inviting its communities and the public to engage with the Maison’s commitments and initiatives. The Perfumes and Beauty House aims to raise up to one million euros to strengthen the Guerlain For Bees Conservation Program, which spans six partnerships to help protect bees. Bees have been inspiring Guerlain ever since they first alighted on its iconic Bee bottle in 1853. Now the symbol of the Maison, they continue to inspire Guerlain creations, adorning its most precious bottles and informing artistic collaborations. Forever linked to the beauty of nature, bees have become more than a symbol, guiding Guerlain’s commitment to sustainability. Bees are increasingly under threat today, and protecting these sentinels has been at the heart of Guerlain’s initiatives for over a decade. A fund-raising drive of this magnitude is unprecedented for Guerlain. Our goal is to go even further in our commitment to bees, these wonders of nature that inspire our creations and guide our commitments. This is an essential priority for Guerlain, and protecting bees figures at the heart of our Purpose. Cécile Lochard, Guerlain Director of Sustainability Guerlain is committed to preserving biodiversity, to sustainable innovation, to taking action for the climate, to creating positive social impact, and to protecting one of nature’s most precious wonders, the bee. These commitments are driven by a duty to act and to pass on the legacy of the Maison to future generations, a pledge pursued with conviction and humility by all Guerlain teams. For three days from May 20-22, Guerlain will take action by donating 20% of its worldwide sales, plus 20 euros for every repost of the World Bee Day Instagram image posted by Guerlain with the #GuerlainForBees and #WorldBeeDay campaign hashtags. Designated World Bee Day by the United Nations, this symbolic date coincides with the birth of Anton Janša, an 18th century pioneer in modern beekeeping techniques. The Guerlain For Bees Conservation Program spans six partnerships and initiatives dedicated to bees: - Since 2011, Guerlain has provided support for sustainability actions by the Ouessant Island Black Bee Conservatory (ACANB) in Brittany, including both financial aid and assistance for research and communication. - Since 2015, a partnership with the French Observatory of Apidology (OFA), created by Thierry Dufresne, has led to the development of hive stocks across Europe, along with promotion of careers in beekeeping. - In 2018, Guerlain teamed with the OFA to create Bee School, a youth awareness program that educates children about the importance of protecting bees. Bee School is expanding internationally in 2021. - Since 2020 Guerlain has run the Women for Bees program in partnership with UNESCO and in collaboration with the OFA. This beekeeping entrepreneurship program for women trains new women beekeepers, creates new beekeeping operations around the world within UNESCO biosphere reserves, and measures the benefits of pollination. - Also in 2020, Guerlain became a patron of the GoodPlanet Foundation, created by Yann Arthus-Bertrand to raise awareness among young people by creating artistic and educational spaces dedicated to the world of bees. - Guerlain has since 2020 supported the ELYX Foundation, co-created by artist Yacine Aït Kaci as part of the FACE Foundation to promote the values and texts of the United Nations, in particular the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Guerlain has been creating exceptional fragrance and beauty products since 1828 and strives to preserve, develop and transmit this unique heritage. In the Name of Beauty, Maison Guerlain acts by elevating nature to an art and commits to passing on its wonders to future generations, with the bee as sentinel. Guerlain involves and unites its customers and partners, who share this same vision, in order to imagine and shape a more beautiful and sustainable world together. Until tomorrow 22 may International Biodiversity Day, Guerlain is also pledging 1 million euros globally towards bees. To learn more about Guerlain’s sustainability commitments, come into the beautiful world of Guerlain.

A young farmer created a new business model that combines organic farming and environmental protection with job creation and socially inclusive educational services. Projects & Practice A young farmer used RDP support to expand and diversify the range of products and services offered by her beekeeping holding. An ambitious entrepreneur used business start-up aid for young farmers in order to modernise his farm and create a series of innovative products. A group of young agronomists combined RDP support with innovative financial solutions like crowdfunding to develop a self-sufficient farm growing local, quality organic products.

- Animals: bees - Animal Production: Beekeeping The long-term goal of this research is to investigate the basic biology of resin collection by honey bees. Bees collect resin from particular trees and shrubs and use it as a form of cement, called propolis, to seal any cracks or openings in the nest. Propolis is known for its anti-microbial properties and is widely used by people outside the United States to treat a number of bacterial and viral infections. This will be the first comprehensive study to document relative propolis use among different lines of bees in the U.S. and the first recent study in the U.S. to identify the plant sources from which honey bees collect the resins. It will yield important baseline information for future studies involving selecting bees for increased propolis use, and basic natural history information on seasonal availability and chemical composition of resins for two sites in Minnesota. The results from this study should stimulate a surprisingly neglected area of research on honey bees and will help beekeepers exploit an opportunity for secondary income by selling propolis. For over a century, beekeepers, particularly in the U.S., have selected lines of bees that deposit less propolis because of its sticky nature. However increasing evidence concerning the medicinal properties of propolis to both humans and bees warrants a reinvestigation into the properties and potential value of propolis collected by honey bees in the U.S. Project objectives from proposal: Objective 1. Document variability in the amount of resin collection by colonies of four different European-derived honey bee subspecies in the U.S. Objective 2. Characterize the plant source/plant type and analyze the chemical profiles of resins collected by honey bees in MN apiaries.

We’re the Marlborough College Environmental Society, a pupil-led society hoping to improve the ecological stance of the College. Since taking over, we have worked on a number of projects: Over the last two terms we have been looking into buying honeybees for the College, which will hopefully take place over the following months. Honeybees are keystone species, species which have a disproportionally large influence on an ecosystem, therefore they have a huge impact on many plant and animal species. The aim is for honeybees to be added into the Preshute Garden, with beekeeping activities becoming available for pupils’ outreach. We have also been raising money for the Reteti Elephant sanctuary in Kenya. This is a unique project bringing communities together through a shared respect and concern for wildlife. Helping individual animals in need and supporting the wild elephant population, fulfills many important roles in the northern Kenyan rangelands. To raise money, we organised a bar for the Remove and managed to raise £121 going directly to the charity. Looking to the future, we are planning on adding more environmental-related lessons to the new PSHEE curriculum, including fast fashion and waste. We are currently focusing on creating the lesson plans for the Lower School, which will be implemented into the curriculum at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term. We will focus on looking at what we can do as individuals in Marlborough College, believing that this will lead to a greater awareness and knowledge of these topical issues. Additionally, we are hoping to set up an Environmental Society Instagram account for pupils. We hope this will spread awareness, and will allow pupils to keep up to date with the advances that are taking place to make our school a more ecological and sustainable place. Hannah K and Katie O’G (L6)

- This event has passed. Forest Chapman – All about honeybees! February 23, 2018 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Forest Chapman is the owner of Bullfrog Creek Apiary. He has been a beekeeper for several years focusing on naturally keeping honeybees without using harsh commercial chemicals. He uses essential oils and the best natural products he can find in his handmade treatments. He’s the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Oklahoma State Beekeepers Association and his job duties include traveling around the state of Oklahoma promoting beekeeping by tabling and guest speaking at many different events related to Beekeeping, the Environment, Gardening and Native Landscaping. He’s also recently been accepted as the 1st Certified Naturally Grown Beekeeper in Oklahoma on www.cngfarming.org

Two years ago, Karla and Daniel DeLong and their two young daughters fled their Ben Lomond home during the CZU fire. Their house miraculously didn’t burn, but they lost hundreds of trees and were left with acres of scorched land. Aided by friends, the community and Karla’s “crazy-cool” vision, they have transformed their property into a dahlia farm “with the sole purpose of bringing color and joy back to our devastated community,” Daniel DeLong writes. It’s open this Saturday to the public. My wife, Karla DeLong, had always wished our property on the upper flank of Ben Lomond Mountain got more sun. “I just wanted a little more.” She laughs now, her infectious smile widening. “But what we ended up with, well ...” It’s been two years almost to the day since Karla, our two daughters and I evacuated our home off upper Alba Road in Ben Lomond during the CZU Lightning Complex fire. Like thousands of other evacuees, we watched online as little red dots indicating heat picked up by satellite appeared on the map of our neighborhood. It was surreal. We were convinced our house was gone. I’m a retired firefighter, and shortly before midnight on Aug. 20, 2020, I managed to get through the roadblocks and make it up to our property. I just had to know. The entire neighborhood was on fire, and in the end we lost seven of 13 homes, more than half. But, amazingly, our house hadn’t burned. I did do a very small amount of firefighting when I got there, spraying water on a burning tree that likely would have spread to the house. But it was mostly luck that saved it. Fire came within 5 feet of our home at one point. It easily could have gone the rest of the way. But while the house survived, the forest that covered the entire west end of our nearly 10-acre property did not. Several hundred large fir trees spread over 2 acres ended up dying and had to be cut down. Suddenly, my wife had more sun than she knew what to do with. Except, she knew exactly what to do with it. My crazy-cool wife’s big idea When we were first back home after the fire, she went a little overboard with house plants. She even hung them in the windows, because looking outside, everything was so black and burned. She wanted the color back, the green. She needed some beauty. Karla works at Mountain Feed and Farm Supply in Ben Lomond, where she is a teacher of all things beekeeping and gardening. Growing food has always been her specialty, and dahlias – in addition to being impossibly beautiful and geometrically mesmerizing – are actually edible. They grow from little tubers, like potatoes. The amazing variety of flowers they produce is the result of selective breeding. Let me explain. When cross-pollination causes a new gene expression to occur, either purposefully from hand-pollination or just randomly via the bees, a new and exciting color combination/pattern/shape will emerge. The grower will then name and nurture this new variety. The names can be as awesome as the flowers themselves. This one is called “Koko Puff.” Once all the burned trees were gone and our property was suddenly getting massive amounts of sun, Karla told me we were going to make a dahlia farm. Not just grow a few flowers, but build an actual farm. It honestly didn’t surprise me at all. My wife never does anything halfway. It was the same with beekeeping. When we purchased our property in 2007, she expressed an interest in beekeeping. Three years later, she was president of the Santa Cruz Beekeepers Guild. “Yeah, when I get into something, I tend to go all-in,” she freely admits. Santa Cruz has the perfect climate for dahlias Thus, in January, Beeline Blooms was born. We’re a dahlia flower farm with the sole purpose of bringing color and joy back to our devastated community. Karla started the project by converting one of our bathrooms into a mini indoor grow room, where she sprouted the dahlia tubers she was ordering online. As soon as I saw a table going into the shower, I knew this was serious. We began clearing the spot for the flowers – over an eighth of an acre of land. We added a truckload of organic compost, and planted a cover crop of grains and legumes that would grow and then be tilled back into the soil. We created rows with a custom tractor attachment I made from scrap steel and wood. Friends came to help erect fencing, and, ultimately, assist with designing and building a drip irrigation system. As with her foray into beekeeping, Karla sought out local experts as mentors. Her words: “Everyone at the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society has been so wonderful, so friendly and helpful. It turns out Santa Cruz has the perfect climate for growing dahlias, and some of the most renowned growers actually live here.” That includes Kristine Albrecht, Joe Ghio and Kevin Larkin, who have all hybridized many popular dahlia varieties. Other friends and neighbors came to help, digging the holes, removing the now- sprouted tubers from pots and putting them in the ground. Here, in fact, was the healing in action: people getting in the dirt, getting dirty, reimagining a burned place and doing the work to make something beautiful grow. Karla mapped out the flower locations in rows, by color, so from above it looks like a rainbow. How crazy-cool is that? And, of course, the bees love it, too. We lost about 10 hives to the fire, roughly half our total. We’ve added a few more since then, and they’re all digging the flowers as much as the humans are. Beeline Blooms, my crazy (but good crazy) wife’s vision, is open on select Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. The first day is this coming Saturday, Aug. 27. The entry fee is by sliding-scale donation ($20 is suggested), and survivors of the CZU fire enter for free. All proceeds from the first season will be donated to the rebuilding of the Little Red Alba School House, a historic building on upper Alba Road that was lost to the fire. It had been our neighborhood community center, and seeing it rebuilt will do a lot to heal our community. And that’s what this entire project is about: making something joyful for our community. Karla wanted to create a place where people can forget the traumas of the past few years and just be surrounded by beauty. Mission accomplished, I’d say. Come by Saturday and judge for yourself. Daniel DeLong, his wife, Karla, and their daughters, Adaira and Shaelyn, share their family farm with two dogs, three cats and a constantly changing number of chickens. In addition to helping his wife realize her visions, he enjoys tinkering with machines, playing guitar and writing. He has lived in the San Lorenzo Valley for over 30 years.

What can WE do?Consumers & City Dwellers People who live in the cities sometimes feel so detached from their food source that they feel like they lack the power to change anything about it. Nothing is further than the truth. Money in our pockets is the ultimate vote, the game changer. If we learn to ask the right questions every time we make a purchase, that will change the world. If we ask the right questions every time we buy honey or other bee products, that will change the world of the bees and the beekeepers. What are the questions that we should ask before we purchase bee products? First of all, we need to be talking to the beekeeper himself to be able to ask questions! Reaching out to the producer, getting to know the producer is a great start to eating wholesome food which is also fair. If you are not able to do that, the next best thing would be purchasing organically certified honey. Independent certification bodies have organic honey production regulations that the beekeepers are bound. The location, the hives and the product are tested to make sure that they abide by the certification bodies. For more information, please refer to the organic beekeeping regulations in your country – they change slightly from country to country. Here are the best questions to ask your beekeeper (and the answers you want to hear in return) to ensure he or she is focused on keeping the bees healthy. Q: Is the honey from your own hive(s)? Do you package honey from another source? If so, from where? A: Ideally, you want to buy directly from the beekeeper or someone who is very familiar with the practices of the beekeeper(s). Never support a vendor, processor or packer who doesn’t know the origin of the honey he or she is selling. Q: Where are the hives located? What is the vegetation in the area? A: You don’t need the address of course, but it is good to know where the honey comes from as honey from different locations and different vegetations may have different health properties. Also you would want to make sure that the hives are not close to sprayed fields, roads, industrial areas, coal burning power plants etc. Q: Do they use comb foundation or let the bees make their comb? A: The best answer depends on your consumption preferences – with comb or without? If you consume the comb, you would want to make sure that it is made by the bees. Q: How are you as a beekeeper contributing to the health of honeybees? A: Know your beekeeper’s methods and management practices during honey production. How the beekeeper cares for the honeybees makes a big difference in the quality of the honey for sale. If they don’t mention omitting the use of chemicals, you’ll want to ask specifically about their use of miticides, antibiotics or artificial feedings, including cane/beet sugars, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup and pollen patties. Depending on the area, some feeding is acceptable, as long as the bees have enough to winter. Q: How do you ensure your honeybees are well hydrated? A: Honeybees need water to stay hydrated but also to regulate the thermodynamics within the hive and colony. They use water inside the hive as a means for evaporative cooling (air conditioning within the hive). Honeybees will place water over and on top of the wax comb to prevent it from melting and to keep the eggs and young developing honeybees in cells laid by the queen bee from overheating and dying. That said, beekeepers should always provide clean water at each hive, especially when honeybees cannot forage outside the hive due to cold temperatures or cloudy, foggy or rainy weather. Q: How do you prevent your bees from starving during the winter months? A: Beekeepers should leave enough honey in the hive for honeybees to feed on over the cold months of winter and into early spring. Other things that city dwellers can do to help the bees: 1. Keep bee friendly plants and flowers in your garden Most double flowers are of little use, as they’re too elaborate. Some are bred without male and female parts, while others have so many petals that bees can’t get to the nectar and pollen. So, single dahlias and other single blooms are popular with many bees, while doubles are usually ignored. Bees can see the purple more clearly than any other colour, so grow lots of purple plants, such as lavender, alliums, buddleja and catmint. That said, flowers of other colours will still attract bees, so don’t go pulling them all up! You can prolong the flowering of many plants by deadheading them. Tubular-shaped flowers such as foxgloves, honeysuckle, penstemons and snapdragons are the favourite feeding places of long-tongued bees such as the garden bumblebee, Bombushortorum. Flowers for all seasons It’s vital you provide flowers throughout the year. Bees are most active from March to September, but overwintering queens and workers may emerge on warm days in winter, too. It’s also a good idea to have at least two nectar- or pollen-rich plants in flower at any one time during this period. The nectar feeds the adult bee, while the pollen is collected to feed the young. You can never have too many! 2. Find out about the beekeeping the regulations in your area and if they are favourable, become a city beekeeper 3. Contact the local authorities and ask them to implement bee friendly practices 4. Do not spray synthetic chemicals in your garden – seek nature friendly alternatives 5. Become an advocate for ecological beekeeping 6. Join an NGO or an organization that supports ecological beekeeping. Live and Let Bee 2017. All rights reserved. Funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. However, European Commission and Turkish National Agency cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Designed by Omer Mentes

St Valentine, the well-known patron of lovers, often used both beeswax and honey in his cures; and is also recognised as a saint patron of beekeepers. Beekeeper Andrew Shinnick shares more on this saintly connection with bees, which also exists with St Gobnait, the latter of whom has a special connection to Cork. Beekeeping has always been of great importance to human kind: From mythical tales to varied cultural beliefs. Honey bees have always held a special place in our hearts and indeed, bees are so special, that they are the only insect on the planet to produce a food that we humans can eat. Honeybees give us so much: honey, propolis, wax; and with them, sweetness, health and light. They also tirelessly work to pollinate so many of our food crops. Honeybees alone pollinate 80 per cent of all flowering plants, including more than 130 types of fruits and vegetables. It’s no wonder we revere them so highly and that we have so many patron saints responsible for keeping them – and us, the beekeepers – in good favour. I can guess what you are thinking! Isn’t St Valentine supposed to be the patron saint of lovers? That is correct. However St Valentine is also associated with beekeeping. There are other saints associated with beekeeping (which I will briefly touch upon later). However, as it is February, I will focus on just two, St Valentine and St Gobnait, the latter of whom has a special connection to Cork. St Valentine, the well-known patron of lovers – who celebrates his feast day on February 14, has also been long-recognised as a saint patron of beekeepers since 496AD. St Valentine was a Roman priest who suffered martyrdom and was killed during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus in the third century. While he has been removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, due to lack of reliable information, he continues to be recognised as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church. One story about the priest recounts that, while preaching christianity to the Roman nobility, he was jailed by Judge Asterius. While on house arrest, St Valentine was asked to prove his faith by curing the judge’s daughter of blindness. By placing hands over the child’s eyes and praying, the Saint was able to restore her sight. The grateful father released the priest and became a convert to christianity. Unfortunately for St Valentine, he continued his mission of preaching and converting and was eventually arrested again. In trying to convert Claudius himself, the priest angered the Emperor who then sentenced him to death by beating with clubs and beheading, The situation was further complicated by the fact that St Valentine also became known for marrying Roman soldiers in secret – Claudius forbade young men to marry since he believed unmarried men made for better soldiers. After his execution, a letter addressed to the once-blind daughter of Judge Asterius was found in his cell – it was signed ‘Your Valentine…’ As a physician, St Valentine often used both beeswax and honey in his cures and was well connected with honey bees. And, since bees have historically and culturally been associated with love (with honey being long believed to be an aphrodisiac. Yet another reason to buy our multi-award-winning Irish honey!), it is easy to see how he became the patron of beekeepers – who also symbolise the protection of marriage and families. Calling upon his intercession, is also thought to ensure sweetness of the honey harvest and protection for those who protect the Bees. St Valentine is also a Patron of epilepsy, young people, and travellers. Other patron saints of beekeeping St Gobnait, this Irish Saint also goes by the name of St Abigail (‘gives joy’) or St Deborah (‘honey bee’) and celebrates her feast day on February 11. She was born around the sixth century in County Clare but ran away from home due to family problems. After she spent some time on Inis Oirr in the Aran Island, an Angel appeared to her urging her to journey inland to a place where nine white deer could be found – there she was to live out the rest of her life. Eventually, St Gobnait found her deer and settled in Ballyvourney, County Cork (which is now known as St Gobnait’s Wood). There, accompanied by her brother St Abban, she built a convent and spent her life leading a group of religious women, tending to the sick, and keeping bees. She is also credited with saving her people from the plague. According to Irish symbolism, the souls of the dead escape the earthly body as butterflies or bees, so it is no wonder that St Gobnait found such significance in honey bees. As a healer, she also used honey to treat the sick and tend their wounds. Legend also has it that she urged her bees to protect Ballyvourney from a brigand by sending an angry swarm after him. With such powerful form of persuasion, he was forced to return stolen cattle and run for his life. In addition to being a patroness of beekeeping (and fertility), she was originally also a patron of ironworkers. Other notable saints St Kharlamii: Bishop and healer from Asia Minor who used honey and beeswax in his healing practices. He is especially celebrated in Bulgaria where, on his Feast Day on February 23rd, women bake hive shaped pies to give to their loved ones and honey is blessed in churches. St Benedict: Born in Umbria in 480AD, he organised a form of monastic life in twelve small monasteries. During that time, monasteries kept bees that provided them with honey and wax (and mead), so St Benedict became associated with beekeeping. On his original feast day on March 21 (now celebrated on July 11), the traditional practice of blessings of the beehives took place. In France, many beekeepers attach his medallion to their hives. St Bernard of Clairvaux: A Doctor of the Church and a French Abbott born in the late 11th Century. He had quite the reputation as a miracle worker restoring sight to a blind man and curing a child with a mimed arm. Due to his excellent preaching abilities – and the ‘honey sweet’ language he used – he became known as the doctor mellifluus or the ‘honey-sweet doctor’. He is the patron saint of beekeepers, wax makers, and candlemakers. His feast day is on August 20. St Bartholomew: Celebrated in many parts of Britain as the patron of beekeepers, his feast Day on August 24 is honoured with the blessing of mead. St Ambrose, or Ambrose Aurelius, born around 340AD, was one of the four original doctors of the Church. Legend has it that, when St Ambrose was an infant, a swarm of bees landed on his face leaving behind a drop of honey. This event signified to his father that the baby would eventually grow up with a gift of a ‘honeyed tongue’. The saint’s feast day falls on December 7. He is the patron of bees, beekeepers, and candlemakers and is often depicted with bees or a beehive – a symbol of wisdom. His name is still referenced today as Beekeepers use the term “ambrosia” for the mixture of pollen and nectar that is fed to bee larvae by worker bees. St Dominic and St David: Said to have begun the practice of beekeeping in a monastery in Wales. So as you can see, there has always been and continues to be a strong link between the church and beekeeping. And while some may have their favourite patron saint, it’s nice to know that beekeepers clearly have many options and therefore we should ‘bee’ (pun intended) well-protected in any eventuality. Happy St Valentine’s day – patron saint of both lovers and beekeepers! Ballyhooly native Andrew Shinnick, with his brother John, is a third generation beekeeper. When they’re not beekeeping, Andrew is a senior Army Officer and John, a full-time dairy farmer. Together the brothers run the award-winning Blackwater Honey. blackwaterhoney.ie

A mesh tarp is a versatile design that may be used both residentially and commercially. A net shade tarp is frequently utilized to offer privacy and shade in public spaces. A large athletic or sporting event, by way of instance, could benefit from using a tarp to display off competitors from sunlight, in addition to any media or audience presence. This is a porous, lightweight material that is used for creating outfits as well as for the creation of laundry bags, displays in campers, beekeeping veils, tents, and birdcage covers and plenty of other items. For more information about nylon mesh go through http://elkofiltering.com/store/c/25-Nylon-Mesh.aspx This is a long-lasting cloth and may get be retained for quite a long time, although even these can get ripped and worn-down. Viscous nylon mesh patches may be used to fix these materials. Nylon mesh dresses are often sensual in body-hugging in shape, character, and, even more, conservative dresses are also made with this sort of fabric. Mesh Netting Fabric It's done for creating dresses that need the body to be free-dried fast. It may guard the skin and possessions from the stings of insects. Naturally, it's used for the building of camping gear and equipment and numerous items like bags and backpacks that need using breathable fabric. This is a nice mesh net fabric that is most frequently used for producing wedding veils. Additionally, it is utilized in decorating wedding gowns, lingerie, floral arrangements, wedding favors, evening dresses, costumes, window treatments, hats, and gifts. This is a versatile sort of fabric that's been in use for more than 300 years.

