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New plastic foundation and that which has been cleaned requires a coat of beeswax. The wax helps make the foundation acceptable by honeybees. Adding wax to plastic foundation on new frames is often needed to add the depth of the layer which the manufacturer has put on the foundation. This article will guide you through various ways on how to coat plastic foundation with beeswax. The other type of foundation used in beekeeping is wax foundation. Since it is already made using beeswax, it does not usually require coating with more beeswax. It is important for beekeepers coating plastic foundation with beeswax to take safety precautions. You will be working around heat and hot items that can injure you. Scalding from hot beeswax pouring onto you is a high risk. If your melting apparatus gets too hot, you could have the wax boiling and spitting. Suffering burns is another possibility you should consider and take measures to prevent. Wax is very flammable, so you should consider carrying out this important beekeeping activity outdoors. Open fires near your working area can lead to ignition of the wax if it gets too hot. For your safety, wear protective clothing and gloves. Footwear should also be of a type that will protect your feet. Boots of any kind are recommended for wear when you are coating plastic foundation with beeswax. You should also have a temperature regulator on your wax melting apparatus if possible. If you cannot have a temperature regulator, at least have a temperature indicator that will tell you how hot things are. It contributes to your safety and that of your materials by informing you so you can take action to add heat or reduce it. The workstation you setup should be comfortable for you. Do not work in a bending or sitting position. Working while standing up is best. You may use some sort of cover or protection for the working surface as well. Paper towels and cardboard does a great job at keeping your work surfaces free of wax. Generally, any material that can absorb wax or prevent it from coming into contact with your working surface is OK. The material is even better is it is not quick to catch on fire. There are 2 ways you can apply a coat of beeswax on plastic foundation. The first one involves rolling the wax into a ball and then running it onto the plastic foundation surface. It is quite old fashioned and requires you to have gloves that keep your hands free of wax. A second method is melting wax and then applying it in an even layer on the plastic foundation. Let us look at the general setups for these two methods for when you are coating plastic foundation with beeswax. We begin with melting wax and applying it on the plastic foundation. This requires the following; A heating element and a heated container The source of heating for your setup may be a fire, gas burner, electricity or other suitable heat source. Sometimes, the heat source is purely the one that is easily available to you. Have a container that can take the heat and hold good amounts of wax at the same time. The container should also be wide enough to allow the applicator you use to transfer wax from the heated container onto the plastic foundation. A boiler with a thermostat is great for this job. It helps keep the temperature of melted wax below its boiling point. Focus on having liquid wax that is not too hot. If the wax gets too hot, it warps the plastic foundation out of shape. It also requires a longer cooling time once on the plastic foundation and may even damage your hot wax applicator. Plasticell foundation has been found by many beekeepers to be more resistant to heat. It does not warp when hotter wax is applied on it. However, do not take this as license to use excessively hot wax on your Plasticell foundation sheets. A wax applicator There are various items used to transfer hot wax from heated containers onto plastic foundation. Popular options are a foam brush, a sponge brush or a drywall sander. From this list, you can see that brushes are popular. A 4-inch brush made using foam is very good for the job. The foam does not get easily damaged by hot wax and applies an even coat of wax to the upper edges of the plastic foundation. You should aim to coat the top ends of the starter cells with beeswax. It is OK to have an even layer of the wax running into the cells. The overall cell structure must be clearly visible after you are done coating the plastic foundation with wax. Wax for coating the foundation Coating plastic foundation with beeswax can use up significantly large amounts of wax, so be ready with enough of it. The best way to go about this is to use beeswax from your own apiary. For beginners, you have to purchase beeswax that has been produced by other beekeepers. Using wax of known origin such as your own apiary is great. It makes sure that the wax is clean and free of contaminants. There are also great sellers of clean beeswax that you can purchase from. Joining a beekeeping club is advised for all beekeepers. The network of local beekeepers will help you get the best quality wax for starting your apiary. For those just starting out in beekeeping, it is better to get wax from a beekeeper you know near you than the commercial stuff. 1. How to Use a Brush to Coat Plastic Foundation with Beeswax With this method, we are going to use the melted wax with an additional layer of heating between the beeswax and the source of heat. - Heat a container of water, and then place the container of beeswax on top of the hot water. This keeps the wax just hot enough to melt but not boil. The best wax temperature is hot enough to just melt yet remain thick. Hotter temperatures cause the wax to thin out. At very high temperatures, the wax evaporates and can even ignite. - When using a paint brush and melted wax, use several strokes of the brush to get a layer that is thick enough onto the plastic foundation. Dip the foam brush into the liquid wax and then pull it out. The bristles should have some amount of the liquid wax on them. A gentle shake of the brush drops off excess beeswax back into the melting container. Applying the beeswax onto plastic foundation using a foam brush laden should be done quickly. This is because beeswax can cool and solidify on the bristles of the brush. It cakes onto the bristles and renders them useless. To remove such caked wax on your foam brush bristles, dip it back into the melted wax. Hold the bristles in the melted wax for a few seconds and you are ready to continue coating your plastic foundation with beeswax. A few horizontal strokes followed by one or two vertical strokes should get the job done. The strokes of your brush are best done quickly so that the brush does not linger in one place too long. If it does, you will get an uneven layer of beeswax coating your plastic foundation. As the wax cools on the brush, apply a little more pressure to get a nice layer of beeswax deposited onto the plastic foundation sheet. Using a brush to apply beeswax can be done on plastic foundation sheets and even on plastic frames that come in a continuous mold with their foundation. Have all your plastic foundation pieces ready in one neat pile near your workstation before you start applying beeswax onto them. It makes work easier and allows you to get the job done quickly. Do not forget to flip over the foundation when you are done with one side. If you don’t, then the bees will draw comb on one side of the plastic foundation and neglect the other. Plastic foundation sheets that need insertion into beehive frames can be waxed when attached to the frame. It helps to not bend the sheet once you have applied wax on the foundation. Bending the sheet may cause the wax to separate from the plastic and fall off. For best results, warm the sheets of plastic foundation. If you are coating frames that are continuous with their foundation, find a way of getting them warm. Leaving the plastic foundation out in the sunshine for a few minutes is the best trick. You may also subject them to a blast of warm air. Warm plastic foundation accepts beeswax coating better. If the sheet is cold, it cools the beeswax rapidly. It results in the plastic foundation getting too much wax on it. Placing the plastic foundation sheets in a cupboard also helps to warm them up. In warming the plastic foundation, do not apply too much heat that they warp or lose their shape. Additionally, do not heat them in water if you cannot dry them up well before applying wax. The beeswax will not adhere to plastic foundation that is wet. 2. Rolling Wax on Plastic Foundation Rolling the beeswax into a ball is another way of applying it onto plastic foundation. The ball of wax travelling across the surface of the foundation leaves a layer of wax. This is best done with moderately warm plastic foundation. You may be required to make several passes over the foundation before you have the layer of beeswax that you want on your plastic foundation. Having gloves that will not let wax through is great when you are using the rolling method. Otherwise, your hands end up caked in beeswax. - This method of coating plastic foundation with beeswax is not favored by many beekeepers. The time taken to roll balls of wax would be often better spent coating a few sheets of plastic foundation with wax using the melting method. Additionally, its potential to get you all dirty makes it the last option for beekeepers. - Rolling beeswax onto plastic foundation sheets comes with potential for wastage of large amounts of beeswax when you want to save as much as you can. The number of passes you have to make are many and the results not very satisfactory. You should also take into account that the layer of beeswax you leave on the plastic foundation sheets with this method is not even or smooth. Issues with Bees Stripping Wax from Foundation Some time after you’ve done coating and installed the beehive frames, you might find that your honeybees have stripped the wax from the plastic foundation. This happens when the bees have other priorities. Honeybees only draw comb when they need it. Placing beeswax within their reach when the honeybee colony is drawing comb in other beehive boxes can result in stripping of wax from one place to be used in another. If it happens, do not worry. Simply take out the frames whose plastic foundation has been stripped of its wax coating and apply another coat of beeswax. Reassignment of beeswax in a beehive from foundation happens even with wax foundation. A Final Word With a proper setup, waxing plastic foundation is a quick job. You must be ready with enough beeswax to get you through all the plastic foundation that you aim to coat with beeswax. Practice safe beekeeping by being mindful of your well-being. Do not neglect your safety when applying beeswax onto plastic foundation. Apply the beeswax at a rate of 3-5 layers of the beeswax on each side of the plastic foundation sheet. It gives you good wax layering and strength of bond between wax and plastic. Your honeybees will enjoy the foundation and will not know if it has a plastic core. Use this guide on how to coat plastic foundation with beeswax for faster production times in your beekeeping operation.

'There's no Place Like Gnome': Amazon Australia Launches a Garden Store for all Things Outdoors The new Amazon Australia Garden Store features a wide range of products to make your outdoor space as inviting as possible SYDNEY, 10 September: Amazon Australia has today launched a Garden store carrying a range of outdoor products that will help Australians make their outdoor space as inviting as possible, just in time for spring. "Australians love the outdoors and as the temperature starts to warm up, there’s no better time to get outside and relax, unwind or entertain in your outdoor space," said Rocco Braeuniger, Country Manager of Amazon Australia. "Our new Garden store has a range of enticing outdoor products from gardening equipment to pool supplies to patio furniture to BBQs." "Our Garden store adds to the over 125 million products already available on Amazon.com.au, underscored by great value and fast delivery." Research commissioned by Amazon Australia has found that outdoor trends have changed over the years with some iconic backyard fixtures fading out of fashion. Many Australians have noted the following items as not present in their current backyard versus when they were younger. The Amazon Australia Outdoor Living report has revealed the following items and activities as on the decline: - Hill Hoist clothes line – a decline of 23% (57% in their youth to 34% today) - Garden gnomes – a decline of 2% (21% in their youth to 19% today) - Backyard cricket – a decline of 24% (36% to 12% today) - Trampolines – a decline of 15% (28% to 13% today) Showing the nation's love for outdoor entertaining and cooking, BBQs have actually grown in popularity, with 56% of Australians noting that they have a BBQ versus when they were younger (52%). To celebrate the launch of its Garden store, Amazon Australia has embarked on a mission to bring back the humble garden gnome and reinstate it to its rightful place as guardian of the garden. Five lucky Australians will have the chance to win a personalised, handmade gnome for their garden, created by team of world-class sculptors (valued at more than $2000 each). While maybe sliding out of fashion over the decades, garden gnomes have long been known to bring luck to the home and guard your outdoors. To bring them back to their former glory, Aussies want gnomes to be 'more modern' (39%), 'more diverse' (18%), 'more culturally relevant’ (28%), and generally a 'bit more Aussie' (29%). "I'm excited the Amazon Australia has launched a Garden store giving Australians the chance to shop a range of quality local and international outdoor equipment with the convenience of delivery straight to their front door," said multi-award winning horticulture and landscape expert as well as gnome judge, Charlie Albone. "Working in the landscaping industry, I've seen many outdoor trends come and go over the years, but one thing is a certainty and that is that Australians love the great outdoors. The humble garden gnome is a classic feature of the Australian garden, and I’m thrilled that Amazon Australia is giving it a 21st century makeover." Other key findings from the Amazon Australia Outdoor Living report include: - Rise in plant parenthood - Three in four millennials (75%) are keen gardeners, indicating they grow their own organic fruit, vegetables or herbs. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Aussies are interested in growing organic fruit, vegetables or herbs, followed by growing natives (34%). - 'Grow your own' tops outdoor wish lists - Veggie gardens (22%) have been crowned the number one most wanted item in an outdoor space, followed by the signature outdoor barbie (21%), and various outdoor furniture (18%). For men, BBQs are number one (28%) and for women it is veggie gardens (26 per cent) - Modern makeover of the gnome - When asked what 2019's gnomes should look like, respondents answered getting new hair and clothes (20%), doing modern and more Australian activities (39%) like 'taking selfies and doing yoga', 'playing cricket', 'having a BBQ', and 'drinking a tinnie'. - Connecting with fauna – Approximately 15% of Australians indicated that they’d like to try beekeeping at home and 19% indicated they’d like to try and raise livestock such as chickens. With Prime, nearly 90% of Australians have access to free delivery in an as fast as two days on Prime eligible Garden items. Customers who do not have Prime can enjoy free delivery on orders above $39 when shipped by Amazon AU. A one-day delivery service is available in select areas across Australia. Everyone can try Prime and enjoy all of the benefits by signing up for a free 30-day trial (and then $6.99 per month) at www.amazon.com.au/prime. To find out more about the Amazon Australia Garden store and for a chance to win a handmade customised gnome of yourself or a loved one, visit www.amazon.com.au/garden for more information. About Amazon Australia Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews. Notes to editor Prime and free delivery With Prime, nearly 90 per cent of Australians have access to free two-business day delivery on Prime eligible orders. Customers who do not have Prime can enjoy free delivery on eligible orders above $39 when shipped by Amazon AU. A one-day delivery service is available in select areas across Australia. This study was conducted online among 1,001 Australians aged 18+ in August 2019, by Pureprofile. About Amazon Australia’s Personalised Gnomes The Amazon Australia ‘Gnome Yourself competition will run from the 10 - 24 September 2019. Entrants will need to answer ‘Why you or a loved one would make the perfect garden gnome?’ to be in with the chance of winning. Sculpted gnomes will be delivered in October 2019.

From the bees to you, naturally! Please wait for the gallery to load ... it won’t be long. Lavender field at The House of Honey in Spring. Bees on show The observation hive in the shop for you to see the bees at work Opening day 2010 Beryl Phillips opening speech to her son Rupert at The House of Honey The by-product from extracting honey is beeswax. We mill our beeswax into blocks, candles and furniture polish so there is no wastage Enjoying the Australian bush Swan Valley Bees A Spring day in the apiary ABC Radio Interview An interview on bees and beekeeping by ABC radio 2013 In the Apiary Rupert taking White gum honey off the hives at Bolgart WA

Commission earmarks €120 million for beekeeping support The European Commission will provide €120 million to the EU’s beekeeping sector over the next three years to support its essential role in agriculture and the environment. This represents an increase of €12 million compared to the support provided for the period from 2017 to 2019. The EU support, doubled by contributions from member states, will apply to national apiculture programmes starting on August 1, 2019, and running until July 31, 2022. These programmes are designed at national level in cooperation with the sector with the aim to improve the conditions for the apiculture sector and the marketing of their products. EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan said: “Beekeeping is an important part of the EU agri-food sector, helping to keep jobs in our rural areas. “Bees are also vitally important for the sustainability of our agriculture and for healthy ecosystems. Therefore it is to be welcomed that the Common Agricultural Policy, working in synergy with other key European and national funds, is now providing stronger tools to support the sector. In 2018, the EU had over 17.5 million hives divided over 600,000 beekeepers. Beekeeping is practised in all EU member states and the European Union is the world’s second largest honey producer. Honeybee colonies are essential for agriculture and environment, ensuring plant reproduction by pollination, while beekeeping participates to the development of rural areas, according to the commission.

Beekeeping is a company that depends on having fire that is whole. You can’t should you not enjoy coping with creatures that are live begin a company like this. Working with bees is like working with any other type of animals or fowl; it wants knowledge and care to keep bees productive and healthy. You should take complete care of each and every matter that is little, to ensure it does not create any difficulty for the business in the foreseeable future. – Choosing the appropriate tools Beginning beekeeping without choosing the right tools is like entering the conflict with swimming costumes. You should be well prepared before you start your company or it will be a total loss for money and your time. Before you choose your appropriate hives ask your self several questions. This depends on which is your goal from starting beekeeping a lot. If you’re willing to invest some money and time in a bee keeping business then you may want to understand will you take good care of your hives. Are you ready to purchase a costly hive if it is best choice for you? These kind of questions will be asked to you once you visit a specialist bee keeper to consult him about the hive that is greatest to purchase. Every hive has its specifications, maintenance and honey generation quantity. – New technology and processes If you are looking at bee keeping as a business then you must analyze a lot about their nature, bees and the newest technologies that emerged in this career to be able to keep all your info up so far. Your bees are the machines of your factory that can create cash for you all the time once they start producing honey, so keeping your thoughts focused on them and your mind open for what is new in the sector will get you on top of the company. Are you looking for raising honey bees classes in Marshfield Wisconsin? A number of folks say beekeeping classes in WI can be expensive and there are cheaper ways to learn honey bee farming without spending a fortune in training.

The saddest sight a beekeeper can see is a huddle of dead bees, heads thrust deep inside empty wax cells, with the queen dead in the middle. And the wretched thing is that they had starved just an inch away from a broad, golden arc of honey. This phenomenon is called “Isolation Starvation“. Beekeepers are getting hot under the collar about an academic study which compares the different methods of applying oxalic acid (derived from rhubarb leaves) to a hive to combat the pernicious varroa mite. Oh yes. Continue reading “Rhubarb, Rhubarb” On a previous visit to Barbados, I had met Ben The Bajan Beekeeper. Following my blog post, I received an invitation from one of Ben’s fellow beekeepers, Bret Tujela, to visit his Bajan Bees when I was next on the island. Bret responded enthusiastically when I let him know that the entire Apis beekeeping family would be holidaying in Barbados. He was keen for us to see his bees as soon as we got off the plane. That was before we had hired a car, so we postponed the invitation. That was to prove fateful. Maff spotted the sign, on the outskirts of Bridgetown, Barbados: “Sawh’s Bee Hiving Enterprise – we specialize in bee hive removal. 100% pure Honey. 100% pure Bajan.“ Irresistible. I called the number. After a long, almost too long ring, the phone was answered by a woman’s voice. A kind, busy, slightly singing intonation. I explained that I was a beekeeper from London and that I’d like to buy some genuine Bajan honey. “Certainly”, the lady replied: “where are you staying on the island? I’ll bring some to you.” Thanks to James Dearsley at Bee Craft for hosting this on-line Google+ “Hang-out” on Forage and Natural Beekeeping tonight. More on my Berlin trip later. It gave me exceptionally intriguing insights into another city’s beekeeping experience. Much more on Forage later, too. I’ve been out and about on that topic and have a real breakthrough. By beekeepers, for beekeepers. Yes, indeed! But for now, here’s the Hang-Out…. At the Leiston and District Beekeepers’ Association AGM, some exciting new research into varroa mites was disclosed. (The L&DBKA partly sponsors an Eastern Area Research Student (EARS) project and that student is associated with this research). These new insights into the fiendish cunning of these deadly bee parasites showed that varroa mites employ chemical camouflage to move, undetected, from the bee, on which they feed, into the brood cells, where they reproduce. Since the odour of a bee is very distinct from the odour in the brood cell, this is quite a transition. Essentially, a varroa mite can change its chemical profile in between 3 and 9 hours when switching between bee or brood cell hosts and thus remain undetected by the bees. Even a dead varroa mite is capable of mimicking its host’s odour. Here is the Abstract from The Journal of Chemical Ecology: Social insect colonies provide a stable and safe environment for their members. Despite colonies being heavily guarded, parasites have evolved numerous strategies to invade and inhabit these hostile places. Two such strategies are (true) chemical mimicry via biosynthesis of host odor, and chemical camouflage, in which compounds are acquired from the host. The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor feeds on hemolymph of its honey bee host, Apis mellifera. The mite’s odor closely resembles that of its host, which allows V. destructor to remain undetected as it lives on the adult host during its phoretic phase and while reproducing on the honeybee brood. During the mite life cycle, it switches between host adults and brood, which requires it to adjust its profile to mimic the very different odors of honey bee brood and adults. In a series of transfer experiments, using bee adults and pupae, we tested whether V. destructor changes its profile by synthesizing compounds or by using chemical camouflage. We show that V. destructor required direct access to host cuticle to mimic its odor, and that it was unable to synthesize host-specific compounds itself. The mite was able to mimic host odor, even when dead, indicating a passive physico-chemical mechanism of the parasite cuticle. The chemical profile of V. destructor was adjusted within 3 to 9 h after switching hosts, demonstrating that passive camouflage is a highly efficient, fast and flexible way for the mite to adapt to a new host profile when moving between different host life stages or colonies. That’s just not cricket ! The varroa mite is an ubiquitous parasite on British honeybees. Just imagine having a spikey dinner-plate stuck to your back, vampiring your vital fluids – and you have an idea of what a varroa mite does to a bee. So beekeepers treat their bees against varroa throughout the year, but this mid-winter application of a very dilute (3.2%) rhubarb acid (oxalic acid) in sugar syrup is the most important off all, since the hive should have little of no brood in it – which is where the varroa mites themselves breed – and so all the mites are on the bees (the technical term is “phoretic“) and they are vulnerable to the acid, which the bees transfer around their winter cluster. In this video, the hive is opened for just one minute as the treatment is applied, so that the overwintering cluster of bees in the brood chamber, heated by the bees to a mid-20C temperature even on my chilly rooftop, does not get dangerously cold. This will reduce the varroa load dramatically and set the Abbey Hive bees up for a healthy build-up into the spring. Merry Christmas ! Kenyan newspaper The Star reports that Africa’s largest bee laboratory has opened in Nairobi. I’d never heard of “Colonial Lapse Syndrome” before! “A Sh1.44 billion state-of-the-art bee health reference laboratory has been launched to help study disease and pests in a bid to enhance food security through pollination. The laboratory is located at the African Insect Science for Food and Health (Icipe) headquarters in Nairobi. It is one of the largest in Africa and will help in investigating bee diseases, sterilisation of bees, genetics, study pesticides that are harmful to bees, GIS mapping, pollination and breeding of bees. Prof Suresh Kumar Raina, the principal research scientist and team leader of the European Union Bee Health Project in Icipe said management of bee disease and pests is very essential for food security in Africa. “Pests and diseases are attacking bees more in developed countries than Africa, especially the devastating Varroa mite that is viral and many other fungal and bacterial diseases which affect bees. There is also the Colonial Lapse Disorder where bees have been mysteriously disappearing. “The exact cause of this disorder is not known as adult worker bees from a honeybee colony on foraging flights simply do not return to the hive. These are some of the research issues we will be investigating in the bee reference laboratory,” said Prof Suresh, adding that the impact of climate change on bee diseases and pests and how substantial the diseases and pests problem in Africa will also be determined. Bees supply food and are also required for pollination of food plants such as pumpkins, cocoa, coffee, papaya, oranges and passion fruits. They are crucial for the functioning of our environment as they pollinate 250,000 species of agricultural, medicinal, fibre and other flowering plants, some of which provide food for other organisms. Suresh said the state-of-the-art facility has very expensive equipment in the laboratory, the best ever in the African continent. “Our research will help farmers improve on their markets quality assurance too, this laboratory is just what many farmers needed,” said Prof Kumar.” There are worse ways to spend the Easter holiday than hopping onto the 10.45pm ferry from Portsmouth and then rolling off into the French countryside early the next morning. We were heading for the in-laws in the flat calm sea of vineyards around St. Nicolas de Bourgueil in the Loire valley. This is the most northerly point in France where quality red wine can be grown. The strict appellation contrôlée rules insist that only grapes from the cabernet franc variety can be used to make a St. Nicolas be Bourgueil wine. The wine which these vines produce on this sandy soil, layered over clay deposits of a vast former river bed, is light and fruity, but with a slight astringency. Best drunk relatively young, this red wine is served cellar-chilled. In 2013, these 2,600 acres under vines (visualise a patchwork of 2,600 full-size football pitches) produced around 8 million bottles of wine. Honey-coloured tufa limestone, clean-cut and Flintstone-smart in new-built walls, is testimony to the prosperity of this nook of rural France. But I digress. It is a truism that success comes at a price. And as we gently gardened in the sunshine, we saw bumblebees and butterflies aplenty. So, I hear you ask, what’s all this got to do with honeybees ? Well, nothing. That’s the point. I didn’t see a single honeybee over 6 days in the spring-flowering gardens. Not one. My theory is that the man-made monoculture of vines and the attrition of varroa on wild bees share the responsibility for the abeyance of the honeybee from this rural idyll. With a huge communal forest, the mighty Loire and the somnolent suburbs of Bourgueil village, all under 2 miles away, I was astonished by the absence of bees. There is an old French adage: “long comme un jour sans pain” – or, “as long as a day without bread” – to conjure up the torment to the gallic soul of a day deprived of that vital commodity, bread. Here in St. Nicolas de Bourgueil, I’m tempted to translate that quaint expression into a beekeeper’s lament: “long comme un jour sans abeilles” – or, “as long as a day without bees“.

Welcome to my first blogpost in 2016. Last year was definetely one of the best years of my life, maybe even the best ever. I experienced so many different things and met many new people. It was one of my best life desicions to do a working holiday year in Newzealand. Anyhow, we had a really nice christmas. It was very different to the christmas I am used to. We went for a swim in the pool and celebrated with Len, Sandy and friends. On christmas day we went to nextdoor neighbours for lunch. On boxing day we visited Josh. Sandy and Len definetely succeeded with their huge effort to make christmas really nice for us. The last two weeks were very eventful, we had to work a lot. Beekeeping is very interesting, we saw many different places and learned a lot about bees. I want to put one or two beehives in my garden back in Germany, maybe I will gain the skill to do that until I will get home. It is definetely a hard job as well, it gets really hot in the beesuit, especially when you have to work in the sun with 35 degrees in the shadow. Sometimes we are away for a couple of days, because we have to drive a while to get to the beesites and stay there over night. We visited the pinnacles on one of the weekends, thats a really surreal looking lord of the rings film locations. In two weeks I will take the ferry to the south island and Noah will fly to Australia for 2 weeks.

Two researchers at New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas have been working together on the New Mexico Pollinator Project, which aims to test native and non-native plants for their ability to attract and retain pollinators at a time when some pollinator populations are under threat. NMSU Pollinator Project addresses Colony Collapse Disorder The massive, worldwide die-off of honeybees has been one of the biggest environmental scares of this new century. The possible extinction of the planet’s most prolific pollinator is more than a bit terrifying, which is why the story has been making headlines. But a closer look reveals that so-called colony collapse disorder, while a real threat, is being remarkably well managed. Pesticides, pollination and the bees’ needs For more than a decade, scientists have been trying to solve the mystery of the “colony collapse disorder” that is killing honeybees by the millions. In an area that utterly relies on bees to pollinate our nut and fruit trees and the rest of the cornucopia of products we grow in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, this mission is critical. There are many suspects, but one has become the focus of scientists worldwide. Over the past two months, several studies have pointed to a family of pesticides widely used in agriculture but also found in backyard products. Our View: Finding the culprit in bee deaths is crucial Neonicotinoids appear to have devastating effects across the natural world: we need a global moratorium. By George Monbiot, published in the Guardian 16th July 2014 Here’s our choice. We wait and see whether a class of powerful pesticides, made by Bayer and Syngenta, is indeed pushing entire ecosystems to oblivion, or we suspend their use while proper trials are conducted. The natural world versus two chemical companies: how hard can this be? Another Silent Spring? The past few decades of farm economics have created a system in which one-third of the food on our plate now relies on just one pollinator — the honeybee. And it’s dying. NATURE’S DYING MIGRANT WORKER (Reuters) – Home Depot and other U.S. companies are working to eliminate or limit use of a type of pesticide suspected of helping cause dramatic declines in honeybee populations needed to pollinate key American crops, officials said on Wednesday. The moves include requiring suppliers to label any plants treated with neonicotinoid, or neonic, pesticides sold through home and garden stores. Home Depot Looks to Limit Pesticides to Help Honeybees Research published this week in the journal Nature links the use of neonicotinoid pesticides to declining populations of some insect-eating birds. The same pesticides, which have been banned in the European Union, have come under fire for possible connections to struggling bee colonies. Cynthia Palmer of the American Bird Conservancy and bee expert Dennis vanEngelsdorp talk about the birds, bees, and environmental protection. Director, Pesticides Science and Regulation American Bird Conservancy Project Director, BeeInformed Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology University of Maryland College Park, Maryland TED Talk: A plea for bees LISTEN NOW: Concerns Rise Over Pesticide Use, Birds, and Bees It was one of those mysteries no one cracked for years but gripped many: What’s killing all the bees? In Brevard County, Fla., nearly 12 million bees expired in 2011 in a great dying of almost biblical proportions. Then came news last year that 37 million bees — 37 million — had died that month at a Canadian beekeeping operation. That same month, Oregonians arrived at a Target to find 25,000 bumblebee corpses in the parking lot. A reason millions of bees are dying Glenn Morrison doesn’t wear gloves when he works with his bee hives. “My father-in-law told me only the first 1,000 bites hurt,” he said. “I’ve gotten so I can work with the gloves off.” While he’s accustomed to being stung by the bees he keeps, he can’t get used to the catastrophic diseases that have decimated his hives. Beekeeper abandoning an avocation of 40 years

To stay updated with the latest in the apiculture industry to can visit our apiculture latest news. On the other hand in case you are beginning beekeeping and would like to start professional apiculture now get a copy of our beekeeping for beginners ebook. Beekeeping can be a full time profession or a hobby that is simple. Nevertheless, more often than not, what started as a hobby would turn into a profession. But you cannot only decide and tell yourself that you will start to do beekeeping. You need to have satisfactory knowledge and comprehension on the subject that you are going to enter before starting on any avocation or profession. Then it’s about time to indulge yourself if you have been putting off your interest in beekeeping for quite a while. Bee farming may seem easy; by learning the basic beekeeping lessons, you can be got off to a good beginning. What does a beekeeper need to know? On beekeeping to start at the right foot first, you should have interest that is complete. You need to spend time taking care of your colonies of bees. You should have agreed to share your house space. There are potential dangers in beekeeping that can damage not only you but your family too. Your focus isn’t just to make money by selling honey; a good beekeeper should have passion and a keen interest in raising bees. An apiarist ought to know the right location for the beehives. The place must have sufficient sources of nectar for the bees to get. If you decide to put your beehives at your backyard, you need certainly to make sure beekeeping is enabled in your town. There are several areas restricted to beekeeping; you should get permission relating to this. Beekeepers must know whether beekeeping supplies are offered in the region where the beehives are situated. You may never know when you need to attend a local beekeeping store; it’s best that a nearby beekeeping shop is not inaccessible. Equipment and protective supplies can also be essential for beekeepers to understand. This will decrease the chances of being stung by your bees. Know the right type of suit to pick to keep you from any potential risk in beekeeping. All the efforts that are beekeeping would be useless if you’re incapable to harvest honey. The methods should be known by a beekeeper in collecting the honey in the comb; beeswax is also part of the yields in beekeeping.

To stay up to date with the latest information in the apiculture industry to may check out our apiculture latest news. On the other hand in case you’re starting apiculture and desire to begin professional apiculture now download a copy of our beekeeping for beginners ebook. Beekeeping can either be a full-time profession or an easy hobby. Nonetheless, more often than not, what began as a hobby would turn into a profession. But you cannot just decide and tell yourself you will begin to do beekeeping. Before starting on any avocation or profession, you need to have understanding and adequate knowledge on the subject that you are going to enter. Then it is about time to indulge yourself in your line of interest, if you’ve been putting off your curiosity about beekeeping for quite a long time. Bee farming may not appear difficult; by learning the fundamental beekeeping lessons, you can be got away to a great start. What does a beekeeper need to understand? You should have complete interest on beekeeping to start at the right foot. You have to spend time taking care of your own colonies of bees. You should also have agreed to share your house space with the bees. There are potential dangers in beekeeping that can damage you but your family too. If you decide to let the bees inside your living space, then you must understand the supplies and gear that you will use for beekeeping. Your focus is not just to build an income by selling honey; a great beekeeper should have passion and a keen interest in raising bees. An apiarist ought to know the right place for the beehives. You need certainly to make sure beekeeping is enabled in your town if you decide to set your beehives at your backyard. There are several areas restricted to beekeeping; you should get permission relating to this. Beekeepers must understand whether beekeeping supplies are offered in the region where the beehives are situated. You may never know when you need to go to a nearby beekeeping shop; it’s best that a nearby beekeeping store is not inaccessible. Protective gear and equipment can also be very important to beekeepers to know. Beekeepers are prone to bee stings; the outfit that is ideal must be worn during beekeeping sessions. Understand the appropriate suit to pick to keep you from any potential danger in beekeeping. Last but definitely not the least, among the beekeeping lessons you need to know is that: it’s very important to the beekeeper to understand the proper way of picking honey. If you’re incapable to harvest honey all the efforts that are beekeeping would be futile. The procedures should be known by a beekeeper in gathering the honey from the comb; beeswax is also part of the returns in beekeeping.

