You see, I’m on a mission. Mmhmm, yes a quest in fact
to learn everything I can about bees, honey bees to be exact.
They are such an important part of gardening, of growing food really
for the entire world and they are in danger.
Yep, the wonderful honey bees are really having a hard time of it right now.
It wasn’t very long ago when people didn’t really give the honey bee much thought unless they got stung by one. Or maybe a sweet notion might cross their mind as they tasted the fruit of all of the bee’s labor, HONEY!
But now, we really should be giving the honey bee more than just a passing glance,
because if we don’t, we could have a big problem because not only do they make honey,
they also pollinate our crops so they, well, produce and grow.
We are losing honey bees by the millions and you’re not going to believe what the cause is.
Can you guess? … Times up. It’s a few different things but mainly scientist think…
it’s all of the pesticides we use on our food crops. Isn’t that sad?
The other reason is the way we farm now is different than years ago.
In the old farmhouse days many people had 10-20 acres and grew all of their own food.
There were year round crops for their own food supply.
That meant that there was always food for the bees.
(They need the nectar and pollen from blossoms
and flowers which they turn into honey, their food.)
But now, most people buy their food from the store
and those who farm grow one big massive crop like almonds.
Did you know that our Central Valley of California now grows about 90%
of the worlds consumption of almonds?
That’s why there are more and more bee keeping classes popping up
all over the place to educate the casually interested honey bee person like me,
into becoming a full fledged bee keeping enthusiast, liiiiiiiike meeeeee!!!
Isn’t it great, won’t it be fun, can you even imagine how wonderful it will be
to collect your very own honey from your very own real live working bee hive?
I am so excited!
And I’m not even scared.
Who’s scared of a lil’ ol’ honey bee anyways?
Actually, tons of people are.
Especially my darling little kindergarten students.
Every spring when the clover blooms in the playground grass,
there are dozens of honey bees all a flight.
Then these sweet lil’ baby dolls are very frightened.
I find they are almost always afraid of just about every insect at first
until we learn all about them, then their fascination ensues.
That’s where I am with bees myself. Fascinated!
It’s amazing to me that these tiny little creatures can create a honeycomb home,
delicious honey food for themselves,
and for us as well all from the nectar and pollen of flowers with their own ingenious ways.
So, where do we start. In a class of course, like all good education does,
which is where we got our first introduction to all things honeybee.
Yesterday was the day it all happened.
We had been waiting and planning for so long, and it finally came,
the day we got to take our honeybee class.
We already have the beehive, the honey gathering tools, even the the suit.
I can’t even tell you how excited I am about the suit.
It’s gonna be like my official “honeybeekeeper”
(I wonder if I’m allowed to call it that) uniform.
Well we went and it was so much fun! I’ll tell you all about it slowly but surely.
But just know that I am braver than I ever was before
(funny how that happens, learning more about something helps the fears vanish)
and I’m just so excited to get started with our beekeeping adventure!
sigh
Until next time,
XO Jerri
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
Winnie the Pooh