Creamed Clover Honey 500g ORDERS MUST BE IN BY MIDNIGHT 2 DAYS BEFORE YOUR DELIVERY DAY (eg. MIDNIGHT MONDAY FOR WEDNESDAY DELIVERY). SEE YOUR DELIVERY ZONE MAP AND SCHEDULE HERE. Receive a $1 discount off when you return the glass jar. Just clean the jar, pop a note with your name and address inside, and leave out on your next delivery. We'll email you a discount code. A real favourite since ages ago. Nothing quite says breakfast like this sweet honey on your toast. We cream this honey to ensure it is consistently smooth and easy to spread. Just like our other honeys, this creamed clover honey is all natural and coarse filtered to ensure all the goodness that nature intended is in the jar. What is is creamed Honey? Creamed honey is honey that we have allowed to cool to 12 -14 degrees and mixed to allow it to crystallize and thicken into smooth creamed honey. It does not contain any ingredients other than natural honey. We are a family owned and operated honey producer from Invercargill in the deep south of New Zealand. Three generations of our family work with the same focus, to provide you with the best quality raw honey and bee products direct from the beekeeper. From beekeeping to product design and development, processing and packaging, sales and marketing, it’s all in the family. Our hive sites are carefully chosen to offer our bees a wide range of foraging options which in turn provides honey lovers with a true taste of Southland. Some of our hive sites have been used by beekeepers for over 50 years and have now been passed on to us. We extract our honey in our purpose built processing and packaging facility. This process uses low temperatures to extract the honey, which maintains the highest quality product. We do not pasteurise our products and we only coarse filter our honey so all the pollen and goodness that nature intended remains in our glass jars. Our products offer consumers the opportunity to truly Savour the Taste of Southland. We hope you enjoy our products just as much as we do. The Miele Apiaries Family

Dr. Richard House has been practicing medicine for more than 40 years, first as a traditional medical doctor and then, for the past 20 years, as an acupuncturist utilizing the chakras for energetic healing. His travels have taken him around the world three times and to most of the United States for meditative and higher dimensional work. He lives in North Carolina on an organic farm with his family and enjoys beekeeping and animal husbandry. He holds a second degree black belt in taekwondo and is proficient with the longbow. Dr. House may be followed on Facebook and Twitter at @richardhousemd. Books by Richard House MD View cart “Between Now and When” has been added to your cart. Strictly Necessary Cookies Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. 3rd Party Cookies This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website. Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Michael Joshin Thiele found himself on a forest path. Before him was a buzzing swarm of honeybees. They moved toward him as if part of one being. He watched them, entranced. The swarm came closer and a warm sensation permeated Michael’s soul, as if the swarm were embracing him. He felt a love for the bees—and for life itself. It was like a light, filling him with a sense of possibility and amazement. The buzzing intensified until… Michael opened his eyes. He was lying in his bed, the morning light filtering through the windows. Was that a dream? he wondered. He could still sense the warmth from the swarm. He could still hear the humming and see the bees moving rhythmically in one gentle mass. He’d never witnessed anything like it. The feeling the bees gave him, though—that intense reverence for life—was familiar. It was the same feeling Michael had gotten four years earlier, after losing his 31-year-old wife, Karin, to colon cancer. Michael had expected to spend the rest of his life with his beloved Karin, but their time together was cut tragically short. When they discovered her cancer, the couple was living in their native Germany. Eventually they couldn’t manage on their own. Michael quit his job in Berlin, and they moved to her parents’ house in the countryside. Michael was with her every moment for those last few months. He was by her side when she passed. Karin’s death left Michael completely untethered. Things he used to consider important no longer seemed to matter. Things that used to take priority—a stable job, promotions, a 20-year life plan—now seemed meaningless to him. If life can be gone so quickly, what is the point of chasing material security? he wondered. He felt spiritually restless. All he had was his immense grief and the vague feeling that he was being called to do something other, something more. He heard about a monastery in San Francisco that held a spiritual retreat. It felt like the right way to heal his aching soul and begin living a more purposeful existence. Michael packed his bags, ready to begin anew. He journeyed to another continent, and San Francisco became his new home. He stayed at the monastery and became a Buddhist monk. A few years passed. The grief that had consumed his life lifted, like a fog that yields to the sun. He fell in love again and married Leslie. They lived on the monastery’s farm with their baby boy. Michael’s days were spent meditating, praying, gardening and spending time with his family. He felt as if he was finally living the life he’d been called to. He felt like he was in a great place both spiritually and emotionally. Then came the dreams. For months, all Michael dreamed about were bees. Swarms appearing in front of him and touching him at the core of his being. Bees landing lightly on tree branches while he stood beneath them and watched. Honeycombs, vibrating with a deep hum. In all of them, he felt that same sense of awe, of benediction. The buzzing resonated within him. Why me? He wondered. I know nothing about bees! Yet he couldn’t ignore the message, even if he didn’t know what it meant. All he could think to do was try his hand at beekeeping. So he borrowed some old equipment from a nearby farm. He set it down outside his house, intending to figure things out in his downtime. The next morning, he was at work in the garden when he heard someone call his name. He rounded the corner and caught his breath. Thousands of bees hummed through the air, congregating around the equipment he’d left out, trying to find a way into the bee box. No person wanted to get anywhere near them. But Michael felt drawn to the bees. Cautiously, he approached them. Hummmmm. The familiar sound filled the air. He edged the bee box open, and the bees started to crawl inside. Not one of them stung him. He felt at home among the swarm. Michael devoted himself to the bees. He reintroduced bees to the monastery’s farm and became its official beekeeper. Beekeeping was pleasant. It brought him great peace. Michael still wondered why he’d been called to this task. Why not another monk? he thought. One day, Michael discovered a large swarm clustered on a tree elsewhere in the monastery’s farmland. He knew its significance: This bee colony was homeless and looking for a new hive. Michael needed to get them into a bee box. But the bees were in the center of the tree trunk. He couldn’t just break off a branch and move it into one of his empty boxes. He’d have to try something different. He thought about what he had seen in his dream and his sense of connection with the swarm. The warmth and awareness he had experienced. He summoned the image, felt it in his mind. He moved toward them. Though honeybees are generally less aggressive while in a swarm, none of the bee books recommended this course of action. Michael hadn’t seen anyone moving bee colonies without protective clothing. And yet, somehow, he knew this was right. Using his dreams to guide him, he scooped up the swarm with his bare hands. None of the bees stung him. The swarm was warm and filled with life, just as it had been in his dreams. It moved through his fingers and along his palms, as if sharing a collective consciousness. Like a hand, grasping his in communion. Moving slowly, he placed the bees into the box. Michael stepped back from the swarm and looked down at his hands with awe. Moving the bees without gloves had required a patience and a humility similar to sitting in meditation. He’d devoted his life to spirituality. But this moment was the closest he’d ever felt to the divine. That day marked a turning point for Michael. Eighteen years later, he’s figured out the most successful methods for reintroducing bees to the wild. He’s helped rehabilitate California’s endangered bees. Without these tiny creatures, humanity wouldn’t have crops or trees to filter the air. To feel the most connected to the bees, to gain their trust, Michael still handles them without gloves. It’s an act of faith. Kind of like prayer. Kind of like following a divine calling, even when you don’t know where it will lead. Did you enjoy this story? Subscribe to Mysterious Ways magazine.

You ask, we answer No one knows honey better than our bees, but we’ve also gained some experience over the last 90 years. Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions. Do you have more questions? Feel free to write us and ask away! Frequently asked questions - What’s the difference between fluid and creamy honey? The consistency of honey mainly depends on the composition of the natural sugars it contains and their ratio to the volume. If a honey has a lot of fructose, it stays fluid longer. However, if it contains more glucose, it will crystallize early after harvesting, which makes it creamy. - How long can honey be kept? If you store it correctly (see storage instructions), honey can be kept indefinitely. Honey has even been found in burial grounds within Egyptian pyramids from the year 3200 B.C. and is still edible today. However, if it is stored incorrectly or for too long, it loses some of its nutritious content. - How do you recommend storing honey? Honey should be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Since honey will quickly absorb extraneous odours and water (it’s hygroscopic), it is best stored in a tightly closed glass container. - How can honey be made fluid after it crystallizes? Over time, stored honey will crystallize and become solid. This is a natural process that has no effect on the quality. However, if you prefer your honey fluid, just warm it up carefully in a bowl of water. Make sure that the temperature does not exceed 40°C, so that you don’t damage the heat-sensitive content of the honey. - How much do bees have to work to produce 1 kg of honey? A bee has to collect about 3 kg of nectar to produce 1 kg of honey. To gather this much nectar, a bee has to visit up to 15 million blossoms, which means flying about 160,000 kilometers. In other words, a bee basically flies around the earth four times. - How can a beekeeper harvest single-source honey? Bees will continue to gather nectar or honeydew from the same type of plant until they can’t find any more of them. It’s because of this consistency that honey farms can harvest single-source honey, such as lavender honey or acacia blossom honey. If they want to harvest lavender honey, the beekeepers place their beehives in large lavender fields. They watch the bees and they can recognize from their “pollen baskets” whether they’ve actually flown to the desired plants. There are specific pollen analysis techniques used to check whether honey is actually from a single source. - Is honey healthier than sugar? Honey is 80% sugar, though it primarily consists of natural, nutritious glucose and fructose. These are absorbed easily into the blood and quickly converted into energy. Unlike conventional, refined household sugar, honey also contains some proteins, minerals and small amounts of vitamins. In particular, the enzymes and inhibins in honey make it a particularly nutritious sweetener. - From what age can children and infants eat honey? Children of one year or older can enjoy honey without any problems. The intestinal flora and thus the immune system of children under one is not fully developed. Since honey is a product consumed in its natural state, it may, like other uncooked foods, in rare cases contain traces of Clostridium botulinum, which appears everywhere in our environment. These bacteria spores, which are harmless to adults, can cause toxic infant botulism in infants. That’s why children under 12 months of age should not be fed any honey as a precaution. - What is Langnese honey made of? Langnese honey is a 100% purely natural product, an untreated food as made by the bees. Langnese honey is filled into the jars just as it is, without adding or removing anything. The German Honey Ordinance stipulates this and as a brand-name, we naturally observe the law. - How do I use the Langnese Bee Easy? We recommend always holding the Bee Easy honey dispenser in a vertical position. This ensures that the seal remains clean right up to the last drop and the honey goes where it’s supposed to without having to spread it. We also recommend keeping the opening clean and removing any honey residue below the cap, so that the cap doesn’t get sticky. After you squeeze the Bee Easy, let some air back into the dispenser until it returns to its original shape before closing it. Otherwise the mechanism will no longer work and you won’t be able to squeeze out any more honey. - Why do I have sugar crystals in my honey? Please note that the phenome of crystallization is a natural process of honey. Almost every liquid honey has the natural tendency to crystallize. For most honeys the state of their thermodynamic equilibrium is the crystallized state. Depending on the rate of formation and growth of crystals in honey, it may take several weeks or months until the first crystals are visible. The velocity of crystallization depends on several parameters like floral origin, storage temperature, the presence of crystallization starters ( e.g. pollen) and others. Thus, the process of crystallization as a natural phenomenom cannot be technically prevented in an all-natural honey, the velocity, however, can be influenced partictularly by the storage conditions ( constant temperature 18°C – 22°C) in a dry and dark place. (at temperatures above 25°C the honey may darken). Lower temperatures will increase the process of crystallization. Temperatures of 14°C or less are the basis for honey to crystallize faster. - What is the difference between the German and international portfolio? The different portfolios offered by Langnese Honey stem from the various requirements of consumers and/or governmental requirements. The international portfolio has been specially created to satisfy the demands of our valued customers throughout the world outside Germany, Europe and the USA, taking the different climate and transport conditions into consideration. - Does a different honey portfolio mean different honey quality? Langnese Honey guarantees a high premium quality for all the different portfolios. - Which honey is best for people with diabetes? As a food producer we are not allowed to claim any health benefits for our products. If you have any questions about treating diabetes or any other disease, you are kindly advised to contact your doctor. Thank you for your understanding. 100% pure, natural honey According to the German Honey Directive from December 16th, 1976 (updated in 2004 and 2007) honey may not contain any other substance but honey. It is also defined that no constituent particular to honey may be removed from it, such as pollen. Taking into account the latest scientific findings and using modern technology, Langnese honey not only meets the legal minimum requirements, but exceeds them and therefore guarantees 100% pure, natural honey. Honey is harvested from the honey comb using a centrifuge. In this initial step, small particles of beeswax stay in the honey. In order to remove the wax, the honey is then strained through a sieve of stainless steel, producing a pure, natural honey. Pollen is much finer than the mesh, so the pollen go through and remain part of the honey, as declared in the German Honey Directive. Because pollen is traceable to the floral source, pollen in honey works like a fingerprint, allowing to determine the origin and type of honey. We guarantee that our Langnese honey is not pasteurized. In order to achieve a better fluidity for the filling process, the honey is only gently warmed. The Langnese method, using as little heat as possible, demonstrates the care taken to provide a natural honey experience to consumers. By the way: even bees in their hive will reheat their honey if it freezes during winter and will feed off their combs. As honey is a natural product and nothing is added or removed from it, it is gluten-free. Honey is not digested by bees; therefore it is not a product of the bee itself. After collecting nectar from flowers, bees store and transport the nectar in their honey sac where the nectar is broken down and transformed into honey by enzymes. In the hives the bees store it in the honeycomb. The Langnese kosher-certificate can be viewed on request. Honey comes directly from nature. Sun-kissed landscapes, shady forests or fields of glowing yellow rapeseed – honey has as many varieties as there are regions. It is the art of combining the best honeys into a completely unique taste experience that has brought the Langnese summer blossom its fame. The Langnese “honey taster”, an expert in creating the best honeys, knows every variety, its characteristics and its taste. He uses this knowledge, his finely tuned senses and great care every day in creating a honey unmatched anywhere. Naturally, the path to this honey begins with the busy bees that fly from blossom to blossom. Busy as a Bee The basic substance of honey literally flows from the hard work of the bees. Langnese later combines the individual honeys into different honey varieties such as Langnese Summer Blossom Honey. The result is balanced honey compositions that guarantee uniform quality of taste, color and consistency. About 20,000 honeybee flights go into one 150-gram jar of honey. Every day, one bee makes about 40 trips, stopping at nearly 4,000 blossoms. As it does so, it collects not only nectar but also honeydew, a sweet substance discharged by various insects – particularly in forests. Back in the hive, the nectar or honeydew is stored in honeycombs and enriched with precious enzymes. This is the story of the honey we know so well: golden yellow and a delight – and not just at breakfast time. The Honeybee Colony A bee colony is a complex community containing up to 80,000 bees. Every bee has its own clear role in the colony. The queen is the ruler of the bee colony. She is bigger than the other bees and is responsible for reproduction. The worker bee is in charge of the welfare of the queen and her offspring and, as a building bee, helps to expand the hive. The guard bee watches over the hive and later on, as a forager bee, also collects nectar and honeydew. All bees are female except for the drones, which have no stingers and exist only for propagation. After they mate, they die – all other drones that did not mate are driven out of the hive. When the wax cap of the honeycombs is sealed and slightly depressed, we know that the honey is ripe – now the harvest can begin. The beekeeper “uncaps” the combs with a special tool, naturally leaving a portion of the honey in the hive for the bees so that they do not starve. The full combs are then spun in a centrifuge so that the honey is extracted from the combs and flows into a collection vessel. Components of Honey It is the interplay between the many components that makes honey so nutritious. In truth, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Not only does honey taste good, its beneficial ingredients make it a valuable household product and an aid in treating all kinds of illnesses. So far, 24 different sugars and another 180 associated materials have been found in honey. But honey is more than just honey. The concentrations of the individual components vary according to plant, climate and season. Honey contains the following components: Sugar: Roughly 80% of honey is composed of various types of sugars. Water: According to the German Honey Directive, only a water content of between 16% and 21% is allowed. Co-formulants: These substances control the entire metabolic process in the human body. History of Honey Bees have been on our planet for 40 million to 50 million years, as we know from discoveries in amber. By comparison, humans have only been on Earth for the last 200,000 years, and discovered fire and honey 40,000 years ago. Over the centuries, honey has been prized and mythologized in many cultures, such as Ancient Egypt and among the Greeks, Romans and Germanic peoples. At times it was even referred to as the “food of the gods”. The Ancient Greeks valued honey as a cosmetic and medicinal substance. At the Olympic Games, the athletes drank honey water to regain their strength quickly. Charlemagne later gave beekeeping a major boost: He decreed that every farm must have a beekeeper and a mead brewer, who made honey wine. Even the church was a zealous promoter of beekeeping, because beehives supplied the wax for candles.

This event will feature great local food and talent. Attendees will enjoy fall foods from local restaurants, as well as outside food vendors and food trucks. There will be live entertainment, plenty of free activities, great local food and drink, and so much more. Classic to southern rock to bluegrass, roots to acoustic to instrumental. The Columbia County Fair starts Wednesday, August 31st and runs through Monday, September 5, 2022. The six-day Columbia County Fair offers variety, excitement and family fun in a charming setting, at a comfortable pace. Featuring nightly grandstand entertainment including demolition derby, monster tractors, rodeo, live music, volunteer firefighting parade, daily animal shows and much more! DATESTIMES: Wednesday, August 31 – Monday, September 5, 2022 Wednesday: NOON to 11pm Thursday-Monday: 10am-11pm LOCATION: Columbia County Fair Grounds 182 Hudson Avenue Chatham, NY 12037 The first ever Columbia County Climate Carnival is on July 16 from 10 am – 4 pm at the Chatham Fairgrounds. We’re fighting climate change with family-friendly FUN, including: A Repair Café A FREE Store Bike Recycling—free bikes and bike repairs Live birds of prey and beekeeping exhibitions Demonstrations + info about tons of eco topics Kids activities Music, food trucks, and entertainment DATE/TIME: Saturday, July 16, 2022 / 10am – 4pm LOCATION: Columbia County Fairgrounds 182 Hudson Avenue, Chatham, NY The Fifth Revolution presents a series of new works by contemporary artist Dan Devine. These sculptures made of molded and stitched leather with motorcycle parts present a confluence of Devine’s personal history and artistic practice. Devine’s new work encourages an urgent rumination on the implications of the emerging fifth industrial revolution and its living machines. The choice of leather and motorcycle parts derives from two periods of Devine’s pre-artistic career: first as a competitive motocross racer in both America and Europe and later as a leather artisan at Jamie Jacob’s leather shop on Haight Street in San Francisco during the height of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Devine employs these personally-significant materials to explore his career-long interest in recording objects and reversing conceptual boundaries. In earlier bodies of work, Devine had applied such tactics to blur the division of internal/external with his Inside-Out series (including his well-known Inside Out Cars) and of watching/watched with his Surveillance Sculptures series. In The Fifth Revolution, Devine turns his attention to the eroding boundary of biological/technological. DATES/TIMES: March 5 – April 3, 2022 Thursdays – Mondays / 11am – 5pm LOCATION: Thompson Giroux Gallery 57 Main Street Chatham, NY 12037

Last Updated on September 2, 2022 by Danielle McDonald Strengthening the Beekeeping Industry in Texas With the assistance of an agricultural consulting company, a group of beekeeping specialists have created resources to better equip those in a position to teach, mentor, and train new Texas beekeepers as well as youth interested in apiculture. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Professional Development Program Grant funds this project. Its objective is to improve the beekeeping industry of Texas. Despite being abundant in beekeeping resources, there is a lack of applicability in Texas due to different factors, including climate challenges and unclear management practices. The researchers from AgriLogic Consulting, LLC, Texas AgrifLife Extension Service, Texas Beekeeper Association, and Texas Apiary Inspection Services have created a website to streamline and organize electronic curriculum. The agricultural extension personnel to mentor future generations of beekeepers can use this as their guide. Texas Beekeeping 101: Your Resource for Raising Honey Bees In Texas gives basic information about beekeeping, an event calendar, and youth education and resources. People can find a large part of the website containing Texas beekeeping curriculum, mainly centered around honey bee biology, equipment, bee yard setup and safety, hive management, pests and diseases, and marketing. This website is extremely user friendly, and it is organized so that new beekeepers are able to pick and choose the topics they want without having to go through irrelevant information. It was also designed to appeal to visual learners who prefer diagrams, videos, and photos instead of reading long paragraphs of text. Furthermore, the website provides information that will be useful to all interested parties, including youth who are interested in apiculture, beekeepers new and old, as well as extension agents. Texas Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is a professional training program that is sponsored by the Southern Region SARE and coordinated by Texas A&M University and Prairie View A&M University. Their collaboration aims to provide a program to improve the state’s environmental, social, and economic sustainability through education and research. Texas SARE works with producers, researchers, extension faculty, and community groups to research and implement the best science-based practices in every aspect of the agricultural system of Texas. Furthermore, SARE provides education in sustainable agriculture through a variety of training each year. You can also read more about Farm Certifications – SARE Southern. - $10.8 million in funding since 1988 - 129 projects funded since 1988 Professional Development Program In each state, agricultural educators work directly alongside farmers and ranchers to promote sustainable agriculture production and marketing. SARE state agricultural coordinators offer support in sustainable agriculture education and outreach strategies through a program called “The Professional Development Program” (PDP). The Sustainable Agriculture Fellows Program is offered by SARE and NACAA. It enhances Cooperative Extension staff’s knowledge of sustainable agriculture and gives them broad-based national exposure to unique and successful sustainable agriculture programs. SARE State Coordinators play a vital role in expanding sustainable agriculture training for Extension, NRCS and other agricultural professionals. This will help producers transition to a more sustainable farming system. Extension Professor and Forage Specialist Texas A&M University Email | (903) 834-6191 AgNR Cooperative Extension Program Prairie View A&M University Email | (936) 261-5112 SARE Funded Projects in Texas Southern SARE provides grant possibilities for individuals or institutions across the Southern region. Below is a comprehensive list containing the currently funded SARE projects in Texas. You may search the Project Database to find complete reports on Texas’ previously funded projects. Before you apply for a grant, it is helpful to read through the reports in order to understand the types of projects SARE funds and supports. Large Systems Grants - LS17-286 Long-term Agroecosystems Research and Adoption in the Texas Southern High Plains – Phase III Research and Education Grants - LS20-343 Toward Culturally Responsive Disaster Management for Limited-Resource Producers: The role of person, place and professional agencies - LS20-341 Assessing Water Use Efficiency, Soil Health, and Pollinators Within a Transition from Irrigation to Dryland Management in the Texas High Plains - LS19-313 Organic and Conventional Agriculture: Learning from Each Other to Promote Soil Health and Economic Viability in West Texas - LS19-312 Regional Food Transportation for Texas Farmers - LS18-288 A Southern Regional Water Conference to Improve Producer Adoption of Sustainable Water Management Practices - LS17-283 Developing Organic Cropping Systems for Grain Production in Texas - LS17-277 Indicators and Soil Conservation Practices for Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration Professional Development Program Grants - ES20-151 Beekeeping Curriculum and Training for Texas Agricultural Extension Agents and 4-H Youth Leaders - ES19-147 Training Texas County Extension Agents and Mentor Ranchers to Improve Small Ruminant Health and Productivity Through Natural Genetic Selection Strategies - ES18-142 Promotion and Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Texas: Training the Trainers - FS19-312 Tagasaste: A new feed source for West Texas - FS18-306 Subsoiling: An affordable and effective water and soil conservation strategy On-Farm Research Grants - OS20-139 Incorporating Native Plants in Insectary Strips to Promote Insect Diversity and Below Ground Beneficial Microbes - OS20-138 Strategic Management of Legume Cover-Forage Crops to Optimize Utility in a Challenging Environment - OS19-131 Advancing the Frontier of Legume Cover Crops and Building Integrated System Resilience in Semi-arid West Texas - OS19-128 Sustainable Pasture Management in Texas: Optimizing forage production and nutrient use in various environments and soils - OS18-121 Integrating Cover Crops as Potential Weed and Pest Management Strategy in Organic Vegetable Farms in South Texas - OS18-119 Supporting Alternative Crop Options Through Improved Fertility Recommendations for Canola in Central and South Texas Graduate Student Grants - GS19-211 Roadblocks to Success: Needs assessment of small producers in Texas - GS19-209 Improving Resilience, Sustainability and Nutritional Properties of Specialty Crops Using Composted Spent Coffee Grounds - GS19-198 The Success of Organic and Other Sustainable Dual-purpose Wheat Systems Depend on Access to Adapted Varieties - GS18-196 Effects of Cumulative Cattle Trampling on Soil Bulk Density and Infiltration of Rain Water on an Annual Forage Crop Pasture - GS18-179 Developing Suitable Cover Crop Systems for South Texas: Evaluating different late-summer and winter cover crop species You can see more Farm Grants for Females elsewhere on this website.