It’s not just the beehives at the Bayer Bee Care Center that are buzzing with activity today. Today, April 20, 2017, the Center celebrates the more than 10,000 visitors who have passed through its doors in just three years. The Center recognized a group of 75 fourth-graders and their teachers from Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina, as the “honorary visitors” to mark the achievement. “The Bee Care Center has served as a gathering spot and community outrea… Read More To stay updated with the latest in the apiculture industry to can visit our apiculture latest news. On the other hand if you’re starting beekeeping and desire to start professional beekeeping now get a copy of our beekeeping for beginners ebook. Beekeeping can either be a full-time profession or an easy hobby. However, more often than not, what began as a hobby would become a profession. But you cannot only tell and determine yourself you will start to do beekeeping. You need to have comprehension and sufficient knowledge on the area that you are going to enter before starting on any avocation or profession. Then it is about time to indulge yourself in your line of interest, if you’ve been putting off your interest in beekeeping for quite a while. Bee farming may not seem difficult; learning the basic beekeeping lessons can enable you to get off to a good beginning. What does a beekeeper need to know? First, you should have interest that is complete on beekeeping to begin at the right foot. You should also have consented to share your house space. There are possible risks in beekeeping that can hurt you but your family too. If you decide to let the bees inside your living space, then you definitely must understand equipment and the supplies you will use for beekeeping. Your focus isn’t just to make money by selling honey; a good beekeeper should have passion and a keen interest in raising bees. An apiarist ought to know the right place for the beehives. The area must have adequate sources of nectar for the bees to get. If you decide to place your beehives at your backyard, you have to make sure that beekeeping is enabled in your area. There are several areas restricted to beekeeping; you need to get permission relating to this. Beekeepers must know whether beekeeping supplies are offered in the area where the beehives are situated. When you have to visit a local beekeeping store you may never understand; it’s best that a nearby beekeeping shop is not inaccessible. Equipment and protective gear will also be very important to beekeepers to know. Beekeepers are prone to bee stings; the outfit that is correct must be worn during beekeeping sessions. This will decrease the chances of being stung by your bees. Understand the right kind of suit to select to keep you from any potential danger in beekeeping. All the beekeeping attempts would be futile in case you are incapable to harvest honey. The procedures should be known by a beekeeper in collecting the honey from the comb; beeswax is also part of the yields in beekeeping.

Why you should care Because Amanda Aminah Masire knows economic success starts with food. Mookodi Modimoosi Seisa had long dreamed of expanding into irrigated horticulture on his 40-acre farm near Shoshong, Botswana. His dreams rapidly became reality when, in 2018, he engaged the services of Amanda Aminah Masire’s firm, Greenhouse Technologies. Masire helped him write the business plan that secured a 200,000 pula ($18,000) government grant, and she supplied the equipment and know-how to make it happen. Barely a year later, Seisa has sold crops of spinach, rapeseed, tomatoes, beetroot and green pepper to local supermarkets. Were it not for unforeseen water shortages that decimated his cabbage crop, he would have broken even already. “I would recommend Amanda to anyone at any time,” says Seisa. “She knows her stuff.” Masire, 41, founded her company in 2011 after scrutinizing that year’s budget speech. It was obvious, she remembers, that agriculture was where the money was: “There were so many incentives that no one was taking advantage of.” Instead of going into farming herself — she and Botswana’s baking sun have never really jelled — she set about plugging the gap between farmers and government with a company that provided everything from consultancy to cucumber seed. Between 2013 and 2018, Greenhouse Technologies’ “horticulture in a box” solution helped 430 Botswanans to become farmers. In the process, she’s reduced the country’s reliance on imported fruits and vegetables to the tune of 2,100 acres of productive land. “Greenhouse technology is the Rolls-Royce of horticulture,” Masire explains, but Botswana is still driving Toyotas. Masire has both agriculture (her mom’s a chicken farmer) and entrepreneurship (her grandparents were businesspeople) in her blood. At teacher-training college, she recalls stockpiling one of the two pints of long-life milk she was given every day. Before long she was bartering with the boys — three cigarettes equaled one pint — to increase her stash. Selling the milk provided a steady stream of pocket money, even if her roommate did complain about living in a warehouse. Later, she augmented her teacher’s salary by setting up a meter-phone business (cellphones serving as public phones) on the side. And then she took advantage of a government finance model to buy her own purpose-built preschool within a block of flats. When she sold it four years later, she doubled her money — “not because I am a super-smart businesswoman,” but because property is always a solid investment. Masire’s family and friends thought she was mad to sell, but she was having none of it. “People don’t like change,” she says. “But I do. Monotony is not good for the mind.” Besides, she had a new business plan up her sleeve: Greenhouse Technologies. Acknowledging that she knew little about vegetable farming, Masire’s first move was to hire a horticulturist and an irrigation specialist. She could afford to pay the university graduates only a basic salary, but she urged them to “make their money by going the extra mile.” They did just that. By helping aspiring farmers with cropping plans, soil tests and calculating borehole yields, she was able to unlock millions of pula in grant money that had been going unclaimed, while also greatly contributing to the prosperity and self-sufficiency of Botswana and its people. A few happy customers later and she’d caught the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture, which she is now partnering with on a training farm on the company premises on the outskirts of Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city. The farm is already fully functional (the crops provide a nifty additional revenue stream), and builders are putting the finishing touches on the classrooms. Masire and her team are set to run the first of many government-sponsored, five-day introductory horticulture courses as soon as next month. It comes amid a nationwide push for food independence. Other initiatives in the land-rich but water-poor nation include the rollout of gray-water treatment plants and a clampdown on importing crops that Botswana is able to produce. The proportion of Botswana’s food produced locally jumped from 20 percent in 2013-14 to 60 percent in 2017–18, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. But there’s still a long way to go. Galeitsewe Ramokapane, the ministry’s director of crop production, told a horticultural meeting recently, “We cannot produce enough because we have alternatives, as we are depending on our brothers and sisters in South Africa.” (In an interview, Ramokapane wouldn’t single out Greenhouse Technologies, only saying several firms have been working on this.) By Masire’s own admission, her quest to educate Botswanans about modern farming practices has not been easy. “As my [company] name suggests, I started out wanting to sell greenhouses,” she explains, but eight years down the line her biggest sellers remain drip irrigation and shade cloth. “Greenhouse technology is the Rolls-Royce of horticulture,” she explains, but Botswana is still driving Toyotas. Not that she’s going to let their choice of ride get her down. “I started with the end in mind.” Masire owes her success to wrapping up a sizable chunk of the horticulture value chain. The winning business and planting plans crafted by her team of experts should cost far more than they do, she says. But Greenhouse Technologies’ profit lies in “actually doing the job.” Clients are not obliged to purchase their seed, fertilizers, pesticides and equipment from her, but they always do. It may be possible to get gum tree poles cheaper from another supplier, but no one else in Botswana can come close to offering horticulture in a box. Masire is determined to stay several steps ahead of the competition. In less than two frantic minutes, she outlines plans to incorporate beekeeping, integrated livestock farming, the internet of things, fish farming, steel-bending and pollination by drone into her business offerings. And she plans to expand the model to other African countries. “I may be at the front of the race,” she says, “but I am still running like I am in last place.” Except this metaphor makes it sound like the recent Islam convert is in it for personal glory. “I am all about turning unemployment into self-employment,” she says. “I won’t stop until Botswana is exporting vegetables.” If she ever stops, that is.

I am preparing for honey extraction this coming weekend. Tomorrow after work, escape boards will be placed on 5 hives. Then Thursday the supers will be pulled from those hives and the escape boards will be placed on 5 other hives. Either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning the supers will be pulled from the remaining hives. Extraction will begin on Saturday and I will continue until they are all done. I will be taking pictures as well as video of much of the process. The postings may be a little scant this week, but there will be a load of stuff coming soon. Please bear with me. I know this is supposed to be a blog about bees and beekeeping and I will be getting back to that soon. After my vacation I am still trying to get caught up around here. Last weekend I butchered all of this Spring’s roosters except one. The meat was canned and we prepared 52 quarts of chicken broth. It was yet another time I was glad that I bought the lard kettle. Questions or complaints?

If you’re headed to Discovery Place Nature on Saturday, July 21, make sure to check out what’s happening their bee yard! That morning, all museum guests can enjoy special programs and activities focused on the importance of honeybees and beekeeping. Meet their beekeepers, learn about beekeeping and the benefits of bees, and watch them inspect their bee hives. As a special bonus, celebrate the launch of the very first honey produced by Discovery Place Nature. A limited supply will be available for sale!

How do you create a managed workspace? Incredible Edible Mytholm needs to know, because our plans for Green Food Adventures (formerly Growing Futures) on the Mytholm Works site now include a small managed workspace for agroecology-related, low carbon and sustainable food businesses. On midsummer day, IEM put our questions to Tony Holdich, former CEO of Newlands Community Association’s Inspire Business Park. The NCA experience was different from Incredible Edible Mytholm’s for several reasons – one being that when NCA was planning the Inspire Business Park, there was a lot of government funding for sustainable buildings and renewable technologies. Another key difference is size – Inspire Business Park is 30K square feet in two buildings, each 15K square feet. For purposes of comparison, Inspire is a lot bigger than the new HB Town Hall. But there are enough similarities for IEM to be able to learn from NCA’s experience. This is a post mainly for people interested in either becoming tenants in the managed workspace (we’d like to hear from you now!) or in the nitty gritty of making the managed workspace happen – sorry, but somehow I can’t make a light, general-interest read out of VAT, business rates, legal entities, funding and planning applications. Deciding on a legal entity or entities Things to think about include: - do we need to lock in assets for the community? - do we want to claim back VAT on building costs? - do we want to limit directors’ liability? (this can be done through an Industrial & Provident Society Community Benefit Society, as well as a limited company) - do we want to be eligible for discretionary business rate relief? Newlands Community Association (NCA) is a charity and a limited company at the same time. The charity locks in assets, and this was necessary for the purchase of properties from Bradford Council, which gave NCA its first base. In fact, these properties turned out to be more of a liability than an asset. Tony said, “For example, NCA had been lumbered with a run-down old school building as its base. We had a number of third sector, not-for-profit tenants and we looked for alternative properties in the area but there was nothing. So we decided to build. It took five solid years.” On top of being a charity, NCA had formed a separate trading arm in order to claim back the VAT on the cost of building the business park and to allow the trading arm to create income for the charity. The limited company also protects the Directors/Trustees – but, Tony pointed out, that protection can be taken away if the Directors or Trustees mismanage the business. With Directors who lack business experience, this can be a real problem. Tony explained that if Incredible Edible Mytholm wanted to build a community-owned building that’s non-profit distributing and run for community benefit, it could get VAT exemption on the build. This would require a lot of financial advice and permission from HMRC. NCA couldn’t get VAT exemption, since it built the Inspire Business Park through its business arm, the limited company, and a lot of the tenants were commercial businesses. Tony also said that when IEM is deciding on the legal entity or entities for Green Food Adventures, we need to think carefully about the kind of tenants we will accept in the managed workspace – and in any other parts of the business. If tenants are going to be for-profit organisations that we want to charge VAT on, we can’t go down the community benefit route. The VAT bit is important – IEM needs to know: - who the tenants are going to be – not-for-profit, charities, VAT paying? - what they’re going to be doing Prospective tenants – please let us know who you are & what you’d like to be doing in the GFA managed workspace. The type of legal entity also affects the business rates that GFA will have to pay. The criteria for Calderdale’s discretionary business rate relief are on the Council website. Tony also recommended that GFA get tenants in to run as many bits of the business as possible. This keeps GFA’s direct employees down, and this is the biggest cost. How does the planning application process work? It took a year and a half for NCA to get planning permission – from the first drawing to approval. The process cost £40K. Bradford Council gave NCA a £30K grant to pay for planning costs. These included the architect’s time, the NCA project manager and public consultation. On top of those costs, NCA had to pay Bradford Planning Department £20K for the planning application costs. So basically the Council gave NCA £30K and took back £20K. The planning application costs depend on the size of the building and the site. They can also include so-called 106 costs, which relate to any extra conditions the Council adds on, for instance improvements to the site access road. What is the sequence of events from idea to opening day? - prepare outline business plan – we’re already on the case - decide on and set up legal entity – discussing this now - talk to funders about land purchase & get funding - purchase land - start design of site/buildings - get planning permission - prepare detailed 5 year business plan – including cash flow, decisions about capital funding- eg grants, soft loan, community share offer, decisions about any additional legal entities GFA needs to set up - design and build /secure funding - promotion and publicity to gain tenants (for managed workspace) & customers - opening day! The design and build stage The design stage starts in Phase 1, as part of the planning application process. There are two ways to do design and build: - traditional build - design and build NCA used the traditional build method, because it gave them greater control over the process. This involved working with the architects and builders as a Design Team, where, Tony said, NCA was “always at the table.” (This compares with the design and build method, where contractors have control and, said Tony, “you may not get the building you thought you were getting due to changes the contractor may make”.) The NCA had Tony Holdich as their representative on the Design Team and they also employed a project manager to oversee the design and build, who was a key member of the Design Team. Tony said that the three most important people on the Design Team are the architect, the project manager and the quantity surveyor, who is the source of all the costings for the building. The quantity surveyor needs to be involved from the start. Funding the design and build – one damn thing after another! Something that hadn’t occurred to me at all was that funders may require agreement about tenancies. NCA’s funders wanted 5 year leases for tenants in the managed workspace, but NCA got a lawyer to draw up a lease template that included a 12 month break clause. Funders also ruled out NCA offering sliding scale rents for different types of tenants. NCA employed Tony as Business Manager to do the fundraising, and he did “99%” of it. Once NCA had planning permission, Tony said, they already had the basis for a business plan. “We did a 5 year business plan, including cash flow, and decided to take on some debt of our own.” NCA’s business aim was to become totally self-sustainable economically. The decision to take on some debt was because NCA was part of Locality and through them had found out about a new scheme called Community Builders that had to spend money fast. This was a mix of a grant and a soft loan. NCA was ready to go with planning permission and a business plan and Community Builders gave them £1m for the building and £30K for year one of a finance manager’s salary. “Once you have the first bit of funding, you can use one grant to lever another one.” After Community Builders, NCA went to the European Regional Development Fund. This took “a long time, lots of meetings, lots of form filling, meeting lots of silly targets and ticking all the ERDF boxes”. The ERDF gave NCA £1m towards the design and build, but then NCA nearly lost it all through failing to tick one of the boxes. ERDF were going to withdraw the entire £1m as a penalty. Via the local MP, Tony had to lobby Eric Pickles, head honcho for the Ministry of Communities and Local Government. The upshot was that instead of withdrawing all the funding, the ERDF fined NCA £250K out of the £1m. The Charity Bank sold NCA a £1m loan to complete the building, at a cost of £50K. But the 2008 financial crash caused the Bank to cancel the loan. NCA found an independent finance broker who told them to talk to Santander, who bridged the funding gap for NCA. This took four months, while NCA couldn’t pay the contractor who had to take out loans to cover their costs. A final funding tip from Tony is that on completion of the building, it’s normal to hold back 5-10% of the payment to contractors for 12 months – this is called a snagging review and it means that any faults in the work can be fixed without having to pay extra. Day to day management of the design and build stage was down to Tony – who started off work as the Business Manager but who later became CEO. As soon as NCA started to build the Inspire Business Park, it started trying to get tenants interested. The website was very important. It included prices and made a clear offer to prospective tenants. The website, You Tube and twitter feed all documented the building process. Tony commented that the IEM website is very good – chatty but professional, and well written. NCA also hired a pr company to attract tenants into the building. The company placed info in the press every 2-3 weeks. NCA used lateral thinking – they brought in a Bradford beekeeping group to put their hives on the site. This helped the site to feel occupied and busy. They brought in big broadband to the workspace to meet tenants IT needs. Once the building is up, but before it’s completed, GFA will need someone to show tenants around. NCA had goody bags and free t shirts for everyone who visited the site. At first, NCA had problems getting tenants into Inspire Business Park because lots wouldn’t commit until the building was finished. And it was 11 weeks behind schedule. NCA started using the work units so that they looked occupied – no-one wants to be alone in a managed workspace. Tony said Inspire Business Park reached a tipping point in terms of attracting tenants though offering organisations free space for seminars and so on. They had to have the doors open to make it work properly. They also had family days that attracted a lot of people to the site. A cafe, children’s nursery and gardens were all important draws for Inspire Business Park tenants. Calderdale Council offers discretionary business rate relief of up to 100% for some types of not-for-profit organisations. If GFA intends for tenants to pay the business rates (rather than paying them itself), it will need to tell them to fill in a form to apply for discretionary rate relief. NCA spoke to a commercial estate agent who advised them before they were ready to go to Bradford Council to discuss the business rates. Then NCA went to the Council Valuation Officer with plans, but found that Bradford Council wouldn’t tell them what the business rates would be until the building was finished and they could come and measure it. The Council gave NCA an idea of the business rates based on the plans, but wouldn’t give the final figures until the building was up. If Green Food Adventures is not eligible for 100% discretionary rate relief, a number of points apply. In future, business rates will be based on the buildings’ BREEAM ratings. (BREEAM certification is expensive, and you need a BREEAM consultant to be involved in the design stage. Tony said, “This is expensive, but gives you brownie points.”) There is an appeal period once the Council has set the business rates. If GFA is not eligible for 100% discretionary rates relief, either GFA tenants or GFA itself can pay the business rates. NCA charged tenants rent, utilities and business rates.

BEGINNER CLASS: BRASS TACKS BASIC BEEKEEPING CLASS This is a five hour class (30 minute break midway) designed to get you through your first year of beekeeping here in Colorado. Designed for the beginner, this is an overview of basic bee biology, equipment, installing your bees into your hive, feeding, hive inspections, predators, pests/diseases, honey harvest, etc. Please bring note-taking materials and a camp chair to sit in, and your lunch. If you'd like, you can leave for lunch, No small children please. Instructors: Leonard Rickerman, & Dolly Rickerman Rocky Mountain Bee Supply 24 S. Walnut St. Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Parking: Please park in the RMBS parking lot or the north end of the Denver Omelette. DO NOT PARK in the four spaces next to the 64 Store. They will tow you. No refunds: please call us if you have an emergency. We can try to reschedule you in an alternate class. Leonard and Dolly Rickerman have been keeping bees on the Front Range for well over a decade. A family business, we have several bee yards that we run for honey production, pollination services, nuc production, and queen rearing. This class is designed to give beginners a very basic overview of beekeeping here in Colorado. Rocky Mountain Bee Supply is dedicated to the success of hobbyist beekeepers and the passion for beekeeping. Our learning never stops. Rocky Mountain Beekeepers Educational Forums

When you are getting started in beekeeping, one of the most important choices is the type of beehive you'll use. There are several types, and your choice should be carefully made, since your choice will involve an investment of money as well as an investment in learning the techniques for that particular method of beekeeping. Most beginning beekeepers will opt between a Langstroth-style hive and a top-bar hive, but an increasingly popular form is the Warré hive, a modified, vertical version of the top-bar design. Whatever style you choose to begin your hobby, it's a good idea to start small, so that if you decide to shift methods, you won't have wasted too much money or effort. 01 of 04 Ten-Frame Langstroth Hive The stacked white boxes that most people envision when they think of beekeeping are called Langstroth hives, a style developed by the Reverend Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth (1810 to 1895), a native of Philadelphia, in 1851. This design consists of square boxes stacked atop one another and topped by a protective, vented roof. The bottom levels are boxes structured to allow brooding space for the bees, while the upper boxes are structured to hold wooden frames for the bees to fill with comb and honey. This style is called "ten-frame" because the interior of each hive contains ten frames for holding honey. Supplies and informational support are easy to find. This is an excellent system where maximum honey-production is desired. This is the most common system and considered the universal beekeeping standard. Most "old-school" beekeepers and commercial beekeepers in the U.S. use this style, and the techniques have been perfected over many years. Working causes more disruption to the hive. The frames are heavy, each weighing upwards of 60 pounds. The artificial cell size may contribute to health issues for the bees. The system is bulky, and beekeepers find themselves storing extra parts. Beekeepers may need to smoke bees to calm them enough to work with them. 02 of 04 Eight-Frame Langstroth Hive Eight-frame hives work just like the ten-frame Langstroth hives in terms of structure, but each box is slightly smaller, holding only eight frames instead of ten. What does this mean? When you lift a medium super hive full of honey, it will weigh only about 30 pounds, instead of 60 pounds for a ten-frame medium super. Smaller hives are lighter and easier to work with. Same benefits as a ten-frame Langstroth hive, familiar setup as far as boxes and frames. Parts are not interchangeable with ten-frame equipment. The system is still relatively uncommon, and supplies may be more difficult to find. 03 of 04 Top-bar hives are becoming more popular with backyard enthusiasts and sustainable farmers. It is the oldest and most commonly used style in the world. In this design, a set of horizontal bars is set across a trough-shaped hive protected by a hinged or removable cover, and bees build their comb downward from these bars, a very natural activity. There are no frames used, and no foundation required to keep the hive level. The bars are usually simple wooden wedges or strips that slide into slots to ensure they hang straight. A top-bar hive is fairly easy to build yourself, although commercial top-bar hives are of course available. In more elaborate versions of this style, the brooding area for the bees is established by a divider board that confines the first 8 to 10 bars adjacent to the opening of the hive, where the bees enter and exit. As the colony grows, and comb and honey fill the bars, the divider board is moved laterally and more bars are added. Harvesting is a matter of simply lifting out the bars once they are covered with honey-filled comb. This is a relatively inexpensive form of beekeeping. This design is suitable for people with disabilities or mobility issues. Working is less disruptive to bees—you don't need smoke or full bee suit. The design allows the bees to make comb with a natural shape and cell size. The hive is light and easy to work with. The bars are light and easy to remove for inspection and harvesting. The bees can die in cold winters. Combs can break off or form improperly. Ventilation can be poor if the hive is not built properly. You may have trouble finding local support for this type of beekeeping. 04 of 04 A Warré hive is sometimes described as a top-bar hive that is set up in vertically. This style, developed in France by Emile Warré (1867 to 1951), uses a stack of small, square hive boxes that have top bars rather than frames to hold the comb. There is usually no foundation with this style of hive. It also uses a unique style of hive cover: a quilt filled with sawdust or wood shaving, and a vented, angled roof. This is supposed to provide superior moisture management, as the sawdust-filled quilt absorbs moisture that can then escape via the roof. In this design, the bees build comb from the top bars downward into each box. As more space is needed, additional boxes can be added to the bottom of the hive. Thus, the upper boxes are the first to fill with honey. Warré hives are designed for minimal inspections by the beekeeper. You cannot remove bars for inspection in a traditional Warré hive because as the bees build comb, they attach it to the inside of the hive walls. The cavity size is meant to allow the bees to consume their winter stores more efficiently and the overall design is meant to keep the bees warmer in cold climates. Harvesting is a matter of removing upper boxes once they are full of honey. Bees are allowed to escape or are removed from the open box, then the comb is cut away from the bars and the honey pressed out. Harvesting is done in later summer or fall to ensure the boxes are full and that brooding bees have moved to lower boxes. Although these hives are not as common as Langstroth or even top-bar hives, they are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, especially among hobbyist beekeepers who want to do things in a more "natural" way. Minimal inspections are required. The foundation-less system is more natural for bees. The system is appealing to those interested in more natural styles of beekeeping. The size and shape of the hive are more natural for bees, providing better overwintering and use of stores. The top bars cannot be removed for inspection of the hive. This design is Illegal in some states (some state laws require movable comb hives). The system does not use the standard equipment used in other styles of beekeeping. Because the system is somewhat uncommon, information on how to manage the hives may be difficult to come by.

Here’s a list of beekeepers who conduct swarm removal in Iowa. These are the people to call if you think you have a problem. They should be able to tell you whether you really have a problem, and what the options are. Not all people will offer the same types of services, be prepared to pay for their work, these are specialized procedures requiring a great deal of skill and experience. Bees-on-the-Net is not responsible for these services. Beekeepers List for Iowa Cell: (712) 621-0199 Corning IA 50841 Swarm removal and relocation with in 50 miles of Corning or Massena IA. Free or very reasonable depending on the situation. Cell: (208) 965-7888 Milford IA 51351 Bee swarm removal free of charge. Will do some hive cutouts from buildings depending on complexity. Dickinson, Clay and surrounding counties Cell: (402) 510-2968 Council Bluffs IA 51503 Bee Removal, Free, Council Bluffs IA, Omaha Ne Cell: (563) 221-1398 Maquoketa IA 52060 Swarm and bee extractions may charge pending on the complexity Cell: (319) 504-3482 Phone: (319) 429-2027 Waterloo IA 50702 Swarm removal, honey products, nucs, queen production Vinton IA 52349 Removal and relocation of various types of bees. Cell: (515) 205-6426 Des Moines IA 50310 Swarm removal at no charge in the Des Moines metro area. Cell: (712) 830-3190 Marshalltown IA 50158 Cell: (641) 220-3874 Charles City IA 50616 Remove swarms and do cut outs from buildings. Cell: (319) 350-4119 Marengo IA 52301 Bee removal from buildings and swarm removal. Cell: (319) 721-3493 Cedar Rapids, Marion IA 52302 Humane live bee removal. Cell: (319) 929-1141 Phone: (319) 227-2001 Norway IA 52318 Honey Bee swarm removal. Cell: (515) 249-2830 Phone: (641) 220-0205 New Hampton IA 50659 Swarm removal from trees and shrubs, under eaves, picnic tables etc. Cell: (319) 850-6559 Danville IA 52623 Free honey bee swarm removal within 30 mile radius of Burlington Iowa. Cell: (641) 455-4445 Fairfield IA 52585 Environmental consulting for native bees and pollinators. Bee Sanctuaries, custom hive built for specific environmental needs. Specialist in whole hive removal in the most difficult and dangerous locations. Workshops, classes on the holistic methodologies to be work with Natural Law rather than being a traditional beekeeper. Cell: (605) 214-3426 Larchwood IA 51241 I’m a carpenter who removes honey bees. Cell: (319) 400-9356 Phone: (319) 648-2330 Riverside IA 52327 Simple swarm removals (trees, bushes, possibly simple cutouts in buildings) in Washington, Louisa and Johnson Counties. Cedar Falls IA 50613 Swarm removal. Outside free. Buildings and Trees at Cost plus. Sioux Center IA 51250 Removal of Swarms not in buildings or over 20′ up in a tree or other object. Becvar’s Honey Farm Waukee IA 50263 Humane swarm capture, Hive removal from objects and dwellings. I relocate not eradicate the bees. Please call or if you email make sure you send me the valuable information so I can return the contact. A person to person call would be very helpful. Cell: (402) 551-0154 Crescent Hills Honey Co. Crescent Iowa 51526 We will happily remove large cluster balls of honey bees that may gather in a suspended mass attached to tree limbs; bushes; shrubs, or clinging to outside surface areas of any type. We offer ( Free ) 24/7 service within a 25 mile radius of Crescent, Iowa. We do not offer this service for honey bee removal from any type interiors. e.g. buildings/hollow trees etc. We look forward to being of service to you. Thank you for your consideration. Sue West Des Moines IA 50265 Swarm relocation, simple cut-outs of established colonies. Bellevue Iowa 52031 Easy to reach swarms are free. Will need to discuss our options if the colony is established within a structure. Maquoketa Iowa 52060 Free swarm removal within 35 miles of Maquoketa. May travel farther for gas money. Company The Outyard Apiaries Richland Iowa 52585 Removal services; Cut outs, trap outs and swarm removals. Please see removal services at http://outyard.weebly.com/removal-services.html West Union Iowa 52175 Will remove bee swarms from trees or shrubs Company Foley’s Russian Bees Des Moines Iowa 50320 We are a beebreeding company on the south side of Des Moines. We offer queens, nucs, packages, and beekeeping equipment. We also provide help with your beekeeping questions and needs, and provide swarm removal services. Wild Prairie Gardens Middletown IA 52638 Will relocate swarms,for fuel expense. Can trap-out or remove bees that have set-up home in walls, trees etc for a fee depending on difficulty. Generally within a 60 miles radius of 52638. Des Moines IA 50317 Remove honey bee that have swarmed and in your trees and bushes or wherever Bedford Iowa 50833 Free swarm removal outside. Estimates given for buildings. Southwest Iowa and surrounding areas. Fairfax Iowa 52228 Honeybee swarm removal, free if not in or attached to a building. Estimates if bees are living in a building. Cedar Rapids Iowa City Corrador Briar Farm Beekeeping Iowa City Iowa 52240 Swarm and Honey Bee colony removal. Iowa City and surrounding area. Difficulty will determine the cost. Easy will be Free! Ames Iowa 50010 Honey bee removal in the Ames area Central City IA 52214 Swarm removal & established colony removal. Eastern & Central Iowa Catch swarms in Osceola Iowa area. It is about 50 miles south of Des Moines. South Central Iowa Dave & Mary Lou Cook Catching swarms in the Cedar Rapids/Marion area. Cedar Rapids IA 52404 Located in the Quad Cities area of IL and IA Try to give the beekeeper as much information as you can about the location of the swarm, height above the ground, length of time they have been there and whether there are any special circumstances you think might be relevant. People are often concerned that bee swarms they see may be Africanized bees, the so called killer bees. When bees swarm it’s very difficult to tell their origin, even Africanized bees are usually docile when they are swarming, be cautious and call an expert. Many people believe that local honey is beneficial for allergies. While I’m not sure there is any clinical proof of this, I can see there might some sort of homeopathic effect. Finding true local honey, which incidentally is delicious, can sometimes be difficult but contacting people on this list might be a good place to start if you’re looking for pure Iowa honey. Although Iowa bees are basically the same as bees in any other states, the honey they make will be determined by the local plants. The flavor of the honey is usually a combination of nectar from many different plants Please tell the beekeeper when you call, that you found them on the Bees-on-the-Net Swarm List. To be added to the swarm removal page for your state please go here and complete the form. If there appear to be no Iowa beekeepers near you, try looking on pages for neighboring states, or check Iowa beekeeping groups or clubs. You could also try contacting the Iowa department of agriculture. If all else fails you could try contacting Iowa pest control companies or Iowa exterminators. Click here to leave Iowa Beekeepers and return to Beehive Removal Page. or use the search box at the top of every page to find what you’re looking for.

Keeping Bees Buzzing with Honey B’s New Ford Ranger The Honey B Company are a “small beekeeping and honey packaging company.” Situated in North Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumberland.Seasonally the bees are relocated to “help pollinate crops and plants as they start to flower though out the spring and summer months.” They are renowned for their raw, unblended honey and have won ‘Great Taste’ awards for their three flavours ‘Spring Blossom Soft Set’, ‘English Blossom’ and ‘Heather. Honey B Company needed a Ford Ranger Pickup to help them with the day-to-day running’s of their business. After speaking to the Honey B Company and making sure that their needs were understood, Chatsbrook made sure to construct a finance plan specifically to their desires. At Chatsbrook we make sure that each customer receives a bespoke finance package. Putting our customers first ensures that each plan is affordable and does not feel like an over-commitment. We asked the Honey B Company what they thought of our service: “The service provided was great, there was never any delays and we were able to move at the speed we needed to secure the vehicle we had reserved at a dealership. The personal touch made the process. Dealing with the same person (Adrian) who genuinely wants to help arrange funding that is suited to the customer’s needs. A pleasant change to the services offered in dealership, where you don’t know if it’s a better deal for them or you.” We endeavour to remain transparent and genuine throughout communications with customers. Being able to provide the means for a customer or business to flourish is what drives us forwards and The Honey B Company were no exception. Our expertise does not stop with vehicles. Our aim of supporting businesses and people, is reflected in our extensive panel of lenders and partnerships within many areas to make sure that we can provide financial solutions for everyone. To find out how we can support you today, contact us directly on 01603 733500. « Back to news

Now that bees are facing unprecedented levels of die-off caused by a toxic mixture of environmental stresses, a community-based effort is needed to make gardens, fields and landscapes healthy sanctuaries for bees. Just as citizens banded together to produce Victory Gardens to offset the perilous food shortages of World Wars I and II, now a similarly vital level of collective effort is needed to make our gardens into lifesaving shelters for these essential creatures. Planning a bee-friendly space can provide a beautiful and bountiful selection of edible crops, native plants and fragrant ornamentals, as well as herbs that have medicinal properties for both pollinators and people. With the help of ten inspiring garden plans and planting guides, Weidenhammer shows how bee-friendly plants can be used in creative combinations for plots and pots of all sizes, and are easily grown by novices and seasoned gardeners alike. In the spirit of the history-making Victory Gardens, readers will learn how to pack optimum benefits into a limited space for the survival of hive and home, and backyard beekeepers will learn great planting strategies for making sure their honeybees are healthy and have ample food to overwinter. Victory Gardens for Bees is also buzzing with DIY projects that will provide nesting sites and essential supplies for precious pollinators. With plenty of photographs to help readers identify bees of all stripes, beekeeping tips and other interesting bee-phemera, this book is a must-have for anyone who wants to do their part to save bees.