Hi folks! I’m Ron Miksha and I write most of the stuff you’ll read here on The Bad Beekeeping Blog. I was a commercial beekeeper for a dozen years or so, then became a hobby beekeeper when I got a real job later in life. I’ve kept bees in Pennsylvania, Saskatchewan, Florida, Wisonsin, and Alberta. And opened hives in half a dozen countries and three continents. But none of this means that I know much about bees. Use advice and ideas you find here with caution. Bees are unpredictable, climates and locales vary, and some of what you see here might not even be legal in your backyard. I live in Calgary (Canada) and I’ve been posting my musings and nonsense to the ‘net for over 20 years. Hope you find something you like here. This site, the Bad Beekeeping Blog, is slowly replacing badbeekeeping.com – an old beekeeping site I built long ago. My intention is to move most of the old pages here. Eventually. Someday. Maybe. Meanwhile, this WordPress site is the place to bee. I’ve had a bit of feedback that the old site doesn’t play well on devices other than PCs and laptops, hence this migration. The old site, badbeekeeping.com, has been around ever since the internet was discovered. (Actually since October 1995.) and there are a lot of goodies still sitting over there. The site was originally named The Beekeeper’s Home Pages and sat on Compuserve. I built my own domain and for a while housed it on an old machine in the back room. I kept dragging the content along whenever things changed, as it appears I am doing once again. If you like what you read here, you may also like my book, Bad Beekeeping. It’s a story about keeping a few hundred hives and hauling them around North America, chasing the blossoms of apple trees, orange trees, alfalfa, and clover. In the book you’ll meet an elderly lady from Illinois who grew citrus crops in Florida (and went to school with Ronald Reagan), a native Cree cowboy who ranched in Saskatchewan (and had sons playing in the NHL), and a whole group of people who dressed in black and farmed together in one huge colony (and sang country songs in the evening). You will also meet a lot of other folks – and you may even learn a bit about beekeeping. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

My friend Suzanne says, ‘I always know that spring is coming when I see my first big fat bumblebee popping out of a yellow daffodil.’ Last week I saw my first honeybee foraging for luminous orange pollen inside a bright purple crocus. Spring is coming. In my next winter study post, I’m continuing to look at the collection, storage and use of nectar, pollen, propolis and water by the honeybee colony. A honeybee sees a flower very differently to humans. As Alison Benjamin and Brian McCallum describe in A World Without Bees, the two compound eyes on the front of her head are sensitive to ultra violet light ‘expanding the already vibrant colours of the plant world into an explosion of differing hues, and directing the honeybee towards the area of the plant where the nectar and pollen are stored’. The honeybee’s eyes can see lines that guide her to the heart of the flower in a similar way that ‘the lights of an airfield direct planes to the landing strip’. Here’s what happens when she collects nectar for the colony. So that’s an overview of how the honeybee collects nectar, processes and stores the nectar as honey, and how the honey is used by the colony. The next flow chart specifically looks at the conversion of nectar to honey. Collection and use of water Honeybees also collect water to bring back to the hive. They tend to collect water from unusual, or what we would consider ‘unclean’, sources such as puddles, drains, bird baths, cow pats and, on occasion, and at the risk of causing annoyance to neighbours, from hanging laundry. The stomach in which water is stored has a valve that microscopically filters and cleans the water that they bring back to the hive. Water is not stored by the colony so it is collected and used when needed to: - dilute honey to be eaten - mix with pollen to make brood food (70% water) to feed larvae - dissolve hardened granulated sugars - cool the hive when temperatures are very high. The inter-relationship of nectar, honey and water in the honeybee colony So this is how nectar and water are brought into the hive and stored and/or used. The simple diagram below brings together their inter-relationship in the honeybee colony. There is a lot more to learn about nectar, water and honey (as shown on the syllabus for module 3 honeybee products and forage!) but for module 6 I’m focusing on honeybee behaviour. The collection, storage and use of pollen by the honeybee colony Emily and I enjoy watching our bees fly back home with baskets full of brightly coloured pollen. In January and February this is usually a sign that the queen has started to lay eggs again, because the pollen is needed to feed larvae and young bees who need the protein in pollen to develop their bodies. Throughout the year seeing our bees fly home with pollen is usually a good indicator that the colony is ‘queen-right’, meaning that the queen is present and that she is laying, and if our colony has recently re-queened it can be a sign that the new queen has mated successfully and is laying new brood. And the different colours of pollen packed into the cells in the honeycomb are not only beautiful to look at, but also give us an idea of what flowers our bees like to visit. Emily and I use a pollen chart throughout the year to identify the pollen of various flowers brought home by our bees. This tells us what is flowering now and what our bees like to eat. Foragers use a variety of methods to collect pollen from different flowers. Mark L Winston describes this in The Biology of the Honey Bee according to the type of flower: ‘Open flowers. The worker bites the anthers with her mandibles and uses the forelegs to pull them toward her body. Tubular flowers. Workers insert the proboscis into the corolla searching for nectar, and pollen is collected incidentally when it adheres to the mouthparts or forelegs. Closed flowers. The bee forces the petals apart with her forelegs and then gathers pollen on the mouthparts and forelegs. Spike or catkin flowers. The bee runs along the spikes or catkins, shaking off pollen onto her body hairs. Presentation flowers. The pollen is collected by workers pressing their abdomens against the inflorescence, causing a pollen mass to be pushed out of the flowers.’ Honeybees can often be seen in flowers their bodies covered with bright yellow or orange pollen grains, which they then ‘dust off’ and brush into baskets on their hind legs. Here’s another infographic summarising the relationship between bees and pollen. And finally, propolis… The collection and use of propolis by the honeybee colony On a mild day in September 2011, Emily and I visited the apiary while the other beekeepers were away to do some secret beekeeping. We had to work hard with the hive tools to prise open the hive, which was very sticky. When we looked inside our bees were so busy chewing and sticking propolis all over the hive that they completely ignored us! Propolis, or ‘bee glue’ is a resinous substance collected from sticky buds or tree bark, and seen as shiny blobs on the third legs of foragers flying home. It is most often seen by beekeepers in late summer and in autumn when bees use it to insulate the hive for winter – it makes all the hive parts very sticky and inspections can become difficult. Here’s why the bees like it though. Visit my blog index for more winter study posts.

“I find my soul in forests...” - Kedar Dhepe “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” - John Muir “What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” - Chris Maser The meaning of the word “kannagara”, within the Shinto religion of Japan, is complex and hard to define precisely. One meaning often given for it, though, is “to live harmoniously in Nature, as the gods/spirits of the place would wish”. This ethical way of living and acting recognizes that all things are interconnected, are all a part of the great ongoing flow of Nature. As humans, we are frequently urged to find ways to live in harmony “with nature” as though we are somehow separate and distinct from Nature itself. We are not. We are, rather, simply one part of the great web of existence that stretches out to the furthest edges of the universe. We don’t live “with” Nature; we exist “within” Nature and the fact that we have forgotten this is the source of many of the problems we face today. When we bought this property 25 years ago, we didn’t know the word “kannagara”. We did know that we wanted this land to be a place of sanctuary for all the beings residing here and that for the rest of our lives we would be two of those beings. We knew that, in the words of the Joni Mitchell song, we had “got to get ourselves back to the Garden”. Prior to moving here, we lived in a suburban development for 10 years; there we had wonderful neighbors who became some of our dearest friends but, as our town became more crowded and overdeveloped, we frequently found ourselves wishing for a home with more “breathing room”. Finally, in November 1993, we decided to look around and see what was available. The first day out, we looked at six properties. Five of them were just larger versions of our suburban tract house on larger suburban properties. The last place we looked at that day was a kinda run-down house on ten forested acres and, as soon as we saw it, we knew it was home. We made an offer on it that night and moved in two months later. The first year we were in our new home, we spent a lot of time working on the house and getting to know the property. (It’s kinda marvelous how well you can learn a piece of land by crawling over every foot of it, picking up and carrying out hundreds of rusted beer cans, pieces of decaying furniture and abandoned toys.) Once we thought we had a good sense of the place, about a year after we moved in, and realizing our home forest had a whole bunch of maple trees, we decided to tap some of them and try making syrup. I say “try” because neither of us had ever done anything like that before; undaunted – or maybe just too dumb to be daunted – we read a couple books and had at it. It took a few years, during which we learned a lot, but eventually we got it right. T That model of studying books and learning while doing became the norm for us. We moved from making maple syrup to herb gardening to beekeeping and, eventually, to permaculture. After reading everything on permaculture available at the time, we were fortunate to connect with the wonderful local permaculture organization Green Triangle. At the same time, we “found” the Xerces Society and dove into pollinator conservation. Everything we had been working on came together when we discovered the amazing two-volume “Edible Forest Gardens” by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. We picked an area of about one-third of an acre between our house and the street and dove in. A number of the trees in that area had been taken down a few years earlier when we put in the driveway so we started by planting fruit trees – heirloom apple and pear trees certainly but also natives like pawpaw and persimmon – to replace them. Next came the bushes and shrubs: red and black currants, gooseberry, serviceberry, elderberry, goumi, witch hazel, butterfly bush and saskatoon, to name just a few. As we continued planting we expanded the forest and pollinator gardens until they now cover about three-fourths of an acre surrounding our house. (Our Zone 1 for the permaculturists out there.) When we began focusing on the groundcover, herb and vine layers of the gardens, we realized that there were a significant number of useful and ecologically valuable native plants already present, tenaciously holding on amidst the large patches of invasive species like Japanese knotweed, pachysandra and honeysuckle on the site. Reading up on these native herbs pointed us naturally toward a study of herbalism and herbal medicine-making and a whole new appreciation of our forest home opened up for us. We found ourselves sowing seeds for exactly the plants that most gardeners struggle to eliminate: nettles and thistles and burdock and mullein and beautiful, glorious dandelions! We looked at the forest with new eyes on our walks and recognized the patches of mayapple, Solomon’s seal, false Solomon’s seal, jack-in-the-[pulpit, bloodroot, cut-leaf toothworth, trout lily, ramps and trillium as companions on our way. We also began to recognize the gaps in our ecosystem, the plants we expected to see but didn’t and the animals whose absence triggered an imbalance that impacted every aspect of the forest’s life. And so we started intentionally creating wildlife habitat and sowing seeds and planting rhizomes of ginseng and goldenseal in the forest as well as in our perennial pollinator, herb and forest gardens. For a couple years it seemed like it wasn’t working but then, one day last summer, while walking through the woods we were thrilled to see a small patch of ginseng peeking out from under the arching leafy branches of some large ferns. Get in Contact with us

(MENAFN- KNN India) Focus more on small entrepreneurs to enhance beekeeping industry: ISARC New Delhi, Sept 23 (KNN) In order to further improve the Indian agriculture and beekeeping, more focus should be on small and marginal beekeepers and small entrepreneurs, said Sudhashu Singh, Director, International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre, (ISARC) Varanasi. He was speaking at the national workshop on role of agri start-ups in honey value chain organised by National Bee Board (NBB) in collaboration with the National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC) at NSRTC Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Singh said that the Government is committed towards increasing the overall potential of beekeeping industry in the country, including supporting the honey startups and FPOs in beekeeping. “Promotion and formation of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into Atmanirbhar Krishi and for this he assured that implementation of NBHM scheme will bring the revolutionary changes by strengthening the institutional framework in beekeeping sector and information & promotion of Honey startups,” he said. N. K. Patle, Additional Commissioner (Horticulture) and Executive Director, NBB emphasised on the significance of implementation of NBHM scheme and its role in strengthening the infrastructure facilities for honey collection, storage, processing, testing & branding centres, which ultimately enhance the potential of beekeeping in the nation. Beekeepers, honey Startups and FPOs, stakeholders in beekeeping, officials fr0m various Ministries/ Government Organizations/ Institutes, State Departments of Horticulture, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)/ Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), etc participated in the workshop. (KNN Bureau) Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Bee Brood – Apilarnil What is bee brood? What is Apilarnil? Do we eat bees? Yes. Can you picture a skewer full of bees on a barbecue? 🙂 No, not like that. Though, some natives in Africa do this. Bee brood is like “bee children”. Brood is a generic term that refers to eggs, larvae and pupae, which are the stages of a bee before it becomes an adult. Apilarnil is a product made of male bee brood, used in apitherapy with a very broad spectrum and with incredible good results. So, yes, we use the bees to make a remedy. Not all bees, only the males. (seems that we have found a way to take advantage of their existence, too!). They are gathered only on the 10th day after laying the egg, in other words, in the 7th day of their larvae stage. Why are the baby bees gathered at this age? – At this 7th day, the male bee (also called “drone“) has a weight of 250-300 mg, its body contains the elements of the main organs and all its body’s “programs” are completed. – At this stage their bodies contain a HUGE number of SEX CELLS. In one male larvae there are over 10 million sperms. It appears that this high number of sex cells are most important for the final product. – The larvae’s reserves of nutritive material are at highest level at this age: highly concentrated nutritive elements containing fat body protein, accumulation of lipids and carbohydrates, particularly glycogen, carbohydrates which play an important role in the metabolic process. – It has a significant amount of haemolymph, far more rich in nutrients and energy compared to other insect or animal, including human blood. For example: bee larvae has 9 times more magnesium than human blood; greater phosphorus, carbohydrates are more from fructose while in human blood it’s more glucose. – The chemical composition of the extract of the drone larvae is complex and consists of mineral salts (calcium, magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron, copper, manganese, zinc, sodium, potassium), vitamins (vitamin A, beta-carotene,provitamin A, xanthophyll, vitamin B6, vitamin PP, choline, vitamin B1), amino acids (lysine, histidine, arginine, spargic acid, Tronina serine, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine), a total of 11.4 g% amino acids. What does it treat? It can be given at all ages, from infants to really old people. It has a higher efficiency in combination with other nutritional supplement, such as royal jelly, honey, pollen, flax seed oil or spirulina by enhancing each other’s properties. Of course the searches are still continuing. - poor growing in infants - loss of appetite, states of de-nutrition - delayed puberty - physical and intellectual fatigue in premature ages - nutritional supplement for children who play sports for performance, leads to a marked improvement in exercise capacity and concentration. In an experiment done in healthy volunteers receiving apilarnil (a mixture of bee brood, honey and pollen) for a period of overload, the conclusions were categorical. There have been favorable metabolic effects, physical and intellectual improvement, with strong, lasting manifestations. There were no toxic side effect. There was no over-exhaustion after the supra-effort. - Treats nocturnal enuresis in children of various ages. Studies have shown that this therapy improves the control on sphincter and treats urinary infections associated. Administration was done only at bedtime, to achieve a more superficial stage of the very deep sleep of these children. As alternatives, a very rapid effect in cases of enuresis plays auricular acupressure stimulation on renal point. The effects can be very prompt, if associated with Bach flower remedies. - Treats epilepsy. In 1985 Dr. Virgil Enătescu made a research on 14 young epileptic volunteers. After a continuous consumption of the product there were no seizures. 5 months after stopping the treatment, the seizures reappeared but had a lower intensity. When the treatment was resumed, the seizures disappeared again. - Improves concentration and memory; increases cognitive performance during periods of intense intellectual effort (at any age). - Really helpful for children with oncological and hematological problems, during and after the cytostatic treatment. Also, as an adjunct in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related symptoms and clinical manifestations “para-AIDS”. - severe fatigue in workaholic people. - Corrects deficiencies that occur with age (over 30 – 35 years), especially those related to the immune system, hormonal balance and emotional self-adjustment. - Antiviral properties: for viral diseases like viral respiratory infections, measles, rubella, chickenpox, mumps etc, the product is useful in the acute phase as well as in convalescence. It fights the germ, sustains immunity and the recovery is faster. - Treats hepatic diseases like: liver insufficiency, acute or chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis - Speeds recovery in post-traumatic recovery, in acute post-injuries, sprains, fractures and burns - postoperative convalescence - Optimizes sexual function and enhances fertility, especially in men. The drones are well-known as genuine “sex-machines” - Stimulates the pituitary and supra-renal gland due to the relatively high content in (pre)hormone. - Increase muscle mass in men as any other natural anabolic stimulant, though is doesn’t contain testosterone (which makes it safe for children as well). - Very effective for intense physical strain, stress, removes fatigue. Recommended in all sports. - States that require tonic and general wellness. - In oncology: It has hepato-protective effect by maintaining liver regeneration, through protection against organic degradation. Noteworthy is that it supports hematopoiesis, a process responsible for the quality of the blood, which is severely affected in all people undergoing chemo or radiotherapy. It is well known that “cyto-static” actually means “cyto-toxic”. Under the action of these substances, chaotic cell division slows down, in tumors, as well as in normal cells. The result is that these severe toxins, with chemical formulas that often resemble those of herbicides, administered as chemotherapy, cause a real disaster, not only to the tumor but also to all other organs of the human body. Basically, there is an early and rapid aging, artificially induced, that lowers the vital capacity of the body to resist, defense and fight the disease. Radio-therapy treatment is even more severe, with varied and complicated tracks in time. In this context, it is understood that an adjuvant therapy, that allows the body to withstand these conditions and to maintain an active immune system is absolutely necessary. - In gynecology: It can be used in premenstrual syndrome, breast, and breast nodules, and many other diseases with names we cannot pronounce. Generally, it calms all phenomena of hyper-secretions of the female hormone estrogen type. In obstetric pathology it can be used in miscarriages, placental insufficiency and others. Very useful in treating cancers related to feminine hormonal sources, breast or genital. - Supports healthy tissues, positively influences the processes of tissue regeneration, stimulates and normalizes the exchange of substances at the cellular level. Restores and balances the metabolic functions of tissues and organs, or dysfunctions caused by various inflammatory conditions. - Chronic gastric ulcers In older people: - Brings back the vigor and a higher resistance to diseases. It is well-known that older people have digestive system with a lower capacity to digest and absorb. For them, the combination between bee brood, acacia honey and pollen makes wonders: increase immunity and resistance to illnesses, shortens the time of recovery from certain diseases associated to age. - Physical debility; mental and emotional depression in the elderly – There are cases when the organism is so weakened that it is incapable of absorbing and assimilating anything. – The targeted organs (such as endocrines) have major structural and genetic problems – Spasms, tumors, excessive mucus in the digestive tract, a large amount of parasites etc. Remember that there is no such thing as a panacea, so neither is Apilarnil. According to a study made in Russia, the incidence of allergy towards bee brood is of 2.4%. How is it made? It was invented in Romania, a country with tradition in beekeeping, by Nicolae V. Ilieşiu, in 1980. With time other products have been made, combining Apilarnil with honey, pollen, royal jelly or flax seed oil and spirulina. Apilarnil is obtained from bee larvae, that are chopped and lyophilized. (lyophilize = the conversion of water from a frozen state to a gaseous state without going through a liquid state. The freeze-dry process removes moisture from the cells of specimens while the specimens remain frozen. (according to microbiologics.com) Where can we find it? Though it is a well-known international product among the scientists in apitherapy or in beekeeping, it is not that popular on the market. There have been made a lot of studies by different scienties all over the world: Budnikova (2009, Russia), Pan Jian-Guo (1995, China), Bonomi (2000, Italy) Osintzeva (2009), Krell (1996, Italy), Burimistrova, Belyaev, Sofonkaya (Rusia). So, the product is more likely to be found in these countries. You can find this product in other combinations, with royal jelly, propolis, pollen, or even other super-herbs. I have used a combination of apilarnil, propolis and pollen called Apiproppolen, with very good results. Greeks sell them very well here. Or you can even find it in the manufacturer’s shop.. Here is what I have found: A Romanian producer thought of mixing it in honey, for a better storage and ingestion. Acacia honey and APILARNIL. Here is the store. Unfortunately the page doesn’t have an English version. Finke, MD (2005) Nutrient composition of bee brood and its potential as human food – Ecology of Food and Nutrition Narumi, S (2004) Honeybee brood as nutritional food – Honeybee science Krell, R (1996) Value -added products from beekeeping Nicolae Iliesu – Health, Power and Long Life (1990); Dr. Ştefan Stângaciu – Apitherapy Course, www.apitherapy.com;

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What is the project about? Food and income are the basic needs of every household. In Uganda, agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy, employing over 70% of the population. However, the income distribution is extremely unfair, causing many of the farmers to live in poverty. This in combination with poor agricultural practices, low technological adoption and insecurity over land ownership prevent the farmers from realizing their full potential. By helping the farmers in improving their businesses by providing them with knowledge, the GDP aims to contribute to the long-term and sustainable success of local businesses and to the development of local communities. Hopefully, their income and their standard of living can improve as well, enabling them to educate their children, afford health care and clothes for the family, housing and contribute to the community’s well-being. Meeting one’s basic need is the focus of every household! Together with Kulika Uganda, the Graduates Development Program strives to develop solutions for a sustainable and long-term success of the farmers. Kulika Uganda, our local partner, is an organization established in 1981 with a focus on providing educational opportunities through vocational and academic scholarships to Ugandan people. Since then, Kulika Uganda has developed into a fully independent Ugandan NGO with an emphasis on community development and the provision of educational opportunities to help people improve their livelihoods. Kulika Uganda works with smallholder farmers to build their capacity in ecological organic agriculture for increased farm productivity and income. For further information about Kulika Uganda visit http://www.kulika.org/ In collaboration with Kulika Uganda, this years team has come in contact with five different groups of entrepreneurs. As most of the population of Uganda is employed in the agricultural industry, the 5 groups are all farmers. All projects need support in the development of detailed business plans, market access and financial models. - The Maranatha Youth group is composed of a group of 25 small-scale youth farmers. They are engaged in biochar production, poultry, tree nursery and provide village saving loans to the members. - Joy Bites women Group is composed of 6 small-scale female farmers. The group makes snacks, such as bagiya, banana crisps, roasted groundnuts and soybeans, daddies and hard corns from maize. They supply to school canteens, shops, bread shops and individuals. - Gods Glory Youth self-help Group is composed of 30 small-scale youth farmers. The group is engaged in mushroom growing, briquette making and biochar production. In addition, they provide village savings and loans to their members. - Nampya Self Help Group is composed of 30 small-scale youth farmers. The group is engaged in catering, yoghurt making, beekeeping and providing loans and savings to the group. - Kulika Uganda enterprise is the partner organisation in Uganda. This organisation has different farming activities for training purposes and as an income for the organisation. The farming activities include charcoal briquettes, poultry, piggery and the creation of honey and wine. The GDP Team Otte van der Goot • Chairman Asmara Leysner • Head of Fundraising Matthijs van Gaalen • Head of Acquisition Pim Bos • Controller Demie Landsman • Head of Marketing Emiliek Noteboom • MSc BA: Strategy and Organisation Gabriella Banor • MSc BA: Strategy and Organisation Iris Klein • BSc International Business Administration Jesper Kettenis • MSc Spatial, Transport and Environmental Economics Martijn de Jong • BSc Bedrijfskunde Nienke van der Burg • MSc BA: Strategy and Organisation Robbin Brussel • MSc Entrepreneurship Tomas Veraa • BSc Economics and Business Economics Lex van der Wal • MSc BA: Strategy and Organisation Vincent Straathof • BSc Bedrijfskunde

Hi everyone, I'm Cathy and I live in Huntsville, Texas. Huntsville is about 75 miles north of Houston. I got started in beekeeping about a month and a half ago. Have two hives and will be getting 3 nucs (sp?) in about 1 to 2 weeks and have 2 more boxes coming about mid April. I hope to have my new hives up and going for the nectar run. I have much to learn and have found my experience so far, very exciting and educational.

To celebrate the Glen Park Association Website turning ten years old, we are reposting some of our favorite stories from the last ten years. Fernando Aguilar took a minute or two to suit up on the former J. Eugene McAteer High School gridiron. The field, now home to the School Farm at the Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, once witnessed a 16-year old Aguilar catching spirals as a prep football wide receiver. On an afternoon this July, Aguilar, a 1976 graduate of McAteer and a San Francisco native, eased into a uniform unlike any he’d ever worn during his four years at his alma mater. He was preparing to harvest honey, just one byproduct of the Ecology Center of San Francisco’s collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District. He donned the protective clothing of an urban beekeeper, a hooded white suit, a hat and a veil. After stoking a smoker fueled by Mendocino redwood sawdust that rested on his pickup’s tailgate, he pushed his hands into a pair of gloves. In a few moments, he’d funnel smoke at circling bees surrounding his beehives, which he knew calms the honey makers. His attire would be in service of extracting nearly 50 pounds of honey from two Student Farm hives, which, combined, house 60,000 bees that are situated on a football field where he’d once left defensive halfbacks shaking their heads in confusion as he eluded their tackles. He’s suffered a bee’s wrath on occasion. He recently had the bad luck to have one engage him. Its sting caused both eyes to swell up, and in a day he looked as if he’d stayed the distance with Muhammad Ali. “Honey collection is seasonal,” he said, on a happier note. “I harvest in the spring, summer and fall, although some beekeepers do so in the winter due to the blossoming of eucalyptus trees.” A sweet deal, some would say, particularly anyone who has patronized the ECOSF’s Tuesday afternoon farmer’s stand and purchased a pound of fresh-out-of-the-hive honey. The price for a 16-ounce jar would make a Bi-Rite store manager’s blood sugar rise. It was two years ago when Aguilar first happened on the Student Farm, which also produces chard, cabbage, kale and zucchini and raises yarrow, poppies and primrose. It boasts 20 egg-laying hens, as well. “On Sundays, I’d jump the fence and run in preparation for Bay to Breakers,” said Aguilar, who’s worked at PG&E for 38 years. He currently works as Project Manager and is retrofitting Glen Park’s Rousseau and Bosworth substation electrical infrastructure. “After sprinting, I’d take a breather in the farm garden near the chicken coop and admire the serenity of it all.” Tori Jacobs, the ECOSF Program Development director, joined him. They stood near the Student Farm greenhouse, only a few feet from his hives. Chickens clucked near them, scrabbling for feed Jacobs had just sowed. “I care for the hens four day a week and one weekend I see this guy relaxing on our cob bench,” Jacobs said. “He’s watching the hens and asks if that’s okay.” “I filled him in on the history of ECOSF and its many years partnering with the two high schools, and how we sell our eggs and produce each week at the O’Shaughnessy farm stand.” He asked why they didn’t keep bees. “We were too shorthanded to manage and properly take care of hives, I told him,” said Jacobs, “but our long term vision was to offer a certificated bee keeping program.” “I’d admired the work of ECOSF and its no-nonsense, hands-on environmental education and awareness and was happy to donate one-hundred per cent of the honey produced by the hives to it,” said Aguilar. “Besides it’s personally cool to be keep hives at my old high school, right next to the football field where I remember having so many memories with friends another lifetime ago.” “I’d take the 35 Eureka from the house my mother rented on Jersey and Castro Streets, picking it up at 24th and Castro,” he said. “After school I’d walk home, though. I remember the City view at the top of Clipper as I rolled down the hill.” In the two years since the Aguilar and Jacobs struck up a friendship, they’ve collaborated, not only satisfying Glen Park’s sweet tooth, but also serving up beeswax hand balm and other bee colony byproducts that Jacobs sells each Tuesday from 2:30 to 5:30 P.M. Fully suited up now, Aguilar walked to his hives. He removed the top of one hive and quilted it with clouds of smoke, pacifying his bees. Aguilar’s two hives are rectangular in shape, separated by numerous moveable wooden frames. Each hive consists of a roof and a floor, or the brood box. After foraging in places as far afield as Stern Grove, or as nearby as Glen Canyon his legions of bees return to their honeycombs and produce their honey and wax. Frame by frame, Aguilar now set about harvesting the honey. He pulled out one frame at a time and held each up for inspection. Bees blanketed each frame so that their triumvirate of honey, combs and wax intermingled in companionable silence. Surveying one frame closely, he said, “There’re probably 200 bees clustered here.” He took what looked like a kitchen spatula and gently pushed away the anesthetized bees. One by one, he laid the first of several frames into a Rubbermaid container. Later he’d transport it to his Bernal Heights garage where he’d extract, filter and bottle the honey for Tori Jacobs to sell for the rest of the summer or as long as her supply lasted. It’s sticky work. “Extracting honey is messy because you need to uncap the frames with a hot knife so the honey flows out,” he explained. “Then you put it in an extractor and then double filter it to get rid of any larva and wax.” Over a period of one year, Aguilar’s hives produce 150 pounds of honey. While he continued clearing off frames, agitated bees landed on his arms and shoulders. “This is the hardest part of beekeeping, keeping them from stinging,” he said. “Some are really ticked off.” Indeed, only one week earlier, Sam Hartman, the ECOSF Program Director, who’d been supervising several farm volunteers, ran afoul of a worker bee. In its defensive mode, the drone took up unwelcome residence in Hartman’s hair. Unable to dislodge the apiary trespasser, Hartman asked a volunteer to rescue him. Flicking a pen, the senior rid Hartman of his nemesis. Hartman walked away unscathed. In only 30 minutes, Aguilar cleared 17 frames, depositing each in his rubber made container. “These guys can get pretty traumatized,” he said. “They like it comfy and cozy in their 98 degree hives.” Aguilar is in the habit of leaving honey in the hive’s brood box, concentrating on only product housed in the top honey super sections of each hive. “I never want to get too greedy,” he said. It’s all seems to fit Aguilar’s modus operandi. He’s habituated to giving back, and volunteering time with ECOSF’s Student Farm is not his only gig. Fernando Aguilar was born in San Francisco and raised in both Noe Valley and the Mission District. The son of a Nicaraguan immigrant mother, he’s the youngest of six siblings. Early on, he was bused across town to Parkside Elementary. Later he went to Horace Mann Middle School. After attending and leaving San Francisco State University, he eventually returned, earning first a bachelor and then a Masters degre in English, all the while working for PG&E, first as an electrician and now as a project manager. “It was a tough go for my mother, who’s now in her nineties,” said Aguilar “We didn’t have a lot.” Each summer he spent two weeks at the San Francisco’s Boys and Girls Clubs Summer Camp in Mendocino. Today Aguilar sits on its board of directors and returns twelve times a year to undertake projects on his own time. He oversaw and continues running the camp mountain bike program. He project managed its solar energy system that installed 78 solar panels and a battery bank that will help reduce the use of diesel generators by 30 per cent. An amateur astronomer, he’s even brought his telescope scores of times to the California coastal camp that serves disadvantaged youth. “It’s off the grid up there,” he said about the camp that one can see riding on the Skunk Train, moseying between Fort Bragg and Willits. “I installed four bee hives there three years ago. They’re surrounded by a solar powered electric fence so bears and other critters won’t destroy it. During the summer I bring my observation hive up and show the kids real bees. I have them taste honey and show them beeswax combs and candles.” Many of Aguilar’s moonlighting activities aren’t off the grid, though. For 20 years he’s taught English as a Second Language and Citizenship and Literacy, part time, at City College of San Francisco’s Mission Campus. He assists legal immigrants in obtaining their American citizenship by helping them fill out their paperwork and teaches each civics and American history. He even puts on mock INS interviews, preparing them for the United States citizenship examination. “You don’t have to be born here to be a native San Franciscan,” he said. “Anyone’s a native if he or she’s gone through the wonder years of being a five and six year old here.” The father of two grown children who are now both attending college, he’s still finds time to maintain a beehive at the Alemany Farms, earn a certificate at the Garden for the Environment on Seventh Avenue and volunteer for the San Francisco Beekeepers Association. His harvesting completed, he walked to his truck with the tub of frames and put it in the flatbed. Honey bees from urban beekeepers such Aguilar, some would argue, are healthier than those living their short life spans in commercial hives. City bees face the threat of fewer pesticides and are surrounded by greater biodiversity. Flowering backyard gardens such as those found along Turquoise Way and Teresita Boulevard, both within the flight path of Aguilar’s charges, provide generous supplies of nectar and pollen for colonizing bees. Aguilar raised his truck tailgate and secured the tub filled with his bounty. “I first became interested in beekeeping as a natural off shoot of a garden interest I developed as a child,” he said. “I wanted bees demystified, and I think it’s neat to teach students at the Student Farm and campers in Mendocino.” Sam Hartman of ECOSF left no doubt about Aguilar’s role giving back to the school from which he graduated. “We get another vibrant ecological educational element on the farm to share with students and community and also dozens of pounds of fresh, local honey to sell and raise funds,” said Hartman. “ECOSF has always depended heavily on community involvement and volunteer support, and Fernando’s contribution is like sweet honey the bees share with us.” Readers can learn more about ECOSF by going to www.eco-sf.org Sam Hartman can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.org Readers can purchase Student Farm honey any Tuesday from 2:30-5:30 P.M. It doesn’t last long, though. Readers can learn more about Camp Mendocino by going to www.campmendocino.org.