At the beginning of the year, I set out some goals for 2012. Arguably the wackiest of the goals was to become a backyard beekeeper. After a few months of planning, some late nights nailing hive bodies together, a good number of frantic calls to our bee lady, & more than a few moments of pure fear, I can finally report that the bees are in their new hives in my side field. I had to drive almost two hours to pick up the two nuclear colonies (beekeepers call these "nucs") that I ordered this winter. Once I paid for my bees and some miscellaneous supplies, I was back on the road with 20,000 bees safely contained in two boxes in the back of my hatchback. Let me repeat that: 20,000 bees. I had been on the road for about half an hour when I saw one stray bee buzzing around in my rearview mirror. I opened the windows and hoped it would blow out, but soon the single bee was three bees and then ten bees and then twenty or so bees. OMFG. I pulled over on the side of the highway and opened up the trunk and shooed out as many bees as I could using a scarf and a stray umbrella I had in my backseat. Peeking at the nuc boxes, I was able to see where the bees were escaping... ...and tried my best to cover it up with my scarf and some wedge heels that were in the back of my car. Jaisa texted me right in the middle of this chaotic side-of-the-road-bee-shooing debacle (beebacle?): Jaisa: i am having the worst morning Me: i'm on the side of the highway bc the bees are loose in my car Jaisa: SHUT UP Jaisa: they broke out? Caitlin: not all like 20 or 30 Jaisa: oh my GOD Jaisa: are you ok? Caitlin: yes driving home with all the windows open and my shirt around my head cornholio style Caitlin: sorry to one up your bad morning Having updated Jaisa on my situation, there wasn't much else to do besides call Jesse and whine for a few minutes. And then get back in the car and drive myself and my little buzzing charges home. |Bee on the car ceiling...| With another hour left to go, I cranked up the AC and opened all of my windows to hopefully blow back any bees approaching me. As mentioned to Jaisa, I also improvised some face protection for the remainder of my ride. One of my best friends is getting married this weekend and I'm in the wedding party. Please bees, I begged, please don't sting me in the face. (At this point, I was really driving like a lunatic. My brother pointed out that if I had been pulled over, it could have been like that scene in Tommy Boy. "Bees! Bees in the car! Save yourself!") Miraculously, I made it home safely (there was a close call with a bee climbing up my ankle while I was driving 90 mph down the highway. I panicked and killed it. I know. Great way to start off the bee/human relations for our hive). I drove like a maniac through my front lawn and left my car open so the loose bees could disperse. Once the bees and I had calmed down, I moved them out to their permanent home in our side field. Here I am in the process of moving them, frame by frame, from the nuc boxes into their new hives. For the record, Uggs, a Bates sweatshirt, and three layers of pants aren't the recommended beekeeping suit. My sweet white jumpsuit just hadn't arrived yet. And here we are... two nucs, two hives... and only two stings. Welcome home, ladies! Stay out of my car and stay homey!

“Last night, Silver Lake joined the growing ranks of L.A.’s neighborhood councils that favor legalized beekeeping. Mar Vista, Del Rey, Greater Griffith Park, South Robertson, and Silver Lake have each now signed on to resolutions supporting “the legalization of urban beekeeping in Los Angeles and urges all City of Los Angeles Council Members to direct the City Planning Department to revise codes to allow residents to keep honeybees as part of an effort to ensure the survival of this vital species.” In its statement of support, the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council cited “increased pollination of backyard fruit trees, a healthier environment and a microbusiness opportunity for Los Angeles residents.” Reason against: “Approximately 2 percent of the population has the susceptibility to anaphylactic shock caused by bee venom which can be life threatening and necessitate emergency treatment.” Maybe it’s not surprising that Silver Lake loves beekeeping. An at-large rep and outreach committee member, Leonardo Chalupowicz, lists himself as “a local LEED accredited architect, artist, and amateur beekeeper.” But it probably wouldn’t have happened without Honeylove. They argue all over town that the city is the last refuge for the honeybee. I profiled the fledgling almost-not-quite-in-process nonprofit Honeylove last September. Chelsea & Rob McFarland say they’re still working on their nonprofit status, but they’ve got more momentum in more parts of town (and a new website) to back them up. Next up for Honeylove and bee-lovin’ bee-lievers of Los Angeles: they’ll amass at the neighborhood council meeting for Hollywood United on Monday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. After that, it’s Studio City in April.”

Ben and Leah Mee own and manage Southern Alps Honey. Ben and Leah both grew up in rural New Zealand. With this background in common they knew this was where they wanted to settle and bring up their children. Both keen to work outdoors and to be close to the mountains, in 2014 they decided to try their hand at beekeeping, based in Staveley, Mid Canterbury. Mees Bees Limited was born along with their honey brand, Southern Alps Honey. Ben and Leah are grateful to have John Syme, a third generation bee keeper, mentoring and helping them on all aspects of beekeeping from queen rearing, hive management, local climate knowledge and all things bees. Hives are located on the south side of the Rakaia Gorge in alpine and sub alpine areas where the bees produce clover honey, and along the foothills from Mount Hutt to Staveley. Black Beech trees along the foothills allow the bees to produce honeydew honey. These areas are away from intensive farming practices where a lot of sprays and agrichemicals are used. Ben and Leah are focused to grow Southern Alps Honey Limited to supply local markets with the best quality, natural honey their bees can produce. Processing Honey and Honey Types Ben and Leah closely monitor all aspects of honey production and processing as they are involved in every step of the business, from beekeeping, hive health, extracting, processing, packaging and distribution of the honey. The honey extraction and processing plant is state of the art and a RMP registered and certified facility. They maintain and follow legislative requirements, Health and Safety programs, Food Safety and Risk Management programs. After the honey has been harvested from the hives, it is brought to the honey shed where it will be extracted from the honeycomb within the frames. It is a simple operation that does not over-process, over-stir or over-heat the honey. These pure, natural alpine honeys are produced from sustainable apiaries away from intensive farming practices. Beech Honeydew Honey 250g Beech Honeydew Honey 500g Beech Honeydew Honey 1kg Creamed Clover Honey 250g Creamed Clover Honey 500g Creamed Clover Honey 1kg Creamed Multifloral Honey 250g Creamed Multifloral Honey 500g New Zealand Honey Bee Night Cream 50g New Zealand Honey Bee Nourishing Skin Balm 165g Each hive is strategically positioned to cause minimal disturbance to the land and bees have access to fresh water, plenty of pollen and a nectar source. With a state of the art monitoring system there are GPS co-ordinates of every hive using RFID ( Radio Frequency Identification ) tags which keep track of honey from the specific hive site in which it was produced, to the pottle of honey in your kitchen cupboard. For more information on the tracking system, visit http://www.hivetech.nz. In early spring, some of the bees are moved back to the clover sites in the Rakaia Gorge, while others are kept on the bush to collect Honeydew. This is where they will stay through to the end of summer to gather the sweet liquid that we call Southern Alps Honey. Every year after the honey has been harvested, bees are bought back to the Beech forest to be wintered down. This allows the bees to gather honey stores for the winter, reducing the need to feed them sugar syrup. We are passionate about caring for our bees and making sure they have what they need to raise sustainable hives.

So...took a break from beekeeping in 2018, because basically I sucked at it. All my bees either took off (swarmed) or died. Eventually the hornets moved in and that was the last straw. I threw in the towel, cleaned my boxes and frames up and stored them away. Prior to the start of this year, I was planning my next foray into beekeeping until I decided that it wasn't the right time. The good news is that I did not have the opportunity to kill yet another package from Georgia. More good news is that my vegetable garden flourished and was not eaten by rabbits., Fast forward to right now. Here's my plan... (2) deep nucs from Betterbee in April 2019, which I will transition to mediums over time. All mediums is the plan going forward, mostly because it's simpler and it works....maybe not for everyone, I fully understand. Top entrance in case we get snow in 2019. No treatment is a nice idea, but I don't think I want to invest my time and money into this deal just to see a bunch of mites screw it up. Plus...there are plenty of totally acceptable and organic treatments. Yes, I fully understand that treatment at it's core is not natural or organic....so I may re-think that approach. For now...that's what I'm thinking. Let me know your thoughts.

The Joys of Beekeeping – 2012 Compiled from a series of essays, many previously published in the author’s “Bee Talk” column in Gleanings in Bee Culture. While Richard Taylor does offer relevant information for new/novice beekeepers, he writes much more than a how-to manual: Taylor philosophizes on the beauty in honey production, the joy in tending bees, and the inspiration in beholding a swarm. A tribute to the joy and happiness in apiculture. Illustrated by Meri Shardin.

There are books devoted to this subject so this is only intended as a guide for successfully introducing queen bees. A practical knowledge of honey bees and beekeeping is presumed. Unless all conditions are perfect, introducing queen bees is a notoriously hit and miss affair. Success rates are dependant on many variables such as the state of the colony, the state of the weather, the state of the queen and forage availability. Some of this is under the beekeeper’s control so success rates can be increased but even if all the conditions were perfect a successful introduction cannot be guaranteed. First ensure the colony receiving the queen is queenless and without queen cells. The presence of a queen or queen cell is the most common reason for failure. Do not presume your colony is queenless because you can see no brood. If your colony was making its own new queen, she can take 3 - 4 weeks after emergence to start laying, they are not always quick so be patient. Insert a Test Comb to confirm queenlessness. A Test Comb is a comb containing newly hatched larvae from another colony - this is just one good reason to maintain a minimum of two colonies. Check the comb after 3 days. If the colony is queenless, there will be queen cells being constructed. If the colony has a queen, there will be no queen cells. Note that the only time this test does not work is when the colony has only just swarmed when there might be a newly emerged queen but the colony continues to construct queen cells in any case. In the absence of a good nectar flow, queen introduction is more successful if the colony is fed 50% syrup prior to and during the introduction process. It has also been shown that the success rate is increased if the queen is introduced to young workers. These ‘nurse' bees will feed a new queen but older bees are likely to attack her. The success rate is further increased if the queen is in a state of laying eggs or ‘in lay’. Queen bees that have been sent in the post are, naturally, ‘off lay’. Some of the above conditions can be satisfied by creating a small nucleus colony, taken from the hive to be requeened and placed next to the hive. Older flying bees will fly back to the hive ensuring that only younger bees remain in the nucleus. The queen can be introduced to the nucleus and the nucleus placed back in the hive after the queen has been accepted and is laying. If you have received a queen bee by post in a queen cage , it is recommended to introduce the queen as soon as possible after receiving her but the queen and attendants can survive for several days in the queen cage. If a delay before introduction is necessary, place a small piece of tissue soaked in water in contact with the mesh of the cage. Keep the cage in the dark in a warm room, 20-25ºC, replenishing the water on the tissue as necessary. If all the above conditions have been met a 'quick' introduction method can be used. Break away and remove the tab on the end of the queen cage to expose the fondant and provide access for the bees. Place, hang or wedge the cage horizontally between two combs close to the brood and the centre of the cluster so the cage entrance and mesh sides of the cage are exposed allowing at least a bee space around the cage. The bees in the hive will familiarise themselves with the queen and attendants through the mesh. They will eat their way through the sugar paste or marshmallow to release the queen over the next day or two and she will start laying in a day or two after that. It is advisable to leave the colony undisturbed for at least a week before checking that the queen has been accepted, the cage can then be removed. If the queen is to be introduced to a colony which has eggs or young brood the following 'slow' introduction method can be used. In this case the protective tab on the queen cage is left in place so bees in the hive cannot gain access to the queen. After 5-7 days thoroughly check for and remove any queen cells that may have been started. The bees will then be unable to produce any queens from the old brood that is left. Remove the tab on the queen cage and proceed as above. In one corner of the cage there is a peg which blocks the entrance to the space that must be filled with sugar paste or marshmallow. Break away and remove the peg to expose the fondant and provide access for the bees. Find a comb containing emerging bees, from another colony if necessary. Shake or brush off all the bees. Release the queen onto the comb where bees are emerging preferably in an area of the comb that also contains pollen cells but it is not essential. Immediately place the cage over the queen, pushing the cage spikes securely into the comb so there are no gaps between the cage and comb. Alternatively, push the cage onto the comb first and then introduce the queen through the capped hole. Replace the comb in the hive ensuring there is a bee space between the cage and neighbouring comb. Emerging bees in the cage will immediately start to tend the queen and at the same time provide empty cells for the queen to lay eggs. Within 2 days the sugar paste or marshmallow should have been eaten away by the hive bees and the queen will be released already ‘in lay’ although it is advisable to leave the colony undisturbed for at least a week before checking that the queen has been accepted, the cage can then be removed.

In the politics of food, almond milk has become almost as controversial as dairy. You may have heard reports about its so-so nutritional benefits and the huge amount of water that it takes to grow a single almond. Which begs the question—is almond milk the health-food superstar it's often portrayed as, or are you being duped? Here's what you need to know before you buy your next carton. This story was originally published by our partners at RodalesOrganicLife.com. It's true that nuts are high in protein, but don't make the mistake of thinking the same goes for nut milks, which are diluted with water. Dairy milk packs about 8 grams of protein per cup, while almond milk has just 1 gram per cup, according to Julie Lee, RD, who works with Binghamton University Dining Services. If you decide to go the non-dairy route and start eating your morning bowl of oats with almond milk, just make sure you're making up the lost protein from other food sources. (Consider adding one of these unsweetened, unflavored protein powders to your morning smoothie.) You've probably heard that you should shun almond milk because increased demand for almond products has been a huge strain on drought-stricken California, where over 80% of the world's almonds are grown. To find out how true this is, and if we should swap out almond milk in favor of something else, we reached out to Claire O'Connor, who studies agriculture and water usage at the Natural Resources Defense Council. She says that while it's true that almonds are a water-intensive crop, that's not the biggest challenge facing California growers. "The biggest challenge with almonds and other permanent crops is that they are far less flexible than vegetables and other row crops," she explains. "Farmers can't just fallow almond groves during dry years." There's no way to pull out almond trees and start over next year like you can with tomatoes or corn. Either you keep watering your trees to keep them healthy and producing, or you abandon them. But it's important to remember that there's a significant upside to almond farming, too. According to O'Connor, almonds are a highly profitable crop for growers, which means each drop of water used in an almond orchard yields a big return. Plus, almonds consume less water than is needed to raise dairy cows and other types of animal protein. If you're concerned about how the drought is impacting California's crops (and we all should be), O'Connor says that instead of vilifying almonds, the biggest thing you can do to help is to make sure you're not wasting any food. "About a third of the water we use to grow crops in the US goes to grow food that never gets eaten. Wasting food wastes water." Carrageenan is a popular "natural" food additive derived from seaweed that's used to thicken foods like yogurt, ice cream, and plant-based milks. Carrageenan came under fire several years back for being linked to gut irritation and inflammation, as well as for being a potential carcinogen. However, these days you don't have much to worry about, at least as far as almond milk is concerned—most major brands have removed carrageenan from their products. Lee says now it's more common to see locust bean gum or gellan gum used in its place, both of which have been proven to be safe. Almond trees need pollinators in order to produce—two hives of honeybees per 1 acre of almond trees, to be exact. As you probably already know, honeybees are in serious decline due to colony collapse disorder (CCD), the cause of which is still unknown. That means trouble for California almond growers, who rely on hired colonies to pollinate their crops. Once almond pollination season is over, these hired hives move on to another crop, crisscrossing the country all year long, pollinating the crops we eat. Some researchers argue that the stress of migratory beekeeping could actually be one of the factors contributing to CCD. Bringing so many hives together spreads viruses, mites, and fungi that plague colonies, and being forced to feed on the pollen of a monocrop limits bees' nutrition. Plus, regular contact with the pesticides routinely used on almonds and other crops weakens their health. Still, it's not all doom and gloom—researchers are looking into how wild bees can support and actually improve honeybees' pollination, and NPR reported earlier this year on a new variety of almond tree, aptly named Independence, that can rely on wind for pollination because the flowers breed with themselves rather than other flowers. Sure, almond milk is a trendy health food, but that doesn't mean it's all good for you—it depends on the kind you buy. If you're a newbie to the world of almond milk shopping, you'd be forgiven for thinking that "original" is the best no-frills option. But actually "original" almond milk is typically loaded with added sugar—as much as 16 grams per cup, according to Lee. "Unsweetened" is the way to go, though you should always check the label for the sugar content. (Or avoid the issue entirely and learn how to make your own homemade almond milk.) In a side-by-side comparison, it may look like almond milk and dairy milk have a very similar calcium content. But the nutrition label doesn't tell you the whole story. Lee explains that almond milk is fortified with calcium carbonate, which can be harder for our bodies to absorb than the calcium found in whole food sources, like dairy milk.

The latest issue of Stylus Magazine is out on newsstands and it's sporting some cover art by yours truly. I was tasked with shooting something "abstract" preferably in colour. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do. I had a been shooting a lot of black & white and live music when I was asked to do the cover, breaking from that mindset was necessary. The next day I got a call from Luke, a friend and fellow photographer. He asked if I wanted to go out shooting with him. He had some film loaded up and an idea he was eager to execute. I agreed knowing that it would be a good opportunity to brainstorm. My hope was that the walk would help clear my mind and give me and idea for the cover art. About midway through our excursion we ended up around Higgins and Disraeli. We ventured down every back alley and side street gazing around for scenes of interested. I became totally enamoured with the train cars covered in graffiti; the overgrown prairie grass that had broken through the cracks in the pavement; the birds that were flying in formation overhead, swooping between the buildings and under Disraeli bridge; and all the junk that had been discarded behind the old warehouses. That's when we stumbled upon the forty five gallon drums seen in the above photo. Luckily I had a small speedlight, so I was able to capture the shot as seen here, otherwise it would have been a silhouette. I have since learned these forty five gallon drums are used by the beekeeping industry. They are used to store honey until the internal lining or exterior is damaged and then sold off to scrappers. Somehow these drums ended up on a loading dock behind Graffiti Gallery with an assortment of other refuse. When I got home that evening I had a stronger idea about what I wanted to do for the cover. I processed a few of the photos and sent them off to Stylus to see if we were on the same wavelength. Thankfully Sheldon Birnie (editor) and Andrew Mazurak (art director) both loved what I had sent them. I'm also quite happy with the results. Here's full uncropped photo below.

Swarming is an essential part of the life cycle of the bee. As explained in this article, swarming bees are healthy bees. In the south of England, the swarming season typically starts in May, however, this year the cold spring has delayed matters until the end of May. The first swarm from a hive is termed the prime swarm and contains the queen from that hive plus maybe a third of the bees. In a good season, an early prime swarm can build to become a very strong colony by the end of the summer. In nature, such a swarm will seek out an appropriate cavity in which to build comb and create a hive. Perchance the cavity may have been preprepared by a late swarm from the previous year that did not survive the winter. In an apiary, once such a swarm has settled, it may be hived by the beekeeper. For many who witness the swarming event, it can be a life enhancing experience; we are present at a time of creation for an organism, the Bee, that is unlike any other. Heidi Herrmann, of the Natural Beekeeping Trust, passed me this observation of swarming that she received a few years ago. It expresses the mystical effect of being present on the occasion of a swarm. ‘Well, honestly, I suppose this swarm was nothing remarkable from a scientific perspective. It’s what bees do, after all. In fact, it may have been our presence (there were about 20 of us bipeds roaming about) that agitated them to swarm. From a personal perspective, though, it was on par with seeing the sun rise over the ocean for the first time, or perhaps standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon. I had a flash of insight into the oneness of all creation. Could any of us possibly track a single bee in a swarm? For all practical purposes, there is no individual bee. Likewise, there is no single man or woman: all are one, all at once. From the dawn of history to the dim, unknown twilight of our future, all of us together are one. I know this probably sounds completely weird and confirms the stereotype of the crazy religious American. However, being in that swarm was a mystical experience. The bees spoke in a deafening roar that could not be ignored.’ I get called to collect swarms from all sorts of places and I cannot recall an occasion when the property owner and others nearby were anything but entranced by the sight of swarming bees. The Bee is a truly amazing creature and should be cherished. The reproductive process- the swarm- gives us a unique insight into its world. Feel free to post your swarm moments in the comments box below. Gareth, Cotswolds, 2013

*!* Read Me First *!* The FAQ forum (this sub-forum) contains a list of topics that are frequently asked at Beesource, and links to existing threads which are pertinent to that topic. This FAQ forum is not intended to have "new" questions posted here. "New" questions should be posted to the most appropriate sub-forum. If you are a relatively new beekeeper, odds are that the Beekeeping 101 forum here ... ... would be a good place to ask your question. The 'thread starter' is the big black button all the way at the bottom left of that page captioned "Post New Thread". Members are welcome to suggest additional threads that I might have missed that are related to existing FAQ topics; please include a link to the thread you'd like to see added. Also, suggestions for new FAQ topics are welcome. Send suggestions to me via a Private Message (PM). An easy way to start a PM to any member is to click on their member name/ID in any thread, then choose "Send Private Message" or "Private Message" from the resulting menu choices. So you can send me a PM by clicking on my name at the top left of this message then choosing Private Message. Last edited by Rader Sidetrack; 06-04-2017 at 08:32 AM. USDA Zone 7A Elevation 1400 ft

Article contributed by Amber Graner I interviewed David Rusling and Jon ‘maddog’ Hall back in August of 2012 in the hopes that I could get another Linux publication to run this interview; however, that wasn’t to be. And with maddog now coming on board to assist with a couple projects at Linaro I thought this would be a fitting place share all the awesomeness they shared with me. It’s a rather long interview but well worth the read. Many many thanks to both David and maddog for the time they shared with me in this interview and for the talents that they each share with world; Open Source has a brighter future because of all they do! (Side note: David’s answers are in blue and maddog’s in a dark orange so you can see the interactive exchange that was had as they answered the questions) At the time of the interview I asked both David and maddog to tell about their current roles and what they do. David Rusling was at the time of this interview and currently the Chief Technical Officer at Linaro. “2 years, I helped form it. I wave my arms and try to stay ahead of the bow wave,” said Rusling about how long he had been with Linaro and what he does in his role as CTO. Maddog is the Executive Director of Linux International, President of Project Cauã, and Industry Consultant. When asked what he does and how long he has been in those roles he had the following to say. For Linux International (www.li.org) I have been a voluntary (unpaid) ED since 1995. LI defended and protected the Linux Trademark against attack, helped to start the Free Standards Base project and helped to start the Linux Professional Institute. I travel the world helping governments, corporations, companies, universities and people learn how to make or save money with Free Software. Other than that it is fairly dormant, as the Linux Foundation is doing a good job with most things Linux. Someday I may start it up again if I see a need that has to be addressed. Project Cauã (www.projectcaua.org) is a project to help create millions of sustainable, private sector, entrepreneurial jobs in dense urban areas in Latin America. It is having a few issues about getting to pilot launch, but we are addressing them. I make my living as an Industry consultant, mostly in Free and Open Source Software. I am always looking for new business and things to do, so people who are willing to pay are welcome to send me email. “Free as in Freedom, not as in beer” [QUESTION] - It’s my understanding that you all worked together at Digital Equipment Corporation together? If so, is it true that you all worked in the same office and on the same version of Unix? Did you all know each other before working there? What is one story from those days you both remember fondly that would help those who are getting stared in Technology? What was the lessons you learned that you still remember and apply today? David: Not only do we go way back, but maddog got me interested into Linux in the first place. For which I am eternally grateful. We both worked for Digital; but not even on the same continent. I worked in Reading, England, maddog in New England. The catalyst was that Digital decided to build the Alpha processor and sell it around the time that Linux was being created and maddog refused to let the second architecture that Linux ran on be anything other than an Alpha. I had never heard of maddog until I was told about Linux; I met him for the first time just before we went into a meeting with one of the Digital execs. The rest is history. As for Digital and Linux; all of us working on it were renegades. At that time Digital was focused on VMS, Digital Unix and Windows NT. The Linux work was done with very little management buy in. The thing was that Digital was a great engineering company with some amazing people working for it and you could get away with having a bright idea and following it. maddog saw what was happening with Linux, believed that it would one day be big and infected the rest of us with his passion. I was looking for something to own and Linux became that. It was technically very challenging, fast and fun. We did things in days or weeks when other teams would take that long to set up a meeting to discuss the possibility of doing something. I learnt so much, so quickly. maddog: Yes, we both worked for Digital, but it would have been impossible for David to share my office, as the office was so cluttered that things would have fallen on the poor chap. I worked for the Digital Unix group, in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA and we had just created a 64-bit version of OSF/1 Unix on the Alpha microprocessor. At that time the Alpha (a RISC processor) was the fastest in the world, and for a number of years we were registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the fastest. I did not have the pleasure of knowing David before the Alpha/Linux project, but I did get to spend some very nice time with both him and his family in the years afterwards. I do not know which stories we both remember fondly…perhaps the time that the port was finished and David and I went to a Digital Equipment User’s Society (DECUS) event in Dublin to talk about the project and show it off. We shared a graduate student flat on the campus that was situated for four students, so had four bedrooms, two baths, a small kitchen and sitting room. More importantly the campus had three huge pubs that served Guinness….we had a good time. I am not sure that story will really get people “started in technology”, unless of course you consider that we had fun…and as Linus has often stated, having fun is very important to life. David: I remember that weekend very well as we ended up going out to an Irish bar with a bunch of folks from Finland. They gave us pints of Guinness as we got onto the coach to go into town. I had a huge hangover the next day. That was my 40th birthday. [maddog sighs: only 40!] maddog: Lessons…Hard work, honesty, love for your fellows, kindness towards others, taking care of your family, loving your life partner and children, guiding your children the correct way, earning a decent living, self-dependence, enjoying life and helping others to enjoy it too, these are the things that allow a person to look themselves in the mirror every day. Do your best, every minute, every hour, every day. If anyone asks anything more of you than that, it is their problem, not yours. [QUESTION] - How did each of you move to Linux? What was the first Linux distribution you can remember using (ok, I am sure you compiled it yourself and probably wrote some of it, too; did you?)? What year was this? What distribution do you currently use and if you are comfortable with answering, why do you use that distribution? David: It’s all maddog’s fault. The first distribution I ran was Slackware on an old Digital 386 with 120 Mbytes of disk (yes, Mbytes). That was just before we got it running on Alpha systems. We first ran a Slackware like home brew (and yes, we did compile it ourselves, but only after we fixed the compiler). Red Hat were involved early on and we worked with them to create Alpha based distributions, so I ran Red Hat for years. I got fed up with upgrading systems and moved to Debian for a while. These days I run Ubuntu, but I occasionally flirt with other distributions. Ubuntu is flexible enough to let me I use whatever GUI I want, mostly just works and lets me experiment. maddog: I had been using the equivalent of “Open Source” ever since college in 1969. I first started with software from DECUS, written by its members and contributed to their library. This software could be obtained for 5 USD per copy (15 USD if it was long) on paper tape. This charge was for handling and postal expenses, as the software itself was “free”. I would then buy new paper tape from the school store and punch off copies that I would sell to my roommates at 1 USD per copy to make back my money. This was both legal and encouraged by DECUS. In 1992 when I worked for DEC I worked on a project called “Good Stuff” that compiled and built available Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) on the Digital Unix system, which we handed out to our customers. It saved them time and money from doing this all themselves, and they loved the work. In late 1993 I saw an advertisement for “A complete Unix system, source code included, for 99 USD”. Intrigued, I bought it, only to find out that it only ran on an Intel-compatible device. Since I only had “real computers” (VAX, MIPS, Alphas), I could not use it, but I mounted it on my workstation and looked at the man(1) pages. Convinced that it was interesting, I put it in my filing cabinet. In early 1994 a friend of mine, Kurt Reisler started sending emails to various companies and copying me on them. Kurt was the chairman of the Unix Special Interest Group for DECUS (UniSIG). Kurt wanted this person to come from Europe to the Spring DECUS event in New Orleans, and was looking for funding from various small companies. They all told him that they did not have much money, but they would be happy to send CDs of their software to the event. I felt bad for Kurt, since he was a good guy and had good ideas, so I went to my management and told them we should fund this, even though I did not really know this speaker nor what he had done, as “Kurt often has good ideas”. My management funded 5,000 USD to bring this speaker to DECUS and to supply a PC to run the software. I traveled to DECUS in May of 1994 and found Kurt trying to install some software on the PC and not being very successful. Along comes this nice young man with sandy, brown hair, white socks and sandals and asks if he can help. Ten minutes later Linux was running on that PC, for that young man was (of course) Linus. During that event I saw Linux in operation for the first time, and conceived of the idea of porting Linux as a 64-bit operating system to the Alpha. While riding a steam-powered riverboat, the Nachez, up and down the Mississippi River I convinced Linus to do the project. It was symbolic that the decision to port a Free Operating system to the world’s fastest processor was done on board one of the earliest forms of automation. I returned to my office at Digital and gave a presentation to a small group of managers on what I saw. The last bullet of the last slide said that “Linux is inevitable”. When I was asked what that meant I said “nothing is going to stop it”, and they laughed at me. I sent around an email to all the engineers in Digital Unix about what I saw, and a couple of them wrote back and told me that they had been using Linux for six months on their laptops. One engineer had written an entire subsystem using Intel Linux on his laptop sitting in his backyard under a tree. He got the code to compile, then brought the source code to the office and put it on his Alpha system, compiled and linked it, and it worked. These actions confirmed my resolve, and I started to “pull in favors”. I had been at DEC for 11 years at that point, done a lot of favors for a lot of people, and now it was time to start “calling them in”. I called a person named Jim Jackson, and convinced him to give me a 30 thousand dollar workstation for a project and person he did not know. “What will you pay for?”, he asked. I told him I would pay for the shipping. I found a group of engineers in the Alpha Technology section of Digital that were also thinking about porting Linux to the Alpha, but a 32-bit port. I convinced them to join Linus and make it a 64-bit port. This group was headed by Andry Riebs, and consisted of a group of engineers including Jim Paradis, Jay Estabrook and our own David Rusling. Left to right: Donnie Barnes, David Rusling, Erik Troan, Jay Estabrook, David Mosberger-Tang (Photo Credit: David Rusling)[/caption] David: These chaps deserve more recognition. They invented something called FX!32, technology that translated x86 code to Alpha code on the fly and were very bright and interesting people indeed. I first saw Linux running on Jim’s Tadpole Alpha laptop; probably the same week that I met maddog. By a strange coincidence, at that time Tadpole’s VP Engineering was one George Grey, now CEO of Linaro. maddog: Linus took the rest of 1994 to study the Alpha architecture, finish up V1.2 of the kernel, and plan the change to the source code tree to support multiple hardware architectures. We started the port in earnest January, 1995 and had a complete Red Hat distribution of Alpha Linux nine months later. David: That was really fun. Everything happened so fast. I created a bootloader called MILO which used bits of the kernel (block devices, file system, graphics) to load and start the kernel / OS. The first code that sent to Linus (early PCI support if I remember correctly) was roundly rejected. I was fuming but went for a walk outside and calmed down. Linus, it turned out, was perfectly right and accepted the code once I’d rewritten it. maddog: The rest, as they say, is history. I joined Linux International in 1995, and became the Executive Director. In 1999 I left Digital to “Linux” full time. As a consultant, I use the same Linux distribution that my customer uses. Recently I finished a job with Red Hat, so currently I am running Fedora. And that first “A complete Unix system, source code included, for 99 USD” that I bought in 1993? It was an Yggdrasil Linux system. [QUESTION] - Looking back at those days to present day, what amazes you most about the evolution and adoption of Linux and Open Source, both as an Operating System and as a philosophy. What’s been the biggest surprise not only in FOSS, but in technology in general, and what has been the biggest disappointment? David: These days, if your business has anything to do with software, you will be involved with open source software. If your business cannot interact with open source software, you will stop having a business. it’s a fact of life. I wasn’t surprised that Linux was successful; at a certain point in time, it became unstoppable (probably around the time that Red Hat floated on the stock market and IBM backed it). I am a little surprised that it’s powering the majority of the world’s smartphones, but maybe I shouldn’t be as I helped get Linux running on those early Arm processors (along with many, many others) It’s not the code that’s the big thing though. The big thing is the social engineering. That communities of engineers join together to achieve coherent, robust and practical code bases that can be used in everyday products. Linux will power the internet of things. My biggest disappointments are unnecessary secrecy and patents. Not everything a company does should be secret. Some things may be, but companies end up with cultures where they do not differentiate between generally useful code and genuinely innovative software. This means that they don’t share enough information, which doesn’t help the open source community support their hardware. Innovation is also very overused, it most means ‘more duplicated code’. Patents are an interesting area and some open source folks are entirely against them. I’m not, I think that if you invent something original, you should be able to get some commercial advantage from it. However, many, many patents (particularly software ones) are entirely obvious and the patent system (worldwide) is pretty broken. The only people making money are the lawyers. maddog: In those early days the thing that amazed me was the willingness of people I had never met to spend their own money and time to acquire an Alpha processor and help port this little-known operating system to that processor. Even people who were not DEC customers understood the mission and would beg, borrow or (well hopefully not) steal an Alpha system to do the work. One that stood out was David Mossburger-Tang, a student at a university in the western part of the United States. David did a huge amount of work in porting libraries and making sure they were 64-bit clean. After the porting project was finished David went on to write “SANE”, a back-end for scanners used to this day in Linux. He also did some very good work in cache utilization, showing how to speed up programs by 40 times with proper cache usage. I had found David Mossbuger-Tang an Alpha system so he could do his work faster, and shipped it to him on a loan-of-products. Many years later David contacted me to return the system, but did not know who to return the system to, since Digital was no longer in existence. David told me that he was currently working for Hewlett Packard. “Just hold onto it”, I told David, “it will be ‘returned’ soon.” The next week Hewlett Packard bought Compaq. David: DavidM was great; wasn’t he at Linus’ talk at the University of New Hampshire (I think that I have a picture)? He was one of our first users and was great at testing software, getting new bits working and making things happen. I think of him each time I use SANE. maddog: Another super-star was Richard Henderson, who was a college student at Texas A&M University, and did the work for Alpha Linux to have shared libraries. For his contribution I have sworn that he will never have to buy food or drink in my presence ever. Later he was the leader of the GNU compiler project and today he works for Red Hat Software. One final project out of the port was the math library. Digital had done a huge amount of work on their math library for the Alpha, and while they were willing to have a binary object run on Alpha Linux, they were unwilling to ship the source code. I was being beaten up by the community, when I turned to them and said: “If you are such hot-shot programmers, why don’t you write a better one?” Silence for a week. Then an email: “sin(3) is 3% faster” another two days: “cos(3) is 5% faster and so it went until the entire library was re-written, and faster than Digital’s Alpha math library. Only one routine was never any faster…because “nobody” used it, and nobody cared…it was fast enough. - [QUESTION] - Now you all are smart guys, and have that “Chuck Norris” type technical knowledge combined with humble and like-able personalities, so how’d you get to be that way? David: maddog was my mentor and when I stop to consider a philosophical position involving open source, I still think ‘what would maddog think?’. I’ve been influenced by various great engineers over the time and what they all have in common is humility and respect. They’re interested in solving problems, not in being right. The open source world is not about giving orders, it is about influencing people. The best arguments I’ve seen have been entirely ego free and deeply technical. I got some email the other day which disagreed with me. Someone one the CC list told me that people should not send emails like that to the CTO of a company. My response is that I’d have failed if that was true. The guy sending the email was right. maddog: Mom&Pop(TM) were a gigantic influence. The steady hand upon the tiller, the safe harbor in the stormy seas of life. Everyone liked them. My career was influenced by a lot of people, many of which will be mentioned here for the first time. Mr. Ralph Rigger, my woodshop teacher in middle school, Mr. William Roberts, my electronics teacher in high school. Philosophy came from my 10th and 11th grade English teacher, Mr. Koehler. David: In that case, I’d better mention Miss Cole. I’m mildly dyslexic and she helped me learn to read when I was eight. She started a life long love affair with reading for which I am deeply grateful. maddog: I owe a lot to my first “boss” and co-workers from co-op at Drexel University (nee Drexel Institute of Technology). During three terms of co-op (1.5 years total) I worked at Western Electric in Baltimore, Maryland. John Kammer (my mentor) was “an engineer’s engineer” (think Dilbert), and Bill Collins was his supervisor (fortunately the opposite of the “Pointy Haired Boss”). In 1969 they encouraged me to sign up for a correspondence course in “How to program the IBM 1130 in FORTRAN”, which was my first exposure to software. Bill was also the one who encouraged me to grow my beard, which I have not shaved since 1969. After my first co-op, and while finishing my correspondence course, a salesman from DEC gave me a couple of paperback books on how to program the PDP-8 computers in the physics labs back at Drexel, and by reading those books, and practicing, I learned how to program in assembler and machine language. A professor of math and statistics at Drexel, Dr. Richard Haas, who was rumored to be the hardest teacher in the school. Because of him the class came together and focused as a group, helping each other. We later learned that his tough exterior was a way to get students to “meet the challenge”. Several went on to become statistics majors. Another big influence was my first job at Aetna Life and Casualty, at that time the largest commercial user of IBM equipment in the “Free World”….a great place to work for a kid right out of college and who wanted to learn. I also made friends with a lot of the operators in the computer room downstairs and I had direct access to the mainframes. My students at Hartford State Technical College, where I taught full time were another influence, where I learned at least as much from them as they learned from me. I also learned that you do not really know something until you have to teach it to others. Bell Labs. What can I say? Working with incredibly bright people. Bea Fink, my first female supervisor, and one of the best supervisors I ever had. I joined Bell at the North Andover facility, hired as their “senior systems administrator for Unix” and I had never touched a Unix system before. Through my background, the study of books and the help of two great mentors, Bob Wessling and Tom Merrick, I learned Unix quickly, to the point that one day Bob threw up his hands and said “That is it! I can not teach you anything more! You have surpassed me!” David: If I had a time machine, a visit to Bell Labs around that time would be on my list. maddog: And then there was DEC. I joined in 1983, the 16th person they had hired to work on their new distribution of Unix. It was a small family of scrappers with a dream and a goal to create the best Unix system in the world. I watched as young engineers came in from college to meet with older, more experienced engineers such as Fred Canter and Chet Juszczak. We called the younger engineers “the boat people”, because they were hired all at once, and it was if they came off the boat at Ellis Island. We watched and mentored. Now a lot of those “boat people” work for Red Hat Software….and I am proud of them, what they did and what they continue to do. Finally, most of the people I have met in FOSS. As in any group, there are some that are lesser, and some that are greater, but for the most part, I think they are “greater”. I love most of them. Sorry, the story of my nickname has been told many times and in many places. I earned the name at a time when I did not have control of my temper. I keep using it to remind myself to never lose my temper again. [QUESTION] - It’s my belief that anyone can become technical and if they really want to they can even become a developer, but there are other things about life in F/LOSS ecosystem that well quite honestly isn’t taught in books. So, lets say I came to each of you asking for mentor-ship and were given the opportunity to have each of you all as a personal FOSS mentor; what would you want to make sure I knew? Why? What resources would you point me to in order to help me ensure I build a strong fundamental cornerstone of F/LOSS knowledge. (ok maybe I am hinting here, just a little, but can you blame me for trying - I mean you all are legends!) David: Find an itch to scratch. What problem do you want to help solve? Find a FOSS community that’s doing work around there and have a look at what they’re doing and see how you could contribute. Try to fit in. Be useful. Be patient. Most communities have pretty good ‘how to join in’ information. I like LWN as a good source of what’s going on. maddog: I disagree that “anyone can become technical”, as I have met too many people that despite their best efforts and my own best efforts, they failed. But this does not mean that they can not contribute, as I believe each person can contribute in their own way. David: Good point. When I went to my first UDS, I was amazed at the range of involvement, including testing, documentation, art work and so on. One of my old bosses in Arm used to say that if all you can do to help is make the tea, then make the tea. maddog: One of my many interests while growing up was beekeeping. In a bee hive bees take on several different jobs throughout their lives, ending up (typically) as a “field bee”. One of the jobs might be making honeycomb. No bee will build an entire cell, each deposits a little wax, pinches it to shape it a little, then moves on. In the end is a perfect honeycomb. The essence of Free Software. [QUESTION] - maddog I would ask you about general Open Source and Linux Philosophies and how to be a good consumer and contributor to F/LOSS projects. maddog: Understanding the basic philosophies from a simple perspective is a good place to start: I start with Free Software so I do not have to write the whole thing I contribute to Free Software so I can work and learn from others I do not take away the freedoms of others, as it breaks the chain It is as close to the proverbial “Golden Rule” as I think that technology can get. Not all of us can contribute directly to writing code, but all of us can contribute something to make life easier. At the same time I will point out that even the most ardent supporter of “Free Software” will say that you should be able to earn a living writing code, so there is this balance that is sometimes hard to see. David: I often talk to companies and communities about open source and I emphasis the moral and philosophical duties beyond what is encoded in the licenses. In essence, someone gave the code an open source license in order that it could be taken, shared, modified and used. It is, therefore, your duty to respect that wish. This can be hard for companies (and individuals) to grok. It requires a paradigm shift from secret source(s) and NDAs. Most companies need fairly sophisticated risk strategies in place to handle this interaction with open source well (or their efforts get stranded in their legal departments). This is not an option, all companies need software and will, to some extent, have to interact with open source software. It’s not the exception, it’s mainstream. Arm is a good example. Arm needs Linux to run well on systems that include its technology and yet the Arm partnership must keep systems under development secret until they’re released. That’s a difficult balancing act. [QUESTION] - David, I would ask you about starting on a Technical path and given that both you and I work at Linaro, I would narrow that to Arm what advice would you give me and others about getting started in this area? David: I like to fix things (or rather, I don’t like broken things) and I like to know how things work. What else would I be other than an engineer? Most of the engineers that I know started by doing sciences at school / university. A lot got into Linux as its free and they like to solve problems and tinker. The issue, for me, is to create engineers that embrace open source. I mostly see that outside of the west, in Brazil, Africa and so on. [QUESTION] - I would ask both of you how do you influence an organization or corporate entity to adopt not only Linux and Open Source for their technical computing needs, but embracing the philosophies of F/LOSS as well. How important do you see this adoption for the future of Linux, F/LOSS, Arm etc. David: Having spent years doing this at Arm; get the CTO and legal on board, nibble away at the problem. Support the engineers. Don’t give up. maddog: In the beginning I wanted Alpha Linux to be used by universities to study how to use large address spaces to improve sorting and searching techniques. I would still love to see Donald Knuth update Volume 3 of the “Art of Computer Programming” to include his thoughts on this. Later I began to embrace the whole FOSS philosophy, which worked well with programmers and students, but was lost on businesses. Captains of business were not interested in the “Kumbaya philosophies of sandal-wearing hippies.” Yet I began to see a commercial value of Linux and FOSS that went beyond just “getting the software ‘for free’” At that time I started talking about saving money and making money with Free Software, and that gained some interest. I did not talk about software freedom, but talked to business people about regaining control of their business. I talked about software slavery. Most business people understand issues of “lack of control” and “slavery” much more than they understand Freedom. I talked to governments about security, sovereignty, longevity of the solution, balance of trade, and brain-drain. They responded. It is my personal belief that for the bulk of software today, the market is too diverse for solutions to be produced in a “closed source” way, and that FOSS will replace closed source models. As Linus would say “World Domination” is inevitable. David: I agree. Open source is mainstream. [QUESTION] - If you had a magic wand and you could magically fix one area of the F/LOSS ecosystem, what would it be and why? Since there are no real magic wands other than hard work, perseverance, and a quest for knowledge what do you see as the real world solutions to those problems? David: I’d get the kernel communities to formally get together every 4 months to make decisions. The in-kernel communities, server, embedded etc are having separate meetings - it makes heavy engineering in the kernel take too long. I’d have 3 plumbers a year that they all go to. Technology wise, Linux is not obsessed enough about power and battery utilisation. There are also too many subsystems doing similar things. maddog: With my magic wand I would eliminate software patents and drastically reform copyright laws. Before the mid-1980s software copyrights and patents did not exist and we had huge amounts of innovation. After 1990 the only thing truly new and innovative was a talking paper clip, and everyone hated that. Today most large companies (other than patent trolls) swear they only have software patents to build a pool to defend themselves, yet if software patents did not exist, you would not need to defend yourself. It is a circular argument. In the end it is only the consumer who pays the large legal fees, or who is blocked from using a competing product. Notice that I would eliminate only software patents. Other types of patents are useful, but I believe the whole patent system does need drastic reform. David: There’s a clear and present danger from loosely drawn software patents. I think that this will settle down as the post-PC era finds its feet, and as governments reform patent law. Sadly, it will probably happen very slowly. [QUESTION] -_ Since most of the “Legends in Linux” are your peers and friends, do you have any that you are in awe of and would like to meet that you don’t already know? If so, who and why?_ maddog: I am not a hero worshiper. I do not follow the lives of “famous people”, or ask for autographs, or have my picture taken with someone famous. Many times I will ask to have my photo taken with a young person who I think has potential because I want to remember them, not because they are “famous”. David: I have lost count of the number of pictures of maddog and friends that I see posted on Facebook. maddog: I have been truly lucky in my life to have met and spent time with some really great people. Besides the ones I have mentioned before, I have met Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, Maurice Wilkes, Douglas McIlroy, Dennis Ritchie, Ken Thompson, Linus…the list goes on and on. But some of the most interesting are the ones “behind the scenes” that few people have ever heard of their contributions, and I have been fortunate enough to not only know them, but to be invited into their homes, be with their families and their lives. This is, for example, my relationship with Linus and his family. When I do see them (not as often as I would like) we do not talk about Linux. Instead we talk about mutual interests, and I talk with his wife Tove and his daughters. I have met their families, who I like immensely, and we have taken sauna together. Linus and his family went to a county fair with me one time, and to the boardwalk at Santa Cruz beach. Probably three or four times early in our mutual friendship has the topic turned to Linux, and then only a tiny nudge to get things back on course. It did not take much effort. I appreciate the fact that I have known Richard Stallman for over a quarter century, and even though we do not agree all the time on everything, I will admit to having moved closer to his philosophies over the years. On the wall of my office hangs a plaque with the poem “Desiderata” on it. I bought the plaque when I was in college. The poem begins “Go placidly among the noise and haste”….(something I have always found hard to do), and eventually talks about how there will always be people who are greater and lesser than yourself. No matter how intelligent you are there will always be someone more intelligent than you, or more knowledgeable in some subject or a harder worker, or otherwise gifted where you are not, but “beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself”. The poem goes on to warn you to avoid loud and aggressive persons, “for they are vexations to the spirit”. So I really prefer to be with small groups of people, to sit down and perhaps have a glass of beer rather than with large groups. A lot of people might find it surprising to know that I am quite shy. USENIX, DECUS and the people I met there, were also huge influences on my life, and of course the many thousands and thousands of people I have met around the world in the Free and Open Source movement. I am sure that after this question a lot of business leaders will dismiss me as a “sandal wearing hippie”. That is their problem, not mine. David: I’ll echo Maddog’s comments. There are, undoubtedly, some very bright individuals writing extraordinary code but, in general, open source is the sum of its many contributors, not of the few. The influential ones are those that are good are enthusing others with their ideas and in growing capable teams around them. Open source is distributed intelligence not centralised command and control. I get a real buzz at open source working sessions, such as those we have at Linaro Connects, where a group of kernel hackers discuss a problem and strategies for solving it. It’s a very interesting spectacle of social engineering as views are aired and consensus is reached. That said, I’ve never physically met Ingo Molnar but I’ve watched his work with interest. As the Linux kernel has got bigger tries to serve many needs, it takes a strength of character to propose wholesale changes in debug and in the scheduler. I’d never describe Maddog as a ‘sandal wearing hippie’, I usually describe him as ‘Father Christmas on his holidays’. [QUESTION] - Many people using Linux today don’t know about or even care about the whole GNU/Linux argument. Personally, I think it’s good to know the history of GNU and Linux and the importance of each. As someone who mentors others, when would you introduce this topic, how would you introduce it, and what are your personally thoughts on the subject? David: My friends are either in technology and know all about Linux or are entirely ignorant of technology. With non-technologists you can point at Android (as they can buy that) and talk about open source communities. maddog: Computers are a huge part of our life, everything from smartphones to supercomputers, yet most people have never even read the license that they blissfully click on. I would be very happy if at least “computer science” people understood about GNU and Linux in depth, and the rest of the people practiced the “Golden Rule” more… [QUESTION] - What do you see as the future of Linux? What areas of this future are you most interested in? Any predictions about what technology will be in say 1, 5 and 10 years? maddog: World Domination. There are currently 1.5 billion desktops in the world, and 7.5 billion people, so 5 billion people have not selected their desktop yet. These people typically do not speak one of the 50 major languages of the world, do not do business the same way that Western Europe or the USA does business, and represent groups that are too small (and too unprofitable) for closed source countries to address their issues. David: I don’t think that it will be a desktop (or what we now call a desktop). For most people, a mobile phone or a tablet together with the infinitely connected internet is the perfect tool. maddog: We no longer need a multi-million dollar, twenty-ton computer to write software. I hold in my hand a computer faster than all the computers that Aetna Life and Casualty owned in 1977 when I left, yet it runs off a battery. Thank you, Dave, Arm and DEC (who did a lot of work on the StrongArm chip and architecture). It runs an operating system called “Android” based on the work of a college student from Helsinki, Finland. David: I was listening to BBC Radio 4 on the way to work and an entrepreneur was talking about how easy it is for someone to have an idea and to create a scalable business to support it via the internet. Creating a web site and writing software has never been easier. maddog: Linux runs on 98% of the 500 fastest computers in the world today, half of all the servers shipped, and is the most used operating system in embedded system designs. The timeline of the future? Sorry, too hard to call. By now we should all be flying around in rocket belts, according to the magazines of my youth. But while the timeline is too hard to call, the direction is clear, and Free Software will be there. David: In some ways, we’re there already. Just stop and be amazed. Power and energy will dominate and something called the internet of things will actually make sense. [QUESTION] - Is there anything else you would like for readers/viewers to know in regards to your personal journeys in F/LOSS, the companies you work for, or pet projects you are currently working on? David: Being at Digital when alpha Linux was happening was a happy accident - I would advise people to grab opportunities and to always look for ways to develop, as an engineer and as a person. My current project is looking at how to use Neon instructions in the kernel for cryptography. maddog: Getting to know David, meet and know his family, and through a lucky accident, sharing with Dave the experience of a “Royal Wave” from the Queen Mother right before her Diamond Jubilee….but that is another story. David and I see each other, way too seldom, at Linux events around the world. David: Sadly true, but sitting on your hotel room balcony drinking your lovely home made Trappist beer and reminiscing was memorable. I will treasure that Royal Wave forever.

Beekeeping can be an exciting avocation and a business opportunity that is money-making. The demand for honey is improving daily. In the U.S, the average honey consumption in per year is more than 300 million pounds. The most inspiring aspect of beekeeping is that anyone may do it, irrespective of age, gender and educational qualification. It doesn’t demand a major investment. Yet, you do need as a way to make a healthy income to invest just a little effort. If you are a beginner, it’s advisable to get a firm grip of the fundamentals of beekeeping to help you to get started. Beekeeping supplies that are essential: The bees and queens are the essential beekeeping supplies. You can get queens and packaged bees which are medicated for mites. There are beginner’s kits available that include all you need for the first period of beekeeping. It is possible to select either unassembled kits or constructed kits. Constructed kits include framework, the hive bodies and supers which are assembled and prepared to use. Some reliable firms veil along with the kits and offer a durable plastic helmet. They also supply a hive top feeder for feeding your bees and for supplying the bees with insulation during wintertime. The ventilated leather gloves, hive tool, a smoker manufactured from stainless steel, and observation tray are some other critical supplies that come with the kits of the beginner. Beekeeping gear like a telescoping outer cover is vital to protect your bees. This cover features a long-lasting, galvanized top to provide improved protection to your bees. Hive wrap insulating material is useful in covering your hives, when your bees are exposed to extreme weather. This insulation features lots of little holes for proper venting. A pollen trap featuring anatomic frame design lets you raise your own pollen without debris. You’ll be able to so reap pollen that is clean. Queen excluders are yet another critical equipment in beekeeping. They can be used above the brood chamber by which worker bees can pass, but the queen bees which are bigger in size are excluded. The commercial beekeepers favor alloy queen excluders. Nonetheless, plastic queen excluders work as well for beginners, and they’re very easy to clean. Bee escapes and picking equipment eases the process of beekeeping. The triangle getaway board allows you to remove your bees from a super easily. You simply need to set the board in between the brood chamber and the supers. The bees leaving the supers cannot return in, so your super can empty quickly. A bee brush is useful gear that helps to pick a small quantity of honey. You simply have to brush the bees off the frame. A honey extractor is indispensable equipment used in the honey crop. It is available with motor or hand crank. A great honey extractor prevents smashing young bees and pollen and in addition, it helps to prevent indiscriminate loss of honey. It’s possible for you to use an extractor heat tape to warm the extractor and increase the speed of the honey flow. You may also use a little device called refractometer to measure the moisture content of your honey. A honey color grader is, in addition, significant equipment that is used to identify the real colour of the honey. With a tiny bit of effort, and the right gear anyone can get started beekeeping. It is sometimes a money-making business, or an enjoyable avocation. Some individuals that are interested in honey bee farming get their training from raising honey bees classes in Rice Washington but it may be very expensive. The good news is there are affordable ways to master the art of successful beekeeping in WA.

While permaculture is gaining popularity in Lebanon, especially within circles of people interested in self sufficiency and healthy living, it’s still an ambiguous concept to many. This 3-session course aims to introduce participants to the history, principles and design methodology of permaculture in an interactive way. Permaculture is a holistic design approach that works with nature to help people provide their needs in an efficient way. This course gives participants a taste of the permaculture design process, through theoretical introductions followed by exercises and activities in which we try to apply some steps of the design methodology on an actual site. It gives an idea about what to expect in a full 72 hr Permaculture Design Course. Outline of the sessions: - Permaculture history - Ethics and principles - Examples of permaculture sites from the Mediterranean region - Overview of the design process - Base map - Site survey (activity: observing sun/shade) - Questionnaire for site users - Information analysis - Defining main functions, systems and elements - Input / Output analysis game - Placement of elements: zoning game Open to anyone with an interest in learning more about permaculture. No prerequisites. Rita is the co-founder of SOILS Permaculture Association Lebanon. A little under a decade ago, after a career in the cultural sector as a performer, project coordinator, and fundraising officer in Lebanon and Euro-Mediterranean countries, Rita embarked on a personal and professional transition journey to a lifestyle grounded in permaculture (permanent culture / agriculture), working closely with municipalities, organizations, and individuals to raise awareness of sustainability issues and promote best practices. She studied with the late Patrick Whitefield (UK), as well as with Daniel Halsey (US). In 2014, she partnered with like-minded friends to establish SOILS in her native village of Saidoun (Jezzine caza), and has managed the organization ever since, promoting viable local solutions to global problems linked to development in rural areas, ecosystem conservation, and sustainable agriculture. She has organized the first internationally recognized Permaculture Design Course (PDC) in Lebanon over three consecutive years. She has also facilitated numerous workshops and training in agro-ecology, waste sorting, beekeeping, and composting. please add the name of the course you’re interested to inquire about in the subject line. Note that registration is done via the form - Standard Fee: 75 $ - Reduced** Fee: 45 $ - Solidarity* Fee: 105 $ *This fee enables to fund the reduced fee difference and allow concerned persons to have access to the course. ** For salaries under 1000$/month and having to pay house rental. If you do not fall under this categorie and still believe you should have the reduced fee, please contact us. The reduced rate is applicable for limited number of participants.

"Thank you Zahira Nedjraoui for an exciting and informative beekeeping workshop for the kids! the small ones had a blast and we enjoyed it as well" Yana Mkhitarian, 04 February, 2017 "Miky loved the workshop and has learned a lot from it. It was very informative not only for the kids but also for us parents. The experience in itself with the outfit and all, even the candle making was just lovely. Thank you so much!" May Aoun, 06 February, 2017 "My kids had a fantastic beekeeping experience with Zahira and Jocelyn, the workshop started off with an informative video with Zahira explaining what the bees do. Then they all put on the beekeepers protective outfits and set off to visit the bees, there were plenty of oohs as they saw the thousands of bees and the honeycombs they built so, the more adventurous got up and close. They then got to make their own candles with wax made by the bees, they had a great time rolling up the wax sheets and even got a slice of yummy honey cake to round off their awesome adventure. I am sure this is one of a kind experience for children in Dubai and I would highly recommend it. In a city where outdoor activities are limited, this offers a great alternative to getting close to nature." Rhea Jacob, 18 July, 2017

As you read this, I'm winging my way south to spend a week in South Carolina with these two sweetie-pies Abram and Lucy and their mommy. Posts from February 2018 If you love authentic Italian cuisine, fine dining in a cozy atmosphere, great service, and (did I mention??) FABULOUS FOOD, and you live in central Indiana, you MUST check out Catello's Mozzarella Bar in Pendleton, Indiana. Beekeeping is not a hobby for the easily-frustrated (though I am), bee-intimidated (though I am), or budget-conscious (though I am...okay, MOST of the time I am...). My Camera Club meets tonight, and our assignment for this month is to bring our best images of 2017. Kimmie knows me well. The way to my heart is through sweets...chocolate and ice cream, to be specific! I promise you...this is the cutest thing you'll see all day! My 22-month-old granddaughter Lucy's rendition of an erupting volcano. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face this Valentine's Day!

ACCRA, Aug 2 Ghana will host in September the African Cashew Alliance’s (ACA) World Cashew Festival and Expo to help players in the industry develop the value-chain process. The four-day programme to begin on Sept 16, is expected to provide a platform for cashew farmers, processors, traders, exporters, service providers, retailers, equipment manufacturers, bankers and other stakeholders to fashion out innovative ways to improve and sustain the industry. A statement signed by Xenia Defontaine, Public Relations Manager of the African Cashew Alliance, said the Festival would provide the platform for participants to interact and exchange ideas on international best practices. The festival is on the theme: “Value Chain and Gains-Focusing on the Potential to Leverage Profit in Each Sector of the Cashew Industry and in New Markets.” The statement said there were innovative ways of exploring business prospects in the cashew industry stressing that farmers could discover new markets by adding beekeeping or producing cashew-apple juice. “Processors can repurpose the raw cashew shell by selling it to producers of cashew nut shell liquid or husk for dying clothes,” it said. The statement said even cashew breakages which has been described as a major challenge in the industry could be used to produce gluten free milk as well as vegetarian bean and nut burgers. “Both farmers and processors can increase their sales by meeting internationally recognized quality, food safety, and social and labour standards,” it said. The statement said an increase in the consumption of African cashew would boost emerging markets and offer huge business potential to local and foreign investors. Ghana is said to have produced more than 20,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts in the year 2012, with its production largely centered in the Brong-Ahafo Region. The country is considered to be the hub for trading cashews from neighbouring countries, including Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. In total, almost 80,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nut was exported in 2011. On the processors side, Ghana has an installed processing capacity of about 18,000 metric tonnes. Formerly neglected as an important force in cashew business, the African cashew sector has become a highly visible contributor during the last 10 years. With a yield of more than one million tons of raw cashew nut in 2012, representing 45 per cent of the world’s total crop, Africa is now the world’s largest producer of raw cashew nut. Between 2011 and 2012 processing had increased from 82,000 tonnes to 114,600 tonnes and continues to show rising tendencies with a promising prospect for investor interest worldwide.

Saint Francis University Environmental Studies Department is hosting a free Sustainability Summit for high-school students grades 9-12 on Saturday, October 29th. This summit will feature environmentally-related presentations, discussions, and activities led by Saint Francis faculty and students. Topics for the day include beekeeping, food sustainability, backyard chickens, care for creation, and many others, and will include many hands-on activities to encourage environmental stewardship. This event will take place in the Saint Francis University Science Center Room 101 from 9AM to 1PM on October 29th. Pre-registration is required by October 26th and can be completed at http://bit.do/SFUsummit All participants will receive FREE lunch and a FREE t-shirt. Participation is limited to 25 students. Questions about the event can be directed to Dr. Lane Loya at (814) 472-3094 or [email protected]

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SSDBKA is a Registered Charity, Charity Number : 519681. We operate through out the South Staffordshire area covering Stafford, Wolverhampton, Stone and Lichfield. Our aim is to educate those interested in beekeeping and the general public with an interest in bees, about bees and the techniques and requirements for keeping bees. The Association has been operation for over a 100 years. We are affiliated to the BBKA, British Beekeepers Association A Brief History Of The Association 1883 – First Meeting of Staffordshire County Beekeepers’ Association at the Swan Hotel, Stafford. Although there had been bee keepers’ meetings and shows before this. 1940 – there were over 700 members and they were centred on branches in Wolverhampton, Cannock and Stafford. 1942 – the insurance scheme of the British Bee Keepers’ Association was joined. 1946 – saw increased capitation fees from BBKA and the members in the North formed their own association (North Staffordshire BKA). 1962 – the County Beekeepers’ Association amalgamated with the South Staffordshire and District Bee Keepers’ Association. We now have 150 or so members who come from Stafford, Cannock, Wolverhampton and a wide circle outside that triangle. Our Apiary is maintained in Shugborough Hall grounds where we have 15 hives, storage sheds and a marquee for small meetings. We hold the beginner meetings and apiary meetings here in the summer months.

Have you invented something that makes beekeeping easier? Enter our 2019 contest 10am, Sunday 20 May The weather is spectacular here on the Central Coast today - perfect for the ABA's Trade Show & Field Day at Gosford Showground! Entry is $10 at the gate. It's free for anyone with a pass from yesterday's ABA Conference, and anyone under 12 years old. Our first ever amateur beekeepers’ conference has a sensational raffle. You have to be there or at the dinner to get your chance to win one of 17 fabulous prizes, kindly donated by Australian bee-focused businesses. And it’s all to raise money for local charity Coast Shelter, which works to transform the lives of homeless adults, families and young people. Only five days to go before 2018’s exciting Beekeepers’ Weekend, with our conference, trade show, field day, AGM and Colonel Pulling inter-club competition. And, to let you in on a secret, we've been arranging a few extra surprises for attendees. Introducing our stellar line-up of speakers for our first ever ABA Conference: a dazzling array of beekeepers, gardeners, scientists and inventors.

A young farmer used RDP support to expand and diversify the range of products and services offered by her beekeeping holding. Projects & Practice A unique example of a rural business which achieved economic profitability based on innovation and environmentally-friendly practices. RDP support helped a family farm to generate added value by applying a sustainable model of production through biodynamic agriculture. The largest inter-territorial cooperation project in Finland for 2014-2020, aims to promote cultural heritage as a vehicle for tourism development. A project to give a voice to rural youth, to hear and publish their stories and to make them visible in society and its decision-making process. Investing in extending a cycle lane to promote soft mobility in the commute to work or the school run, as well as for leisure. A small rural business used RDP support to purchase new stone-cutting equipment in order to expand its range of products.

Honey Lemon Experience + Wine tasting Availability: Available only on private and on request. Upon receipt of your request we will confirm the availability within 24h. NO PARKING ON SITE Not just limoncello, our lemons are the secret ingredient of many other products, and one of these is our locally-produced honey. Let yourself be guided into the world of beekeeping and make your day magical with an extra touch of taste. Your walk in the shade of the lemon groves will have an even more special taste with a glass of wine in your hands. Your walk in the shadew of lemon groves will have a even more special flavor with a glass of wine in your hands. Visit our lemon groves, enter the world of beekeeping, discover how lemon is used in the production of limoncello and honey and taste 6 different wines of excellent quality from the best cellars of the Amalfi Coast. Complete your tasting tour of the Amalfi Coast by choosing the Honey Lemon Experience + Wine Tasting. During the tour you can visit the beehives, our museum of rural culture Art and Crafts, our farm. Enjoy all the typical flavors of this land that you will want to take with you. Discover the details of the Lemon Tour.