A fantastic piece describing the mid-range of what occurred yesterday to me. The wounds from that thing yesterday will be festering sores for years. It’s just the way many autistics work. It’s how I do. A fantastic piece describing the mid-range of what occurred yesterday to me. The wounds from that thing yesterday will be festering sores for years. It’s just the way many autistics work. It’s how I do. I’m sitting here cuddling my sick son. Wondering how badly the world is going to chew him up and spit him out because he’s autistic. Just like I am. It’ll be bad. I know that. The world is going to break him. I would let it break me, over and over and over again to spare him this pain. I’d let the world tear into me, over and over again if I could just spare my kids from feeling like this. It’s why I’m talking about this right now, when I’d really, really rather not. When I’d just as soon leave the internet and stop tilting at the windmills of allistic society in a vain hope of educating people enough about autism that they don’t hurt my kids. The world is going to take fat, wet bites out of both of my kids and leave them scarred. They’ll develop massive mental illness problems because of how they’re wired and because allistic society doesn’t bother to try to understand how autistics think, communicate and feel. It’s been an absolutely terrible 24 hours for me. I lost my temper and wrote a blog post about marginalized readers, privileged writers and THINKING about what you write and why you’re writing it. A couple of people I thought might eventually be people I could call friends attacked me for it. They didn’t explain how it hurt them. They just… attacked me for it on twitter. I admit, I got defensive, but I don’t know a single person on the face of the planet who wouldn’t when you have three or four people who you thought might be okay people suddenly in your mentions claiming you’re a harmful person. Without making it crystal clear exactly how they came to that conclusion. I mean. They could’ve explained? Instead of clinging to hurt feelings and twisted meanings of my words? Instead of being sarcastic and just telling me not to read their books? Instead of being angry and hurtful when I said over, and over, and over again that ‘I do NOT understand’ and ‘How did I do that?’ They all knew I’m autistic. But they treated me exactly like they would another allistic. Their expectations were exactly the ones they’d have expected from another allistic. Their reactions did not take into account that I don’t perceive or understand things the same way they do. Which does not make me stupid by the way. I’m a tested and certified genius, for what it’s worth (which is absolutely nothing). It just means I’m wired differently. They expected me to process the sarcasm they used as ‘you hurt me’. Instead of saying THESE WORDS YOU USED HERE HURT ME AND THIS IS WHY. They expected screenshots of my words as receipts to give me some clue as to why they were hurt. Does that actually work for allistics? It doesn’t for many autistics. It doesn’t for me. They expected me not to react when four people were in my mentions accusing me of terrible things. Only autistics aren’t allowed to react to that you know. Quite a double standard there. They expected me to be ABLE to process the information as fast as they could throw it at me. Which, like… I can’t. Actually cannot. It takes me longer to process written information because I’m dyslexic. (A common comorbidity with autism.) I’ve since been accused of using my neurodiversity as a shield for me being a dick. Except I apologized, both publicly and privately to the person I hurt the most. If I could AT all wrap my head around how I hurt the one who hurt ME the most, I’d apologize there too. But I don’t get it, no one wants to explain it and fuck me. Aren’t I allowed to be hurt and angry too? No. Of course not. I’m autistic. I wrote the blog post that got twisted to hell and gone. I’m not allowed anything. I have not received any apologies. I have received correction, for which I’m grateful. I am SO grateful for people when the call me on my bullshit. I’m human, I’m quite capable of making mistakes. I’m also capable of learning when I fuck up. But I truly did NOT understand how my words could be twisted so. Still don’t, for what it’s worth. You know. When you’re autistic, you’re not allowed any room to be autistic. It’s why we mask so much. We process information differently. We communicate differently, but the second you prove you’re not allistic? You’ll get attacked. Especially on social media. This has happened so many times to me. It’s so fucking exhausting. I’m coining a hashtag. #GuiltyOfBeingAutisticOnSocialMedia It’s so long it won’t catch on, but it’s so freaking common, and not just for me. SO, SO many autistics have been in my mentions the past 24 hours offering support, telling me their stories of similar experiences and also… telling me that the blog post did, in fact, say exactly what I meant it to say. Now… I DO mean exactly what I said in that post. There is NO ulterior motive, no hidden meaning. I wrote it when I was angry and I wasn’t as clear as I could have been in some ways. I edited it for clarity after the fact and all edits are labeled as such. It makes it rather a mess to read, but I don’t want to be accused of changing anything to cover my ass on top of everything else I’ve been accused of being the past 24 hours. I don’t understand how allistics can’t understand that many autistics communicate using words we ACTUALLY mean. And nothing more. Like… twisting an autistic person’s words is just flabbergasting. Most of us TRULY don’t mean more than what we say, with the EXACT words we used. We don’t mean the opposite, we don’t mean twisted and turned meanings, there is no undertone to our words. Because we’re not allistic. Allistics don’t tend to communicate the same way, and I think that is the source of the problems I ran into? Maybe? There’s always this subtext to allistic communication that autistics both don’t catch and are for most of us, incapable of comprehending. Yes. I needed to wait to post that until I wasn’t angry and could’ve proofed it for clarity. My opinions are strong, I’m blunt and I say things people really don’t want to hear. Like some stories aren’t yours to tell. People really hate hearing that one, doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Especially, OMG especially white writers. Truly, they HATE hearing that one. If you chose to write a story, did your research and due diligence, of course you can write what you want. Even if it isn’t your story to tell. There aren’t any publishing police, no one is going to arrest you for it. It’s your responsibility if you hurt someone too. But yes, I’ve learned that the least I can do is make sure I proof posts for clarity before I release them onto the world. Someone I regard as a friend said they could see how the post could be twisted and it doesn’t mean what I think it means. I know what I meant. I SAID what I meant. Even if I can’t understand the twisting, I can understand that some people will take my words and turn them into what they want them to mean rather than what I actually meant. Isn’t that where asking for clarification is supposed to come into play? The basic building blocks of communication? “Hey, did you MEAN what I THINK you meant?’ < Clear question of intent. “Oh, gods no, I didn’t mean that! THIS is what I meant.’ < Explanation of actual intent ‘Oh, cool. Glad I asked, cause if you’d meant that it would’ve hurt me a lot. We good?’ < Acceptance that they needed to ask for clarification, explanation. ‘Yeah. We good, oh and man, I’m so sorry if I hurt you, it was totally unintentional.’ < ^^Acceptance and apology. ‘S’okay. I forgive you. You didn’t know.’ < Acceptance and apology. You have now communicated. Level up! (I’m a gamer, I’m exhausted, in a fibromyalgia flare from emotional stress and massively hurt, down to my soul from this latest of blows from being autistic on social media.) I think one of the ways the world is going to hurt my children the most is the ways in which it’s hurt me the most. It takes my words, it twists them, it assumes meaning that isn’t there, then it penalizes me for what people THINK I said. When I was trying so damned hard to be clear with my words too. You know… there’s an old saw. Assuming. When you ASSUME you make an ASS out of U and ME. They assumed, and turned us all into asses. I assumed that people would read the actual words on the page, and turned us all into asses. And you know? I already know this post will be used as yet more evidence that I’m using my autism as a shield from me being a dick. I’m not trying to. I’m trying to explain how I think, what I perceived as it was going down, and why it happened. I’m trying to make sense of it all, so maybe I can keep it from happening again. I’m trying to learn how to guide my kids so they don’t get hurt by the world as much as do. I AM wired differently. If that’s using my brain as a shield it’ll be awfully messy. Brains go squish. But it’s sort of like a sighted person screaming at a blind person to LOOK, SEE. The blind person cannot. It’s like being furious at a deaf person because they can’t hear what you can. It’s like screaming at a person who cannot walk to get up and run. I don’t often consider my autistic brain to be a disability. I love my brain, it’s awesome. I love what I can do and learn and perceive with it. Today though? I’m well aware that I AM at a disadvantage when trying to communicate to allistics. And so are my kids. Because society makes no accommodation at all for differences. Which is ableistic as fuck. By Rachel Dacus Fiery Seas Publishing January 23, 2018 Time Travel Romance May Gold, college adjunct, often dreams about the subject of her master’s thesis – Gianlorenzo Bernini. In her fantasies she’s in his arms, the wildly adored partner of the man who invented the Baroque. But in reality, May has just landed in Rome with her teaching colleagues and older boyfriend who is paying her way. She yearns to unleash her passion and creative spirit, and when the floor under the gilded dome of St Peter’s basilica rocks under her feet, she gets her chance. Walking through the veil that appears, she finds herself in the year 1624, staring straight into Bernini’s eyes. Their immediate and powerful attraction grows throughout May’s tour of Italy. And as she continues to meet her ethereal partner, even for brief snatches of time, her creativity and confidence blossom. All the doorways to happiness seem blocked for May-all except the shimmering doorway to Bernini’s world. May has to choose: stay in her safe but stagnant existence, or take a risk. Will May’s adventure in time ruin her life or lead to a magical new one? ISBN: 978-1-946143-41-9 ~ eBook ~ $6.99 ISBN: 978-1-946143-42-6 ~ Paperback ~ $16.99 ~ Praise for The Renaissance Club ~ Enchanting, rich and romantic…a poetic journey through the folds of time. In THE RENAISSANCE CLUB, passion, art, and history come together in this captivating tale of one woman’s quest to discover her true self and the life she’s meant to lead. Rachel Dacus deftly crafts a unique and spellbinding twist to the time-traveling adventure that’s perfect for fans of Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon. — Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author The Renaissance Club is a beautifully written story about a woman torn between two worlds—the present and the distant past. This time-travel adventure kept me guessing until the end about which world May would choose, and if that choice would be the right one. Highly recommended for lovers of time travel fiction or anyone looking for a compelling story about a woman trying to find happiness. — Annabelle Costa, Author of The Time Traveler’s Boyfriend. The Renaissance Club shimmers with beauty, poetry, and art. Author Rachel Dacus sweeps her readers away to Italy with her, lifting the senses with the sights, sounds, and tastes of that stunning country; imparting her deep knowledge of Renaissance and Baroque art while immersing the reader in a gorgeously romantic story. This book is time travel at its best! — Georgina Young-Ellis, author of The Time Mistress Series Rachel Dacus is the daughter of a bipolar rocket engineer who blew up a number of missiles during the race-to-space 1950’s. He was also an accomplished painter. Rachel studied at UC Berkeley and has remained in the San Francisco area. Her most recent book, Gods of Water and Air, combines poetry, prose, and a short play on the afterlife of dogs. Other poetry books are Earth Lessons and Femme au Chapeau. Her interest in Italy was ignited by a course and tour on the Italian Renaissance. She’s been hooked on Italy ever since. Her essay “Venice and the Passion to Nurture” was anthologized in Italy, A Love Story: Women Write About the Italian Experience. When not writing, she raises funds for nonprofit causes and takes walks with her Silky Terrier. She blogs at Rocket Kid Writing. Guest post By Rachel Dacus Why Love Stories Need Happy Endings Because if we don’t believe in the power of love, what do we have to live for? Because love really does outlast everything. Once you’ve felt it, you never forget. Because where you end a story is arbitrary. Life doesn’t always end in the right place. But you can always choose to believe in a happy ending if you look back far enough. Because love is the only unending story. Because ending is an arbitrary construct that often deprives life of meaning. Meaning is what matters. “Because love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love Cannot be killed or swept aside.” – Lin-Manuiel Miranda, accepting the Tony Award for Hamilton. Because the day is long and when we read at night, we really need to go to sleep happy. Because a romance story ALWAYS has a happy ending—and there’s a reason why it’s the bestselling genre of novel in America. That might just be it. Because, c’mon, we all believe in love, and even if it hasn’t worked out, we just know one day it will. For someone, if not for us. And following her story, that makes it for us. The Renaissance Club’s love story has the possibility of different endings in time—but you’d have to read it to find out which one is the happy ending. Or are they both? Content warning bad words and loud opinions. EDIT: JESUS FUCKING CHRIST ON A CRUTCH. Non-autistic readers, I am AUTISTIC, I mean ONLY what I’m saying with the words that are on the page. I am not IMPLYING anything. There is NO HIDDEN MESSAGE. Y’all have caused me to have an emotional meltdown with your accusations. If I wanted to SAY don’t write something, I would say DON’T WRITE SOMETHING. I was trying to convince myself not to write this post. I’m so flipping MAD right now, and I try not to emote too much when I’m mad. But I feel maybe I need to write this post. Both for me and for other marginalized readers. Right now on Twitter there’s a kerfluffle in the m/m romance and erotica community. I don’t even know what originally started it and honestly, other than rabid curiosity I don’t care that much. I was vaguely aware of the dust-up but was ignoring it. I’ve got sequels to write and art to do and I just don’t have the time. Until a former mutual made the mistake of saying readers should judge a book BY the book instead of by the author’s ID. This was in regards to m/m romance. No. Nope. Niet. Nix. Nie. Nein. No fucking way. First point. It’s awfully fucking privileged to say that to a marginalized reader. And if you’re saying it on Twitter? You’re saying it to marginalized readers. We’re kinda everywhere there. You know? It’s how we tend to get book recommendations. Oh, yeah, I’m marginalized, I’m a special little snowflake. I’m mixed race, (White European, Brown European, First Nations Mic’maq/Mohawk, Hispanic and Black. I’m queer as a three dollar bill (pansexual, kinky, asexual, grey-aromantic non-binary trans), I’m mentally ill, I’m chronically ill (fibromyalgia and EDS), I’m autistic… there’s probably more stuff I’m forgetting. I NEED NEED NEED NEED good representation of my marginalizations. I need it like I need water to drink or air to breathe. I need to see myself in fiction. In the pages of a book, on the screen. I need this so much. And people are daring to tell me I shouldn’t care who writes the book? Look. Don’t go off from here thinking I’m insisting every author out themselves. I’m not. It’s NOT a safe world to be any sort of marginalized author and I will never, ever say you have to out yourself. But you shouldn’t be insisting that I read your books either, if you aren’t going to be out. If you absolutely aren’t marginalized? Where the fuck do you get off? Now… the former mutual in question I know for a fact is an allo cis het vanilla writer of m/m kink. I know, because I asked, that they write it for money and because they fetishize m/m porn. Whatever… you do you. Write your books, take your lumps if you fuck it up. Just like any other author on the face of the planet. She gets to choose what she writes, and what she doesn’t and honestly? I could really care less. But don’t tell me I have to read it. Don’t tell me or any other marginalized reader that it’ll be just as good as queer fiction. I don’t have to read it and it almost certainly won’t be. I read a lot of queer fiction, I read a lot of het fiction too… there’s just SOMETHING about queer written fiction for queers that is so authentic and perfect and can’t be faked by a het. It just can’t be. That doesn’t make het written queer books BAD. It just makes them something I don’t want to read. The same goes for EVERY one of my marginalizations, I can tell when it’s own voices work, and I can tell when the author hasn’t done their due diligence. I do not in any way have to judge a book by the book itself, not if it’s written about one of my marginalizations. Because historically marginalized people have had books written ABOUT us. They aren’t written FOR us. And trust me, there is a huge damned difference. Do you know what doing that is? That’s profiting off the backs of our very existence, while edging us out of publishing, because when you’re white, cis, allo, het you AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A LEG UP IN THIS INDUSTRY. And often? The books aren’t that good. They’re just not. Even IF the author hasn’t fucked it up, (and a lot of them really DO, see my ass sex post for just ONE of the ways they fuck it up) they completely miss the nuance that marginalized authors bring to their work. Because they don’t live it, they cannot, as in they are NOT capable of actually repping that. I mean, how could they be? No amount of research in the world can give you lived experience. Research can keep you from fucking it up (dear gods I hope, anyway) but it can’t let you know what it FEELS like to be autistic, or queer, or mentally ill, or mixed race, or disabled or (insert marginalization). It just can’t. We as authors of things, especially queer things, do need to make room for people who are exploring their queerness. Identity is weird everyone, it really is. Writing is often a way to find out that oh, hey, wow, I’m REALLY FUCKING QUEER. Writing and reading helped me figure out that oh, wait, I’m actually trans and was so heavily socialized as a ‘girl’ that I didn’t know that. So yes I’m absolutely willing to make room for those baby queers who are exploring. That’s not what this is about, so don’t even start with me about it. (And you know, I’ve read work by people who *I* could tell they were queer even if they didn’t know it yet, I’ll never forget reading one of my favorite authors and being surprised as hell to find out that they thought they were straight and vanilla. Author came out later that year as being bi and kinky, but after reading their work? I already knew that.) I’m not gatekeeping with this post. I really don’t care if you want to write marginalizations that aren’t yours. What I do care about is you insisting that we marginalized readers MUST give it a chance. We do not, in any way shape or form owe you that. Frankly, marginalized people don’t owe non-marginalized folks a damned thing. I once listened to a radio program on the CBC where an older white male writer opined that he thought HE could write what it felt like to be a black woman BETTER THAN A BLACK WOMAN. Because he was objective and did his research. I swear to gods you can’t make this shit up. The fucking arrogance is astounding. Truly. So. How close do you have to be to write it right? (or at least WELL… jeez) I think that depends on the topic, to be frank. I really don’t want non-autistic writers writing about autism or having an autistic MC because they’re gonna get it wrong. There is SO MUCH misinformation out there about what an autistic is really like that… yeah, just don’t. Leave that to those of us who live it please and thank you. EDIT: If you absolutely feel compelled to write an autistic MC, HIRE A BLOODY AUTHENTICITY READER. I think queer people can write pretty much any variety of queer fiction (EDIT: including kinky fiction, kink, trans, ace, etc are all part of the LGBTQQIAAP2 acronym and I don’t understand how that is even a question. Kink is also a part of the QUILTBAG thank you very much), as long as they do their research and employ an authenticity (previously known as sensitivity) reader. I include m/m sex in my books, yes, absolutely, but every m/m scene I include is beta read by three bi or gay male beta readers. I’ve known them since university and they have no trouble smacking me down if I get it wrong. Trans fiction is tougher, I’m a little leary saying all queers could write trans fiction because…well… how would all queers know what it feels like to be trans? But they’re probably less likely to fuck it up than a cis person would be. I think a mentally ill person can probably write most mental illnesses, but maybe not the really badly demonized ones like DID or ASPD or BPD or even ED. I think for kink? You really need to be kinky/think you’re kinky to be writing it. Not sorry. EDIT: It is POSSIBLE to write kink well without being kinky based on research alone. It may still ring false to a lifestyle kinkster, but as long as it’s not harmful? Enh? Go for it. The reason I’m fussy about this? POINTS AT ALL THE DAMAGE 50 SHADES OF GAGS HAS DONE. EDIT: I personally know people who will bear lifelong emotional and physical scars from their partners reading poorly written kink and then doing it. Kink. Is. Not. A. Game. If you aren’t black, why are you writing a black MC? Seriously, you really think you’re better at writing their experience than they are? Please. EDIT: First Person POV is what I’m talking about not writing. I think it’s fine, based on what I’ve seen black people say, to write a third-person POV black person or Asian person (or other POC)… because in third person, you’re writing about/including them, not REPRESENTING them. If you aren’t mixed race, or Asian, or… why? Why are you writing it? If you aren’t asexual, you’re gonna fuck it up, because not even all of us aces agree on what good rep is. EDIT: So you fuck it up? Big deal. People have been fucking it up all through history. I’m not saying don’t write it. You do you. Personally, I won’t write something I’m not. All my work is own-voices. Only thing that isn’t is having a penis, cause I’m wasn’t born with one, damnit. I get lots of authenticity readers for those parts. At the end of the day, you, as a writer, need to ask yourself WHY you’re writing what you’re writing with regards to marginalizations. You need to ask yourself if it’s your story to tell, because some of them, no matter how shiny an idea or fluffy a plot-bunny, will not be your story to tell. You need to ask yourself what kind of harm you’re doing (cause if you aren’t OF the marginalization, but you’ve chosen to write it anyway? YOU ARE CAPABLE OF DOING ENORMOUS HARM. Not Fucking Sorry). If you’re a cis het non-queer of other variety person writing m/m fiction for money? I don’t have a lot of respect for you, but go for it. There’s a market full of cis het women dying to fetishize gay men. Have fun, just don’t pretend you’re doing anything but writing it for the money and the fetishization of real people. And don’t demand I read it. Don’t EVER demand I read anything like that. If you’re writing it because you just happen to love gay romance? Get gay/bi male beta readers at the very least and DO YOUR RESEARCH. If you’re white and you’re writing a first-person black POV MC? Also don’t have a hell of a lot of respect for you, because we all can see why you’re doing it. You think it’s the in thing and it’s gonna get you cookies. (It’s not, really, it might get you published, because you have a leg up in this industry over black and mixed-race peeps right from the get-go.) *I* won’t even write some of my marginalizations. I have a black/native grandfather, and a native grandmother, that does not mean I have the right to write what it feels like to be Black or Native. It just does not, cause hello… I turn into Casper in the winter. I wasn’t allowed to learn about my grandparents’ cultures because the last residential school in Canada closed in 1996 when I was in university. They taught me to pass instead. (I’m mixed, I tan so well that I don’t pass if I’ve gotten any summer sun, but I’m not Black or Native. I’m DESCENDED FROM Black and Native peoples. There’s a huge difference there. EDIT: My great grandfather was Portuguese and Spanish, I’m technically latinx, EDIT: Apparently that doesn’t make me latinix, it makes me Hispanic. I’ve been educated (thank you so much) about that. Still, I won’t write it. I’ll absolutely include Hispanic characters and side characters, because the world is diverse and we need to show that. But I won’t rep what that experience feels like. I’m white-coded and I have passing-privilege.) I do write a lot of mixed-race characters because I can authentically rep that. I usually pick my own mixtures. I read mostly own-voices work these days, because hands down, the work is so much better than non-own-voices. It just IS. It all comes down to some questions and statements. Who are you writing for? Is it your story to tell? Some stories ARE NOT YOURS TO TELL Not sorry. What kind of harm can it do? WHY are you writing it? and the statements: Make your worlds realistic with all kinds of people, YES ABSOLUTELY. PLEASE include us, but don’t USE us. Lolz, and don’t tell us we have to read your books. I don’t owe a read to anyone, especially if they’re writing ABOUT me instead of FOR me. EDIT: I have been attacked by non-autistic people that I thought were pretty cool and accepting types because of this post. I do not understand how they can think I’m saying ‘don’t write that’ ‘ace and trans aren’t queer’ from anything in this post. I have since edited it, all edits are noted with EDIT, italicized and colored a different shade, take all the receipts you want. I haven’t deleted anything, nor will I. It would be dishonorable. Y’all. You could do a LITTLE bit of work when it comes to communicating with autistics. We work all the gods damned time to communicate with you. Every second of our lives around you is spent trying to understand you so we can communicate in a way you’d understand. Why the hell can’t y’all do the same? You’re not going to be the majority much longer. Recent statistic put autistic kids at around 1/62, so before long? We’re probably going to be the majority. You will eventually have to learn to communicate with us or find yourselves in the same position autistics are in now. Except autistics would probably try harder to understand y’all. There is NO implied meaning to any of that. None. That’s on the reader if they think there’s something more behind it. Not on me for saying what I actually mean. Words have meaning. We have books full of the meanings of words, they’re called dictionaries. If you’re talking with an autistic? Use a dictionary, because THAT meaning of the word is the one we’re probably using. NOT whatever you THINK the meaning of that word is. Gotten in trouble for THAT too. So. Research, we all know we need to do it, right? I mean… we DO know we need to do some, when we’re writing, right? Nope. We all really don’t seem to know this. I read a book this past weekend that was a historical and it was very, very obvious that a lot (or maybe any) research hadn’t been conducted. The story premise was good, but it lacked the depth that research could have given it. I honestly can’t think of any genre of writing that you can get away with NOT doing research for. Picture books, maybe? But I did a ton of research for my Ace Shark picture book, so maybe not even that? Some genres are heavier on research than others, I do the MOST research for Historical and Science Fantasy, but even for my paranormal titles, I still do a ton of research. For my Ilavani series, I did so much research into genetic modification, quantum physics and historical power structures including the history and structures of indentured service that I could probably write at least a master’s level thesis on any of those subjects. For my upcoming Bloodbound from NineStar Press I did massive amounts of research into the Mabinogian, Welsh Folklore, and supernatural critters. Now. How do I do research? It varies? That’s as helpful as mud, isn’t it? So. I have a couple degrees in research related stuff. So I know how to do high-brow research. But honestly? I start with Wikipedia. Not so much for the articles, though some of them are surprisingly good, but for the links leading out from the articles. Even if you JUST read the Wikipedia articles about the subjects you’re writing about, it’s probably enough for a lot of mainstream fiction. But you can also find pages like this one (here on my site) where I add interesting links that I’ve found while I’m doing research for my books. You can follow the links from Wikipedia to find further information. You can google search a specific topic (most of the links on my resources page were found doing one of those two things). If it’s a topic? There is someone who geeks out about it. Find the geeks talking about it and listen to them. Many of them are very interested in consulting (waves at the lovely people helping me with long-range sniper rifles right now) in order to get the info RIGHT in books. Cause getting it right kind of matters. Very little will throw me out of a story faster than a fact that I know to be untrue. Because then I have to go look it up to remind myself that it is, in fact, untrue. If I find it’s not factual, I will very likely never pick the book up again. Not everyone is as fussy as I am about things being authentic, but I very much am. Why should I waste my valuable time in reading your words if you didn’t waste YOUR time looking up the information to get it freaking right? I also use TV Tropes a lot (I spent probably weeks on this site while I was developing the world for the Ace Assassin World. (Bloodbound April 30th, 2018, and OMG that’s getting close!) Just type in what you want to know about in the search bar and browse to your heart’s content. You’ll likely be surprised at all the questions you didn’t know you didn’t know to ask that you suddenly have when you do that. Fair warning, it’s a HUGE rabbit hole. You could get lost. Take some carrots as a snack. Where can you find the geeks? Internet. Most of us have blogs where we obsess about our interests. For those of us who don’t have blogs, we go to group meetings about the topic that we love. IE: Beekeeping, look for a local beekeepers/apiarists association. They are in most towns, but it’s one of those things you probably have to go looking for to find. Same with Blacksmithing, or genealogy, or spinning, or weaving, or, or, or, or… Twitter is a fantastic resource cause many of us geeks do threads about topics we’d like people to get right. If it’s a historical topic, you could look for historical reenactment groups. They exist for most areas of history, and trust me, you’ll find history geeks there. Libraries are a fantastic resource if you can get to one. Librarians will often help you find books about any subject you need because that’s what they both love and get paid to do. So. There is my two cents on research. What a fantastic list! Content Warning: Sex, Sexual Abuse, Kink I’m kinky, but y’all knew that if you’ve been following me for any time at all. And no, before you even think it, I’m not kinky because of my abuse. Kink has healed me from the effects of abuse, not the opposite. Kink let me reclaim my sexuality in a way I’m not sure I ever would have been able to without it. We’re in a time of social upheaval, when so many people are talking about what sexual abuse really is and how it contrasts to rape. I feel something needs to be added to this conversation. We’re talking about how men (actually, anyone who wants to date, because f/f relationships and any relationship with an enby needs to pay attention to this conversation too) now have an opportunity to choose to be a different kind of person (if they aren’t already) than they were socialized to be. We need to talk about kink and how it affects this conversation. The only thing that made me blink a bit in that article was a reference that made it seem bad if you are the kind of man who wants to dominate a woman. Now, I don’t get the feeling Ms. Oluo was trying to say that kink is bad, she’s talking about something entirely different, but it did leave me a slight squirmy feeling in my gut. What about it? What if you ARE the kind of man (or woman or non-binary person) who wants to dominate someone else in the kinky sexual sense? What if you are the kind of person regardless of gender who wants to be dominated? Or, lolz, to put it bluntly, what if it really gets you hot to submit to someone? There isn’t anything wrong with that. It’s okay. Really. It is absolutely okay, if (and only if) you have the proper agreements with your partner if you submit to them, or if you dominate them. That’s the beauty of kink, and of consent because I have very rarely met a committed kinkster who isn’t extremely respectful of consent. We usually tend to be very good at communication too, we have to be. There is an aspect to this ongoing conversation that a lot of people may not be aware of. I think it may be part of why many women are pushing back against the concept of what sexual assault is and isn’t. A smaller part, for sure, but it’s telling. Women and femme presenting peeps aren’t, in any generation of any recent time, encouraged to embrace their needs. Some people need to submit. Some people need to dominate. These are needs and largely unmet if they aren’t filled by being in a kinky relationship, or maybe the person who needs these things doesn’t even know that kink exists. The one thing I’ll always be thankful to 50 shades for is that it brought kink out of the shadows. It’s a terribly written, abusive, harmful example of kink, but it did bring the idea of kink into the public conscious. Hell, in my generation, (I’m currently 41, it’s 2018) we weren’t socialized to accept that we HAD sexual needs at all. We were socialized to ‘please a man’, regardless of our own desires. We were socialized to so many things that many of us wouldn’t have chosen to do if we’d even known we had a choice. So many of us didn’t just didn’t know, because we weren’t taught. The fault there lies with society, for certain, with patriarchy, often times with religion as well. So it makes sense to me that a lot of women may not understand that they actually want to submit. That it’s a legitimate need and that there are safe, consensual ways that those needs can be met. The reverse is true, as well. These are just my rambly thoughts on the subject really, I’ve done no research to back up what is a gut instinct for me. Obviously this is a very wide-reaching, deep social problem that covers all shades of gray, and this is just one aspect of it. In every conversation like this one, there are the polar opposites of GOOD and BAD, RIGHT and WRONG, but in between those opposites are all the shades of gray. We need to talk about those too, or we’re not talking about the whole subject. We need to be aware of why people are pushing back against social change, or we’ll slide right back down the slippery slope we’re all trying so desperately to claw our way up. Everyone needs to own their needs and their responsibility to themselves and, extending that, society. Everyone needs to get to the point where they are willing to clearly communicate what their needs are, and what they are absolutely NOT willing or able to do. We ALL need to get to the point where NO is as acceptable (without consequences) as YES PLEASE will be. We need to get to where we ask for verbal consent, where we make it sexy as fuck to ask (cause it really, really is) and where it’s AS sexy for people to say, ‘hey, can I try dominating you/submitting to you sometime?’ It’s going to take work. Work in ourselves to find out what we each of us needs. It’s going to take work to OWN those needs, to take responsibility for them, our selves, our bodies, and learn how to communicate about all of those things. It’s going to take a lot of work for people to shrug off the generations of patriarchal socialization that is causing so many problems. And I think, the very first step of that, is to be talking about it all. We’ve made a start. I dearly hope for the sake of my children at least, that we can keep the conversation going. Fantastic post (part one) about engagement. I admit, I’m a completely new person to Insta, because I don’t know what people want from me there! Lolz, I’m better on twitter. Always still learning.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. This is an approximately 5 minute read that will educate you on today’s biggest stories. This afternoon will be mostly sunny with a high near 75 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear with lows near 60. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with highs near 82. Sunday will be partly sunny with a chance of showers and highs near 87. Takeovers on the Streets of Chicago: They’re Secret, Dangerous, Illegal, and Have a Devoted Audience The Dodge Charger revved its V8 Hemi engine, the deep growl echoing through the Ford City Mall parking lot as smoke billowed from the rear tires. Draco slammed on the gas and spun the wheel, sending the Charger spinning—or drifting—in a tight circle to the applause and cheers of over 100 people. “It’s an adrenaline rush – it’s hard to explain – but you feel free in the moment,” said Draco, the name the 21-year-old uses on the street roam circuit. “You know, it’s one of the few times I feel like I’m in control of my destiny.” Sun-Times reporter Manny Ramos and photographer Ashlee Rezin have spent several weekends at the encounters, which have long sparked complaints about noise, disruption and danger. They are often organized in minutes via a social network that taps into street racing culture. Often, people leaving a police-dispersed encounter will drive around until they get contact details for another encounter the same evening. And despite a recent crackdown that could cost participants their cars, there is no shortage of drivers and spectators. Ramos and Rezin have most of their weekends in Chicago meet here. More news you need - Prosecution witness Lisa Van Allen, R. Kelly’s ex-girlfriend who has been among his most visible critics for years, collapsed on the witness stand today during a flurry of questions barbed wire from Kelly’s attorney. Andy Grimm and Jon Seidel have full details of the trial, which today marked the end of its second week. - Much of the prosecution case during the first two weeks of R. Kelly’s trial focused on a 26-minute, 39-second videotape that allegedly shows Kelly sexually abusing a young girl from 14 years old. Former Sun-Times pop music critic Jim DeRogatis recounts the day in 2000 an anonymous source sent him the tape — and what happened after — here. - Nearly two weeks after her feet were severed in a boating accident at the downtown Chicago “Playpen,” Lana Batochir expects to be out of hospital by the end of the week. In a video released from her hospital bed, Batochir said she had not seen her children since the accident and had not yet told her 6-year-old daughter that both of her legs had been damaged. amputated below the knee. - A sign declaring a Lake View church’s unwavering support for abortion rights was damaged Wednesday by two people throwing rocks. Video of the incident, captured by a neighbour, shows one of the stone throwers shouting: “I sent a message”. - Tenants of a struggling South Side building have filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court seeking monetary compensation for poor living conditions at the Ellis Lakeview apartments over the past three years. Three residents who live in the apartment complex filed a lawsuit yesterday after living with mould, rodents and plumbing problems. - Tributes are pouring in for Harold Lucas, a beloved Bronzeville organizer, activist and historian, who died at 79. “Harold was one of the freedom fighters,” Reverend Jesse Jackson said of Lucas. - A collection of 600 vintage license plates and tags from early 20th century urban vehicles went up for auction this week. The “holy grail” among the collection: what is believed to be the first automobile license plate issued in Illinois in 1904. - Business incubator EG Woode opened its first small business center in South Chicago to house four black-owned businesses. Yesterday, the organization held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Englewood property, where Powell’s Barbershop, consignment shop Marie | Wesley, Momentum Coffee and the design company where Beehyyve will operate. Support citizen and independent journalism by purchasing a digital subscription to the Chicago Sun-Times. At the El Paseo Community Garden in East Pilsen, neighbors connect with nature, with each other The El Paseo Community Garden in East Pilsen spans the length of a city block, between Cullerton and 21st Street. It didn’t always look so green. Much of the land was once “brownfield”, with high levels of lead contamination. Today it is home to over 20 vegetable gardens, a meadow with native plants, a permaculture site, beekeeping, and community classes and gatherings. The change did not happen overnight. El Paseo Garden has been around since 2009 – around the time when environmental activists and residents of Pilsen were organizing against pollution in their community. Much of this advocacy called for the cleanup of toxic waste left behind by a former metal smelter. Some community residents also wanted a small plot of land for gardening – and got it. The original space was expanded with the help of Neighbor Space, a non-profit urban land trust for community gardens that helped secure the land and provides financial management support, technical expertise and a access to resources. Paula and Antonio Acevedo have been volunteers at the garden for over 10 years. They took over the management in 2015, when the founders left. They have undertaken projects including two murals and the addition of solar power to the garden, a beekeeping program and a permaculture site. “It’s the community,” says Paula Acevedo. “Not a barren park that could be in any part of town. We want it to really identify and show the community, the culture. WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona-Maguigad has more on the garden here. From the press gallery Your daily question ☕ What’s it like owning and raising a dog in Chicago? Email us at [email protected] and we might feature your response in the next afternoon edition. Yesterday we asked you: if you could become an alderman for a day, what would be the first thing you would do for your parish? Here’s what some of you said… “Repave the streets because they are in a horrible state.” —Glinda North “I would put money back into public programs and schools to prevent future crimes. No more police. Especially in the small village. … Why can’t Little Village have better streets, sidewalks and street cleaning? —Arturo E De Leon “I would build tiny houses for the homeless and provide them with the services they need. I would build tiny houses similar to those in Detroit if you know what I mean. —Aidan Hughes “Encourage businesses to be in the neighborhood. Too many empty windows. — Jackie Waldhier “Pave the streets, community safety committees, try to reduce property taxes, eliminate red light cameras, parks committee, neighborhood night.” —Greg Najarian “Connect with voters. It seems like once in power for a while, you take your constituents for granted. Go out and see what people need; an investigation can go a long way. —Carlos Ocasio “Visit it and ask people to find out what the most urgent needs are.” — Hector L. Torregrosa-Ramos Thanks for reading the Chicago afternoon edition. Think we missed a story? Email us here.

A sign at the roof access to 990 Spring Garden Street reads “Please Beware of Bee Hives.” It certainly sounds threatening, but out on the roof, it’s relatively tranquil—no swarms. High above the traffic of Spring Garden, a beekeeper’s colony sits quietly, tucked in a far corner of the roof. The bees come and go, bringing pollen back to the hive mostly from the trees and plants growing below along the Reading Viaduct. Prefer the audio version of this story? Listen to this article in CitizenCast below: That’s not to say urban beekeeping isn’t adventurous at times. “The most challenging part of urban beekeeping is getting equipment and supplies up and down from the roof,” says beekeeper Mike Gonzales, who keeps about 50,000 bees on various city buildings, including here. “Sometimes I have to move bees from one office building to another so it’s challenging to do this without any bees ending up in people’s cubicles.” At 990 Spring Garden, Gonzales says he’s had to get beekeepers insurance. “It’s expensive, but fortunately I haven’t had any disasters where I needed to file a claim.” Anyone who farms or gardens knows how crucial pollinators are for the food supply and our basic survival. By some estimates, pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we take. Yet there is a world crisis in which bees and other pollinators are being decimated, almost apocalyptically. In 2015, the Obama administration recognized that pollinators “are critical to the nation’s economy, food security and environmental health.” Sadly, according to an article on CityLab, the Trump administration has lifted bans on a number of pesticides that are toxic to bees. “I like the idea of sending 50,000 bees out every day to trespass onto people’s private property, steal a few calories of nectar from their foliage, and then bring it back to my hive and aggregate and process it for my consumption,” Gonzales says. “It sounds criminal but everybody seems to be ok with it.” Across the country, 98 cities are certified Bee Cities, committing to actively engaging in pollinator conservation. Seattle, for instance, has its Pollinator Pathway, a mile-long, 12-foot ribbon of “pollinator-friendly pathways.” Boston has its Pollinator Ribbon, a series of pollinator-centric gardens. And Atlanta recently launched Pollinator in the Parks, a program for planting five new pollinator gardens. These are the kind of urban bee projects that Philadelphia should steal. Lemon Ridge Garden, where Gonzales gardens at the corner of Ridge Avenue and Mount Vernon, offers a model. Philadelphia also has an annual Honey Festival, with events at Bartram’s Garden and other spots. Urban beekeeping on the rooftop at 990 Spring Garden—a seven-story “creative office space”—is one part of what its owner, Arts + Crafts Holdings, calls a “reimagining of historic buildings and the urban spaces between them” About five years ago, Arts + Crafts began buying properties—which now spans three dozen buildings and 2 million square feet—in what it calls the Spring Arts neighborhood. “My passion is in place making and neighborhood revitalization,” says Craig Grossman, general partner. “There’s a lot of patience that goes into changing a neighborhood.” For years, this section of the city—roughly from Spring Garden to Callowhill, from Broad to 2nd Street—was what Grossman calls “the hole in the donut” that remained stagnant as the surrounding neighborhood actively redeveloped. “This area was originally constructed around the vehicle. It’s a neighborhood that hasn’t seen much love in a long time.” Grossman’s developments in the neighborhood have coincided with its rebranding as “Spring Arts,” a newish term for an area already known by many names, to many people—Callowhill, Chinatown North, the Eraserhood. It has grown as a place for artists, with studio space and several public murals, partly funded by Grossman, throughout the area. It’s also anchored by four craft breweries, a critical mass that makes it a magnet for beer aficionados. Besides Yards Brewing Company’s high-profile relocation, there is also Triple Bottom Brewing, Love City Brewing and Roy Pitz Barrel House, which is on the ground floor of 990 Spring Garden. Roy Pitz, in fact, recently released a beer called Sting Arts, which uses honey produced by the hives on the roof. Like neighborhood revitalization, urban beekeeping is something that requires patience. The Philadelphia Beekeeper’s Guild was established in 2009 and has swiftly grown into a robust organization offering workshops, classes and symposiums. The guild refers to Philadelphia as the “cradle of American Beekeeping.” That’s because it’s the birthplace of Lorenzo L. Langstroth, considered to be the “father of American beekeeping.” In the 1850s, Langstroth invented the removable frame hive based on the concept of “bee space,” which became essential to American agriculture. Across the country, 98 cities are certified Bee Cities, committing to actively engaging in pollinator conservation. Seattle has its Pollinator Pathway; Boston has its Pollinator Ribbon; and Atlanta recently launched Pollinator in the Parks. These are the kind of urban bee projects that Philadelphia should steal. Honey is healthier than sugar, with a long history of documented therapeutic properties. But it’s also a fascinating food product, nearly as complex as cheese or wine. Where the bees gather pollen and nectar and from what plant, can create wildly different flavors. Clover, acacia, orange blossom and buckwheat all create starkly different honeys. The time of year also makes a difference. Gonzales says that the honey gathered he collects at 990 Spring Garden is much darker, earthier and more robust earlier in the spring and the honey gets much lighter as the summer goes on. Above all, beekeeping offers a great advantage in an urban setting—it’s relatively compact. With space in the city for urban farming at a premium, Gonzales says he’s studied how many calories per square feet can be produced. At his garden plot, growing tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, he produces around 3,000 calories during a year of tending to it. Meanwhile, he’s now producing over 100,000 calories per year with just two square feet worth of beehives. He jokes about the irony of tending to free-range bees. “I like the idea of sending 50,000 bees out every day to trespass onto people’s private property, steal a few calories of nectar from their foliage and then bring it back to my hive and aggregate and process it for my consumption,” he says. “It sounds criminal but everybody seems to be ok with it.” Jason Wilson is The Citizen’s 2019 Jeremy Nowak Fellow, funded by Spring Point Partners, in honor of our late chairman Jeremy Nowak. He is the author of three books, including the recent The Cider Revival, series editor of The Best American Travel Writing, and writes for the Washington Post, New York Times, New Yorker and many other publications. You can find him at jasonwilson.com. - W.B. Saul high school trains local students in the art of urban farming - Philly farm-to-farm table dinner series helps keep small, sustainable farms afloat - Fooding Forward makes it easier for restaurants in Philly to donate food waste