Significance of Honey Bees Honey bees are some of the hardest working, interesting and most beneficial insects in the world. My family has kept bees for 10 years and participates annually in the Bee Informed Survey that keeps track of bee losses each year. Besides the benefits of the honey, beekeeping is an excellent way to earn money and is an interesting hobby. However, we lost many of our hives due to major issues facing honey bees today. Which leads to the questions of what would happen if the honey bees died out and does our state or community organize or fund any programs to help pollinators? People’s lives and the world would be very different if honey bees perished since they provide several important roles in our food production and economy. The most important role is 2/3 of the world’s crops are dependent on pollinators with an annual average value of 18-27 billion in the United States alone. This comprises most of our fruits, vegetables, nuts, beverages, some raw fibers, and even food oils. In fact, honey bees are either directly or indirectly responsible for 1/3 of every bite humans eat and account for about 15 billion annually. Their efficient robust pollination increases the quantity and often the size of our fruits and vegetables, not to mention 50% larger coffee beans, cocoa, and many spices and herbs. Next, pollinators are essential since they pollinate flowering forage for livestock like clover, field beans, and other cover crops. Additionally, pollinators are responsible for more than 85% of the world’s flowering plants and honey bees get direct credit for about 16% which means they pollinate berries and seeds for wildlife and maintain genetic diversity in the vast variety of flowers whose beauty we enjoy. Finally, bees provide honey, the world’s most perfect food that never spoils. According to the January 15th, 2016 National Honey Report, the U.S. imported $554 million dollars of honey of honey this past month from all over the world to meet our needs! Another important role involves potential medical uses of this insect. There are studies being done in nerve, muscle and other treatments involving honey bee venom. Therefore, honey bees and the services that they provide are irreplaceable for the long term health of our economy, and we should be protecting them in our state and nation. What are my city and county doing to help bees? When I called my city council, I found our city has no ordinances on bees, but our county does. My county encourages interest in bees by giving agricultural exemptions to folks who own 5-20 acres to put a certain amount of bees on it. My mom, Elizabeth Exley, was one of the main people the Williamson County Agricultural Tax Office asked for advice on this. She interviewed several long-time beekeepers and gave the tax office a proposal outlining the best ideas. They adopted all of them in 2013. Our county hosts Williamson County Area Beekeepers Association (WCABA) that offers scholarships to youth to interest them in this important insect. In fact, my two older brothers were recipients of WCABA scholarship which is what got us started in in this lifelong hobby. It is notable that public awareness is improved since there is an increase in the memberships of the many beekeeping clubs in Texas. The Texas Beekeepers Association (TBA) is a large nationally recognized group that offers training workshops, raises public awareness, posts other beekeeping group events, and hosts fundraisers to promote honey bees. The state of Texas also helps honey bees. For instance, the Texas Cottage Food Law was changed to make it easier for beekeepers to sell their honey in certain venues without as much paperwork and licenses. Protecting bees is further aided by the Texas Apiary Inspection Services (TAIS) through resources and registration of beekeepers which make it easier for the general public to find someone to remove unwanted honey bees. Additionally, beekeepers are exempt from the Texas Structural Pest Control Act. Furthermore, Texas is proud to host Dadant and Sons, the publishers of the American Bee Journal, which is one of the oldest beekeeping publications in the world and was started before the Civil War. This Journal regularly updates the public on beekeeping and honey bee issues While searching for existing programs protecting pollinators, I emailed Chris Moore, the President of the TBA. He mentioned the 2014 Presidential Memorandum which set aside money for voluntary pollinator protection programs. With some of this money, Texas has come up with a collaborative plan to conserve honey bees. Bee Culture Magazine reports, Texas A&M University Bee Lab worked with the Texas Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, pesticide application people, a seed company, and the manager of landfills to start a creative plan using completed landfills as pollinator habitat that would be planted with pollinator food resources. In addition, more volunteer training and bee hive testing will be done for all possible problems. Chris also mentioned The Pollinator Stewardship Council which focuses more on the detrimental effects of pesticides and gives a state by state summary on what each is doing to help bees. I also emailed Marla Spivak from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab and found that their bee lab is very developed and their state has an exceptional pollinator program in place. There is no doubt that Texas A&M’s Bee Lab will improve and has a good model to imitate or surpass over time. Bees are still facing many issues that are destroying them and could significantly harm our economy and our health. However, our city, county, state and nation seem to finally have a good start in promoting awareness and protection. It will be critical to follow through with several of these great ideas on habitat development and protection to make a difference. Hopefully, we will see our bees recover and our city and state programs increase efforts to effectively protect honey bees and other pollinators in our shared environment. "Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course," The Xerces Society, July 2012. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e62gitnua1f1cfa3&llr=tnjebhdabThe+ecological+service+they+provide+is+necessary+for+the+reproduction+of+more+than+85+percent+of+the+world%27s+flowering+plants+and+is+fundamental+to+agriculture+and+natural+ecosystems.+More+than+two-thirds+of+the+world%27s+crop+species+are+dependent+on+pollination%2C+with+an+annual+estimated+value+of+%2418+to+%2427+billion+in+the+United+States+alone. “Fact Sheet: The Economic Challenge Posed by Declining Pollinator Populations”, Whitehouse, June, 20, 2014, https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/fact-sheet-economic-challenge-posed-declining-pollinator-populations Kevin Hackett, USDA Agriculture Research Services, Mar. 2004, http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar04/form0304.pdf Marsha Walton, CNN/Sci-Tech, June 14, 2002, http://edition.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/06/14/coolsc.coffee/index.html?related Pollinators, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Kevin Hackett, USDA Agriculture Research Services Chris Packham, "Would We Starve without Bees?" “BEE VENOM: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings,” WebMD. 2009 http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-972-bee%20venom.aspx?activeingredientid=972& Shelly, Secretary City of Georgetown, Telephone interview, Jan. 26, 2016 “Williamson Central Appraisal District Ag Manual”, Williamson County Appraisal District, Mar. 2013, pg 15 http://williamson.agrilife.org/files/2014/10/2013-WCAD-AG-Valuation-Manual.pdf. Elizabeth Exley, Jan. 19, 2016 Chris Moore, TBA, email Jan. 20, 2016 M.E.A McNeil, Bee Culture, November 20, 2015 http://www.beeculture.com/the-national-strategy-to-promote-the-health-of-honey-bees-and-other-pollinators/ Marla Spivak, University of Minnesota, Bee Lab, accessed Jan. 25, 2016 https://www.beelab.umn.edu/education/beekeeping-classes

Beewise is pleased to be able to serve all levels of beekeeping from the beginner to the largest of commercial beekeepers. We are devoted to providing the highest quality amateur and commercial Beekeeping products at the lowest practical cost, a commitment that extends to Nucleus and Starter Hives as well as Beewise's specially bred, mated and tested Queens. Our goal is to provide outstanding products and service to make your beekeeping experience pleasant and cost effective. The queen regulates hive behaviour and produces eggs to maintain the colony’s population. She can live for a year or more, whereas the worker bees have life spans as short as five weeks, for they are, well, busy bees, constructing combs, feeding and caring for the brood and queen, cleaning and guarding the hive, regulating nest temperature, foraging for nectar, pollen and water.Read Blog American foulbrood American foulbrood (AFB) is a fatal bacterial disease of honey bee brood caused by the spore forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. It is not a stress related disease and can infect the strongest to the weakest colony in an apiary. Infected brood usually die at the pre-pupal or pupal stage.Read Blog

A journey of bee-catching, and wasp/hornet killing - Dan's Rosie Bee Service blog For the past 2 full bee-seasons (May-ish through October) and 1 half season before, we have been removing swarms of honeybees, a few cut-out's, and many a wasp/hornet nest for people. Now, I intend to post here the jobs we do, with photo's as a record of all our hard work. We get "bee calls" from people through an online advertising service, mainly aimed at getting swarms of honeybees to the beekeeper. But, of course, many people have "bees" : when they really don't. This portion of our story with bees is a much more prosperous one than our beekeeping side: as in the past 3 years, we have had plenty of swarms, we may even have 40 or so hives by now if they had all made it, but as of this post, we have 4 hives. 2 of which were collected this year... here are a couple photo's from the two swarm catches mentioned above this year: some of the photo's aren't working properly, so i will have to upload more tomorrow. Have 4 hives, as of 5/30/2017

I'm a little foggy from last night's New Year's party. There was a man there who taught ballroom dance for a living and all the women took turns being twirled, whirled, hustled and rumbaed around the room. Good times. The first bird that I saw and digiscoped for 2008--a white-breasted nuthatch. Mr. Neil tried to make a joke that seeing a white-breasted nuthatch meant a year of bad sex and Non Birding Bill wisely encouraged him to avoid inaccurate bird jokes before I have any coffee in the morning...so the fantasy writer still lives...for the moment. I week or two ago I was tagged with a top birding moments of 2007 (for the life of me, I can't remember who tagged me) but I wanted to wait until 2007 was fully over before I put it together. I also get a wonderful email from a friend expressing gratitude for moments in the last year, so I think this will kind of morph into that as well since I have so much to be grateful for. A huge highlight was getting to perform Play on Birds with Non Birding Bill at a Nature Festival in Ohio. I love doing this show and I love working with my husband on stage. I hope we get the opportunity again. I also got a chance to digiscope a singing male indigo bunting. The bird was so focused on singing, he never noticed me. He sang so long that after I had taken all pictures I could, I just had to finally take the time to just enjoy him. What a treat and what a great bird to have such a beautiful bird in existence. A big highlight was getting the chance to photograph and video a male golden-winged warbler at a bed and breakfast in Vergas, MN. If you follow this link, that will take to the post to watch the video of the golden-winged warbler and also of a bobolink that was singing at the bed and breakfast as well. North Dakota was another great time, and getting the chance to observe ruddy duck courtship display was a definite highlight. I just happened to find them while exploring some remote gravel roads and spent and hour watching the males display and the females take their time in showing any interest. North Dakota was also a great chance to hang out with great friends and explore Clark Gable's grandparent's home and find a burrowing owl. Young Cooper's hawks provided no end of entertainment from bathing in a puddle of a neighboring roof (she's a dirty girl) to nailing a pigeon right in front of my apartment building. I never ceased to be amazed at the incredible amount of nature right in front of our eyes in a busy metro area. Going out in the middle of nowhere is fun, but incredible wild stuff is happening anywhere, as long as you go out and take a moment to notice. Banding hawks in the fall is always fun, but this year was particularly exciting because I got a chance to "yank the pigeon" and help bring hawks into the nets. I also slept in a van out in the fields to prove that if I need to, I can still rough it. I finally had a chance to improve my shorebird watching skills! Doug Buri offered a weekend workshop in August and he promised me that I would learn my shorebirds. I was skeptical, but he promised that I would see least sandpipers within five feet of me. The man did not lie and not only can I had identify shorebirds in my area, I find them quite beautiful. I hear he's offering two workshops next year--I highly recommend them! Carpenter banding is always fun, but this year when we had an adult sharp-shinned hawk try to get one of the juncos we had just trapped, was a big highlight--Hellziggy took the above photo. We ended getting the sharpie and banding it as well as the junco. This is not to be confused with a separate sharpie/junco incident that happened in December. Having a young titmouse sit on my head while at Mr. Neil's was another highlight. Speaking of Mr. Neil, I finally got vindication with a saw-whet owl. For years, I have insisted that one should be in his woods. I had found saw-whet feathers in wren nests, I had found poop, but never the saw-whet--until this year when I found the above bird sleeping in a pine. Whoot! Birds were only part of this magical year. Beekeeping has opened my eyes to a whole new world, and words cannot express what it felt like to have a worker bee lick nectar off of my bare finger. From having a massive panic attack when installing the bees, to requeening problems, to even giving sex advice, to my first bee sting...this has been one weird year and I cannot wait to see what new adventures lay ahead of us in 2008. And let's not forget the porcupet--the baby porcupine who was found on the side of the road next to his mother who had been hit by a car. He was being cared for by a friend of mine who is a professional wildlife rehabber. By the time he was in her care, he had already been imprinted on humans and could not go back to the wild. He is now living at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Mn and goes by the name Clover. His videos are still a sensation on YouTube. And I can't talk about what an amazing year it has been without talking about Cinnamon and Disapproving Rabbits. That has been one wild ride to have a web page we put up for fun and have it turn into a book. To have signings and have people come from different states to meet my bunny is just overwhelming. When I looked over the blog in the last year and how it has morphed and changed, I noticed that Cinnamon has been featured less and less. I'm not sure why. At first, I thought it was my infatuation with beekeeping, a new subject to write about. Then we started a separate blog for Disapproving Rabbits so I wondered if I was keeping it separate. But, I also get some strange emails (greatly overshadowed by some really wonderful and funny ones) from fans. I wonder if the few odd/unpleasant ones are making me feel protective of my bunny's privacy and the fun times we have. Or is that she is getting older and I want to distance her to protect all from being too emotionally invested when the inevitable happens? Not sure, but we'll see what happens in the coming year. Birds and Beers has been a real treat. Above is a photo from the first Bird Blogger Conference where many bird bloggers got to meet face to face for the first time. I'm hoping to expand Birds and Beers in 2008 where anyone who is remotely interested in birds from beginner to kinda interested to very interested to birding has taken over my life will get a chance to sit down, share a beverage and talk some birds. And I would like to once again thank EVERYONE who reads the blog, leaves comments, sends emails, or spreads the word. I feel incredibly honored that people are interested in what I put on here and make it such a fun part of my day and my life. I've made some great new friends and connections and I love it when someone sends a note to tell me that they noticed some bird or activity that they never would have noticed before if they had not read the blog. We also did some good this year when readers from here did the "Click for Condors" and helped Ventana Wildlife Society win $10,000 in grant money. Not bad at all. Thank you very much, and here's hoping you have wonderful new year and share new adventures.

SILTA supports entrepreneurship among young people by providing a cooperative structure through which they can grow their business ideas and receive training, mentoring and peer support. Projects & Practice A company producing rye gin and whiskey used RDP support to increase its production capacity to meet the demand of national and international markets. Setting up a fruit juice processing plant that operates with renewable energy. Modernisation and development of a small beekeeping farm in order to increase its profitability and its resilience to weather-associated risks. A fruit and vegetables producing cooperative used RDP support to expand its cold storage capacity in order to better respond to market trends. A start-up business in Finland used RDP financing to carry out a feasibility study which helped lower the risks in upscaling their production capacity of biocomposites. The Deák family used EAFRD support to convert a farm into a mansion house that provides services based on the old traditional rural way of life while setting up a network of local suppliers.

Starting to rediscover what distance really means in China. No longer is Huangshan just a day's drive away on the expressway, or Beijing an easy overnight on the soft sleeper express. Coming face-to-face with China's mammoth road-building programme, some of which, nearly-complete but not yet open to traffic, provided perfect riding, at least until I came to an unbridged chasm and had to slip and slide down a fifty-foot embankment to get back on the old road. Of course, once they are open, these wonders in concrete and asphalt are deemed too smooth and stylish for mere bicycles, who have to pick their way along rotting old village roads, which roll up and down every hill available; the new motorways are miraculously flat even in the hilliest terrain. Beekeeping is big business round here. One truck came past me stacked high with wooden bee-hives - and with hundreds of tired-looking bees struggling in its wake to keep up. A boy at the side of the road, holding a huge snake by the neck. I suppose a snake is all neck, really. Unless you start at the other end, in which case it's really tail all the way. On top of the buzzing of bees, the hills are alive with the sound of nut-huskers. That's what everyone around here who isn't keeping bees does: husks nuts. Hickory nuts, in fact, I discover. (Forget bamboo-stripping, that's yesterday's game.) You rake them out on terraces to dry, you soak them (I may have got the order wrong here), you feed them into some kind of shelling machine, you load them onto trucks. The roads run red with washed out nut-husk juices. There are a lot of dogs round here but no-one seems to have told them about chasing bicycles yet. It is, surely, only a matter of time before they catch on to the fun that their doggy cousins around the world are having. I'm sitting in laoban's TV room because he's too busy to check me in to his grotty mosquito-pit upstairs. He's doing something noisy, I expect that means nut-husking. The TV is playing "The Hills are alive with the sound of music" and "Doe a deer". Aha! Laoban has just re-appeared, bearing glad tidings, no less. He has upgraded me to a much nicer - and apparently mosquito-free - room in a separate house across the road, with my own personal roll-down garage door. Wander round a rather lost-looking supermarket (in this tiny one-street village), playing hide-and-seek with my appointed follower-around on the second floor. Mrs Laoban cooks me yu xiang qiezi(1) with lashings of rice. Marvellous stuff. (1) "Fish-flavoured" aubergine. This is the best thing you can do to an aubergine, and it doesn't taste of fish.

This weekend, I did two important things: I began painting my hive bodies (the individual boxes we think of collectively as a beehive – more on this later), and I installed wax foundation into the frames that sit within those boxes: As I understand it, foundation serves several potential purposes, but the most important one is to give the bees a gentle directional nudge about which way to orient their comb, because bees — like certain people — flat refuse to read a manual. The foundation is made of wax or plastic, and encourages the bees to “draw comb” out on either side of the foundation, supported on all four sides by the wooden frame around it. The top of the wooden frame (oriented upward in the picture above) has a lip on either side, which holds frames suspended, parallel to each other, in the boxes. Voila! A hive with frames of honeycomb that you can remove, manipulate, and replace. Without foundation, there is a chance that bees might build their comb perpendicular to the frames, creating a perfectly happy wild beehive, but a hot mess for a beekeeper. Disclaimer: At this point, I should mention that beekeepers have opinions. Assume that anything I tell you is hotly debated, constituting approximately the same grounds for an argument as expressing an opinion regarding the best barbecue in Memphis. There’s some fierce discussion over whether wax foundation or plastic foundation is better, whether one or the other is harmful, whether it matters, and whether you should use foundation at all (see also: “foundationless beekeeping”). I’m sure I will develop opinions of my own in time, and I might decide I disagree with some of what I’m saying now. But at the moment, I am absolutely 100% Conventional Wisdom Girl. (But for dry ribs, you definitely want — wait, bad, no, this is a blog about bees and not barbecue. Mixing the two up would be unfortunate for everyone. What I meant to say was: I’m using wax foundation rather than plastic. This has less to do with any as-yet-firmly-held opinion on my part, and more to do with the fact that wax foundation is what my supplier sells.) So. Foundation and frames: Sold separately, some assembly required. Of all the intimidating things about beekeeping, the necessary basic carpentry skills are the scariest to me. Covered in bees? I can handle that. Getting stung? Don’t love it, but okay. Hammer and a nail? Eep! (This is part of why I forked over a little extra money for pre-assembled hive bodies.) There’s something delightful about a stack of foundation waiting to be installed, though. I’m not sure why, but the weight and symmetry are somehow immensely satisfying. The thin wax panels are separated by tissue paper, and working my way through the stack just felt good… even when I wasn’t sure of the quality of my work. The installation process is, hypothetically, pretty simple: There’s a thin strip of wood that is pre-scored and easy to cut away from the inside of the top of the frame using a box-cutter. The foundation slips into a groove (you can’t see it in the pictures here) in the bottom of the frame. Thin sheets of wax being notably fragile, the foundation is supported by strips of wire – each of which ends in an L-shape – and that L sits nestled in the ledge left where the wood strip was removed. Replacing the wood strip secures those wire tips – and thus the top of the foundation – into place. Then – gulp – it’s time to hammer the wood strip back down with two or three nails spaced across the inside of the frame. Too much of an angle pries the interior of the wooden strip up and away from the foundation. Too little angle drives the tip of the nail all the way through the frame to its top, creating an unpleasant spike trap for your fingers. Note: It is possible to accomplish both of these errors on the same frame, if you are as good at carpentry as I am. The finishing touch is, hilariously, bobby pins. These are installed through small holes in the sides of each frame and pounded gently into place with a hammer for extra structural support. I was particularly pleased by this step, not only because it made me feel like I could use a hammer like a real adult (At last! A hammer-task appropriate to my skill level!) but because on Friday, I owned a ridiculously impractical stash of bobby pins which I use, on average, at a rate of about two pins per three years. I now own about six bobby pins, which is probably what my supply ought to look like. The process probably took me about three times as long as it would have taken someone with the ability to drive a nail where she wants it, but I’m pleased to report that I got through all forty (!) frames without destroying any irreplaceable equipment. And I did most of this with a helpful cat in my lap. And I didn’t lose any fingers, and he didn’t lose his nose… so I’m feeling pretty proud of that.

Where does fair trade tea come from? Traidcraft fair trade tea comes from carefully selected smallholder farmers in East Africa. This is very different to a lot of the tea that finds its way into teapots in the UK A lot of tea is produced on large plantations and estates across India, East Africa, and Sri Lanka, and is picked by employed labourers who work long hours for notoriously low wages. In countries like Kenya and Sri Lanka, most of the tea is grown on smallholder farms, which are often less than half a football pitch in size. These smallholder farmers find it nearly impossible to compete with the large plantations, who always own and control the tea processing facilities which are essential in handling the perishable tea leaf, which has to be processed within 24 hours. In return for their hand-picked, garden-grown tea, the smallholders receive low and unstable prices from either the large plantations, or the international broker companies. These growers earn a tiny fraction of the price their tea is sold for on the international market, and frequently end up trapped in a cycle of debt and dependence. By contrast, many of the smallerholders that we work with have farmer-owned factories, which means that they earn better returns for their work. In Malawi, whilst the farmers don’t own their factory, there are other positives, including a good relationship with the private sector factory that processes their tea – and all Fairtrade benefits go to them. In Malawi, we source our fair trade tea leaves and buds from the Sukambizi Association Trust, a Fairtrade certified group which has transformed the lives of thousands of local people through fair trade. Sukambizi unites over 6,000 farmers, split into community clubs of 20-40 members. Sukambizi tea is harvested from slopes near Mount Mulanje, the highest peak in Malawi. Malita Makima’s 3,000 tea plants grow on the lower slopes of the mountain, an hour’s walk from her home in Kalozwa village. Malita sees herself as both a tea farmer and an entrepreneur. She trains local farmers in good agricultural practices, offering advice on planting, nurturing, and harvesting. There are around 400 households in Malita’s village, in which most live traditional tea growers. The money the community has earned from sales of their fair trade tea has contributed towards starting up a local maternity clinic, and there’s hope that the village will be able to build bridges, buy an ambulance, and strengthen a stable water supply system too! In Kenya, we work with Fairtrade Certified tea operations. The Iriaini Tea Factory can be found in the Othaya district in Kenya and is supplied with tea leaves and buds from around 6,000 local growers. The volcanic soil in the area makes it perfect for the growing of tea and coffee. Mathew Ng’enda is the factory manager at Iriaini. He’s been passionate about fair trade tea for many years, but has since carried over his enthusiasm into beekeeping too! With each generation the land owned by tea-growing families has been divided, so for many farmers their livelihoods aren’t measured by hectares or acres – they’re measured by tea bushes and stems. Most families own less than one acre of land and use 25% of their soil for growing their own vegetables. For a family to be supported fully by tea, a grower really needs at least 2 acres of tea bushes. Traidcraft have worked with Iriaini in the past to help the growers learn how to earn a living through using their unused rough land in other ways – such as keeping bees! The Ndima Tea Factory can be found on the southern slopes of Mt Kenya, and a short distance from the Mt Kenya forest. Set up in 1981, Ndima brings together the tea leaves and buds from around 8,500 local growers. These farmers own plots that collectively make up 1,300 hectares of local land. Patricia Mutangili is the youngest member of her family to be growing tea. She inherited 1,000 stems of tea from her father, some of which has been grown by the family for generations. Patricia is passionate about the quality of her tea, and often picks it before 7am so she can take it to the collection centre when it's fresh. Visit Patricia’s home and you soon discover that very little happens without a cup of tea to hand. Thermos flasks of tea are ready to be enjoyed throughout the day, and she’s always ready to talk about the importance of tea as a drink and a crop. Patricia is a real advocate for fair trade in her local community: Names & addresses of Tea Origins in Traidcraft Blends (usage varies throughout the year) Kenyan Origins - all KTDA farmer owned tea factories - Kanyenya-ini Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 185, Kangema KENYA - Kapkoros Tea Factory Company Limited Box 125, Litein KENYA - Mungania Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 927, Embu KENYA - Gatunguru Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 188, Kangema KENYA - Gacharage Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 2700, Thika KENYA - Nyamache & Itumbe Tea Factory Company Limited Box 3, Kisii KENYA - Chebut & Kaptumo Tea Factory Company Limited Box 378, Kapsabet KENYA - Imenti Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 1800, Meru KENYA - Ndima Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 831, Nairobi KENYA - Chinga Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 349, Nyeri KENYA - Iriaini Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 308, Othaya KENYA - Makomboki Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 1735, Thika KENYA - Gitugi Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 533, Nyeri KENYA - Michimikuru Tea Company Ltd Box 1627, Meru KENYA - Githambo Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 79, Kahuro KENYA - Rukuriri Tea Factory Company Ltd Box 166, Runyenjes KENYA - Sukambezi Association (primary producers) Box 135, Muloza, Malawi (green leaf processed by Lujeri Tea Estates Ltd, Box 133, Mulanje, Malawi - Cooperative Assopthe Cyohoa Rukiri Box 105, Byuma, Rwanda (green leaf processed by Sorwathe Ltd, Box 1136, Kigali, Rwanda) Meet our growers by tasting Traidcraft fair trade tea for yourself. Every sip is the genuine taste of tea, perfectly preserved by Leaf Lock True Taste®, a pioneering new process which seals in the aromatic tea experience from bush to cup. Whether your favourite cuppa is a traditional black tea with a swirl of milk, an earl grey with a slice of lemon, or your brew of choice is a calming decaffeinated blend – our range of fair trade tea has you covered. Don’t forget to stop by our ethical store cupboard to pick up some fair trade biscuits, cakes, and nibbles too. Need help choosing your favourite tea blend, or want to know more about fair trade tea? Visit our complete guide to fair trade tea to discover the history of fair trade tea and some astounding fair trade tea facts.

Beekeeping is not just a hobby but an ongoing obligation. The first step to any successful beekeeping operation is education. Before you start ordering supplies, make sure you understand what supplies you need to keep a successful hive going.How many hives should you start with? You should start with at least two hives. If one has a problem, you can use the other to help it survive. - If the first loses a queen, you can carry eggs from the second so that they can replace her. - If one seems to be losing bees, brood from the second can be carried over to help replace them. Where should you place your hives? - The top grade used for beekeeping is select. Select lumber has a minimal amount of imperfections and is the highest grade of wood available. - The next grade is commercial. This is excellent wood but does have a small number of imperfections. It is also the most common grade chosen by beekeepers. - The lowest grade is budget. Budget grade wood has the largest number of imperfections but is still fully functional. Placement is generally up to the beekeeper. In larger operations, they are placed four per pallet. You want to place them close enough together that you are comfortable working them and do not have long distances to walk. They should be approximately 10 feet away from people. This way, the bees can rise into the air before encountering people.Should you plant flowers to help the bees get started? Flowers and flowering plants such as clover would be welcome. Bees will commonly fly 2 to 3 miles in search of nectar. Placing them near large amounts of flowering plants will accelerate the production of honey. You can buy seeds or flowering plants to plant near your hives.How much honey can one hive produce in one year? This would depend on the strength of the swarm, the skill of the beekeeper, and local weather conditions. A brand-new hive will not make much honey because the bees are busy making wax. An established hive can be expected to produce 50 to 100 pounds of honey per year. Supplies like jars can keep the honey safe once harvested.What are the different wood grades used to build a hive? You may want to purchase a guide or two to beekeeping. More education means maximizing production and minimizing loss. You'll also want to ensure that you have adequate safety gear to protect you from bee stings.

Kristy Lerch, the clinic's owner, is a registered Yukon physiotherapist and member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. She completed her Science and Physiotherapy Degrees with distinction at the University of Alberta. She has specialized training and over 16 years experience in Orthopaedic Physiotherapy. Kristy has published clinical work in the Orthopedic Division Review. She has taught physiotherapy at the University of Alberta, mentored local Yukon physiotherapists, and is a clinical educator at the University of British Columbia. Kristy holds an advanced Diploma of Orthopaedic Manual and Manipulative Therapy and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy (CAMPT). She has extensive post-graduate education in the area of orthopaedic diagnosis and treatment, and has achieved internationally-recognized qualifications in hands-on manual and manipulative therapy. Read more about CAMPT Kristy is a certified Gunn IMS Acupuncture Practitioner (Intramuscular Stimulation)) and is a member of ISTOP (The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain).Read more about IMS Kristy is also a certified Pelvic Health Physiotherapist. She has specialized training and over 14 years experience in Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. She is certified to treat women, men and children. She has trained and mentored extensively with leaders in the field in the U.S. and Western Canada. She has special interest in pre/post partum care and pelvic pain. Kristy has also taken advanced training in the treatment of spinal pain, neck pain/headaches, TMJ (jaw) pain, hip pain, and running injuries. Shane Ringham is a registered Yukon Physiotherapist and member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Shane completed his BSc (Science) and MSc (Physiotherapy) degrees at the University of Alberta. He has completed Level 2 training in Advanced Manual Therapy through CAMPT and courses in Mulligan Mobilization Technique. Shane has experience in treating a variety of orthopaedic conditions. Shane is also certified to practice Biomedical Dry Needling, a specialized form of acupuncture similar to IMS. Shane also has specialty training in Hand Therapy. Shane is able to provide comprehensive treatment of hand and wrist injuries, including post-surgical conditions. Shane is an avid marathon paddler and enjoys fishing, beekeeping and woodworking. Shane works full-time at the clinic. Rowan is currently working towards gaining his graduate diploma in Sports Physiotherapy. Rowan's treatment philosophy involves addressing the underlying cause of symptoms using a combination of dry needling and manual therapy to restore normal joint and tissue mobility. He then applies an individually tailored exercise program to restore normal biomechanics and aid in the prevention of future pain and injury. Rowan enjoys working with a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds, whether it be athletes, office workers or those involved in work related claims. He believes that working together as a team with his clients is the key to having a smooth and successful recovery. When Rowan isn't in the clinic he enjoys hiking, biking and skiing around the Yukon, and keeps active with tennis and Jiu Jitsu. Rowan works full-time at the clinic. Yvonne Emson moved to the Yukon in 1977, and opened Whitehorse Physiotherapy Clinic, the first private physiotherapy clinic in the Yukon. Yvonne has dedicated her physiotherapy services to Yukoners for over 38 years. What's Up Yukon tribute to Yvonne Yvonne has had a broad and successful physiotherapy career, practising across Canada and internationally before arriving in the Yukon. Yvonne received her Physiotherapy training at the Universities of Alberta and Manitoba. She has extensive experience in orthopedic physiotherapy, developing her skills in a neurological setting and later completing her formal manual therapy training with the founding members of our current advanced orthopedic education system (CAMPT). Yvonne has also taken several courses in myofascial release, somatic pain, and workplace ergonomics. Along with manual therapy, Yvonne incorporates motor control exercises and taping techniques to get the best results for patients. Yvonne is a registered Yukon physiotherapist and member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. While Yvonne is no longer treating patients, she participates in teaching and mentoring of our staff at the clinic.

Beekeeping can either be a full-time profession or a simple hobby. Nevertheless, more often than not, what began as a hobby would become a profession. But you cannot only determine and tell yourself you will begin to do beekeeping. Before beginning on any avocation or profession, you need to have sufficient knowledge and comprehension on the subject that you are going to enter. Then it’s about time to indulge yourself, if you have been putting off your curiosity about beekeeping for quite a while. Bee farming may seem easy; by learning the basic beekeeping lessons, you can be got away to a great start. What does a beekeeper have to know? First, you should have total interest on beekeeping to start at the right foot. You should have consented to share your dwelling space with the bees. There are potential risks in beekeeping that can harm you but your family as well. Your focus is not only to earn money by selling honey; a great beekeeper should have a keen interest and fire in raising bees. An apiarist should know the right place for the beehives. You need to make sure that beekeeping is enabled in your town, if you decide to place your beehives at your backyard. There are several places restricted to beekeeping; you should get permission about this. Beekeepers must know whether beekeeping supplies are available in the region where the beehives are situated. You may never understand when you have to attend a nearby beekeeping shop; it is best that a nearby beekeeping store is not inaccessible. Protective supplies and equipment can also be essential for beekeepers to know. Know the appropriate suit to pick to keep you from any possible danger in beekeeping. All the efforts that are beekeeping would be ineffective in case you are incapable to harvest honey from your bees. A beekeeper should know the approaches in collecting the honey from the comb; beeswax is also part of the yields in beekeeping. Professional honey producers say people must stop wasting their money on costly how to raise bees classes in Eldorado Wisconsin reason being they can get affordable training through online information and ebooks which cost far less than honey bee farming classes.

August 12, 2017: Saturday. Annual picnic and auction of bee-related paraphernalia at the Ewing Senior Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing 08268 (Mercer County). If you have beekeeping related items to auction, please complete the Seller Registration Form. Registration is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. with coffee and donuts, followed by the auction, with auctioneer par excellence Rod Donovan. Register today online so that your name tag with your assigned bidding number is ready when you arrive. Bring a chair. Ample parking. Price is $20 (adults and children 12 or older); if you pay before August 2nd; $25 the day of. Children ages 6 to 11 are $5 and 5 years or younger are free. To register online and pay with PayPal, a credit card, or mail in a check click on "REGISTER" to the left of this screen. If you are registering children ages 5 to 11, register the adults first and choose "Invoice Me". Then register the children. You can then pay both invoices online for both types of registration. If you prefer not to register online, RSVP as soon as possible by email to [email protected] so that there will be plenty of food. If registering online but not paying online, choose "Invoice Me" send your check and registration information. payable to NJBA, to Charles Ilsley, 704 Kline Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3135. This information will also be included on the emailed invoice. New Jersey Beekeepers Association is a 501©5 not-for profit organization. 704 Kline Place, Bridgewater, NJ 08807-3135

This is the time of year for classroom slide presentations. I am in charge of three classes with a variety of days and times. I'll be teaching Introduction to Beekeeping and Performing a Honeybee Colony Split. These will occur at Denver Urban Homesteading Market in Denver and at Living Systems Institute Classroom in Golden. I'm also hosting Ross Conrad, author of Natural Beekeeping, to teach Advanced Beekeeping at the Crescent Grange. You can see all the details here: Events of interest to BCBA members. 2 posts • Page 1 of 1

what’s the buzz? (giveaways!) The bees are busy. No giveaway right now. Keep checking the hive because the giveaways will be back. find what you’re looking for grab the SB badge! everybody is reading it! who’s the sacred bee? The Sacred Bee is me, Kate Ferry, the author of this blog. I am a beekeeper in Custer, Washington. My family lives about 10 miles south of the Canadian border and right smack dab next to the Pacific Ocean, in beautiful Custer! I am the wife of my husband, Jacob, and the mother to three children; my young daughters, Beckett and Camden, and our dog, Tucker, who is 11 years old. Where's the name ‘Sacred Bee’ come from? Honeybees are incredible insects. They are responsible for the pollination of over half of the food that makes it onto your table and the chief pollinators for many foods, including almonds and raspberries. I became fascinated with honeybees while studying anthropology in college and learned more about these amazing creatures after taking an intense six-week course on beekeeping in Surrey, B.C., Canada. My love and respect for the sacred bee has grown and intensified as I have watched my own two hives bear hundreds of pounds of honey, my garden flourish with the bees' pollination, and through the trials and tribulations of watching my girls (a.k.a. the honeybees) live and die. Sacred Bee. Honoring the honeybee, one of nature’s gardeners, and practicing beekeeping in Whatcom County, Washington. what interests you? - book nook (9) - bundle of baby (27) - busy beekeeping (26) - cool crafts (2) - family first (22) - free freelance (3) - gimme that giveaway (5) - glorious gardening (39) - home & hearth (130) - nice & natural (118) - oh! it's organic! (78) - practically personal (46) - random rants (126) - ready to read (2) - supper & sustenance (68) - Uncategorized (3) - waste not, want not (52) - what a winner! (71) - where the locals go! (68) Category Archives: practically personal It’s time to do a bit of house cleaning around the blog. I lost my head with a husband who worked for six weeks straight (literally), a last minute trip to California with two small children that left Jacob and … Continue reading I am a consignment store freakazoid through and through when it comes to shopping for kids. Chances are VERY high that if you peruse our house or admire something one of the girls is wearing and inquire about where it … Continue reading Our life has been busier than ever lately and the blog tends to take a hit when I am treading water. I sorta step on it and just hope it doesn’t need any attention while I keep my chin up. … Continue reading A visually appealing and extremely informative graphic on what’s in your cosmetics and what you need to know to protect yourself. I was a cloth diapering fan before I had children. Baby bums are adorable to start with, but when they are wrapped in pastel prints and bright colors, even non-baby lovers have been known to teeter on the verge of … Continue reading The winner of the Truly Natural Mascara giveaway from Honeybee Gardens is… Drum roll, please… MICHELLE SPAYDE Congratulations! Please email me your full name, address and mascara color choice by Friday, February 10th at 8:00pm PST. I am pretty low maintenance as far as beautifying goes. My makeup shelf is very small portion of our medicine cabinet and contains only three items: mascara for everyday use, a foundation/moisturizer/sunscreen combo for dry, blotchy skin that works yearround … Continue reading Our house is full of color. Between the accent walls of deep red and luxurious purple (in two different rooms), the living room of cool blue and each bedroom with a serene, restful color – it looks like a crayola … Continue reading Little Camden has been part of lives for almost two and a half months now and I gotta say – I’m lovin’ this life. The night feedings are less intense and fewer and farther between. Camden has found her “voice” … Continue reading

Springtime is always a busy time for a beekeeper. I’ve been so busy keeping bees and keeping life, that there hasn’t been time for me to collect my thoughts for a post in over a month! For those who may have been wondering why I’ve been silent (you know who you are), rest assured that things are good, I’m just busy as a bee! In the last post, I was trying to do a split, but ended up catching a swarm. Since that time, I did split BnB2 and caught 2 more swarms! I’m back up to 6 hives, which means more time watching these new colonies grow – despite my intent to be more hands off this year. So here’s the rundown. After a slow start where I didn’t think this colony was going to make it, they have rebounded and are making comb faster than all the other hives. I have a bucket of water close to the entrance, and I watch the bees going from the hive to the bucket and back in a steady stream. For me, that’s a sign that they are doing well and expanding their domain. I think this queen knows that if she has a slow start with very little brood, it will keep the mites at bay. If they keep going at this rate, there will be some nice comb honey to harvest. Here’s a comparison from early in the season to later on for the amount of brood she’s laying. After a failed try at a split because I couldn’t find the queen, the next weekend, I tried again. BnB2 had plenty of queen cups, but still none had larvae in them, but, I made the split anyway. This time it took me while to find the queen, but then I did and moved her over to smaller hive with some brood comb and some bees. Unfortunately, she was on a comb that had the newest eggs which would have been best for the old colony to use for a new queen. But, the deed was done, so now I just had to wait. I checked a week later and they had obviously found some eggs or young larvae to make some queens because there were 8-10 queen cells. I waited another week or so for the queens to emerge, but the queen cells were still intact. As someone once said, “Things take time”. Another week and all the queen cells were opened. That meant that either a queen or two had emerged, or none were viable and the workers opened them. Now it was time to wait to see if there was a new queen and whether she got mated or not. I’m never good at waiting long enough for this to happen. On top of that, we had a a lot of rainy weather and even a snowstorm while she should have been out getting mated! It was so wet, a pair of ducks came to check out my yard! Finally, after a couple of weeks, I found some eggs in the hive, so that means I have a mated queen. Now, I’ll wait a couple more weeks to see how well she does at making new bees. I put the first swarm I caught into Sarah’s empty hive. I’ve been checking on them only occasionally, but went over yesterday for a peek. This was a pretty big swarm to start with, but they are really filling up the hive. They are only a few bars from filling up and haven’t even started making honey yet. I think I’ll need to split this hive. The split with the queen from BnB2 eventually found it’s way into Laura’s hive. I moved the nuc down to Laura’s yard in the evening after doing the split earlier in the day. Even though it’s only a few houses down the block, moving a hive full of bees is no small task. Rather than carry it, I loaded it into my truck and drove it down the street, then placed it on top of it’s final resting place of Laura’s hive. It went pretty smoothly. After a week, I moved them into the larger hive. I checked on them a couple of days ago and they seem to be doing well. Swarm #2/Hello Kitty (aka Duncan’s) Hive Swarm #2 was found in a lamp post on a cold, wet afternoon. This was a little trickier than swarm #1 since I couldn’t just shake them into a box. Ideally, I would have had a bee vacuum (new project!) to suck them out of the light, but I just brushed the bees from the outside into a box hoping the queen was on the outside. I also scooped as many of the bees from the inside as I could with my hand. After I got most of the bees in the box, the stragglers started flying in which made me feel good that I had captured the queen. I left the box there until evening and when I picked it up, it was raining. Most of the bees had gone into the box, but there were still some stragglers on the lamp post. I brushed as many as I could into another box and took them home. I immediately dumped the bees in Duncan’s hive so they could cluster up and keep warm. I had some old comb and honey in the hive to make them feel like it was a home they wanted to stay in. Just as I got back to my house, we had a snow shower, so I got them in there just in time. I felt sorry for the bees that I wasn’t able to get into the boxes. I checked on them yesterday and they are building up their numbers. They had a little bit of cross combing but the queen is not laying a very good brood pattern. I think I’ll need to requeen this colony. Swarm #3/Left Hand Hive My third swarm came from a hive that had already swarmed a week earlier. Since the original queen should have gone with the first swarm, this one should have a virgin queen. It was another easy capture – they flew to a branch resting on the ground a few feet away from their hive. I lifted the branch and shook the bees into the box and then scooped up another clump that was on the ground and put them in the box. There were bees fanning at the entrance and then most of the rest of the bees started marching in, so I figured I got the queen. After most of the bees were in, I was looking around on the ground and saw a clump of several bees lying around. When I looked closer, I found that there was a virgin queen there! Crap! She was barely moving and wasn’t looking too good. I tried to coax her into the hive, but then I just picked her up and dumped her in. Now, the question was whether she’d recover, or if not, whether there might be another queen in there. I got the swarm home and put it in the Langstroth hive. I wanted to make sure that I had a viable queen before moving the hive out to the Left Hand farm. Just to make sure, I took some brood and eggs from Laura’s hive (which was the most productive of my stock at that point) and put them into this hive so they could raise a new queen if need be. Since Laura’s hive is a top bar hive, it required that I wire the bar into a Langstroth frame (fortunately my bars from this hive are the perfect width). The comb was too deep for the frame, so I had to cut the bottom off (which is where the best eggs were) and wired that into another frame. After a few days, I peeked inside again to see if they had started making queens, but they hadn’t so either the queen I found survived, or there was another queen in the swarm. A couple of weeks later, I found some eggs in the new comb, so the queen had been mated and was on her way. I finally moved the hive out to the Left Hand farm last week. When I checked on them the other day, the queen was laying nicely, but they didn’t have much in the way of honey or nectar, so I dropped in a couple of combs of honey to jump start their development. So, another beekeeping season is well under way and now I have six hives. For the first time, I didn’t have to buy bees to increase my colonies. I did it all through swarms and splits. – using survivor stock which hopefully will be hardier than bees shipped in from California. I’ll probably make a split from Sarah’s hive and be back up to the same number (7) I had last year.

Welcome to Airedale Beekeeping Association Members of Airedale Beekeepers Association, part of Yorkshire Beekeepers Association and affiliated to the British Beekeepers Assocation have been looking after bees in the Aire Valley since 1908. We are based in Keighley and have two Association apiaries for demonstration and teaching purposes. We have around 60 established members and 20 beginners. Every year we hold a 6-week beginners course starting in March which then becomes weekly apiary visits at weekends. We help and encourage our beginners to get started with beekeeping and can offer expert advice for as long as it is needed. Our aim is to encourage beginners and to aid established beekeepers to become more proficient by keeping up with the latest techniques. We encourage established members to consider taking the BBKA’s Basic Assessment. Summers tend to be spent looking after our bees but we do hold a biennial auction of beekeeping equipment. We make up for any lack of social events in the summer by holding a series of meetings and lectures through the winter months when the bees are tucked up in their hives. We have an excellent relationship with the National Trust at East Riddlesden Hall. We attend their open days and Christmas Fair and are able to make use of the beautiful Grade II listed Airedale Barn for some of our events. If you have ever considered keeping bees but are a little unsure we do offer “taster” sessions in our apiaries. You can try handling bees in a safe environment to help you decide whether beekeeping may be for you. We look forward to meeting you and introducing you to the wonderful and absorbing world of the Honeybee!

Bee Removal - Westover HillsBack / Bee Removal - Westover Hills Beekeeping is Tough Business Bee Removal - Westover Hills - Don't use a bee exterminator We understand the houses in Bee Removal - Westover Hills require a highly skilled carpenters and roof specialists in addition to a honey bee removal technician to not only to remove the bees but repair the area from the bee removals ensuring the beehive will not come back and the honey bee removal is successful. We provide the complete range of carpentry, skilled labor and professionalism to remove bees from Bee Removal - Westover Hills Homes. Many honey bee removal companies and local beekeepers do not have the expertise, insurance coverage, licensing needed to protect your property and successfully get rid of bees. If a pest control company cannot provide you these immediately or guarantee the work performed you are taking a risk. Why risk thousands of dollars of damage to your Bee Removal - Westover Hills home by using less than reputable live bee removal local beekeepers and honey bee removal services? Honey bee removal services that offer limited work or perform sub-par honey bee removal service not restoring your Bee Removal - Westover Hills home to its original state should be avoided. Why trust someone that does limited repair work after the bee removals to do the job in the first place on your investment? We have a proven track record of repair, bee removals, pest control, live bee removal, and identifying types of bees. Congratulations. If you are reading this you most likely live in Bee Removal - Westover Hills and have a honey bee or a bee related issue needing local bee control, beekeeper, or safe live honey bee removal services. So, why not use services by a local beekeeper that owns and operates a Texas apiary that is from the area! Our first safe bee removals with our first honey bee removal services were performed for our friends and family with honeybee related issues and people wanting live bee removal service. It is where we perfected our “Save the bees” motto and honeybee removal processes, encountered our first hive of killer bees, and tuned our technique for live bee swarm and honeybee rescue. Initially we performed live bee removals to replace dead out bee hives that failed over winter in our Texas apiary and to expand our Texas apiary by gathering bees from Westover Hills and other areas. We have come a long way since our start and have performed many honey bee rescues, safe bee removals, swarm retrievals, and live bee relocations all to save the bees. Local Westover Hills bee control by a beekeeper is what we do and we are good at it! Bee Removal - Westover Hills Why SO many Bees in Westover Hills? Westover Hills and the surrounding area create an ideal habitat for honey bee colonies and honey bee nests and is one of the foremost areas in the metroplex for bee removal services. Mild winters allow bee hives to survive using less resources aiding to bee colony success. The many acres of wetlands cater to a plethora of vegetation and honey bee friendly flowers which increases the survivability of wild honey bee nests. Also the area has many back yard beekeepers who unfortunately have honeybee hives that escape via swarm adding to feral honey bee populations often requiring honey bee control. As a point of reference on average we remove 30-50 owl boxes of honey bees a summer just from North East Dallas alone! Now that is a lot of new bee hives! Older homes in the area also provide ample places for honey bees to create a hive or establish new bee colonies. Homes back in the day were not created to be as sealed as they are today and would “Breathe,” which is a nice way of saying there are lots of little holes and gaps for honey bees to make a new bee nest. Many of the bee colonies we perform live bee control for in the area are of established bee nests. Some of the biggest removal jobs we have done have been bee hives of honeybees often times residing in older wooden uninsulated garage walls, under the house or garage foundation, or in the eaves of ranch style homes. We see homes infiltrated after squirrels or tree rats gnaw into soffits or eves creating the perfect entryway for new honeybee swarms to set up new honeybee hives. We do find some bee colonies in dying trees especially cottonwood trees, hackberry trees, and elm trees as these tend to hollow out creating the perfect place for honeybees to set up a new honeybee colonies requiring safe honeybee removal services. So, if you have questions about the local honeybee removals in Westover Hills please give us a call for free no obligation quotes from local beekeepers. We promise to be quick and help you with any honeybee related issues. We will safely remove honeybees using our cutting edge technology removing honeybees from your home with a warranty if they ever come back.

Promotion of the World Bee Day at the Canadian International School in Beijing At the Canadian International School in Beijing an international food fair takes place every May. At the event parents of students present food typical of the country from which they come, at the fair food from about 70 different countries is presented. At this year's event there were about 5,000 visitors. The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Beijing, in co-organisation with the parents of Slovenian students, prepared promotional materials and food for two tents. At the tents, visitors could get more detailed information about the World Bee Day, traditional honey biscuits, honey lemonade and honey-soaked pancakes. The youngest visitors were most excited about the stamp in the form of the "Save the bees" logo. The Embassy appreciates the contribution of Beijing Jingchun Beekeeping Professional Cooperatives, which contributed the locally produced honey for both tents.

Before I say anything else, I have to tell you a little about Yvonne Crimbring the Editor of The Pennsylvania Beekeeper, the newsletter of the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association. I can relate to being an editor of a State Beekeeper’s newsletter. I was part of the Connecticut State Beekeepers Association Newsletter for a time, and then the Ohio State Beekeepers newsletter for a time, and the EAS newsletter for a time, and I did a Master Gardner’s newsletter for a time, and a beekeeping museum newsletter for a time, too. And I still get to do this newsletter every month, and recently, the BEEKeeping newsletter on a quarterly basis, too. I have a feel for getting out a publication. But I don’t hold a candle to Yvonne. Forty two years she’s been at this, since 1974 (and even before that as an assistant to the then editor). Back then it was 18 pages, but 24 now, with two thirds of those pages filled with over 30 advertisers. The rest filled with the news of PA beekeeping, the fair, the queens, editorials and national news, plus a recipe every now and then. Plus, she’s also the Sec/Treas of the Association so that fills the rest of her day. She has a Mac instead of that manual typewriter now, but she still uses a hand-written card file to keep member records, and has some help from a very understanding husband, and a talented daughter. So I’ve been reading her newsletter as long as I’ve been here. It’s not the fanciest NL that comes across my desk, but it’s as regular as clockwork, always has good stuff, is easy to read and does what it’s supposed to do for a newsletter. Yvonne, I don’t know how you managed this all these years, but from one old editor to one very good editor, Congrats on a stunning career. Take a bow, and put your feet up. You deserve it. I was mulling over some of the information from the meeting in Columbus in November, trying to distill the best of what I heard from the most people to get a clearer picture, and perhaps a better take-home message from all that I’d heard. Then, I was talking to a commercial queen producer this week, and he pretty much summed up all that I heard in a tidy little package. His bees do just fine, he said, when he was able to keep them at least three miles from any other beekeeper. Isolation is the best mite treatment you can use he said. “When I have my bees making honey, far from anybody else, they do just fine. Mite loads either don’t build, or build so slowly I can relax for a bit,” he said. “The biggest problem we have with mites isn’t that there are no effective treatments, though that is going to be a problem pretty soon when the active ingredient amitraz hits the resistant wall and there’s nothing economical in the box anymore. No, the biggest problem is when your neighbor doesn’t take care of his bees, they crash, and then you get his mites, his viruses, his problems”, he said. That’s the problem. Pure and simple. At the November meeting one of the commercial beekeepers said that you know which yards will give you problems all season long, and which won’t. It’s because of your neighbors. But back to that queen producer. Believe it or not we were talking about the weather, and I mentioned that the day after Christmas it was 60F here in Ohio and I was able to do some mite tests. I tested four colonies, 300 bees/test. That’s 1200 bees, give or take. In all that, two mites. Two. They were your queens I told him, because they were. He didn’t hesitate a nanosecond and said I must be in some real isolated location. He went on to say that it was good to hear his bees were doing well, but nobody’s bees did that well unless the beeyard was well isolated. So I keep hearing that again and again and again. You are your neighbor’s beekeeper. Take care of your bees. Plain and simple. New label laws take effect soon, some sooner than others. Added sugar on a food label is going to be a reality. Sooooo….how much sugar is added sugar in a jar of honey? Some of it? All of it? Any of it? None of it? Well, let’s talk about sugar. A couple years ago I read a book entitled Salt, Sugar, Fat, by Michael Moss. I’m smart enough to know a tiny bit about diet, and I thought I knew something about these three evils. But I didn’t really have a clue. It changed the way I ate, immediately, and I’ve become a fanatic about reading labels. I spend more time doing that in a grocery store now than actually putting things in the cart. And I shop a lot. Grew up in a grocery store so have always liked to explore and learn how different folks market food. Recently a new book made a splash even before it was published, so I pre-ordered and waited. It pretty much lived up to the pre-published hype it got because it’s on a topic people want to hate, by an author with a reputation for uncovering evils in our diet. It’s a block buster when it comes to what’s killing us. And Big Sugar is one of the worst. Along, of course, with big food (read chicken, beef and pork here), big chemical (pesticides), big tobacco, big energy (oil and gas and coal), big auto – pretty much, if you’re big anything anymore you’re one of the bad guys. It’s what goes with all the money they make I guess. The first book I read talked about the sugar industry some, but more about what sugar is doing to your body. This One, The Case Against Sugar, by Gary Taubes, talks more about the industry’s efforts to keep people thinking that what is killing them was – first, calories, (there’s only 16 in a spoonful of sugar), then it moved on to saturated fat that caused obesity and heart disease. See, sugar is really OK. The American Heart Association really played up the fat thing – that and cholesterol were the culprits for all of our health problems, for awhile. Then along came HFCS. That’s sugar, really. But it got a pass from the doctor people who said it was actually OK for diabetics. Really! The processed food folks had a new alibi. So they cut the ‘sugar’, and they cut the ‘fat’ and they added HFCS to make that low-fat things like low-fat yogurt – how could that be bad for you? They claimed the calories came from HFCS, not sugar! So now where are we? Suffering from something called “metabolic syndrome”, the greatest predictor of heart disease and diabetes. Signs of the syndrome? Obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. Cause? According to the author – Sugar. The problem is – if we removed sugar completely from our diet, we’d still be sick. We’ve poisoned our environment, we eat too much and exercise too little, we smoke, we drink, we have bad genes. Follow the precautionary principle he suggests. And eat less sugar. And I’ll add eat less fat and less salt, too. But back to the changing label. What exactly is added sugar in a processed food? Here’s what I understand about some of it anyway. I’ve heard the National Honey Board and others are weighing in on this, but consider this. Take a quart of fresh squeezed grape juice. It has water, natural flavors and some sugar in it. Let’s say, 20 grams of sugar from the grapes. Then, you concentrate that quart of juice for preservation and storage to a quarter cup of juice. It’s still got all the sugar, all the flavor, just less water. Then, you reconstitute that quarter cup to a half quart of juice, put it in a plastic bottle and call it Grape Juice. It still has all the sugar of that full quart, all the flavor, just less water. So, if it had 20 grams of sugar per quart, now it has 20 grams of sugar per half quart. It should, really, only have 10 grams because that’s what real grape juice has. But it has 20. That extra 10 grams of sugar is, Ta-Da – “Added Sugar”. Another way to look at this is if you simply add sugar, or HFCS or almost anything that ends in –ose (maltose, dextrose, natural sugar, natural flavors, etc), over and above what the food contains in an ummmm, natural state, you have “added sugar” to the end product. So, as I see it. Honey has no “Added Sugar”. When it comes out of the extractor it’s about 80% sugar, and 20% water, give or take. If it goes in a jar and is put on a shelf, it has …no… added sugar. Now, if some Bozo takes a quart of that honey and adds HFCS to it to add volume, and sugar, so it is now two quarts of “Sweetener” (it is no longer honey), it has “Added Sugar”, right? Right. If a manufacturer takes some of that honey and adds it to a bread recipe, or a BBQ sauce, or a salad dressing, or kid’s cereal (Breakfast candy as it’s referred to in that industry), then, that honey becomes added sugar, just like HFCS or cane sugar, or maltose, or natural grape flavors. But in a jar, straight out of the extractor, there is only naturally occurring sugars in a jar of honey, just like that grape juice, like apple juice, like milk or like sour cream. I’m not positive when that label thing begins, but it’s already being talked about, so stay tuned. At some point, added sugar is going to become another fact of life for food folks. But I don’t think it will for beekeepers. Keep a good thought. But pay attention. Did you take a look at our monthly Honey Report yet? A couple of things came up that sort of surprised me. One was beeswax. Or actually, the number of our reporters that are dealing with beeswax. I talked a bit ago about the gradual change in perspective of a good number of commercial beekeepers toward producing honey. A significant number are reducing the energy they put into producing honey and are instead producing more bees. These they use to sell to the increasing number of beekeepers who are pollinating for a big chunk of their income. That makes sense. You go where the money is. And there’s not a ton of money in bulk honey sales at the moment (can you make a living selling honey in drums for an average price of less than $2.25 a pound?). Low cost imports are taking more and more of the market in this country, so what’s a beekeeper to do? Make more bees, and less honey, that’s what. So – making less honey produces less wax, right? Pollinating crops makes no beeswax at all, right? I know that some are still trading wax for equipment with some of the suppliers, and the suppliers are using this wax, mostly, for foundation. But the future of beeswax foundation is a foregone conclusion. There isn’t a gram of the stuff in this country that doesn’t contain some amount of poison. And putting poison in a beehive isn’t a very good idea. Putting plastic foundation, or no foundation at all in a beehive is a better idea. Let the bees build the comb, and then get rid of even that because of environmental pollution and poison after a couple of years. I know, the most valuable piece of beekeeping equipment used to be a frame of drawn comb. Not any more. Change is hard, all over the map.

Terriers of all generations returned to Hiram Hill on June 14-16 to reconnect and reengage for Alumni Weekend 2013. A record-breaking 816 alumni, family, faculty, staff and friends attended events over the weekend. They enjoyed Field Station hikes, wine and beer tastings, demonstrations and lectures by faculty and staff and plenty of great food and music. At the All-Alumni reception on Saturday afternoon, several alumni were recognized for their service to Hiram and the community: Recent Graduate Service to Humanity Award: Brandon Gilvin ’98 Alumni Achievement Award: Terry Hartle ’73 Alumni Volunteer Award: Jim Scher ’88 Lifelong Leadership Award: Paul Whitacre ’78 President’s Award: Anthony and Nina Caimi, friends of the College Hiram’s black box theater turned into a concert club on Friday night, as alumni danced the night away with Moose and Carl, an upbeat variety band featuring Carl Capellas, Hiram’s men’s soccer coach from 2004-2012. President Chema hosted a special luncheon on Saturday afternoon for alumni who have already celebrated their 50th class reunion. Chef Anne Hayman ’88 offered a lunchtime cooking demonstration on Saturday afternoon. Some alumni started their Saturday morning with a beekeeping lesson and demonstration by Dean Bob Haak. Alumni relived their days as undergrads with a game of Frisbee on the campus green. Alumni joined together for an alumni choir session with Dawn Sonntag, assistant professor of music. Alumni and faculty enjoyed lunch on Saturday afternoon at the Dining Hall. Mark Rhodes ’93, owner of WineStyles in Howland, Ohio, taught guests about different wines for all around the world during a Saturday afternoon wine tasting. Thirsty Dog Brewing Company Jon Patrick Najeway, husband of Anne Marie O’Brien ’87, taught the always-popular “Beer School.” Damaris Peter Pike, Professor Emerita of Music, transported audience to one of George Gershwin’s parties by his sister, Frankie, singing several of his best known songs reminiscing about her famous brothers, George and Ira. Many future Terriers also attended the weekend’s festivities! Generations came together at the All-Alumni Reception, over drinks and hors d’oeuvres. President Chema thanks the attendees and announces the award recipients. The afternoon reception ended with the alumni choir singing the alma mater.

Stamp painting, knitting, playing with basketball or collecting: these are the certain things that come to mind when people think of avocations. Try and think of beekeeping as a hobby. Keeping bees is an original pastime, it can be amusing and educational; it may also be a lucrative avocation. Beekeeping or apiculture is the preservation of honey bee colonies. Apiary is where the bees are kept. A beekeeper or apiarist is someone who keeps honey bees for the intent of securing products like honey, beeswax, pollen, and lifting bees and queens to sell to other farmers. There are commercial beekeeping: residential, hobby beekeepers or hobby beekeeping, sideliners, or different kinds of beekeepers. Residential beekeeping is usually kept bees in the most busy area in urban surroundings. Before keeping bees in residential area, make sure to know the laws, regulations and requirements because some areas don’t let beekeeping. Most beekeepers are hobby beekeepers; they keep bees as a hobby but they have another day job, and find beekeeping gratifying. These folks generally possess just several hives. They’ve interest in ecology. A sideline beekeeper needs to make a profit but relies on an extra supply of income; it normally occurs when they have determined to widen beekeeping in time that is full or when a hobby gets out of hand. Sidelines beekeeping can handle up to 300 colonies of bees. And finally, Commercial beekeepers command thousands or hundreds of colonies of bees. The most extensive beekeeping sort of pounds of honey. millions can handle up to 50,000 colonies of bees and produce Beekeeping lessons are important for an aspiring beekeeper As beekeepers, you should wear protective clothing to protect skin from stings of the bees. Gloves must be worn by beekeepers for holding the stands and a hooded suit or hat and veil to shield your face and especially the eyes. Sometimes they do not to use gloves because they have this experience in handling bees and in beekeeping. Neck and the face are the most significant places to protect why most beekeepers will wear a veil that’s. Washing suits frequently and rinsing glove hands in vinegar will minimise attraction. Beekeeping can readily be learned over time. Hands-on expertise is the best means to learn. You’ll understand the way to approach correctly the hive and work with the bees. Always keep an open mind and beekeepers have to use all their senses. Focus on a good beginning, look for what you need to learn and ask some encounters beekeepers seek for their advice. But it is significant at all times the safety of the beekeeper. Remember that whatever you need to action, whatever you would like to do or what business or profession you want to enter only follow what your heart says and go for what makes you’ll joyful. Some folks who are interested in beekeeping get their training from how to raise bees classes in Diana West Virginia but it may be very costly. Fortunately there are affordable ways to learn the art of successful beekeeping in WV.

Our Beginner Beekeeping Classes are taught by 2 Eastern Apiculture Society Master Beekeepers and sometimes with guest speakers. Our classes are in depth and in the classroom. We do our best to go over everything we possibly can in the allotted time so that when you are done with the class you feel you are well equipped to start beekeeping on your own. Whether you're just starting out or haven't done kept bees in many years, this is the class for you. We not only go over how to get started but how to manage your hives your first year on into your second year. Date & Time: Classes are the same from 10am to 6pm so you only need to pick one class date. Class Dates are all on a Saturday and are as follows: January 26th, 2019- Closed February 9th, 2019- Closed February 23rd, 2019- Closed March 16th, 2019- Sold Out March 30th, 2019- Sold Out April 6th, 2019- Sold Out- Please call or email us to be put on the waiting list or for possibly another class date. Thank you. Location: Holiday Inn Express, Banquet Room, 330 Eastern Blvd, Canandaigua, NY 14424 Fee: $50 Adult, $90 Couple. Limit 30 to a class. Payments non-refundable one week prior to the scheduled class. Since the classroom can only hold 30 people, children 10 and up will also have to pay for a registration which includes the seat, meal and materials. While the class is kid friendly, it is a lot of material to take in. It may or may not be a good fit for your child depending on their age. Please give us a call or email if you have further questions. Registration: Choose which type of Registration you'd like: Just the registration for the class or a registration with a Beekeeping Basics Book by Penn State. Books will be available at class but availability may be limited if not pre-ordered. Books at class will be $15 each. Please provide us with name, address, phone and email of those attending at time of payment. Lunch & Course Materials: Lunch will be provided along with course materials including beekeeping magazines, handouts and a printout summary copy of the class. The Beekeeping Basics Book by Penn State is not included unless purchased with your registration. Please call or email us a week ahead of time if you have any dietary restrictions (vegetarian) We will try our best to accommodate you. Less than a weeks notice may limit us with catering on what options we can provide. Hands on learning, videos and many presentations covering a wide variety of beekeeping subjects for beginners. Some of the topics to be covered will be: Honey Bee Biology & Life Cycles The History of Beekeeping Equipment Choices & Assembly and Costs for Starting Out Choosing the right type of bees and location for your hives Spring, Summer & Fall Management Pests and Diseases Value Added Products Extracting and more.... In Class Reviews- Class act, super friendly, and always willing to help!- Frank- Webster, NY Great beginner class to make me feel comfortable getting started. Ben & Kim are very experienced and knowledgeable, and I love that they offer continued support, saying to call them about pretty much anything. Thank you! Lindsey & Nick- Geneva, NY Great class presenters and passionate and highly informative. Thank you!- Laurie- Keuka Park, NY 2nd year beekeeper, the class answered a lot of questions I had.- Lew- Lackawana, NY They are very knowledgeable and nice. The class is a great foundation to start keeping bees- very honest/ real picture of the situation.- Hanna- Penn Yan, NY Would highly recommend this for the novice.- Molly Tyson- Auburn, NY enjoyed the Bees out of it... Posted by Unknown on Mar 3rd 2017 Educationally informative, must attend, instructors presented a diversified and interesting class Posted by Nancy Halstead on Feb 26th 2017 My husband and I attended Beekeeping 101 to see if we were ready to become beekeepers. The class was VERY informative and covered a lot of material. This is a very complex topic that will take years to master, but we feel we've gained enough info to get started. Thanks for a great class!! Lots of information Posted by Philip Powers on Feb 2nd 2017 A great deal of information provided, easily understood. Not so overwhelming that I'm discouraged from keeping bees. Very good experience overall. Kim and Ben are extremely knowledgeable.