My Way of Wintering the Bees This is my first winter as a beekeeper. I’m trying my best to help my bees survive through the winter. There is a lot of conflicting information out there about wintering the hive, especially, when it comes to insulating the hive. One apiarist suggested that it’s not necessary to insulate the hive in winter since it will confuse the bees and make them take more stored food than they usually do if they are left alone. Another suggested that insulating the hive is a good idea because the bees will not have to work too hard to keep the temperature warm inside the hive. Since they don’t have to work their wings that hard, they will take less food. The same goes for treating the bees for Varroa mites; some folks recommended doing it but some did not. Just keeping the bees healthy and well fed is enough. Healthy bees and a clean hive will be able to fight all and will produce a stronger next generation. I try to get as much information on beekeeping as possible, conflicting or not, then pick and choose to use what makes sense for my hive. I don’t treat my hive for mites since they were pretty healthy when I last checked before closing the hive for the winter. They were well fed as well. I also think that there are not very many hives in this area; the population is not as condensed which makes it harder for parasites and diseases to transmit from hive to hive. I decided to insulate the hive since I know how harsh winter can be in my neighborhood. The bees I started the hive with also came from the south, Georgia, and they are Italian bees which don’t usually do well in a very cold winter. I put 2″ of insulation foam board on four sides and the roof, left open just the main entrance, upper entrance and a small ventilation hole on top. After almost a week of frigid temperatures, with daytime temperatures hovering around 3° F-5° F and a wind chill factor that took it down to -5° F at times, I’m very glad I insulated my hive. There are some dead bees on the ground in front of the hive and some in the snow further away. I guess the ones on the snow are the bees that flew out to die so they won’t burden the undertaker bees who have to push the dead out of the hive. The temperature was up to 45° F today and the sun came out once in a while. I checked to see whether everything was still intact with the hive. To my surprise, a couple of bees flew out. I checked the foam board under the hive for mites and there were very few of them. One thing that may work for the benefit of my hive is that the queen was born in our garden. From what I’ve read, the hive will most likely survive the winter if the queen was born here, not brought in from radically different zone. The original Italian-Georgian queen I started the hive with flew away with half the hive when they swarmed back in July. They are doing alright so far. Hopefully, they will survive the winter and build a strong hive this coming spring.

Eğriçayır Bio Thistle Artichoke Food Supplement with Organic Thistle, Artichoke and Propolis Supplement Food Supplement Number: 001636-18.11.2016 Camelthorn, which is also known as the thorn of Mary in our country, is a plant that grows in some parts of Western Europe and America, and its active ingredient is silymarin. Thistle extract contains 80% silymarin and silymarin is an antioxidant substance. You can access the benefits of the thistle with a short search on the Internet. According to the regulation, we cannot share these benefits. It is a product preferred by our consumers who know the benefits of camel thorn, want to use it and want to reach the right product. It protects its freshness during filling thanks to its airless bulb packaging. It is practical to use. Agave syrup is used as a sweetener. Apart from this, it also contains propolis, orange juice, thistle, and artichoke. One box contains 20 ampoules (Net 300ml) and each ampoule is 15 ml. d. Organic Ecocert certification organization in European Union countries, and is TURKGAP in Turkey. Components; Solvent; Water (52.94%), Tasteful; Agave * Syrup (Agave tequilana) (17.40%), Tasteful; Orange * Juice Concentrate (Citrus sinensis) (14.78%), Thistle * (Silybum marianum) 2250mg (13.04%), Artichoke * (Cynara scolymus) 201mg (1.17%), Propolis * 117mg (0%, 67) * All agricultural ingredients are produced in accordance with organic agriculture. It is not a drug. It is not used for the prevention or treatment of diseases. How to use it? It is recommended to consume one ampoule per day, especially before breakfast, diluted with 200 ml of water or fruit juice. Shake before use. Holding with a napkin, first break one end of the bulb. To prevent the glass particle from falling into the glass, do not hold the end of the bulb you are breaking on the glass. You can easily empty the bulb into the glass when you break it by holding the other end of the bulb outside the glass. For children over 1-year-old and adults, we recommend using 1 ampoule daily without interruption for 20 days. It may have an allergic effect on people who are allergic or sensitive to bee products. What is Propolis? Propolis is a strong natural product produced by bees from plant resins. Bees use Propolis to protect and sterilize the hive from bacteria, external threats. Propolis is like a defense mechanism for the entire hive. We would like to briefly explain Eğriçayır. Our hives are located in the Eğriçayır Region, where we were born and raised and where our childhood passed. Eğriçayır Plateau is approximately 110 km from Erdemli district of Mersin. In this region, only wildflowers form the flora of the plant due to the high altitude (about 2,500 meters). Thanks to this magnificent floral flora, we returned with all the competitions we attended abroad and our organic flower honey was awarded a gold medal in Apimondia, the world’s most prestigious beekeeping competition. We are proud both as a family and on behalf of our country with the awards received by Eğriçayır products. You can click here for more detailed information about us.

Metsaserva Mesi OÜ The organic bee families of Metsaserva Mesi OÜ are located in four different places in the Otepää landscape protection area. The 3 km radius of the harvesting area has been inspected and registered with the Agricultural Board as an organic harvesting area where there is no intensive agriculture. Otepää Landscape Protection Area has a diverse and clean natural environment. Beekeeper Allan Sarap has 12 years of independent beekeeping experience and has graduated from Olustvere TMK as a beekeeper. Metsaserva Mesi OÜ mainly operates in organic beekeeping. Organic farming and growing honey plants are also side activities. Allan Sarap talked about Metsaserva organic honey. Raadio Ring FM

A young farmer with reduced mobility used support from the Rural Development Programme (RDP) to expand his organic lavender farm and create jobs for people with disabilities. Projects & Practice A young farmer created a new business model that combines organic farming and environmental protection with job creation and socially inclusive educational services. A Maltese young farmer took over his father’s sheep farm in order to preserve local traditions, whilst incorporating new and innovative ideas in the production and marketing process. A young farmer used RDP support to expand and diversify the range of products and services offered by her beekeeping holding. An ambitious entrepreneur used business start-up aid for young farmers in order to modernise his farm and create a series of innovative products. A unique example of a rural business which achieved economic profitability based on innovation and environmentally-friendly practices. Tularù is an organic and multi-functional closed-cycle farm born that began life as a centre for sustainable production. It offers an alternative approach to solving current environmental, social and economic issues for farms. An agricultural company used EAFRD funding to strengthen its production of green asparagus and increase its share of the national and European market.

I am beginning to challenge the notion that supercedure cells in reproductive (white wax) season means the queen is failing. It may mean the bees want to reproduce their colony. It may also mean the queen is failing (!) but I think we have to stop making the assumption it ALWAYS means the queen is failing. I typically see "volcano" cells after the queen has emerged, and the bees are beginning to tear down the queen's cell. At some point, all you can see is the large opening that formed the cup.\ check it in a day or two to see if they have developed the cell downward. Look in the base of the cup to see if there is milky royal jelly there. They do build a lot of empty cups for no apparent reason. I don't know if they are practicing or what. It seems the stronger the hive the more they build. Seems like a lot of wasted labor. I don't worry unless I find capped queen cells on the bottom of the frames. 1 - 6 of 6 Posts This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread. A forum community dedicated to beekeeping, bee owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, honey production, health, behavior, hives, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!

“Whooooop!” The sound of an elephant. A trumpet greeting — or warning — urging us to take action against poaching and human-wildlife conflict. Hambai Wild, a social enterprise founded by Taku Mutezo, intends to do just that. Mutezo is a wildlife lawyer, farmer, and Mandela Washington Fellow from the teapot-shaped landlocked country in Southern Africa known as Zimbabwe. This country is not only Mutezo’s home, but host to a quarter of the world’s elephant population. As a child, Mutezo spent most of her summer holidays in a small rural village known as Nyanyadzi in the town of Chimanimani. While there, she nursed a love of nature, community, and agriculture, as she spent most of her leisure time in the fields with friends or in the wild. When Mutezo’s father got a job for a coal mining company, her family had to relocate — and their new home just so happened to be situated around one of the oldest national parks in Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park — also known as Zim Park. While at the park, she learned that every 15 minutes, an elephant is killed in the wild. This explains why only about 400,000 elephants are left in Africa today, as opposed to the 10 million wild elephants that roamed the continent in the 1930s, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Despite this, Zimbabwe has one of the largest elephant populations in the world, with a population of more than 100,000 elephants. Although a testament to effective conservation efforts, this poses several challenges, as the current population exceeds Zim Park's stated ideal capacity of 40,000 elephants. While elephants are near extinction in other parts of the world, Zimbabwe is struggling to devise strategies to cope with overpopulation, yet the threats remain the same: human-wildlife conflict and poaching. Human-wildlife conflict is a big issue in Zimbabwe, where most wildlife are found in protected areas adjacent to rural, communal lands. And not only is the elephant population increasing, the human population shares the same growth curve. The country increasingly sees food security threatened by elephants that encroach into human spaces, destroying crops and killing humans. Mutezo believes this problem can be solved, which is the reason for her choice of educational path. “After completing high school at Peterhouse Girls School in Zimbabwe, I left my home and family to study environmental law at The University of Groningen in the Netherlands, one of the most prestigious law schools in Europe,” Mutezo says. “It was a platform for exposure to various fields of law including my area of specialization — Wildlife Law.” During her studies, Mutezo had the opportunity to work at the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), which greatly shaped her perspective of the wildlife industry. “It was during my work at WJC that I gained a better understanding and appreciation of the fact that wildlife crime is one of the most lucrative, illegal businesses in the world and considered a multi-billion-dollar industry,” Mutezo says. With the mass exodus of African youth to Europe and America in search of better opportunities, one would expect Mutezo to stay in the Netherlands for “greener pastures.” Instead, she packed her bags and returned to Zimbabwe. “Motivated by my combined love for people and nature, and equipped with the knowledge gained from my studies and work in the Netherlands, I decided to return to Zimbabwe,” Mutezo says. “It struck me deeply that it took leaving my home to appreciate the impact that wildlife crimes, such as poaching, have on Zimbabwe — and the entire globe. My goal was and remains to find home-grown solutions to local and global issues such as wildlife crime. I would like the future generations to enjoy wildlife, too.” It has been over 5 years since Mutezo moved back to Zimbabwe, and she has dedicated her law degree to wildlife conservation by working with the Tikki Hywood Foundation. “I am the first lawyer employed by a Conservation Organization in Zimbabwe,” she says. “My work in case management includes legal advisory on various wildlife crime cases, including cross-border and high-profile matters, and has set precedence as to how wildlife crime cases should be handled across the region. My contribution also extends to drafting and amending key legislation including laws that ensure that endangered species such as rhinoceros, pangolin, and painted dogs are recognized and given the highest protection at law.” By developing partnerships with various national authorities, she co-authored a handbook on prosecuting wildlife crimes and educated law enforcement and judicial officers across Zimbabwe on wildlife and the law. “It has been a great honor to innovate and find ways to use the law as a tool to conserve and protect wildlife,” Mutezo says. Having participated in the 2022 cohort of the U.S. State Department’s flagship leadership program for young African leaders, the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF), at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Mutezo feels she has an even tighter grip on her vision to solve the human-wildlife conflict in her country. (In full disclosure, MWF is where this author met Mutezo.) She returns with a wealth of knowledge and access to resources to effectively execute her focus project at Hambai Wild, a registered agri-business she founded, with the goal of finding solutions to the human-wildlife conflict, by creating natural boundaries between humans and wildlife. “My solution to this problem is to use one endangered species to protect another, by encouraging beekeeping to scare elephants,” she says. Bees, as well as chili pepper, act as natural repellents against elephants. “MWF allowed me to turn an idea into an action plan,” Mutezo says. “The access to a coach also gave me an opportunity to fine tune the idea into a viable business model that I intend to bring to fruition back in Zimbabwe. I also pitched my project to different people from whom I got constructive feedback to transition from inception to execution.” She intends to use her prowess as a farmer and knowledge as a wildlife lawyer and policy expert to engage communities affected by wildlife conflicts. To be more practical, she says, “Hambai Wild will use the contract farming model, by providing inputs to local communities such as seedlings, beekeeping kits, and by empowering the local population with technical expertise and training to grow chili peppers and keep bees. This would allow us the option of buying back the produce and selling sustainably sourced produce.” Just like in a colony where each bee plays a contributing role to the survival of the hive, she looks forward to strategic partnerships with other organizations that have successfully implemented similar models, like Save The Elephants in Kenya and AWF (African Wildlife Foundation) in Uganda. Says Mutezo: “I encourage collective action by everyone to protect the Zim’s natural resources for future generations.”

October issue delayed The October print issue has been delayed, by an estimated 3-4 weeks, due to supply and staffing issues at the printer. We apologize for the inconvenience. It is common for me to get questions related to proper techniques for inspecting hives. Beekeepers, especially new beekeepers, want to know how often they should inspect their hives, what tools are needed when performing a standard inspection, and what they should look for when inspecting a hive. I will address these questions herein. I will note that inspection strategies and frequencies change based on the time of year, the number of hives one has to inspect, and what one hopes to accomplish with their hives. Correspondingly, I will limit myself to discussing what one should do during the most basic of hive inspections. Common Equipment Needed for Hive Inspections Beekeepers need the appropriate equipment before they can conduct a successful hive inspection. Of course, the equipment a beekeeper needs with him/her varies tremendously depending on the intent of the inspection. Most general inspections can be performed with little more than a smoker, hive tool, and bee veil. The more complex inspections (those during which multiple management activities such as feeding, medicating, supering, etc. are performed) require more than the basic equipment. Given the diverse nature of inspections, I will focus on the most basic equipment one would want with them when conducting a general inspection. I will start with the necessary equipment (i.e. that equipment I think you need with you every time you inspect a hive) and follow that with a list of optional equipment (equipment I personally think is best to have with you, though I admit that not everyone will need what I list). 1) hive tool – This tool is an essential piece of beekeeping equipment. Bees glue all components of a hive together with a sticky substance called propolis. The hive tool is used to pry apart supers, pry frames out of supers/hive bodies, etc. I have tried to use other similar items in place of a hive tool, including butter knives, screwdrivers, and things that look like hive tools (similar items sold at hardware stores, but that are not hive tools). However, nothing functions like a hive tool. Accept no substitutes. Hive tools are made to survive the stress of working hives. Purchase more than one. I recommend keeping a spare hive tool in your vehicle and even at your apiary if you are someone who is prone to losing things. 2) smoker – The smoker is an essential tool. Smokers, when lit properly, produce copious amounts of smoke. Beekeepers use smokers to calm the bees. Smoke calms bees by masking the alarm pheromone bees produce when they become defensive. I know that some beekeepers think it is best for the bees to avoid using smoke altogether. I disagree. I think that a smoker should be lit and nearby any time a hive is inspected. Colony behavior changes from day-to-day. You never know when a “normally gentle” colony is going to express heightened defensive behavior as a result of whatever stimulus triggers the response that day. 3) smoker fuel – Beekeepers should have dry smoker fuel on hand when inspecting a hive. It benefits the beekeeper to be proactive in this regard. I recommend having a large reservoir of dry fuel available at all times. I also recommend having a small amount (about 1 quart’s worth) of shredded newspaper that one can use to start a smoker. Whatever fuel you elect to use, make sure (1) it is dry, (2) you have enough to keep a smoker going a few hours, and (3) it has no chemical contaminations that might be harmful to you and/or the bees if it is heated. 4) lighter/matches – There are three levels of fire starters I see beekeepers use. The most basic of these is the match. I try to have a box of matches on hand in the event that my lighters are out of fuel. You can purchase waterproof match holders from most camping supply stores. You can store matches in these and protect them from the elements, increasing their longevity, and making them more likely to work when you otherwise forgot or lost your lighter. The second type of lighter is the basic fuel-powered lighter. This includes cigarette lighters and the trigger-lighters that you often see in grill or bar-b-que sections of stores. The third type of lighter is really just a juiced-up version of the second type. It is a lighter head that is mounted on a small fuel tank. This is more like a torch and less like a lighter. However, they are great, seem to always work, and can even be used to light damp fuel, something that a match and a basic lighter usually cannot do. 5) smoker box – In my old age, and after seeing smokers be responsible for starting two fires, I recommend beekeepers have a smoker box or other metal container in which a lit smoker can be stored during transit. This should limit smoker ability to start fires where fires are not otherwise wanted. It is preferable to put the smoker out after use anyway. However, some beekeepers put lit smokers in the back of their trucks. This is a perfect example of when to use a smoker box. I happen to use a small metal pail for this purpose. 6) personal protective equipment (PPE) – Beekeepers should wear at least a veil when inspecting a hive (Figure 1). Of course, the amount of PPE you elect to wear (veil, gloves, boots, suit) is up to you. However, I believe that you should wear at least a veil. Bee stings on/around the face can be quite problematic. This is especially true of bee stings on the eyeball, which can leave you blind in the stung eye if not treated properly and quickly. Even if you only wear a veil, it is advisable to have a pair of gloves or even a suit on hand in the event the bees get particularly testy. 7) notebook/pen/pencil – It is a good idea for you to have items needed for note taking purposes when inspecting a hive. Keeping good notes on the status of a hive, what management practice you most recently performed on/to the hive, etc. can help you know what should be done to the hive in the future should you ever need that information. You also can record information on colony productivity, disease and pest pressures, feeding schedule, and a number of other management-related items. I recommend having a waterproof writing tablet and use a waterproof pen. Both are cheap and readily available in most office supply stores. 1) a small pair of scissors – I clip all of my queens as part of my swarm control strategy. Correspondingly, I carry a small pair of nail scissors (Figure 2) with me when I inspect a hive. That way, I have a pair handy any time I have a new queen in a hive (Figure 3). 2) small painting device or marker pen – I also like to mark my queens, just to make them easier to find. Thus, I carry with me a small paint “brush” and a small vial of paint (Figure 2). The “brush” I use is really just a small nail that has a round head the size of the mark I want to make on the queen. I wrap the shaft of the nail with a bit of duck tap to create the handle for the “brush”. I am sure you can hammer the nail into the end of a wooden dowel rod and achieve the same thing. My mentor liked to use a small paintbrush from which he would remove most of the bristles. These days, the paint pens are quite popular and useful. Not everyone will need this piece of equipment, as many beekeepers do not mark their queens. However, I like to have the marking device on hand. When I do, I tend to mark my queens (Figure 4). 3) queen cages – I carry a few queen cages with me when I inspect hives (Figure 5). That way, I have a place to put queens when needed. Believe it or not, I do this quite a bit. For example, I like to allow my freshly marked queens to … Figure 1 – Two beekeepers wearing different amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE). The beekeeper on the left is only wearing a veil while the one on the right is wearing a full suit. You should wear the amount of PPE that you are comfortable wearing. I recommend always wearing at least a veil. Photograph: University of Florida.

The green team was formed in 2015 with the mandate to make the school environmentally aware and to begin initiatives that reduced the amount of wastage in our school. The programs we started and plan on running in the future are all meant to teach our students how they can help the environment. It is hoped that what they learn in school about the environment will be taken home and shared with family. Often, it's the little things in life that make the biggest difference. In our first year we started a recycling program that introduced the staff and students to the idea of recycling many of the items they would normally throw away. We educated the students on why we recycle and how important the process is to the continued health of the environment. We held several contests that promoted recycling, reusing, and reducing. The winners won class prizes and had their projects displayed for all to see in front of the office. Another Green Team project we started was a vegetable garden. Students started growing the plants from seeds in the classroom and a month later they were transplanted into larger growing containers. The seeds were then planted in the Elders Court of the school where they continued to grow until late September when they were harvested. With the success of the small garden we have hopes of getting a grant to create a much larger garden located on or near school grounds. We have plans of partnering with the Norway House Band and community members to ensure the success of this project. With the support of the community we hope to have dedicated volunteers who will work the garden during the summer months when the school is closed and staff are off on holidays. In return for their help they will be able to take most of the vegetables to share with their families. The school will take enough for our harvest feast that we hope will become an annual occurrence. We also are looking to do some beekeeping near the school. Other northern communities have already started beekeeping and are showing a lot of success. Some are getting enough honey to sell and the money goes back into the program. We hope to do the same in our school. We plan on using the beekeeping as an educational resource for the students. We feel that it is critical for our students to learn about bees and how important they are to the welfare of our environment.

When we speak about the future, we tend to consider advanced innovation. Nonetheless, that is not always the situation. The fact is that the technology is always changing. Because of this, it is necessary to stay on par with it to continue to be affordable. But, is innovation actually the future? Let’s discover some of the effects of innovation and also just how it affects us. As well as, why are we constantly utilizing new technologies? What are its limitations and also possibilities? The fundamental definition of innovation is the understanding concerning the development and use of technological methods. It likewise considers their relationship to society, life, and the environment. A few of one of the most common branches of technology include design, industrial arts, as well as applied scientific research. Other areas of innovation are making, such as drugs, textiles, as well as food processing. For instance, the building sector includes several fields, consisting of structure, bridges, as well as various other frameworks. Building Technology manages the building and also construction of framework. It includes dams, inland rivers, and bridges. It additionally includes sea works and harbours. It may also include ecological works as well as lighthouses. Interaction Technology has to do with exactly how we engage with modern technology. Some instances of this are telecoms, radio and tv, computers, and also photography. Various other production fields include farming, chemical, as well as textiles. Other fields include army as well as clinical applications. The area of technology incorporates a variety of topics. It is an umbrella term for a variety of practices that people have used for millennia. For example, people have been making tools as well as finding methods to do things much more effectively. For centuries, they have additionally established methods for making cheese. For centuries, the scientific research of technology have shared a close relationship. Yet, it is not science itself that identifies the nature of technology. Instead, it is the context in which we use it. The history of technology is interesting. From the advancement of the hand device to the advancement of the wheel, the human race has actually made unbelievable advancements. From rock age knives to room program items, we can find out more about the world as well as its individuals. Because of this, innovation has come to be an indispensable part of our lives. There are numerous theories that explain this sensation. As an example, we can see that the background of modern technology is abundant and also facility. We can also see how the advancement of innovation influences the growth of culture. In the past, modern technology referred to tools and also the skills required for crafts. Today, we understand that technology has a wide variety of applications. It can be used for numerous objectives consisting of communication, transport, as well as soi. Its growth has actually had an extensive impact on all elements of human life. It has even been the source of discussions regarding the future of the human species. It has been widely accepted for centuries. Its use has actually been recognized by scientists, artists, as well as designers, in addition to the general public. While words modern technology can refer to anything that has actually been developed by humans, it is an extra common term that describes what modern technology is. It can be anything from an easy hand tool to complex equipment as well as electronics. One of the most usual forms of modern technology relate to using devices. While we might not have actually needed to create these devices, we can still construct them. As an example, we can make a cranberry for our pets. For human beings, technology has actually come to be the basis for modern society. Technology is utilized in virtually every aspect of our lives. It can be utilized in the production of goods and solutions. It is also used in the development of devices. The term “tech” is a shortened form of words craft. It describes devices, machinery, as well as various other developments that are useful and/or beneficial to people. This term has a number of meanings and also is the topic of many posts. In spite of the many uses innovation, it is not always the most exact meaning. A wide variety of terms are used to explain technology. In addition to the extra general definition, it can refer to the various strategies of making things. Some individuals use tools to make their lives simpler. Others create devices to do certain tasks. In any case, there is a big variety of modern technologies readily available. The first of these is the hand device. This is a hand device that is utilized to make things. In a similar way, an electric car deals with electrical power. Using modern technology is essential to a modern-day way of life. Whether it is in the kind of a device, machine, or system, modern technology can help individuals live better lives. Digital modern technologies make it possible for firms to get in touch with customers, employees, stakeholders, as well as regional neighborhoods. With the help of these tools, companies can increase productivity and engagement. Continue reading to learn more about several of the most up to date innovations in innovation. Allow’s take a more detailed take a look at exactly how this technology can aid you live better. Read Bain’s 1937 definition of modern technology included “all the equipments, devices, and utensils that are used for the purpose of production.” This interpretation includes things such as tools, apparel, and also housing. However what is modern technology? In today’s context, it’s a wide field that includes every little thing from the hand tool to commercial fishing to high-rise buildings and motorized transportation. It’s a multi-billion-dollar market, extending several continents. A basic example of technology is the grown-up gorilla’s use a branch for strolling and to gauge water depth. Other pets, consisting of monkeys, dolphin areas, crows, and beavers, make use of basic modern technology to survive. Concepts concerning technology effort to anticipate the future of innovation. By analyzing just how these systems job, they can help us create better methods to live and work. So, prior to we obtain too fired up, let’s have a closer check out the most up to date technological developments. https://apnews.com/press-release/kisspr/technology-business-jogging-c4b1d61bae13219bd07ad50e094967e6 The term ‘innovation’ has various definitions, however it is most generally utilized in regard to scientific research, design, as well as business. It can additionally refer to a collection of procedures and methods utilized to manipulate sources. These techniques are commonly called power conversion. These technologies produce electrical energy, warm, as well as light. The term is also utilized to refer to power generation and usage. Other applications of innovation include food production, drinks, beekeeping, business angling, as well as food preservation.