WARRENSBURG — The anticipation is now a reality as National 4-H Week is upon us. During the week on Monday, Oct. 6, through Saturday, Oct. 12, millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni across the country celebrated everything 4-H. Johnson County 4-H observed National 4-H Week this year by showcasing the incredible experiences that 4-H offers young people and highlighted the remarkable 4-H youth in the community who work each day to make a positive impact on those around them. The theme of this year’s National 4-H Week is Inspire Kids to Do, which highlights how 4-H encourages kids to take part in hands-on learning experiences in areas such as health, science, agriculture and civic engagement. The positive environment provided by 4-H mentors ensures kids in every county and parish in the country - from urban neighborhoods to suburban schoolyards to rural farming communities - are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles and are empowered with the skills to lead in life. “As a 4-H clover kid, I have learned how to be more confident in myself and am able to speak louder in my group,” 4-H member Jaycee, 7, said. “I have always been shy and quiet but I’m getting better. I have been able to lead the 4-H pledge and the American pledge at some of our meetings.” In addition to general life skills, 4-H members can learn career skills. “I learned that I enjoy welding a lot,” 4-H member Colt, 9, said. “I learned that following instructions is very important. I learned about safety and working with very hot tools. I learned that it is very important to protect your eyes from the bright light when you are welding.” Johnson County 4-H youth sported their 4-H clovers on Wednesday, Oct. 9, in support of what 4-H has done for them. In Johnson County, almost 4,000 4-H youth and about 260 volunteers from the community are involved in 4-H. One of the most anticipated events of National 4-H Week every year is 4-H National Youth Science Day, which sees hundreds of thousands of youth across the nation taking part in the world’s largest youth-led STEM challenge. The theme for this year’s challenge is Game Changers, which will run throughout October. Developed by Google and West Virginia University Extension Service, Game Changers will teach kids coding skills through fun exercises including gaming, puzzles and physical activity. “4-H gives youth of all ages and backgrounds the chance to learn about life skills, work with caring adults and develop leadership,” Kim Hall, 4-H youth development specialist for Johnson and Cass counties, said. “Missouri 4-H gives youth the opportunity to learn while having fun with friends from across the county, state, nation and even the world.” To learn more about how to get involved, visit 4-h.org/ or for Johnson County specific 4-H information, visit the University of Missouri Extension — 4-H website at extension.missouri.edu/johnson/4h.aspx. Blackwater Bobcats 4-H Club The group has served in the community by sending a care package to troops overseas. This was the group’s fourth year adopting a family for Christmas. The children set up balloons for the Rawhide Mounted Shooters to earn money to support the Christmas family. The group meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Church of Hope, 580 NW 105 Rd., Centerview. Chilhowee Indians 4-H Club In October 2018, the club put on a 4-H horse show and invited other 4-H and FFA club members. It gave out reserve and high point to the winners for both show and games. In 2019, the group made and passed out May Day baskets to senior citizens in and around Chilhowee. Casey and Verna Jenkins drove the members around town in their wagon pulled by their mules. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Baptist Church in Chilhowee. Good Neighbors 4-H Club This year, members started the process of redesigning the landscape at the community building located at the Johnson County Fair Grounds which will continue into next year. The club had a display at the STEAM fair at Warrensburg Middle School which featured many of the projects 4-H members can participate in such as robotics, beekeeping, chick embryology and cake decorating. In May, members Rebekah Papasifakis and Marlys Kanneman went to MU to attend State Congress where they learned about the judicial system and got to participate in a mock appeals court hearing. In June, members participated in contest day. Gabe Rankin gave a demonstrations in screen printing, Avery Crump showed how to make noodles, Gavin Crump showed how to tie a fly for fishing and Riley Edmunds showed how to get a rabbit ready for show. They all went on to give their demonstrations at the state fair. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Heartland 4-H Club This group meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the library in Knob Noster. Mineral Creek 4-H Club The Mineral Creek 4-H Club welcomes any children from ages 5 to 18 to come join. 4-H offers a variety of projects including welding, foods, shooting sports, livestock, cake decorating, sewing, dogs and horses. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month for Clover Kids and 7 p.m. for regular meeting at the Leeton Christian Church. Mt. Moriah Hustlers 4-H Club The Mt. Moriah Hustlers 4-H Club has continued its community partnership with Harmony Gardens. Members visit the residents once a month to play a game or make crafts. Members have participated in many county-wide events such as the Feed Missouri food drive and the Warrensburg Christmas light parade. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at Crest Ridge Elementary School. Royal Clovers 4-H Club This year, the Royal Clovers members participated in a variety of projects including archery, country cured hams, foods, arts and crafts, sewing, bacon, photography and clover kids. Royal Clovers participated in the Food for America Drive in February, winning the honor of being the club that donated the most food per member in the country. Members also learned about fire safety this year and how important it is to know where the fire exits are and how important it is to have an escape plan to get out of their house. During the Johnson County Fair, Royal Clovers participated in Farm Time Fun, demonstrations and achievement day. At the end of the fair, Royal Clovers had the highest percentage of involvement. Multiple members demonstrated at the State Fair and acted as fair ambassadors. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Extension Office at 135 W. Market St. in Warrensburg, Spirit 4-H Club This group focuses on military youth and meets at WAFB Youth Center. For dates/times, contact the Youth Center at (660) 687-5586. Union Chapel Lions This year, Union Chapel Lions Club members participated in cattle, horses, rabbits, poultry and wood working. The group cleaned trash on the roadway in Holden, cleaned the gardens and planted flowers at First Christian Church and had multiple barbeques. The club is young and growing and welcomes everyone at all of its meetings and activities. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month (subject to change) at the First Christian Church in Holden. Warrensburg Adventure Club This club works the Warrensburg after-school program Adventure Club. Maple Grove and Martin Warren meet from 5 to 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month. Ridgeview and Sterling meet from 5 to 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. 4-H Shooting Sports Program This was the first full year of the reorganized Johnson County 4-H Shooting Sports Program. The group consists of 22 members, three instructors and a county coordinator from across Johnson County. Out of the 22 members, 19 qualified to compete in the county matches. Eight of those 19 members went on to compete in the different state matches in August and September where each member scored better than they did at the county matches. Unfortunately, the club lost one of its instructors, Nicole Walker, who had been asked to become an instructor for the state team. However, the group is getting three new instructors this fall; two in smallbore rifle (who can also instruct in air rifles) and one additional archery instructor. By spring, the group will also have an instructor for air and smallbore pistol and possibly hunting skills.The club is still in need of more instructors and would welcome anyone who would like to take the training course in the spring and become a member of the team.

Friday March 29th, 2015 The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is on in March every year at the gorgeous Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens in the middle of the city. This years highlights included the much anticipated "Food Forest" and beekeeping gardens, showing a shift away from the "high end" designed gardens and drought loving plants of past years and focusing on sustainability, food production, and achieveable gardening, bringing inspiration to melbourne home gardeners and designers alike. "Food Forest" by Phillip Withers Layers of edible ground covers and herbs, vegetables and fruit trees was a sensory delight and to a vegetable gardener like me, it was heaven! In fact the idea behind the display for the show was to invite visitors in "feeling like Adam and Eve," tempting the senses with smells of rich lavender, basil, mints, thyme and even fragrant citrus fruit! I visited nearing the end of the show and it astounded me that all the vegetables that had been set up a week ago still looked and smelled amazing, as if they had always been there. The use of space was amazing, every spot made very usable and productive. The centrepiece was a lovely green outdoor kitchen and vertical gardens, a picnic table to the right were the garden could be enjoyed and a chicken run to the left that included a childs slide, bringing lots of fun to the garden. This garden would definitely keep people of all ages entertained!! "The Bee Keepers Garden" by Jenny Smith Gardens As soon as the show kicked off this garden was creating so much interest. Its message is clear. The bee is the most important creature in the garden, without bees there would be no colour in our world. This garden used three striking colours to the max, purple, yellow and black. Yellow coneflowers and lavender, which are both fantastic bee attracting plants highlighted against the black backing and features in the garden. Yellow to the left and Purple to the right only. Honey pot features, sculpted bees and hexagon shaped tiles and seated areas were delightul. And there were lots of bees of course. "Diggers Garden Display" I have been a member of the diggers club for a few years, their heritage seed saving efforts are amazing and this year they went all out for the garden show. They created a pumpkin hill with 1100 heritage pumpkins! Truly stunnng. Their other veggies were also on display as well as a little greenhouse and a Gypsy Cabin from Blackdown Shepard Huts. "Achieveable Gardens Walk" A highly inspring walkway with gardens created by local university students in a small space using affordable materials and planrtings. These competition gardeners show us what can be done with so little, and the results are amazing. "Crossroads" was a favourite of mine and also "The Pollinator Partnership", another bee keeping garden, ideal for suburban and urban spaces. Diggers Club: www.diggers.com.au Blackdown Shepard Huts: www.blackdownshepardhuts.com.au Phillip Withers: www.phillipwithers.com What was your favourite thing about the flower and garden show this year? Let us know in the comments: If you like this story, please share it with your friends:

The Examination Board for the National Diploma in Beekeeping was established in 1954, to meet a need for a beekeeping qualification, above the level of the Certificates awarded by the Beekeeping Associations. It was originally intended as an appropriate qualification for County Beekeeping Instructors and Lecturers, of which there were some forty full- and part-time appointments across the United Kingdom at that time. The prime movers in this development were Fred Richards, the C.B.I. for Norfolk and H.M.I. Franklin, whose brief included rural education. Although the County Lecturers have disappeared from the beekeeping scene since the privatisation of the agricultural colleges, there are still beekeepers wishing to pursue their studies to an advanced level. The NDB offers them the opportunity to undertake such study. The Board consists of representatives from a wide range of organisations and together form an impressive amalgam of expert knowledge in beekeeping and education. Although all the National Beekeeping Associations are represented on the Board and make a valuable contribution, the NDB is entirely independent of those organisations. Board members are drawn from the following organizations: The British, Scottish, Welsh and Ulster Beekeepers’ Associations. The FERA National Bee Unit. Bee Farmers’ Association. International Bee Research Association. Bees for Development. Current NDB Board members The President of the NDB Board is Geoff Hopkinson NDB. The current Board Members are: Dr. Ivor Davis NDB, Chairman Ken Basterfield NDB, Director, Advanced Course Dr. Nicola Bradbear, Bees for Development Michael Brown, FERA National Bee Unit Clive de Bruyn NDB, Bee Farmers’ Association Norman Carreck, I.B.R.A. Ian Craig, Scottish B.K.A. John Hendrie, B.B.K.A. Paul Metcalf NDB, Co-opted member Dinah Sweet, Welsh B.K.A. Margaret Thomas NDB, Secretary Dr. Ivor Davis NDB, Treasurer The NDB Constitution is available for download read more The recipients of the National Diploma in Beekeeping are listed on a separate page read more All content copyright The National Diploma in Beekeeping Board.

The celebration’s organisers implemented a non-traditional event format. During the entire evening, the most varied information from our company's life was presented, including internal company happenings, beekeeping, a criminal case or two, extreme sport, a bit of culinary art and even Tatjana's mysterious fortune-telling salon! Each bit of news came with a humorous element, demonstrated by the laughter and applause accompanying them. During the celebration, a live broadcast from the life of the Graina UAB team surprised even those who have been with the company for more than a decade or two; it seems that we did not know many interesting things indeed about our colleagues! The highlight of the party was the appearance by Dainius Žebrauskas – Skruzdėliukas, owner of a dance studio and the pioneer of street dance and hip hop in Lithuania, together with the entire Graina UAB team. He created a dance just for the Graina party. Our team successfully learned the dance moves and was filmed for a video clip. Later, all participants took part in a lottery with some great prizes. It's a real pleasure to see that a team which gets along so well knows not just how to do its responsible work, but also have fun and celebrate!

Our General Undertaking is to despatch all orders received through our website, within a 10 working-day period once the order has been received and payment information supplied has been verified. Once an order has been received, an automated email Order Confirmation will be sent to the email address provided, confirming all aspects of the order. A second email will be sent by a member of our team once the order has been despatched. For all orders that have been selected for delivery to the client, the website will calculate the delivery charges automatically in the shopping cart once the relevant delivery address has been entered. The delivery charge will be displayed for your order in the checkout. Orders for items in stock In the majority of cases, orders received for general stock items will be despatched within 2-3 working days. In the event of any unforeseen delays to the order, the user shall be notified of the delay by email or phone call. The lead-times that are displayed are approximations based on the most reasonable assessment of our stock levels at the time of your order. Even though we keep our information as accurate as possible, there may be occasions when an items’ stock level may not be adequate to support your order quantity. In this event, you shall be notified of any delay to your order by email or phone as soon as possible, and if you are not satisfied with a new expected despatch date, an offer of a full refund will be made to you. If this offer is accepted, the refund will be made to your payment card. When your order has been despatched, we will advise you by email of the despatch date. At this time the responsibility of the safe delivery of your order falls to our nominated delivery company. Due to unforeseen circumstances, for example weather conditions etc, the expected delivery time of your order may be extended. Any time or date for despatch / delivery stated by Ben Harden Beekeeping Equipment is an estimate only and Ben Harden Beekeeping Equipment shall not accept liability for any loss or damage or any consequential loss arising either directly or indirectly from delays in delivery howsoever caused. Orders can also be collected from our premises in Ballinabanogue, The Rock, Arklow once the customer has been notified that the goods are ready to collect.

Are you looking for how to start beekeeping in Hilliards Pennsylvania? A lot of individuals say beekeeping classes in PA can be costly and there are cheaper ways to master beekeeping without spending lots of money in training. Beekeeping is a business that depends on having passion that is complete. You cannot if you do not like dealing with live creatures start a company like this. Working with bees is like working with any type of birds or animals; it needs knowledge and attention to keep bees healthy and productive. You should take complete care of each small matter, so that it will not create any trouble for the company in the foreseeable future. – Selecting the proper tools Starting beekeeping without selecting the right tools is like entering the battle with swimming costumes. You should be prepared before you begin your business or it will be a total loss on your money and time. Ask your self several questions before you select your hives that are acceptable. This depends a lot on which is your aim from starting beekeeping. In case you are willing to invest time and some money in a bee keeping company then you definitely may want to understand will you take care of your own hives. Are you really ready if it’s best choice for you to purchase an expensive hive? These sort of questions will be asked to you once you see an expert bee keeper to consult him about the hive that is finest to purchase. Every hive has its own specifications, maintenance and honey production amount. – New technology and processes If you’re taking a look at bee keeping as a business you then must study a lot about their nature, bees and the latest technologies that emerged in this livelihood so that you can keep all your info up thus far. Your bees are the machines of your factory which will generate money for you all the time once they begin producing honey, so they were focused on by keeping your ideas and your mind open for what is new in the sector will get you on top of the business.

Did you know that there are three different types of bees in a hive? There is only one queen, drones, and a bunch of worker bees. Also, were you aware that a drone is nothing more than an unfertilized egg? Bees are fascinating creatures, aren’t they? So if you are a beekeeper, I can understand why. I am a ‘beekeeping assistant.’ I say that jokingly because I do get in there with my husband. But he is really fascinated by them which means I don’t get as much hands on time with them. Either way, I do get a lot of up close and personal time with cleaning our gear. Which led me to wonder if everyone knew how easy it is to maintain your beekeeping gear? The gear for beekeeping can be quite an investment. So taking a few moments to care for it should definitely make the list of priorities. Here is how you keep your beekeeping gear clean: 1. Take Care of That Suit When you buy a bee suit, you are making an investment. If you take care of it, it should last. You’ll begin caring for it by reading the instructions. My husband has gone through quite a few different suits (he is 6’8” so it took us a while to find one that fit him just right.) So believe me when I tell you, they can get expensive. But after I got over the sticker shock of the one that did fit him, I began to baby it because I didn’t want to have to pay for another one any time soon. His can be machine washed. He has one of those ventilated suits. We love it because they breathe so he doesn’t get nearly as hot. Plus, he hasn’t been stung since he got it. I haven’t broken down and made the investment for a ventilated suit for myself as of yet, but I see it coming in the near future. So I just toss his in the washing machine. However, because I am afraid of it shrinking, we do line dry it. But again, it is best if you just follow the instructions on the tag. It might tell you to machine wash it cold or even to hand wash it. Since most suits are cotton material, they should be pretty durable. 2. The Veil is Your Shield Your veil needs to be very well cared for because it is your shield between the bees and their stingers. Plus, the veil catches most of the sweat because of the heat and your head being covered. So I hand wash the veils. The reason is I don’t want anything to happen to it in the washer and me not notice until we are knee deep in bees. Which means, I just put a little soap and warm water in the sink and let it soak. I gently rub the material together to work any dirt out. Then I let it line dry so nothing happens to the material in the dryer. 3. The Smoker Needs Attention The smoker is a very important tool. You put pine needles or other material inside of it and set them on fire. This creates smoke which in turn makes the bees go the opposite direction of the smoke. The idea is to keep you from getting stung. So you’ll want to take care of it (though thankfully, most of them are not very expensive.) You’ll do this by cleaning out any left over burnt material out of the smoker. Please be sure to wait until the smoker and the material within it has cooled completely. Then you’ll want to take some warm water (and maybe a little soap if the burnt residue is being stubborn) and wash it out with a sponge or soft cloth. Finally, you’ll want to make sure that the smoker is completely dry before putting it away to keep any discoloration from happening. Again, this is just a generalization. When you buy your smoker check the specific cleaning guidelines in case it is made with a different material than ours. 4. Your Hive Tool is Key Your hive tool is key to beekeeping. If you don’t have one you will have one difficult time trying to go through your bees. However, with that, the hive tool gets all kinds of bee material on it from propolis to honey. So it needs to be cleaned every now and then. If you have a metal hive tool (which our hive tools are) you can throw it in the dishwasher if you are in a hurry, or you can simply wash it with soap, warm water, and a cloth. Again, this is just to get all of the bee material off and prolong the life of your hive tool. Hive tools aren’t particularly expensive but every little bit saved helps. Plus, I just like working with clean gear. 5. Take Care of the Honey Extractor Every Time We don’t have our own personal honey extractor. The same wonderful couple that got us into bees allow us to use their honey extractor every time we need to. We are very fortunate. But with every use we make sure the extractor is cleaned up. Otherwise you have a big, goopy mess on your hands that will only get worse with time. So hosing the extractor down with warm water is usually the best route to take. Then you can wipe it down with a soapy wash cloth and rinse it thoroughly to get all of the honey and residue off of it. However, let me share with you what will happen if you don’t clean up old honey. In case you all haven’t gathered by now, I’m super clean, but my husband and boys aren’t the cleanest in the world. So my husband had cut some honeycomb out of a hive that was in someone’s yard, and they didn’t want it there. We brought the bees home with us and gave them a new place to live where they were definitely wanted. Well, he put this comb in a pot and set it out on the back porch. I didn’t make the trip with him when he did this so I didn’t know it was there. A few months go by ( I was a little busy apparently) and I finally stop to see what is in this pot I had walked by a million times. Much to my surprise, it was filled with comb, honey, and lots of nasty bugs that had set up shop in there. That pot got the scrubbing of its life! So I told you that to simply remind you anytime there is honey it will draw other bugs because it’s sweet and it’s food. Honey extractors are not cheap so be sure to take care of it. 6. You Can’t Close Up the Bees Without Caring for the Hive Boxes This is the final step we take in cleaning our bee gear each year. I won’t roll into winter without doing it because it will wreck your hives for the upcoming year. So before you put your bees to bed for the winter, it is important to go through all of your leftover hive boxes and frames. You’ll have some left because the hives shrink before going into winter. Well, you will need to gather all of your hive bodies, frames, and leave the comb in it from the present year. Then you’ll place them inside a mattress cover with moth crystals in them. This is what they call ‘the gas chamber.’ It sounds terrible, doesn’t it? Well, it isn’t. Really it just keeps wax moths out of your hives. Do not use moth balls because it is too strong and will turn the bees off of your equipment. However, the moth crystals do a fine job. Just be sure to let your equipment air out for a day or two the following year before you use it again. How Often Should I Clean My Gear? I’ve covered how to clean your equipment, but how often should you do this? It depends upon you and the equipment really. 1. The Bee Suit You can get away with cleaning the bee suit every 3-4 uses. In reality, I guess it depends upon how dirty your suit gets when you work with your bees. Plus, it depends upon how much you sweat. Also, consider how you feel about putting it on each time. Now, my husband is the type that he could care less how clean it is. He’ll wear it until I snatch it from him and refuse to let him wear it until it’s clean again. Granted, you do wear clothing under the suit so I can kind of see his point. However, for me, I prefer to wash mine every use or two. So it is personal preference. And for the people out there like my husband, try to be patient if you have loved ones around you like me. We only wash everything to death because we care. 2. The Veil I would wash the veil as frequently as I wash the suit. I understand it gets nastier faster probably because you can’t help but sweat a lot in your face when working with bees, and you don’t have layers of clothing between the veil and your sweat. So if you feel like it needs to be washed after every use, since it is being hand washed, I don’t think it would hurt much. You’ll know if you’re over washing items because the fibers will start to wear out. Just keep an eye out for that. 3. Your Tools The hive tool and smoker need to be washed on an ‘as needed’ basis. You’ll know when they need it. But again, it will be based around your personal preferences. I’m the type that doesn’t like to work with a lot of left over material on my tools. However, my husband could care less. So it’s up to you. 4. The Hives You all can breathe a sigh of relief. I’m not going to tell you I wash our hives every time we’re done with them (though you were probably expecting it, weren’t you?) No, instead, you only put them in the ‘gas chamber’ once a year and that is at the very end of the season. There is no need to do anything besides just clean up the propolis on the hives in between uses during the same season. But I do recommend storing your bee equipment where it has plenty of shelter. Make sure it is in a building, a barn (we actually store our equipment in our pole barn), or if you don’t have room for it just yet make sure it has a tarp over it to protect it from the elements. This will help with the longevity of your equipment for sure. Well, I really hope that this information will help you all to protect your bee equipment. As I said, it is quite the investment so it needs to be taken care of. But I want to hear from you. How do you clean your beekeeping equipment? Do you have any special tricks to getting things super clean and sanitized?

women in agriculture Jana Kinsman never anticipated that as a beekeeper she’d be the focus of news trucks and cameras. But when honey bees swarmed on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago this past summer, she found herself capturing them before a crowd of curious onlookers and journalists. “It was a great intersection of city life and the natural experiences that are all around us. It was a wonderful education opportunity.” Educating Chicagoans about their pollinators is something close to her heart and something the founder of Bike a Bee would like to do more of. Jana always had an interest in bugs and a strong desire to get involved in urban agriculture. She discovered that she wasn’t any good at growing things, so she thought she might be better at the livestock aspect of it. Since honey bees are the smallest type of livestock, she took a beekeeping class with the Chicago Honey Co-op in 2011. The following year, she worked with a beekeeper in Eugene, Oregon, getting hands-on experience. In her quest to educate others on how to prepare and enjoy meat, Camas Davis of Portland, Oregon, seeks to change eating habits and help people see, and taste, the benefits of the whole animal. “We’ve lost our knowledge of how to cook meat, and many people don’t know that all of meat is edible. We want to shift the way that people think about what’s edible, and we want to change habits,” Davis says. A former food writer and magazine editor, Davis now leads the Portland Meat Collective, which has offered classes in meat preparation since 2010. “Our main goal is to inspire responsible meat production with experiential education,” she says. The collective advocates meat slaughter that’s humane and transparent—no mystery meat here. Use of the whole animal means less meat goes to waste, and informed eaters have a better understanding of what they’re eating. On the streets of a Boston, MA neighborhood where one grocery store was vastly outnumbered by fast-food venues, and health reports consistently revealed staggering numbers of chronic disease cases, 17-year-old Shavel’le Olivier sought to become a force for change. Now, seven years later, Olivier leads the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Vigorous Youth group, a thriving youth organization that is working to increase food access and improve health outcomes in the Boston neighborhood of Mattapan. “Our mobile farmer’s market is totally youth-led, and we’ve brought our farm stand to the bus station, the local health center and senior residences,” says Olivier. “We started Mattapan on Wheels. We are about to begin Mattapan Flavors. We’re always asking, ‘What can we do now?’” Photographer, food stylist, cook, and author Melina Hammer is on a mission to change the way people treat and think about food. In her debut cookbook, “Kid Chef: The Foodie Kids Cookbook: Healthy Recipes and Culinary Skills for the New Cook in the Kitchen,” aimed at aspiring eight to 13 year old chefs, Hammer offers more than 70 recipes, drool-worthy photographs, and helpful tips. Seedstock recently caught up with Hammer during a visit to her hometown of Detroit to discuss her inspirations, her strategies for changing the food system through teaching, and the challenge of eating healthily in an area with limited access to fresh food. Seedstock: What is your goal with this cookbook? Melina Hammer: The current landscape of seduction in food advertising makes it more important than ever to clarify what good eating really is. Creating a book with the skills to empower kids seemed like the perfect place to begin. My goal is to provide the tools and confidence for kids to take the reigns in the kitchen. I want to empower kids – and adults! – to make good food: from developing a discerning eye in sourcing quality ingredients, to refining and mastering various culinary skills. For generations, the face of farming in America has been the face of a sun-baked, hard-working man. Even with record growth in the number of female farmers, men still make up approximately 70 percent of primary and secondary farm operators, creating a collision course between entrenched gender biases and taboos and the realities of farming’s changing demographics. Annie’s Project, founded in 2003 by University of Illinois Extension educator Ruth Hambleton, is one organization pushing to help the new generation of female farmers and ranchers over those hurdles to access the tools they need to be competent, successful growers, farm business managers, and business partners. The 18-hour curriculum combines an introduction to the five traditional risk areas of farming–farm risk management, production, marketing, legal, and financial and human resources–with lessons learned by Hambleton in more than two decades of field support. “In my first 25 years of extension work, I listened to the many concerns and requests that farm women had,” Hambleton says.

Melody Rowell is a writer and RADIO producer living in KANSAS CITY. She is a graduate of the Transom Story Workshop in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. For two and a half years, she worked in photography at National Geographic as a coordinator for the magazine and an assistant editor for the news team. Now, she produces Central Standard, a daily talk show about arts and culture from KCUR. As a freelancer, she worked with NPR's 1A, Man Repeller's The Call, and First Mondays, a weekly podcast about the Supreme Court. Melody holds a master's degree in Nonfiction Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She graduated from the Oxbridge Honors Program at William Jewell College with a bachelor's degree in English Literature & Theory. She also has a certificate from an 8-week beekeeping class, but that's another story. Her downtime is dedicated to attending games at all 30 major league baseball parks, cross-stitching while bingeing on podcasts, and listening to live bluegrass music. Melody is available for production and writing projects in Kansas City and remotely.

NELSON HONEY & MARKETING For over 100 years the Cropp family have worked with nature, extracting the honey delicately, to bring you the finest quality New Zealand Honey. In 1973 third generation beekeeper Philip Cropp, after learning all there is to know about bees and beekeeping from his parents and grandparents before them, established Nelson Honey & Marketing. His passion for bees, the many wonderful products they produce and amazing health benefits they may provide, have seen Nelson Honey grow from humble beginnings to a hugely successful company with a growing range of honey products sought after worldwide. Philip’s “Honey will fix it” approach is legendary among friends, neighbours and customers and has been the driver behind some of the revolutionary products he developed over the years like Nectar Ease and Royal Nectar. You will find our products fit into 1 (or more) of 3 categories, each of which has a different colour to make it easier for you to navigate to the information you’re after; Nutrition is all about our honeys. Manuka Honey, sourced from the Marlborough Sounds, Kahurangi National Park and throughout the top of New Zealand’s South Island; West Coast Honey, a delicious multi-floral honey also described as the fruit bowl of honeys comes from the rugged and pristine West Coast of the South Island; and finally Honeydew Honey which comes from the Beech forests of the Nelson Lakes areas. All our honeys are great as a food and may offer added benefits. Health covers a range of different products, all of which are aimed at helping you feel great and stay healthy. Nectar Ease is our sought after Manuka Honey with added Bee Venom range. In this range you’ll also find Propolis, Pollen, Manuka Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar with added Manuka Honey. Finally our Skincare range is where you will find a range of Manuka Honey soaps as well as our world-famous Royal Nectar products; anything from the Original Face Mask to the new gift packs. To read more about how it all started, check out the About Us section, or go straight to Products to order your own goodies.

No matter where you are from, please fill out the online survey! Urban Agricultural Forum Overview February 20, 2017 There was a vast array of interesting ideas discussed about the meaning of Urban Agriculture, and all the positives it can bring to our communities and how to get many different aspects established into our neighbourhoods. Here’s an informational quote from the handout pamphlet written by Lush Valley Food Action Society in the Comox Valley. “Urban agriculture is a growing movement across North America and includes a wide range of activities that promote greater public participation in the production, sale and distribution of food. Until recently, families grew all or most of their own food. That changed when people started moving into urban areas and food became a commercial product grown intensively. Today foods often travel thousands of miles to reach our plates. This process can reduce freshness, taste, nutritional value, increases food costs while adding to our carbon footprint. By relocalizing food production, communities regain some control over what they eat. Lush Valley is … Exploring changes to land use regulations to allow yard-gate sales, beekeeping and hens is an important piece in providing more opportunities to connect people to their food.” There are so many aspects of this subject to consider, that it would take me days to write about them individually. So for now, I am going to list some phrases to capture my current thoughts for food. - currently live in a false sense of food security - food store shelves would be empty within days of a disaster - grow as much food as space allows/you need/you can - growing food is cheap, nutritious, exercise, accomplishment - teach cooking & preserving methods - create palates and appreciation for real food - connect to environment, connect with community - it’s not “work”, it’s effort with reward ~ change attitudes - preserve surpluses in times of plenty - we have savings accounts for comfort - we need enough food to last how long to feel secure? - learn the skills, so you have them when you need them - multitude of urban home ideas with local food supplies - some high-density, with common garden plots - community gardens and urban orchards - more (permanent stalls) farmers markets, walk to them - sow more, mow less (sow not mow) - not everyone has to grow the same thing - bartering is brilliant ~ apples for garlic, etc. - people learn seasonal growing - once learned, they are less likely to purchase out of season - yard-gate sales for residents to sell excess produce - yard-gate sales builds diligent gardeners - daily .. harvest, spot problems, add water, continuous planting - money earned from produce sales augments family food budgets - can now afford local, pasture-raised meats and other local products - supports neighbours who need items, they walk to purchase - selling excess, or donating, means less food waste - a small flock of hens per household has huge benefits - hens consume household food waste and garden debris - hens produce nutrient rich manure for the garden - hens are excellent at de-bugging fallow garden space - hens provide protein-rich organic eggs for their people - bees are vital - I had some honey bees take over a birdhouse in my garden

We can supply and fit a range of pressure gauges to both display pressure and to control machinery. The large display on this pressure gauge features a digital and analogue display. We can display pressure settings as well enter set-points for switching off pumps if the pressure is too high. This is a method of protecting machinery. It is easy to set the switch point to different values and to display this on the dial. Pressure gauges give useful feedback to operators of machinery. Our controllers have their own sockets into which your pump/motor will plug, and they in turn plug into the wall. This enables your pump to be used independently of the controller. "The autumn after building my bee shed, I began talking to Peter Boutelje about my options for a cost effective, yet efficient plant for a smaller beekeeping operation. The knowledge and experience Peter and his staff have of engineering honey equipment is invaluable, and his willingness to find a good solution for my business was greatly appreciated. After my first thirty tons extracted through Boutelje's Small Extraction System, I can say with great conviction that it is reliable, simple to use, maintain and clean, and is built to last. The jewel in the crown of the system is the filter centrifuge. For a system only running a centrifuge to clean the honey, it comes out at an excellent standard for bulk honey. It is also very quick and easy to start, stop and clean. After the maiden run, I was operating without a hitch. Simple as that. Alex Reekers Heritage Valley Honey Limited" Alex Reekers - Heritage Valley Honey Limited

The team is dedicated to educational mission and school life, we suggest you contact us via email [email protected]. Management and administration Directrice Fondatrice de Living School principal: Living School’s director, founder and teacher. She was a former human resources manager responsible for training in an international corporation. She was also a primary school substitute teacher (private and Montessori). She is graduate of the ESCP (Paris Business School)and has a Master’s degree in Ethics Leadership Development and a Master’s degree in Education Sciences. She is also the president of the Savoir-être & education organization (www.savoir-etre-et-education.org) 01.42.38.92.44 Directrice adjointe de Living School Anne-Sophie DE OLIVEIRA Responsable écocitoyenneté et extrascolaire After-School and Ecocitizenship activities Coordinator. With her Master´s in Anthropology and training in dance and music, Mauve coordinated activities and worked with teenagers and children in different parts of the world for six years. She has, most notably, traveled to Cameroon, Mali, and to the Antilles Islands where she spearheaded education projects. She also co-organizes and teaches the Wednesday English Club and Vacation Clubs at Living School. Mauve is studying the Dalcroze music teaching approach. Chargée de missions Christine VAN DER LINDE With 14 years of experience as an office manager in small business, Christine has the relevant skills and expertise to help our team with all aspects of administration and the streamlining of school processes. Christine also shares our core values of eco-citizenship and solidarity. As a neighbor, she has felt our engagement and warmth since we opened our school in allée Darius Milhaud 7 years ago. She is a woman who loves nature, especially gardening and beekeeping which she practices in Touraine at a watermill she has been restoring with her family since 1987. Teaching team and animation Anna graduated from Education Sciences and wanted to join an alternative school as a teacher. She has a good experience of children and young people since she was animator then director of holiday center for 4 years. She has also regularly taken part in classes during her various professional experiences. Graduated from a business school, which she found initially disappointing, she made the choice of a specialization in creative and cultural activities by obtaining a Master 2 in this field. Faithful to her passion for education, she also attended a licence in Education Sciences and explored the world of alternative pedagogies. She has several professional experiences that combine pedagogy and culture (French alliance, school of theater for teenagers, publisher of educational games …). Annelaure is a French public school system teacher for 13 years, mostly in 4th and 5th year. She has chosen, during all these years, to teach in the troubled areas of Marseille North, to ensure an educational and social job with the children. She knows how to help struggling students. She educate herself in Montessori and Freinet techniques, as well as speech therapy and is very fond of psychology. She really wants to give a sense of fullfilment to the children. Annelaure Boyer is the teacher of class 4. Benjamin DE BROISSIA Teacher for our pre-school and kindergarten bridge class. We have worked regularly with Benjamin as a substitute teacher and during our holiday clubs. Benjamin has worked for years with children. He is trained as an ethnologist, and has just completed an art-therapy course. He plays the cello and accompanies a storyteller during shows for children. Andrea HERNANDEZ DIAZ Andrea teaches mathematics in Class 1 and Class 2 and has recently started teaching after school classes of puppetry and Spanish. As you can tell by her name, Andrea comes to us from Spain! Holding a Master’s in Psychopedagogy, she has worked closely with children since 2003, first as a Spanish and English teacher. She has had numerous international experiences: in a school in Bristol, in an orphanage in Uganda, in a middle school in Mexico and even with children in the streets of Madrid. She also taught for 2 years in Grenada in an alternative nursery and primary school. She is passionate about theatre and the creation of marionnettes! Pre-school teacher. With a Masters in languages, Elodie has 12 years experience with children. She was the main teacher and health assistant in an activity center and during trips with the children. She also trains others in languages. Her two passions are children and traveling…and she knew just how to combine the two : au-pair in New York, teacher in Sénégal in a humanitarian house and even an animator during a folk dance trip with the children of Costa Rica… She lives in a daily bilingual environment, as she is married to a Mexican native, giving her something in common with our Andrea (Spanish is indeed becoming a true part of Living School!). She feels a true calling and vocation for education. She loves children, she loves singing with them, and she even recently took up the guitar. She is atheletic, truly : basketball, climbing, skiing, jogging, swimming… Born in Malaysia, Mary has the Irish nationality. She has grown up in Ireland and in London. She has a TEFL certificat (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). She has worked a lot with young children while she was living in Ireland and did several humanitarian works in South Africa and Asia. English teacher for classes 1 and 3 (pre-kindergarten and 1st and 2nd grade). Julie is American, and has a B.A. in French and in Literature. She knows how to put active pedagogy into place in the classroom. Julie has years of experience teaching in ESL environments. Julie previously taught in an international primary bilingual school in Warsaw, Poland. She is dynamic and full of creativity! Julie is also a certified yoga teacher and a trained dancer (15 years’ experience). Just imagine our next end-of-year show! Julie is currently in her second year of the Pathway for the Development of Ethical Leadership. Wednesday English Club Teacher and English Substitute Teacher. Mika is American and French with Japanese origins (from her father). She has eight years of experience working with children, first as a nanny and then as a French teacher for children 3-6 years old. Passionate about meaning and contribution, she also worked in the non-profit sector. She traveled to Asia and the United States. She joined our team in 2009. Cafeteria and Cleaning Team Responsable cantine et ménage Marie-Manita has joined the team as canteen and cleaning manager. Originally from Haiti, she arrived in France fifteen years ago and has since had different daycare experiences with young children in private households as well as in a business setting. Marie-Manita loves being around kids and feels very happy at the idea of preparing and serving meals to class 1. Our wonderful cleaning and maintenance staff member from the business COFREM. Annette means “grace, favor,” and is a perfect fit for her! She is always smiling and meets head-on the daily challenge of maintaining the upkeep of the big school.