In the fall of 2014, several of Taher’s corporate chefs led by Chef Chris Loew completed certification and training to become Bee Keepers. Taher built and installed two hives next to the Taher Farm property and began caring for the bees. Beekeeping and placing the bees next to the farm was not only a matter of convenience but also one of synergy – having bees nearby helps to pollinate plants and feeds the bees! What Is Happening To The Bees? Bees play a keystone role in the agricultural production and the beauty of our world through the pollination of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers. The disruption of natural habitats leading to a lack of “bee flowers”, the widespread overuse of pesticides, and numerous bee diseases and parasites have pushed honey bees to the tipping point. This honey bee crisis is broadly termed Colony Collapse Disorder. Our native bees are also in decline due to unprecedented habitat loss, pesticide contamination, and their own diseases. It is not yet scientifically clear if any one parasite or disease causes the decline of honey bees. A number of factors can make bees more vulnerable and weaken their immune systems, factors such as starvation from lack of foraging on a diversity of healthy plants, pesticides, herbicides, monoculture, poor beekeeping practices and global climate change. What Else Can Be Done? Here are some ways that you too can help support strong bee colonies: - Plant things that bees like. Here are some tips on to planting a bee garden. - Provide a bee nesting habitat. - Eliminate garden pesticides. - Support local bee keepers.

The Keeper’s Veil Honey Saison by Burial Beer Co. For the folks at Burial Beer Co., there’s beauty in death and decay. It’s part of the natural life cycle, a stage of the harvest and of the brewing process. “The can and bottle label art I do for Burial has everything to do with the balance between dark and light, beauty and grotesque, life and death, while paying homage to the many tools and trades of farm living,” says artist David Paul Seymour. In the art for The Keeper’s Veil, a honey Saison, the featured trade is beekeeping: The young beekeeper sits atop her freshly harvested honeycomb, surrounded by flowers, “in the prime spring and summer of her life,” says Seymour. Well, that’s one half of the design—“the light side,” says co-owner Doug Reiser. Rotate the can, and you’ll see “the dark, heavy scene of a beekeeper’s dead skull and veil nailed to a barbed-wire-wrapped fencepost, creating some sort of candle-lit vigil,” says Seymour. “Each side represents the two extremes of the theme,” he continues. “Skulls and maggots are shown to be every bit as beautiful as flowers and butterflies.” That’s reality, says Reiser. “We all have to deal with the juxtaposition of our demons versus our utopias.” Burial reaches deep into art history for inspiration, from the aesthetic (“heavy-metal album cover meets Alphonse Mucha Art Nouveau meets Dali Surrealism,” says Seymour), to the dual-image concept, which mimics a diptych, a two-part painting or carving displayed on two connected panels. “One of our founders, Jessica Reiser, taught the rest of us about otherworldly artists from the mid-14th and 15th century, and we fell into a spell trying to put our modern spin on the centuries-old style,” says Reiser. In the end, he continues, they hope the packaging draws beer geeks to their Asheville taproom, “because hell, if this can tells a story, what can the brewery hold in store?” ■

You have been keeping bees for a while. Now you have more questions... Why did my bees die last winter? If a tree fell on the hive, you already know the answer. But often it is not so obvious. Some of the most common reasons include: they starved, due to insufficient stores in the hive, or because the cluster could not reach stores in prolonged cold weather. There may have been moisture problems if the hive did not have an upper as well as a lower entrance. The bees may have been weakened and infected with viruses due to a high mite population in the fall, or shrews might have got in and decimated the bees over winter. The hive might have suffocated under an ice crust. What's the best way of controlling varroa mites? There is no single best way. It is best to vary treatments to prevent resistance developing. Monitor for mites in spring and fall, and treat mites early to prevent explosive growth in populations. Read up on all the available methods and choose an approach that suits you. Do I need to requeen every year? How often? Not necessarily, although a lot of beekeepers do. If your queen is laying steadily and the colony is healthy, a queen can do well for several seasons. If the queen is failing, the bees will supersede her themselves. Queens have been recorded laying well as long as seven years, but this is unusual. What's the best way of preparing my hives for winter? Make sure you do your mite treatments thoroughly in fall, and feed your bees to top off their stores in September-October. Make sure they have an upper entrance installed before real winter weather sets in. Provide shelter from W and N winds. Some insulation or wrapping is usually beneficial. A ratchet strap to keep everything well secured is also a good idea. When's the best time to do a split? Probably mid to late June. The best time could be earlier or later in any given year, due to variations in weather. Beekeeper A said I should always do “X”. Beekeeper B told me never to do it. What should I do? Listen to all the advice you can get, then do what makes sense to you. Several different methods of solving a problem may all work. Bees are adaptable. Often the best approach is to wait a bit and any 'problem' will be resolved by the bees themselves. Help! I think one of my hives is queenless. How can I be sure? Don't panic. Often the bees will have things under control. Check carefully for eggs. If you find some, you had a queen at least until 3 days ago, and she may still be there. Check again 3 days later. If you see eggs again, you have a laying queen, as all the eggs you saw the first time will have hatched into larvae. Are there queen cells? Maybe the bees raised a new queen. Are the bees as calm as usual? If so, there is probably a queen there. Is your queen marked? Go through the frames in the brood area very carefully and look for her. I read on the internet that...small cell comb controls varroa, that you don't need to feed bees, and that you should never.... There is lots of information about beekeeping on the net. Some of it is excellent, but a lot may be from beekeepers in places very different from NB, and a lot of the rest is full of 'opinions'. Take your time deciding what parts of it are useful to you. How can I control swarming? Watch the development of your hive closely in early summer when the colony is building up fast. Make sure they always have new undeveloped comb in the brood area. Watch for overcrowding through the whole season and provide new space for the bees to work into. Be on the lookout for swarm cells on the lower part of the frames – check boxes from below during inspections. If you see them, consider doing a preemptive split. These methods are not foolproof but may help avoid some swarming activity. I want to go treatment free. Can I? You can, but you may have problems keeping your colonies alive long term. Bee breeders are constantly searching for the Holy Grail of beekeeping, bees that can survive varroa and other pests and diseases with no interventions. Some claim to have found it. Their queens are extremely expensive, and there is no guarantee they will 'work' where you live. Some people seem to be able to make 'treatment free' work in some parts of the world, but it is very difficult in most areas. I can't find the queen. How do I find her? Most of the time is is much easier to look for eggs, and there is no need to see the queen on every inspection. If you need to find her, having a marked queen helps a lot! If you just can't find the queen no matter what you do, get your friendly local mentor to come along and give you a hand. Bears are about. How do I keep them from destroying my hives? Bears can be hard to stop. You'll need a strong electric fence armed by an energizer delivering at least 0.7 joules or more. Control all other attractants such as food refuse, and site your hives away from thick cover. DNR may be able to assist you in trapping and relocating problem bears.

Are you looking for a crash course in Natural Beekeeping? I’m here to tell you there are no shortcuts when learning how to care for your bees. The best way to learn about natural beekeeping is to read, then read some more. Read everything you can get your hands on. Online information, books from the library, and articles are all readily available. Join a local Beekeeping Association, you’ll have the benefit of knowing what works in your area and have some seasoned beekeepers at your disposal for questions or problems you may have. This is especially important in your first year as a natural beekeeper. You can find a list of associations here: Beekeeping Association List OK, now what? Doing….Stop thinking and start doing. Go build your first hive, you won’t be sorry! To help you, I’ve put together a collection of my favorite natural beekeeping articles and included them below in a handy zip file for you to download and read. What will you find in this Natural Beekeeping collection? All of the articles are based on natural beekeeping and the Warre Hive. You’ll learn: - Minimal Intrusion Beekeeping - The Principle of Nest Scent and Heat Retention - Wild bee colonies that have naturally survived varroa mites - Tips and techniques for natural and sustainable beekeeping - Even a guide for making your own wax starter strips for the top bars in your beehive Keep reading! Check out the books that are available at your local library. There are a ton of great beekeeping sites that are very informative: Remember to keep an open mind and be ready to learn more about the hive and the honeybee. Practice what you’ve learned, whenever you learn something new about natural beekeeping, try it on one of your own hives. You’ll learn more by doing.

CAP Updates: 2 Reed M. Johnson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln: When humans get sick, they go see a doctor. More often than not the doctor prescribes a pharmaceutical to treat the illness. When a dog gets sick, his owner takes him to a veterinarian. Just as medical doctors do, the vet often prescribes a veterinary drug to treat the problem. When honey bees are sick the beekeeper diagnoses the problem, and just like doctors and veterinarians, they might apply a chemical treatment. The honey bee pharmacy may look different from the local drugstore, but the intended outcome is the same: restored health from the judicious application of a remedial chemical. Honey bees suffer from diseases that have no corollary in human medicine and therefore require drugs quite different from those given to sick people. Varroa mites, in particular, are responsible for widespread bee death because they suck blood, reducing bee vigor, and transmitting or activating viruses. While it may seem strange to consider as drugs treatments like Checkmite+ and Apistan, beekeepers use them like drugs to maintain bee health by reducing varroa mite infestations. Apistan was the first anti-varroa drug to be marketed in the US in 1990. Treatment consists of two plastic strips impregnated with the pyrethroid pesticide tau-fluvalinate which are hung between brood frames for six to eight weeks. As bees rub up against the strips they pick up small doses of tau-fluvalinate which is largely non-toxic to bees but murder on mites. It’s obvious that this kind of use treads a fine line between killing mites and killing bees. In the case of tau-fluvalinate, its success as a varroacide is somewhat surprising since the class of pesticides to which it belongs, the pyrethroids, contains many pesticides that are exceedingly toxic to bees. One of them, cyfluthrin (Baythroid) has an LD50 – the dose at which 50% of the bees in a group will die – of just 62 nanograms (the smaller the LD50 the more toxic). Yet tau-fluvalinate, just a few chemical tweeks different from cyfluthrin, has a generous LD50 of 9450 nanograms making it 150 times safer to bees. The utility of tau-fluvalinate as a miticide depends on the robust tolerance bees have for this pesticide. As it turns out, bees tolerate the large quantities of tau-fluvalinate present in Apistan because they are very good at detoxifiying it (Johnson et al., 2006). The main workhorses for doing this are the so-called cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), a class of enzymes important for degrading all sorts of toxins in humans and all mammals. You can appreciate their importance when P450s are experimentally blocked; when honey bees receive a P450 blocker their susceptibility to tau-fluvalinate increases almost 1000 fold. Unfortnuately, the effectiveness of tau-fluvalinate began to wane in the late 1990s as varroa mites evolved resistance (Elzen et al. 1998), though the mite’s resistance appears to occur through means other than detoxification. As tau-fluvalinate was beginning to fail in 1998, Checkmite+ was added to the beekeeper’s anti-varroa arsenal. Similar to Apistan, Checkmite+ consists of two plastic strips which are hung in the brood chamber, but these strips contain the pesticide coumaphos which belongs to entirely different class of pesticides: the organophosphates. Organophosphates, like pyrethroids, are generally very toxic to honey bees. For example, methyl parathion (PennCap-M) has an LD50 of 111 nanograms per bee. Yet bees can tolerate the presence of Checkmite+ strips in the hive, each of which contains over a gram of coumaphos. The toxicity of coumaphos is 180 times less than methyl parathion, with an LD50 of 20,300 nanograms per bee. It isn’t clear why coumaphos is so benign when other organophophates are so deadly, but, again, detoxification through P450s seems to play a role. Coumaphos becomes four times more toxic to bees when a P450 blocker is used. Bees’ tolerance of both coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate depends, at least to some extent, on rapid detoxification by P450s. If both pesticides are present in the hive at the same time there may be a problem if these chemicals compete with each other for detoxification through P450s. Students in pharmacy and medical schools spend a lot of time learning about the potentially deadly consequences of mixing drugs. There are many examples of drugs that are safe by themselves but deadly when used in combination with another. Over 15,000 scientific journal articles have been published on the subject since the year 2000. The large number of drugs on the market today and the potentially fatal consequences of mixed uses have propelled drug interaction into the research limelight. Many human drugs are detoxified by human P450s in the same way that coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate are detoxified by bee P450s. One common human drug that interacts with P450s is the over-the-counter drug acetaminophen (Tylenol). Taken alone, acetaminophen is extremely safe and has been used for over 50 years to alleviate headaches and other pains. Read the label on a bottle of Tylenol, however, and you will see this dire warning: “If you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks per day [ . . .] acetaminophen may cause liver damage.” The problem is that alcohol, a recreational drug, interacts with P450s too. While neither of these drugs would cause great harm alone, the result of the two interacting with P450s can cause damage to the liver and possibly death. Similar things may be happening in honeybees and given the recent reports of honey bee deaths associated with Colony Collapse Disorder we were concerned about the potential for bees to die from the combinations of drugs present in the hive. Of particular concern are coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate, both widely used as varroa mite treatments, and both reactive to P450s. To test for interactions between tau-fluvalinate and coumaphos we collected newly emerged adults bees off of a frame of brood stored in an incubator. These new bees were allowed to mature for three days in the incubator with only bee candy for sustenance. The bees were then knocked out with carbon dioxide and given a range of low non-lethal doses of either coumaphos or tau-fluvalinate. The bees recovered within an hour, then were knocked out and treated again with a range of doses of the other anti-varroa treatment. Bees were returned to the incubator for 24 hours, then classified as either alive or dead and statistics were used to calculate an LD50 value. A strong interaction between coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate was found in bees that were first treated with low doses of coumaphos then dosed with tau-fluvalinate. Pre-treatment with as little as 300 nanograms of coumaphos doubled the toxicity of tau-fluvalinate and pre-treatment with 10,000 nanograms of coumaphos increased the toxicity of tau-fluvalinate 32 times (Figure 1). Reversing the order of application also revealed an interaction: bees receiving 1000 nanograms of tau-fluvalinate as a pre-treatment becoming 3 times more susceptible to the toxic effects of coumaphos (Figure 2; Johnson et al., 2009). But how realistic are the dosages we used in this lab experiment? How likely is it that a bee will contact enough of either compound from Checkmite+ or Apistan strips to cause death? While real insight into this problem would require chemical analysis of the bees, it is possible to get an idea of the bees’ exposure with a few calculations. Each Checkmite+ strip contains about 1.4 grams of coumaphos. Assuming that 10% of the coumaphos present in the strip escapes from two strips in a hive of 20,000 bees over six weeks, that works out to a daily dose of 330 nanograms of coumaphos per bee – enough to double the toxicity of tau-fluvalinate. If similar assumptions are made about a pair of Apistan strips (each containing 0.7 grams of tau-fluvalinate) in a similar hive for 8 weeks, each bee would receive a daily dose of 125 nanograms – a dose insufficient to change the toxicity of coumaphos. However it is likely that nurse bees, which spend their time in the brood nest working next to these miticide strips, receive a larger dose of coumaphos or fluvalinate than the forager bees. So it seems possible that treatment with both Checkmite+ and Apistan would cause some bees to die. We have not tried simultaneous treatment with both miticides since it seems like a foolish and unrealistic thing for any beekeeper to do. However, even in the absence of miticide strips, most bees in the US are being exposed to low doses of both chemicals right now. Many pesticides, including coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate, are extremely wax soluble, meaning that these compounds move into the wax component of the hive where they can reside for many years and potentially build up with repeated Apistan or Checkmite+ applications. Both compounds can survive the wax recycling process and can be readily found in the wax of new foundation (Martel et al. 2007). It should come as no surprise that chemical analysis of brood wax samples collected from CCD and healthy colonies were always found to contain both coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate (Frazier et al., 2008). Both miticides are ubiquitous in modern beekeeping. The unanswered question is whether sufficient quantities of these chemicals can escape from the wax and enter the living bees where they may cause unwanted interactions with each other or with newly applied miticides. This work was performed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as part of my dissertation work with May Berenbaum. After graduation, I joined Marion Ellis at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to continue looking at drug interactions in honey bees as a part of the multi-university USDA CAP Colony Collapse Disorder project. Bees are treated with many drugs beyond coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate and we are looking at the potential for drug interactions between the many drug treatments beekeepers use to maintain bee health. Work so far has only examined interactions between the miticides that result in bee death, but it is likely there are more subtle non-lethal effects in bees exposed to lower doses of miticides – effects that might be especially important in queen and drone health. We are looking forward to sharing our findings with beekeepers so that we can all become better bee pharmacists. - Frazier, M., C. Mullin, J. Frazier and S. Ashcraft. 2008. What have pesticides got to do with it? American Bee Journal 148: 521-523. - Johnson, R. M., Z. Wen, M. A. Schuler, and M. R. Berenbaum. 2006. Mediation of pyrethroid insecticide toxicity to honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. 99: 1046-1050. - Johnson, R. M., H. S. Pollock, and M. R. Berenbaum. 2009. Synergistic interactions between in-hive miticides in Apis mellifera Journal of Economic Entomology 102: 474-479. - Martel, A., S. Zeggane, C. Aurieres, P. Drajundel, J. Faucon, and M. Aubert. 2007. Acaricide residues in honey and wax after treatment of honey bee colonies with Apivar or Asuntol 50. Apidologie 38: 534-544.

Best places to visit in Gujarat 1.Saputara – The Only Hill Station Saputara is the only planned hill station in Gujarat situated in the Sahyadri range. (Height about 960 m) The word ‘Saputara’ means ‘snake’s abode’. The Dang tribes gather on the banks of the river Sarpaganga during the festivals of Holi and Diwali to worship snakes. Dang Darbar is held here during Holi. At that time the tribal chiefs are given shirpav. ‘Dang Darbar’ is the biggest folk festival of the Dangi people. At this time the tribesmen do ‘Dangi dance’. Among the places of interest in Saputara are Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Eco Point, Boating, Deepakala Park, Saputara Museum, Waghbari, Beekeeping Center, Triphala Forest etc. The sanctuary of Bardipada is here Purnimabahen Pakwasa. Purnimabahen Pakwasa (‘Dang’s sister’) has developed a beautiful school here called ‘Ritambhara Vishwa Vidyalaya’. Many location you can Visit Gira Falls, Vansda National Park, Hatgadh Fort, Artist Village. if you are looking to relax for a little while on an otherwise hectic trip. 2 Sasan Gir Situated in the forests of Gir, this place is known as the Lion Sanctuary (Gir National Park). It is the only habitat of Asian lions in the world. The Gujarat government’s tourism department has arranged sightseeing here. 3 Dwarka Temple The ancient name of Dwarka is ‘Dwaravati’. Situated on the banks of the river Gomti, Dwarka is one of the four famous pilgrimages of the Hindus. Dwarka is one of the seven towns of Mokshadayi. Dwarkanagari, inhabited by Lord Krishna, was submerged in the Gulf of Kutch. His remains were discovered by historian Dr. S. R . Temple of Dwarkadhish to Rao e. Q. Acquired in the 1980s. There is a temple of Dwarkadhish built in the newly settled town of Dwarka around 13th century. This huge temple of 52 meters high seven storeys stands on 60 pillars. In the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, there is a 1 meter high quadrangular black idol of Dwarkadhish. On the fourth floor there is a statue of Ambaji and on the fifth floor there is a ‘Ladwa Mandap’ on 72 carved pillars Near the main temple is the temple of Rukminiji. The ‘Shardapith’ Ashram, founded by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century, is located nearby. It is one of the four backs of India. In addition, there are many temples and inns here. There is also a seat of Vallabhacharya Gosaiji. 4 Shankhodwar Bat Dwarka Shankhodwar Bat is located near Okha. This is also known as ‘Bat Dwarka’. There are eight palaces with two or three floors of Dwarkadhish and his cousins. Here is the ‘Masyavatar Temple’. Lord Krishna Here is our rum of 76 Navneet called ‘Conch’. The soil of Gopi lake here rescued a demon known as ‘Gopichandan’. This bat is known as ‘Shankhodwar Bat’ as a large number of conch shells are found here. 5 Somnath Temple (Prabhaspatan) Somnath is a very ancient, rich and important center of Rao sect. Somnath is considered to be the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Somnath is considered to be the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas. It was founded to free the moon from the curse. Chandra first built a temple of silver, Lord Krishna of Sukhad and Bhimdev first and Kumarapala built a stone temple. The temple was destroyed by foreign invaders. King Hamirji Gohil was martyred while protecting the temple of Somnath in Saurashtra. His pillar is in the temple precincts. Triveni confluence of Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati rivers takes place here. The confluence of the Hiran river and the sea is considered the holy Triveni Tirtha. Not far from it is Dehotsarga Tirth. It is believed that the body of Lord Krishna was cremated here. 6 Girnar Mountain The ancient name of Girnar is ‘Revatak’ or ‘Revat’. There is an inscription of Ashoka, an inscription of Rudradaman, Damodar, Kund, Revati Kund, Gorakhnath temple in the foothills of Girnar. Etc. are spectacular. Seven soon located on Girnar mountain .Inscriptions are found in the Mangama Upayatan of the handicraft industry. The name of the river Girnar, the animal name of Girnar Parvatamiyagap is Dhan. The inscription of Ashoka in the foothills of Pori. On the first short is the twelfth century Jain temple of Neminathji | Na derasaro on Girnar.On the second track is the temple of Ambaji.It is about ten thousand steps to reach the short of Dattatreya. Pierre “. Is counted. Every year a green procession of Girnar is held from Kartak Sud Agiyaras to Kartak Sud Poonam. In which millions of devotees participate. 3. Bhavnath: There is a Shiva temple of Bhavnath at the foot of Girnar mountain on the banks of the river Swarnarekha. Mahashivaratri fair here. Is filled. Here Arjuna is believed to have abducted Subhadra, the sister of Lord Krishna. 7 Mandvi Beach Mandvi is an old port situated on the banks of Kankavati river. For tuberculosis patients here ‘TB. There is a sanatorium. The first wind farm in Asia is here. Vijay Vilas Palace and Bhadreshwar Temple are worth visiting. Vijay Vilas Palace. 8 Rann of Kutch A large area of salt marshes is located in Gujarat , India . It is divided into : Great Rann of Kutch and Little Rann of Kutch .The name “Rann” has come from the Hindi word ran meaning “desert”. you want to know the best time to visit the Rann of Kutch, read on to learn why you should visit the rann during the Rann Utsav, the great Rann Festival held annually. 9 rann Utsav Rann Utsav takes place during the winters. Rann Utsav is the time when the desert recedes, allowing itself to be tamed, to be made into a showpiece. Rann Utsav is very famous in India. many people visit as well as foreigners are also visit the runn Utsav. During the festival, the best of local talent from all over Gujarat come together to create beautiful music in the white sand. From folk dance (Garba, Hallisaka, and Tippani) performance to scrumptious Gujarati thali, from moonlit camera safari to folk dramas, the festival is organised to celebrate the uniqueness and culture of the Kutch region. There are Rann Utsav is held at the Dhordo village, 80 km north of the Bhuj city in Kutch. 10 Diu Island Diu is a charming beach resort town connected to Gujarat as an Island paradise by a creek. Diu is known to host a number of attractions as a reason of which this place lists its appearance in the list of must visiting places in India. There are many places in Diu to visit Nagoa Beach, Naida Caves, gangeshwar temple, diu fort etc. 11 Tithal beach Tithal is a beach on the west of the Valsad town. Adjacent to the Arabian Sea, this beach is known as a black sand beach. Located in the south of Gujarat, Tithal Beach can be reached through the Valsad town in auto rickshaws or GSRTC buses. 12 Narayan Sarovar There are attractive temples around the lake.There is an ancient magnificent Shiva temple of Koteshwar on the coast 2 km away from Narayan Sarovar.The state government has developed this place as a tourist destination.The water of this lake is salty. There is also Kalyanrai Temple, Nilkanth Temple. 13 Koteshwar Mahadev Temple The story of Koteshwar begins with Ravana, who won a boon from Lord Shiva for an outstanding display of piety. This boon was the gift of a Shiva linga of great spiritual power, but which Ravana, in his arrogant haste, accidentally dropped and it fell to earth at Koteshwar. To punish Ravana for his carelessness, the linga turned into a thousand identical copies (some versions of the story say ten thousand, some a million; suffice to say it was quite a lot.) Unable to distinguish the original, Ravana grabbed one and departed, leaving the original one here, around which Koteshwar Temple was built. Visitors can see the temple, walk along the beach and on a clear night, even see the glow of light from Karachi, Pakistan, on the northwestern horizon. 14 Dakor Temple Dakor Temple is very famous Temple in kheda, Gujarat. It is prominent for its grand temple of Shree Ranchhodraiji ( Lord Krishna). The temple comes alive during February-March as millions of devotees converge on the town on foot from various locations around Gujarat for the Chaitra Poonam fair. Janmashtami, around August is another good time to experience the religious fervour of devotees. There are about 35 festivals organized during the Hindu months. The Kartik purnima annakoot festival is a wonderful experience as lakhs of devotees offer a variety of foods to the Lord. As for weather in central Gujarat,On normal days the temple is not crowded but during festivals like Rathyatra, Holi and Dussehra, there are crowds everywhere. 15 zarwani waterfall At a distance of about 90 km from Vadodara in Gujarat, Zarwani Waterfalls are amongst the most sought natural destinations in India. Huddled deep inside the heart of Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary near the district of Narmada, the perennial. 16 statue of unity Statue of Unity is a memorial to The Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Curry and NWDT made its last decision in December 1979. Mama (NWDTH • Stagu of Unity) Anandibahen Patel, the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat, has laid the foundation stone of the Statue of Unity. It is hoped that it will be ready.On this occasion LK Advani launched a book titled ‘Hind Ke Sardar’ and a ringtone. This is happening under the banner of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust that the ‘Run for Unity’ program was held on October 31, 2014, the 139th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. The total height of the statue will be 240 meters from the ground, with the height of the statue being 182 meters and its base height being 58 meters. I have a place where about 200 people can see Satpuda, Vindhyachal mountain range, Sardar Sarovar and Garudeshwar reservoir at an altitude of 500 feet. 17 kabirvad Kabirvad is a small island in the Bharuch district of Gujarat rumoured to be Saint Kabir’s residence several hundred years ago. Located along the banks of the river Narmada. 18 Rani ki vaav In the 38th ‘World Heritage Session’ held, the wonderful and historic ‘Ranki Vav’ of Patan, the ancient capital of Gujarat, has been ranked as the 31st ‘World Heritage Site’ of India. Rani Ki Vav E. Q. ‘Queen Vav’ was built in 1063. ‘Rani Ki Vav’ is a symbol of the beautiful use of groundwater and water management found in one place in ancient times. This Vav had religious, social and economic significance. 5125 lakes were constructed. ‘Queen Vav’ has come to the capital. Solanki kings in the state of Anhilwad 7224 Vav | Was for use. The main wow is round. It looks like from above. Vav East – West 68 m long, North – Dhak 20 m wide and 28 m deep with seven floors | Due to the flood of Saraswati river, this Vav was submerged and absorbed. E. Q. It was excavated at the site by ASI (Archeology: 9th / Survey of India) in 1980 and was found in its original form. ‘Raniki Vav’ is decorated in India. On the walls and pillars of Vav are known as Vishnu’s Dashavatar, Mahesh, Ganapatiji, Devanganao, Yogini, Rani. This Vav is engraved in stone. The sculptures here contain various elements shown in the Vedas as well as statues of Ramayana and Mahabharata occasions. Even the limbs and appendages of these sculptures, and as shown in the scriptures underwear or naked, are not disturbed. There are three types of women’s sculptures: independent personalities) women, women who specialize in the art of music and dance were women who displayed physical beauty. One sculpture depicts Mahiya Mardini with 20 arms. There are six statues of Parvati in the windows of Vav. In the glorious statue, Parvati is leaning on her left leg with her right leg bent. This is his ‘Panchagni Tapak Swarup’. The cultured vision and spirituality of the artists can be seen in the statues. Vav also has a sculpture of Rani Udayamati. Is an epic of beauty. To give global recognition to the handicraft heritage of Patola, Geographical Indicator. 19 International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad The International Kite Festival takes place on the 6th January on the eve of Uttarayan or Makara Sankranti to 14 January. The entry to the International Kite Festival of Gujarat is free for all the visitors. This is very famous festival of Gujarat. Many foreigners only come to India to visit this festival. Various cities across Gujarat hold kite flying competitions among its citizens. However, the showstopper contest, the International Kite Event, is held in Ahmedabad. 20 Shamlaji temple Shamlaji has got the beauty of hills, forests and Meshwo river. In the world famous temple of Shamlaji, there is a dark idol of Lord Krishna – Vasudeva holding a mace. Hence this place is also known as ‘Gadadharpuri’. The construction of the temple retains the ancient Chaulukya style. This place is extraordinarily observant in terms of sculptural beauty. The fair is held here on Karthiki Purnima. This is mainly a tribal fair. Nearby is Shyamalvan. 21 vadodra Thea name of Vadodara is ‘Vatpadrak’, ‘Vatpur’. The city is called the ‘City of Palaces’ because of its many magnificent buildings. The architecture and art of Nyaymandir, Sharti Mandir, Surasagar Lake, Maharaja Fateh Singh Rao Museum, Pratap Vilas Palace, Makarpura Palace, Nyaymandir Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Nazarbagh Palace etc. are visible in this city. The Kirti Mandir contains many oil paintings of the kings of the Gaekwad dynasty and their families. There are beautiful paintings on the subject of Gita by Nandlal Bose, the great artist of Ardhi Santiniketan. Kamati Bagh (Zoo), Sayaji Bagh, Planetarium, Maharaja Sayajirao University etc. The Kirti Mandir grows in the adornment of Vadodara. The statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh near the court is the only statue in Gujarat. The library of Vadodara is considered to be rich. The development of Vadodara has accelerated with the emergence of a fertilizer town nearby. 22 Surat The city of Surat is India’s fastest growing and ‘diamond industry’. No Capital: Known as the ‘Diamond City’. Situated on the banks of the river Tapi, Surat is a city of dreamers, travelers, reformers and culture lovers. Veer Narmad’s residence and his statue are here. The largest man-made leaf market in Asia, ‘Surat Textile Market’, is in Surat. The first revolving restaurant in Asia has been built in Surat. E. Q. ‘Mupal Sarai’ built by Haqiqat Khan in 1644, E, S, ‘Chokbazarno Fort’ built by Salmani in 1510, E, S, Judge A in 1850? Notable places like Andrews Library, Atmanand Pharmacy established by Bapalal Wade, Derasar of Chintamani Parshvanath, Nehru Bagh etc. are some of the notable places here. Here every year the municipality organizes ‘Trianki’ drama competition. Veer Narmad South Gujarat University is headquartered here. The city has developed gold, silver, diamond, zari, cotton textiles as well as handicraft industries. On the Tapi River, there is Sardar Bridge, Makkai Bridge and Vivekananda Bridge. 23 Dumas Beach This is a well-known resort located on the coast, 15 km from Surat. The Tapi River and the sea converge near the Dumas. 24 Ambaji Temple, Banaskantha. Ambaji Temple is one of the most Famous Hindu Temple in Gujarat. It is located near 179 kilometers from Ahmedabad on the Arasur hill of Aravali hills. There is a glorious famous temple of Ambaji Mataji. This is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths of India. A magnificent temple has been built on the site of the ancient temple. The temple peak of Ambaji of this temple is gilded. The temple does not have an idol of Mataji, but the gold machine is decorated and worshiped like an idol. Ambaji is the main place of worship for the devotees of Mataji in all the communities of Gujarat. Mataji’s original station is on the hill Gabbar near Ambaji. 25 Adalaj The ancient name of Adalaj is ‘Gadhapatan’. E. Q. The Vav was built in 1499 by Mahmud Begda for Rani Rudibai, the wife of Veer Singh Vaghela of Adalaj. Hence it is known as ‘Adalajni Vav’ or ‘Rudibai’s Vav’. Adalaj’s Vav is a masterpiece of Hindu and Muslim architecture. This ornament is similar to the ornament in the archeological remains. The fifth floor of this five-story Vav is below the water surface, which is the specialty of this Vav. With three main entrances, the north-south length of the plant is 251 feet. This Vav has 914 steps. The depth to the north of this well is about 50 feet. A stone wall has been built to prevent the soil from collapsing due to deep excavation in the ground. On the wall are sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses. 26 Bhuj Bhuj is the district headquarters. It is a historical city situated at the foot of Bhujia Dungar. There is a temple of Bhujang Nag on the hill. The old city was protected by Bhujia fort. Ramsang Malme Bhujio Fort Navneet We have learned to build a glass palace, beautiful carved umbrellas of Maharaja Lakhpatji, Hazira of Fateh Mohammad Arab, Maharavsinh Madansinhji Museum, Anandkunj, Prag Mahal, Karach Museum, Sharadbag Palace, Harang Darshan (Museum of Folk Art), Mohammad Panna Masjid, Pragmalji’s Rajmahal etc. are some of the places of interest here. Desalsar and Hamirsar lakes add beauty to the city. And takes place in five sacred lakes. 27 Galteshwar 16 km away from Dakor, on the banks of the river Mahi, this Solanki era Shivalaya is a sight to behold. Galateshwar is the ‘Chandrahas’ town of Galavamuni described in the Puranas. Here is the confluence of Mahi and Gomti rivers. This pilgrimage of pilgrims is Shivalaya Dham. 28 Patan Patan is the headquarters of the district. The original name of this town inhabited by Vanraj Chavda is ‘Anhilpur Patan’. Vanraj built the temple of Kangheshwari Mata in Patan. He built the Derasar letter of Parshvanath. In it he set up his own idol as a criminal against the idol of Parshvanath. 1008 Shiva temples and 108 Devi temples were built around the Sahaslig lake built by Siddharraj Jayasinghe, the remains of this lake introduce its grandeur. In memory of King Bhimdev I, his queen Udayamati has built a ‘Raniki Vav’ in the ‘World Heritage Site’. Harihareshwar temple has an octagonal lake called ‘Brahmakund’. Ardhi’s pottery, mushroom and patola are famous. Hemchandracharya is the headquarters of North Gujarat University. Jain temples in Patan have a collection of Hemchandrasuriji’s books. 29 Siddhpur The ancient names of Siddhpur are ‘Siddhakshetra’ and ‘Shristhal’. The Poonam fair of Kartak month is held in Siddhpur, situated on the banks of the river Kunwarika Saraswati flowing in the desert. ‘Rudramahalaya’ was created by Mulraj Solanki, the king of Gujarat. And was renovated by Siddharth Jai Singh. Matrushraddha is performed at Rudramahalaya Bindu Sarovar in Siddhpur. Hence Siddhpur is known as ‘Matrugaya’. Parashuram performed Matrishraddha in Bindu Sarovar. Kapil Muni’s ashram is worth seeing here. The first crematorium to display funerals online using the internet is in Siddhpur. 30 Gandhinagar Gandhinagar, named after the Father of the Nation of India, Mahatma Gandhi, is the new capital of the state of Gujarat and the headquarters of this district. Gandhinagar is connected by National Highways and Railways No. 47, 48 and 147. Sightseeing in Sector-10 of this Gandhinagar, associated with the name of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation of India, is the new capital of the state of Gujarat and the headquarters of this district. The town was planned under the leadership of La Kabuziar of Chandigarh. That. Designed by Mewada and his partner Prakash Apte. On August 2, 1965, the first brick of the guest house of the colony was laid at the power house of the Gujarat Electricity Board and the ground breaking ceremony of the city of Gandhinagar was held. On February 11, 1971, the Gujarat Legislative Assembly was shifted from Ahmedabad to the Central Library, Sector-17, Gandhinagar and Gandhinagar became the capital of Gujarat. This beautiful, picturesque and green park covers an area of 30 sectors, and 57 square kilometers. The town has ‘A’ Gujarat Assembly roads from west to east and ‘1’ to ‘7’ vertical roads from south to north. There is a circle at every kilometer. 31 Mahudi Of these Jains situated on the banks of the river Sabarmati. No mother’s temple has much glory. Here in Derasar there is a statue of Ghantakarna Mahavira. Sukhadi prasad is held here, which has to be taken healthy in the temple’s Patangan. In the village of Khadat, a short distance from Mahudi, are the remains of the Kotyark Sun Temple. Derasar of Ghantakarna is a pilgrimage site for merchants. 32 Pavagadh Temple, panchmahal (World heritage site) Pavagadh Temple is the one of the most famous pilgrimages of the Hindus. Pavagadh Temple is very famous Temple in Gujarat. It is located in panchmahal, halol. In July, 2004, Champaner – Pavagadh Archaeological Site of Gujarat, Pak is listed as a ‘World Heritage Site’. At the foot of this mountain, the palaces and huge houses of the one-time Raidhani of Gujarat were built. Built a coat around town. There is an airy place here known as ‘Kabutarkhana’. Vav is known for its spiral steps in Champaner. The Lakulish Temple is the oldest architecture of the tenth and eleventh centuries. One of the 51 Shakti Peeths on the highest peak of Pavagadh mountain is the ‘Mahakali Mata’s Temple’. Next to the temple Panchmahal District 83 There are lakes named “Dudhiya” and “Chhasia”. There is a ‘Dargah of Sadanshah Pir’ at the top of the hill. There is a place called ‘Manchi’ in the middle of the mountain. Rishabhdev, Chandraprabhu and Parshvanath’s derasar on the mountain. Vishwamitri river rises from the Pavagadh mountain. The village of Tua is famous for its hot springs. 33 Nal Sarovar bird sanctuary, Ahmedabad This bird sanctuary is located at about 64 km to the west of Ahmedabad near Sanand village,Gujarat. the sanctuary attracts migratory birds like herons, pelicans, flamingos, storks, swans etc. during the month of November to March. The water of Nal Sarovar is salty in monsoon, but in winter and summer the water becomes salty due to the salinity of the bottom of the lake. The depth of Nal Sarovar is more than two meters. 34 Lothal This heritage place in Gujarat has no beautiful carving or monuments like others. But still you would love to visit this place for its history and to gain knowledge. The major attractions in Lothal are the vast ruins of the ancient city. The most important are the sites of the ancient dockyard, the acropolis, the lower town, the bead factory, the warehouses, and the drainage system. The 78-km distance from Ahmedabad to Lothal is covered in two phases. The first leg of the journey can be covered by rail to reach Bhurkhi, which is on the Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar railway line.

The pollination services provided to food crops and rangeland forages by bees and other animals is valued at no less than $15-20 billion a year in the United States, but was at one time provided to us “for free.” Recent events suggest that if we want to keep these valuable services available to us, our society needs to make an investment in providing pollinators with food, sheltered nesting areas and pesticide-free habitat. The value of commercial beekeeping in Arizona once topped $12 million a year, but its future status is no longer certain. Since 2007, there have been reports of honeybee colony collapse in Arizona and 22 other states, with one Arizona beekeeper losing over 95% of his 1000 hives. Overall, there has been a 33% drop in managed honeybee colony populations in the U.S. since 2007, with neo-nicotinoid pesticides and the Israeli acute paralysis virus being among the most probable culprits. The managed honeybees still remaining appear to have too narrow genetic base and compromised immune defenses to fend off such results. Feral or wild bees have also declined dramatically in Arizona, with only 5% to 48% of their previous numbers surviving in southern Arizona’s wild-lands. In short, there are fewer honeybees in the West— Arizona and California in particular— than at any point during our lifetimes. And so, over the last five years, the cost for Western orchardists renting honeybee colonies has tripled, so that the price of renting and managing honeybees to pollinate a crop like almond trees is now 15% of the entire annual cost of producing nuts. This has forced farmers, orchard-keepers and ranchers to look for other pollinators to do the “work” on their lands. Fortunately, there are at least 600 native bee species which live in the wilds of southern Arizona, as well as 300 pollinating butterflies and moth, 15 hummingbirds, bats and doves. However, over the last half century, their favorite “nectar” plants have slowly declined in the wild, as a result of drought, global warming and other factors. If these wild pollinators are to effectively “take up the slack” left by the loss of honeybees in our region, we need to restore the habitat of what ecologists call “nectar corridors” and “pollen paths.” The Borderlands Habitat Restoration Initiative based in Patagonia, is now out to restore the habitat that these imperiled pollinators need to the point that we can celebrate our place as the Pollinator Capitol of the U.S. Already, annual wildflowers as well as perennial milkweeds and shrubs are being planted to reconstruct our historic nectar corridors and to make them more diverse and resilient in the face of on-going climate change. You can help us by joining us for a Pollinator Garden Planting in memory of the Pattons at their Hummingbird Paradise on Sonoita Creek on the afternoon of Saturday June 25th. For further information, Contact us though email. Gary Nabhan is the Patagonia-based co-author of the award-winning book The Forgotten Pollinators, a contributor to Sierra Club/Xerces Society anthology on Butterfly Gardening, and founder of the Migratory Pollinators Project and Forgotten Pollinators Campaign.

Custos Apium Hive, just as in nature Providing bees with a suitable nest is one of the key elements in our way of looking after bees. In nature bees prefer to live in cavities in trees. The thick walls of the tree trunk surrounding the nest keeps the colony safe, warm and protected from the elements and natural predators. The tree cavities are usually vertical shafts and cylindrical in shape which have slowly formed inside the tree over decades. Very often with a small easily defended hole as an entrance. The insides are rough, perfect for the bees to cover in propolis, known to be of great importance for the health of the colony due to its antibacterial properties. For millions of years, bees lived in cavities in trees and are completely adapted to this. Our Custos hives mimics as close as possible these natural conditions and are far removed from the modern commercial bee hive used in conventional beekeeping. We believe that keeping bees in square hives, with walls often no more then two centimetres thick, with no insulation value and at ground level, contributes to a weaker colony. We aim to avoid these conditions by providing better hiving. The modern conventional beehive is in fact a slight variation on a mid nineteenth century invention How our hive works The interior of the main body of the hive is specifically shaped to the dimensions that bees prefer… a shaft, a tall and narrow cylinder. There are no frames involved at all, the hive is designed to mimic the natural bee habitat and there is no human intervention, so frames for inspection are irrelevant.The bees will build their comb as they wish, as they would in a hollow tree trunk. The internal wall of the hive is rough cut wood to encourage the bees to coat the surface with propolis. Propolis is now known to be of great importance for the health of the colony due to its antibacterial properties. The internal volume of the hive is large enough for the bee superorganism to sustain themselves year round. The cylinder shape means no cold corners inside the hive as trapped cold moist air in corners can lead to mold which is not healthy for bees. Offer bee swarms a nesting site With the dimensions and design of the hive adapted to the bees preferences, we use this hive very successfully to naturally attract swarms in spring and early summer. We place the hive in a location where scouting bees would be looking for a new nesting site, a tree, or on a high stand, safely secured, and wait for bees to find it. Once a swarm has moved in, it becomes a completely natural and suitable permanent bee home. In this way, this hive is also perfectly suitable if conservation is your main aim, and you are looking for a different way of beekeeping that is less intrusive and does away with all the management and 'beekeeping work'. And yet, this hive offers an opportunity of a small honey take. By placing this hive in your garden, or on your property, you offer Bees a home if a swarm may be looking for one. Once the bees have moved in, you can enjoy their presence, benefit from their pollination work, take a little honey without deep intervention or just sit and watch nature’s wonder at work. The best and easiest way to have bees in your garden. designed for the management of bees with the aim of maximum honey production. Unfortunately the design gave no consideration to the needs of the bee. When bees live in a hive that's suitably shaped, of the correct dimensions and therefore easier for them to regulate the temperature and humidity, they have a far better chance to stay strong and healthy. Offering bees an abode that answers to their needs can only help towards having healthier bee colonies. The cylinder helps prevent cold corners as does the insulation in the Custos hives. A stable environment is incredibly important for a bee colony, as the outside temperature fluctuates the bees must work hard to regulate the internal temperature of the hive. In the Custos hive the cylinder shape and the insulation act to stabilize the internal environment ensuring the bees are less stressed. The needed moisture in the hive is also warm and in that way perfectly usable and beneficial in the hive. Put simply a tall narrow insulated cylinder is a better abode than a broad thin skinned box. Better hiving helps bees keep healthy. While the main body gives the bees enough space to build and store, it's also perfectly sized for them to cast a swarm every spring. For reproduction, but also for the health of the colony.

Indian Apiculture Market Share, Size, Growth, Demand and Forecast Till 2026: IMARC Group According to the latest report by IMARC Group, titled “Indian Apiculture Market Share: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026”, provide the Indian apiculture market expects the market to reach a value of INR 38,609 Million by 2026. The report provides a detailed analysis of the market by product type, application and geography Also, the report analyzes the market’s competitive landscape. Base Year: 2020 Forecast Year: 2021-2026 Download free sample of the report: https://www.imarcgroup.com/india-honey-beekeeping-apiculture-market/requestsample Industry Definition and Application: Apiculture, also known as beekeeping, is the study and practice of cultivating bees on a commercial scale to produce products such as honey, propolis, royal jelly and beeswax. Apiculture involves mass breeding of bees in apiaries where beehives are set up and placed in areas with a high concentration of flowering plants. Apis Indica, or Indian bee, is the most commonly reared and domesticated bee species in India due to its high yield of honey every year. Honey, produced by bees using the nectar or sugary secretions of plants, serves as a vital ingredient in various food dishes, and cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. Apart from this, the beeswax obtained from beehives is used in the manufacturing of candles and polishes for footwear and furniture. Browse full report with TOC: https://www.imarcgroup.com/india-honey-beekeeping-apiculture-market Note: We are regularly tracking the direct effect of COVID-19 on the market, along with the indirect influence of associated industries. These observations will be integrated into the report. Market Trends and Drivers: The growing ayurvedic industry in India is one of the key factors driving the market growth. Ayurveda is the ancient Indian medicinal system which prescribes extensive usage of honey owing to its medicinal properties. Rising awareness among the masses regarding the benefits of honey has shifted their preference to Ayurveda as a more natural alternative science of healing. People are now widely incorporating honey in their daily diet to ensure maintaining a healthy immune system. Additionally, honey is a known remedy for the treatment of various respiratory, skin and vision issues without any side-effects, which is also augmenting the consumption of honey in the country. Consequently, manufacturers in the food and beverage industry are launching varied products with honey as the key ingredient. Furthermore, owing to the medicinal benefits of honey and beeswax, industries such as pharmaceutical, and beauty and personal well-being are extensively utilizing them in the manufacturing of their products, thus contributing significantly to the market growth Indian Apiculture Market Segmentation: The report has segmented on the basis of product type, application and region. Breakup by Prouct Type: Breakup by Appliaction: - Food and beverages Breakup by Region: - North India - South India, - East India - West India IMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses. IMARC's information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the company's expertise. 30 N Gould St, Ste R Sheridan, WY 82801, USA