Human societies depend on bees. In the UK, insect pollination is worth £400-500m per year and in California commercial beekeepers transport truckloads of bees to pollinate orchards on an industrial scale. Across the world, glasshouse production of tomatoes depends on the supply of bumblebees commercially reared in the Netherlands and Belgium. At the same time, declining bee populations have seized the public imagination, shaping campaigns against the use of pesticides in agriculture, adding impetus to concerns about the decline in biodiversity of flowering plants in rural areas, and leading to an upsurge in urban beekeeping. Given the growing recognition of our entanglement with the world of the bee, and the dependence of agriculture, livelihoods and environmental sustainability on it, this project asks how the social sciences can contribute to understandings of bee-human relations. The decline of bee populations has met with a strong public response. It is these high levels of emotion and care for bees that has inspired this project. It is unusual for insects to provoke such feelings in us. Our relationship with bees seems to go beyond the economic. We care about bees because we admire them, and perhaps see something of ourselves in their societies. Since ancient Greece (honey)bees have inspired political philosophy about how human societies should be organised. We wish to find out how contemporary society is shaped by bees, and how bees' lives are shaped by the ways in which we live. What are we doinG? - investigating the practices of three different kinds of beekeeper – commercial beekeepers in California and the Netherlands, urban beekeepers in the UK and Denmark, and ‘natural’ beekeepers in the UK - Rethinking the divide between nature and culture by developing a methodology that allows us to see bee and human activities as taking place together.

Recently I had an e-mail dialogue with a new swarm trapper from Georgia about some difficulties they are experiencing. They deployed their traps this Spring and wasps began to set up shop in 4 of their 6 traps. This subject also came up in the Treatment-Free Beekeeping Group on Facebook a while back and I was a little befuzzled. I put out a lot of traps, somewhere between 20 and 30 each of the last 4 years. I have NEVER had a wasp nest in any of my traps EVER. I don’t know if it has to do with my trap location, climate, or just the particular wasps inhabiting different regions of the United States. It got me wondering, are there others out there annoyed with wasps in their traps? This year I will deploy 37 traps total. I will be on the lookout for wasps. Everyone else should be on the lookout as well. After researching their habits, it seems that a swarm trap would make an ideal location for wasp queens to set up shop. Swarm Traps provide a cavity, that’s dark and protected from weather, precisely what paper wasps are looking for! I could not find any non-toxic method to dissuade paper wasps from building in a location and all forms of recommended control were chemical in nature. DO NOT spray wasp spray in your trap boxes to get rid of nests you find.The spray residue will persist in that trap and turn it into a graveyard for scout bees. Gear up with a hood and gloves and smash them out of existence. If you happen to know of anything that could be incorporated into the design, coloration, or baiting of a Trap to detour wasps please leave comments. Remember…… Wasps aren’t all bad. If you are a gardener wasps actually may be helping you by predating pest insects. Our goal is to keep them OUT of SwarmTraps. Any help would be much appreciated by myself and anyone else that may read this. Thank you Billy for the question and pictures. By the way if you haven’t gotten your traps out yet… GET ON IT! The weather here has been cool and damp for the last several weeks. The next 7-10 days are looking like prime swarming conditions with highs getting into the 80’s after some rains. The first humid day we have that gets 80-85 I anticipate some HITS. I hope to have pictures of full traps soon. A good beekeeping friend of mine near Richmond, IN sent me a text Tuesday that one of his UNFED 3-deep colonies swarmed on him. On Wednesday he found a trap had taken a HIT. I got a call about a swarm Wednesday night when I was working and passed the information along to another beekeeping friend of mine. It’s on! Here’s the traps I remembered to take pictures of this year.

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It never ceases to amaze me how eerie the internet can be – sometimes I stumble upon the most perfect thing at any given time. In this case, I was exploring Pinterest and came across a vibrant image that resonated with me (being a Michigander and all!). Unfortunately, the artist wasn't credited in the caption but with some research I found her website. First off, I noticed that she was based in one of my favorite Michigan cities (Ann Arbor) and after skimming through her portfolio realized that she had done some work for an old colleague/friend of mine, Detroit-based artist Scott Hocking (check it out here). Small world! The artist's name is Amanda Jane Jones and she is the primary designer forKinfolk Magazine, a niche publication which focuses primarily on the beauty of entertaining and small gatherings. Amanda's crisp, clean design aesthetic is apparent throughout the magazine's lovely pages. Kinfolk's website offers a host of lovely videos encompassing everything from cooking to beekeeping. I’m always interested in how an artist settles into their particular field, so that was the focus for this short Q&A with Amanda. Q: How did you get your start in graphic design and letterpress? A: We were lucky enough to find an old letterpress for sale in a creepy shop in Downtown Detroit. It was full of old machines and when we saw the Vandercook we knew it needed to come home with us. The owners didn’t even know how to use it, so it was a pretty lucky find. Q: What’s the single most valuable lesson you’ve learned during your time in the field A: Oh man, I’m still learning. But I suppose I’d say at this point in my life, make sure you leave time for personal design projects. Sometimes I get so busy with client work that I forget to take a day or two to just design for fun and see where it takes me. Q: What’s your favorite campaign to date that you’ve created and/or been a part of? A: I love ‘em all. Q: How did you get involved with Kinfolk? A: Nathan, the editor, sent me an email before the magazine began to see if I’d be up for being the designer. I’m forever grateful he did! Kinfolk is a wonderful project to be a part of. Q: What is your greatest source of inspiration? A: Books, books, books. Old and new, big and small. I’ve got more than I can count! Amanda's online portfolio showcases her diverse body of work. I'm particularly smitten with her thoughtful end-of-year and birthday card designs. All photos via Amanda Jane Jones.

Government reform of Peter the Great Peter ascended to the throne at the age of 10 in 1682; he ruled jointly with his half-brother Ivan V. After Ivan's death in 1696, Peter started his series of sweeping reforms. At first he intended these reforms to support the Great Northern War of 1700-1721; later, more systematic reforms significantly changed the internal structure and administration of the state. During the Great Northern War (1700–1721), which dominated most of Peter's reign, Russia, along with a host of allies, seized control of the Baltic Sea from Sweden and gained considerable influence in Central and Eastern Europe. The war, one of history's costliest at the time, consumed significant financial and economic resources, and the administrative system Peter had inherited from his predecessors strained to gather and manage resources. During his Grand Embassy (Russian: Великое посольство, Velikoye posol′stvo), Peter conducted negotiations with a number of European powers to strengthen his position against Sweden and the Ottoman Empire, and his exposure to the more developed nations of Western Europe motivated him to take steps toward turning Russia into an industrial economy. Despite Russia's vast size and considerable natural resources, a number of factors, including corruption and inefficiency, hampered economic growth. Peter believed that targeted reform could not only strengthen his hold on power, but increase the efficiency of the government, and thus better the lot of his people. Another major goal of Peter's reform was reducing the influence of the Boyars, Russia's elite nobility, who stressed Slavic supremacy and opposed European influence. While their clout had declined since the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the Boyar Duma, an advisory council to the tsar, still wielded considerable political power. Peter saw them as backward, standing in the way of Europeanization and reform. He specifically targeted the boyars with numerous taxes and obligatory services, including a tax on beards. Like most of Russia's legal system at the time, Peter's reforms were codified and articulated in a series of royal decrees (Russian: указ, ukaz, literally "imposition"), issued chiefly between 1700 and 1721. Prior to Peter's rule, Russia's administrative system was relatively antiquated compared to that in many Western European nations. The state was divided into uyezds, which mostly consisted of cities and their immediate surrounding areas; this system divided the population unevenly and was extremely clumsy to manage. In 1708, Peter abolished these old national subdivisions and established in their place eight governorates (guberniyas): Moscow, Ingermanland, Kiev, Smolensk, Archangelgorod, Kazan, Azov, and Siberian. Another decree in 1713 established Landrats (from the German word for "national council") in each of the governorates, staffed by between eight and twelve professional civil servants, who assisted a royally-appointed governor. Table of Ranks Peter's distrust of the elitist and anti-reformist Boyars culminated in 1722 with the creation of the Table of Ranks (Russian: Табель о рангах; Tabel' o rangakh), a formal list of ranks in the Russian military, government, and royal court. The Table of Ranks established a complex system of titles and honorifics, each classed with a number (I to XIV) denoting a specific level of service or loyalty to the Tsar. The origins of the Table of Ranks lie in Russia's military ranking system, which was also significantly modified and revised under Peter's rule. The establishment of the Table of Ranks was among the most audacious of Peter's reforms, a direct blow to the power of the Boyars which changed Russian society significantly. Previously, high-ranking state positions were hereditary, but with the establishment of the Table of Ranks, anyone, including a commoner, could work their way up the bureaucratic hierarchy with sufficient hard work and skill. A new generation of technocrats soon supplanted the old Boyar class and dominated the civil service in Russia. With minimal modifications, the Table of Ranks remained in effect until the Russian Revolution of 1917. Finance and trade Fighting the Great Northern War required unprecedented economic resources, and Russia's yawning budget deficit and aging infrastructure meant that the state could not effectively allocate resources and money in wartime. Peter's government was constantly in dire need of money, and at first it responded by monopolizing certain strategic industries, such as salt, vodka, oak, and tar. Peter also taxed many Russian cultural customs (such as bathing, fishing, beekeeping, and wearing beards) and issued tax stamps for paper goods. However, with each new tax came new loopholes and new ways to avoid them, and so it became clear that tax reform was simply not enough. The solution was a sweeping new poll tax, which replaced a household tax on cultivated land. Previously, peasants had skirted the tax by combining several households into one estate; now, however, each peasant was assessed individually for a tax of 70 kopeks, paid in cash. This was significantly heavier than the taxes it replaced, and it enabled the Russian state to expand its treasury almost sixfold between 1680 and 1724. Peter also pursued proto-protectionist trade policies, placing heavy tariffs on imports and trade to maintain a favorable environment for Russian-made goods. Peter's reign deepened the subjugation of serfs to the will of landowners. He firmly enforced class divisions, believing that "just as the landowner was to be tied to service, the townsman to his trade or handicraft, so the peasant was tied to the land." Peter endowed estate-owners to broad new rights, including a requirement that no serf leave his master's estate without written permission. Furthermore, Peter's new tax code significantly expanded the number of taxable workers, shifting an even heavier burden onto the shoulders of the working class. A handful of Peter's slightly more progressive reforms imitated Enlightenment ideals; he did, for example, create a new class of serfs, known as state peasants, who had broader rights than ordinary serfs, but paid dues to the state. He also created state-sanctioned handicraft shops in large cities, inspired by similar shops he had observed in the Netherlands, to provide products for the army. Evidence even suggests that Peter's advisers recommended the abolition of serfdom and the creation of a form of "limited freedom" (a reality that did not come to pass until two centuries later). Nevertheless, the gap between slaves and serfs shrank considerably under Peter, and by the end of his reign the two were basically indistinguishable. On the 22 February 1711 a new state body was established by ukaz—The Governing Senate (Russian: Правительствующий сенат). All its members were appointed by Tsar Peter I from among his own associates and originally consisted of 10 people. All appointments and resignations of senators occurred by personal imperial decrees. The senate did not interrupt the activity and was the permanent operating state body. The first members of the Senate were: - Count Ivan Musin-Pushkin - Boyar Tikhon Streshnev - Prince Pyotr Golitsin - Prince Mikhail Dolgorukov - Grigori Plemyannikov - Prince Grigori Volkonsky - Mikhail Samarin - Vasiliy Apukhtin - Nazariy Milnitskiy - Ober-secretary Anisim Shchukin The original nine were: - Collegium of Foreign Affairs, which replaced Posolsky Prikaz. - Collegium of State Income (Kamer-kollegiia), or Collegium of Tax Collection, or Revenue. - President: Prince Dmitry Golitsin. - Vice-President: Baron Karl Nirot. - Collegium of Justice, or Collegium of civics. - President: Andrey Matveyev. - Vice-President: Hermann von Brevern. - Collegium of Accounting (Revizion-kollegiia), or Revision or Audit Collegium. - President: Prince Vasily Dolgorukov. - Vice-President: was not appointed. - Collegium of War - Collegium of the Navy or Amiralteyskiy Collegium. - Collegium of Commerce - President: Count Pyotr Tolstoy. - Vice-President: Shmidt. - Collegium of State Expenses (Shtats-Kontor) - President: Count Ivan Musin-Pushkin. - Vice-President: was not appointed. - Collegium of Mining and Manufacturing - President: Jacob Bruce. - Vice-President: was not appointed. Success of Peter's Reforms Peter's reforms set him apart from the Tsars that preceded him. In Muscovite Russia, the state's functions were limited mostly to military defense, collection of taxes, and enforcement of class divisions. In contrast, legislation under Peter's rule covered every aspect of life in Russia with exhaustive detail, and they significantly affected the everyday lives of nearly every Russian citizen. The success of reform contributed greatly to Russia's success in the Great Northern War; the increase in revenue and productivity increased the strength of the Russian war machine. More importantly, however, Peter created a "well-ordered police state" that further legitimized and strengthened authoritarian rule in Russia. A testament to this lasting influence are the many public institutions in the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, such as Moscow State University, which trace their origins back to Peter's rule. - Church reform of Peter the Great - Table of Ranks - Collegium (ministry) - Government reform of Alexander I - Vernadsky, pg. 230 - Vernadsky, p. 231 - Raeff, Reformer or Revolutionary? pg. 36 - Riasonovsky, pg. 231 - Sumner, The Emergence of Russia pg. 158 - Raeff, Peter the Great Changes Russia pg. 68 - Bushkovitch, pp. 377-78. - Raeff, Peter the Great Changes Russia pg. 50 - Cracraft, pg. 64 - Bushkovitch, Paul (27 September 2001). Peter the Great: The Struggle for Power, 1671–1725. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. pp. 377–378. ISBN 978-1-139-43075-3. Retrieved 5 April 2017. - Cracraft, James. The Revolution of Peter the Great. (Harvard University Press, 2003) - Hughes, Lindsey. Russia in the Age of Peter the Great (Yale University Press, 1998) - Raeff, Marc. Peter the Great Changes Russia, 2nd edition. Lexington: D.C. Heath and Company, 1972 - Raeff, Marc. Problems in European Civilization: Peter the Great, Reformer or Revolutionary? Boston: D.C. Heath and Company, 1963. - Riasonovsky, Nicholas. A History of Russia, 8th edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. - Sumner, B.H. Peter the Great and the Ottoman Empire. Hamden: Archon Books, 1965 - Sumner, B.H. Peter the Great and the Emergence of Russia. London: English Universities Press, 1960 - Vernadsky, George. Political & Diplomatic History of Russia. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1936.

In the American dictionary the definition of health is “ the state of being free from illness or injury”. For the sake of discussion in this column I want to establish that managing health and treating for illness as two different aspects of management. There is a difference between treating illness and optimizing health. When a treatment of some kind is required it indicates an unhealthy condition. Treating is a reactionary management after an illness or pest has been detected. In managing health there are specific things we can do to maintain health and prevent illness, which is the proactive management of health. Reactive or proactive is not a right or wrong thing. In today’s beekeeping it is imperative to understand about and always be on alert for aliments that are or might affect our colonies and manage our hives appropriately. We can be proactive, applying a concept of working on creating conditions to enhance health before there is an indication sickness. That being said, let me confuse the issue. There is also a gray area called ”preventive maintenance treatment”. An example of that is a treatment for Varroa mites before the mites reach a critical level. I equate this management to humans receiving flu vaccine shots. Technically it’s a treatment, but a proactive treatment of a healthy organism to maintain health. In Alternative beekeeping there is a management concept that- if given the chance, the bees themselves can be both proactive and reactive in their own colony’s health. Michael Bush puts it very well in his book- “The Practical Beekeeper” when he says, “Give them the resources to resolve the problem and let them. If you can’t give them the resources, then limit the need for the resources”. An example he gives for giving resources and letting them resolve the problem is a queen-less hive. Give the colony a frame of brood once a week for 3 weeks and they will resolve the problem by making their own new queen. An example of limiting resources is one we all know- how we help the bees resolve the problem of hive robbing for themselves. We reduce or limit the size of one of their resources, the entrance. In my opinion; The strongest proactive form of maintaining Alternative healthy bees is starting with the strongest, healthiest bees we can. There is a growing realization that much of what we try to do as keepers to keep bees healthy and alive is exacerbated by poor or weak genetics, commercially narrowed gene pool, relocated genetics, (southern queens born and bred in the south and shipped to northern states). Starting with the strongest stock we can obtain helps immensely in keeping bees using Alternative methods of management. In colonies started with a package- replace the package queen as soon as possible with a regional queen. There are some methods of breeding your own queen on a small scale. I find it far more convenient to purchase my regional queens from local breeders. We have some good queen breeders here in Western Washington state. Catch swarms. There is no guarantee that the swarm you are catching isn’t someone else’s commercial genetics hive that swarmed. However the odds are far better that a swarm has stronger genetics than a package. I do catch some grief from beekeepers when I talk about this last subject. Don’t worry if your colony swarms. I’m not saying “try” to get them to swarm, just don’t think it is a bad thing. Realize that it’s the colony’s proactive method of a healthy hive. Many of the aliments of the hive are brood related. The temporary reduction and lack of brood during the swarming period helps control these issues. Also the new virgin queen in your hive will breed with local drones and become your first generation regionally bred queen. “It’s all about the bees” Ernie

Join us on November 8, 2018 for a private screening of ‘Dreaming of a Vetter World’ and a Q&A with filmmaker Bonnie Hawthorne. The times challenge us. Slow Food Urban San Diego is grateful for our community - you uplift us in times like these and help to ground us in others. Thank you for your important contributions to our Good Food Community Fair: True Cost of Food and to our local food system. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, skills, knowledge, sense of hope, resiliency, successes, humor and delicious food and drinks. This year's Fair celebrated how we are addressing the True Cost of Food in our region and acknowledged the work we have yet to do. We discussed the true cost of food and farm labor, sustainable seafood, wasted food, soil health and land management, preserving cultural traditions and more. Thank you for sharing your stories and local treats, for teaching us about heirloom seeds and gyotaku, how to prepare "three-sisters," and how to connect to our farmers and fishermen and support healthy food systems. Slow Food looks forward to continuing the effort with you, our community. Thank you to all who contributed and volunteered, and all who attended, and to the WorldBeat Cultural Center for being our gracious host. We're grateful to our generous sponsors who made it possible to charge only a "suggested donation," so that we can truly bring the Slow Food mission of good, clean and fair food to ALL. Creating opportunities to connect that are accessible is important to us. Thank you to all who attended and partook of this community event. If you missed this year's good, clean and fair food fun, you can catch the next one in 2018. And of course, you can find us planting, eating, learning, teaching, connecting, cooking and expanding community with our partners in the meantime. From all of us at Slow Food Urban San Diego, eat well, grow well, and be well. Slow Food Urban San Diego brings together the largest collection of food system advocates in San Diego County: The 4th annual Good Food Community Fair. Come to the Worldbeat Center on Sunday, October 1st from 11am - 3pm as we celebrate all things slow and expand the community table to everyone interested in exploring the Good, Clean, and Fair food movement in San Diego. The fair is part festival, part conference, part food-stravaganza. Enjoy culinary demos and panel discussions while sampling delicious libations and tasty treats from local food purveyors, tour the first sustainable, edible garden in Balboa park, meet local organizations dedicated to food justice, and learn about the true cost and value of food from some of the most prominent thought leaders in the entire San Diego region. Programming will highlight and celebrate our community's successes in fair food and ways we can work toward a more just and regenerative food system for all people, animals, and the land. Their days usually start with listening to the weather. And are filled with doing what they love: fishing. Not slave to traffic patterns so much as the winds and currents, they harvest the food we eat in ever changing conditions. Meet our fishermen on Feb 25th at an evening of local seafood & local wine! Sea bass and box crab caught by San Diego's fishermen and crafted into delicacies by MIHO Gastrotruck Wine produced by J*Brix Seafood Demonstrations by the pros! San Diego’s fishermen* harvest a diverse array of species: from swordfish, the most cunning of catches, to sea urchins, the sessile ocean starbursts. From 60+ species of rockfish which most restaurants call snapper to opah, a warm-blooded newcomer on the San Diego seafood scene with three distinct cuts of meat ranging from the fatty belly to the beef-like abductor muscle. Plus albacore, sardine, snails, whelks, black cod, octopus, spot prawns and more. The list of our local abundance goes on. “San Diego is a unique location for the seafood industry in the world. We have a large diversity of year-round species. We have seasonal migrations of pelagic fish. And we have weather that makes seafood available year round.” – Kelly Fukushima, first generation San Diego fishermen. On Saturday, February 25th, San Diegans have the opportunity to meet some of our local independent fishermen. The folks who chose a life of constant change – weather, regulations and fish availability – to provide our food. Slow Food celebrates these food producers. Box crab demonstrations all night and sea bass breakdown at 7pm. Kelli and Dan Major Fishing Vessel: Plan B Fishes: Box crab and just about anything available from Point Conception to the Mexico border and out 200 miles – lobster, octopus, whelk, rockfish, bonito, yellowtail… Kelly Fukushima Fishing Vessel: Three Boys Fishes: swordfish, squid, crab, lobster, seabass, groundfish Antonio Estrada Fishing Vessel: Caroline Louise Fishes: sea bass, including the one we’ll be eating on Sat U.S. fisheries are among the most stringently regulated in the world. “When San Diegans eat seafood from California fishermen, they are making a great choice for sustainable, responsible seafood and they are supporting artisanal fishing families.” – Kelly Fukushima *Most people who fish commercially, whether man or woman, prefer the term fisherman over fisher, fisherwoman, etc. Slow Food Urban San Diego invites you to a Slow Fish & Slow Wine event featuring small-production winemakers and San Diego's independent fishermen. Hometown heroes MIHO Catering Co. will provide sea-to-street cuisine on-site with support from Hostess Haven, who’ll be handling the décor and look of the evening. The night will feature seafood demonstrations by the fishermen who caught the night’s sustainable fish as well as tunes, visuals, and antics provided by the Wine Not? team. This February 25th, Wine Not?, the L.A.-based event and lifestyle unit of Bon Appétit Wine Editor Marissa A. Ross and event producer Evan Enderle, comes to San Diego in support of Slow Food Urban San Diego and J. Brix Wines. The event takes place from 6 to 9pm on the 25th. Tickets are $25 and include admission, wine tasting and small bites. Advance purchase is strongly recommended as space is limited. Tickets are available via WineNOT. Proceeds will benefit SFUSD’s programs to promote good, clean & fair seafood in San Diego. The Rose is located at 2219 S. 30th Street and can be reached via telephone at 619.281.0718. Did you know Saturday September 3rd is International Bacon Day? Slow Food USA is celebrating the holiday this year with Snooze an A.M. Eatery. Snooze is throwing a Bacon Day event and donating 10% of their sales Saturday from all of their locations to Slow Food! Snooze is a Denver based breakfast restaurant with locations in Colorado, Arizona and California with two locations in San Diego County - one in Hillcrest and one in Del Mar. Snooze operates under values very similar to Slow Food's Good, Clean and Fair Food For All that they express through their menu, their sourcing practices and their involvement in their communities. The Snooze menu includes breakfast classics with a twist (e.g., Breakfast Pot Pie, Caprese Benedict, Sweet Potato Pancakes) and they go out of their way to find and create foods that are the intersection of tasty and responsible. We spoke with their sourcing lead, Spencer Lomax about their approach to souring their food to be Good Clean and Fair. He says that the bottom line is that they want to serve their guests responsibly sourced and tasty food fulfilling their responsibility to the land, to their customers, to their communities and to Snooze. They live up to that responsibility by providing real, tasty food that was produced sustainably and locally when it makes sense and by engaging with their local communities. In San Diego they source from several local companies including Bread & Cie and Jackie's Jams. They support several local non-profits ARTS (A Reason to Survive), Bike To Work, Mama’s Kitchen, Dining out for Life, Helen Woodward Animal Shelter, Del Mar Education School Foundation and the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy. In honor of Bacon Day Lomax talked specifically about his search for bacon that was both delicious and lived up to the Snooze standards. Snooze sources their pork from Tender Belly. Tender Belly is devoted to the well being of the animal through both the environment in which they live and the all natural, vegetarian diets they are fed. As a part of their Bacon Day celebration you can not only enjoy a full special menu full of Tender Belly bacon items you can register to win bacon for a year from Tender Belly. Come by one of the Snooze San Diego locations on Saturday to enjoy the awesome bacon menu, visit with our Slow Food Urban San Diego team, and support Slow Food! Last month Slow Food Urban San Diego held an Envision Urban Agriculture Fair in partnership with the San Diego Food System Alliance and International Rescue Committee at Silo in Makers Quarters, Downtown. Together with our good, clean & fair collaborators, we provided the community resources to grow food in our city at this free event. The fair featured an urban farmers market, live music, local organic food and beer, seed exchange, composting workshops, resources for growers, cooking demos, and the Lexicon of Sustainability exhibit. A BIG thanks to all our collaborators including Girl NextDoor Honey for the Helping Honeybees Workshop, The Heart & Trotter for the butcher demo, Kitchens for Good and Vivacious Dish for a raw desserts demo, and Specialty Produce, Karl Strauss, Golden Coast Mead and Kashi for their generous food and drink donations. Ready for some summertime fun? Spend a carefree evening at Suzie’s Farm enjoying warm summer breezes, a golden sunset and listening to the dreamy music of Mr. Gregory Page. Suzies Farm is offering a special field tour starting at 3pm as an add-on. This will also ensure you are one of the first in line when doors open so you'll grab a great spot! $27 open seating (bring your own chair/blanket) registration in advance $40 reserved seating for picnic tables limited availability Get tickets here. PLEASE NOTE: No sales at door. Facebook event page Chef Cindy Quinonez will cook Sweet and Sour Rockfish with Bok Choy and Opah Meatballs (recipe below) this Saturday. Opah Lampris guttatus (aka moonfish). Opah is a bycatch fish in the tuna and swordfish fisheries off California and around the Pacific Islands. They are available year round, but landings seem to peak from April through August. In 2015, San Diego scientists discovered that opah are warm-blooded fish. Lettuce-Wrapped Spicy Opah Meatballs Spicy meatballs made from ground opah, served on lettuce or other greens with a lime dipping sauce. Variation of recipe of same name from Pacific Flavors by Hugh Carpenter. Spicy Opah Meatballs: 1 pound ground opah 2 green onions, minced 2 tablespoons minced fresh coriander 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 egg 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon Chinese chili oil 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced Cornstarch for dusting Spicy Lime Dipping Sauce: 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon Chinese chili oil 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 head Bibb lettuce or other greens* 1 bunch fresh cilantro 20 mint leaves 1/2 cup peanut oil * Baby bok choy leaves, kale, chard, spinach, etc. Preparation: In a bowl, combine ground opah, green onions, coriander, soy sauce, egg, orange peel, nutmeg, chili sauce, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Mix thoroughly, then rub a little oil on your hands and form 20 meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Arrange on a lightly oiled plate and refrigerate until ready to cook. Pull leaves from Bibb lettuce or other greens and cut into 20 pieces about 3 inches square. On each lettuce square, place a sprig of cilantro and 1 mint leaf. Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cooking: To broil meatballs, preheat oven to 550 degrees. Place the meatballs on a small baking sheet. Turn oven to broil, place the baking sheet about 4 inches from heat, and broil meatballs until no longer pink in center, about 3 to 4 minutes. To pan-fry meatballs lightly dust with cornstarch. Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When frying pan is hot, add oil. When oil just begins to give off a wisp of smoke, add meatballs and pan-fry them, turning them over in the oil until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes. Place meatballs next to lettuce cups on the serving platter. Serve at once, accompanied by the dipping sauce. Each person wraps a lettuce cup around a meatball and dips one end of the package into the sauce. In a small bowl combine dipping sauce ingredients. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons water and refrigerate. Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer; 2 as an entree. https://youtu.be/jhaCp2dD1s0 Show your love and appreciation for local fishermen by sending them to Slow Fish 2016 in New Orleans this March! Slow Food Urban San Diego is sending two fishermen. Support the campaign to help send more from around the world! Slow Fish 2016 will bring together fishermen, chefs and other fishing community stakeholders from around the world to highlight successes and challenges in bringing good clean and fair seafood to all: from changing ecosystems to variable fish stock health; privatization of the public resource to issues surrounding fair price and working waterfronts; and how we can improve access to fresh local seafood. by Sarah Shoffler, SFUSD Board Member I used to think that “rockstar” had to be the best job in the world. According to Cecilia Naldoni, winemaker at the Grifalco Winery in Basilicata, Italy, I was wrong. “We do the best job in the world.” One of four winemakers from Italy touring southern California this month as part of Slow Wine 2016, Naldoni and her colleagues love what they do, despite the difficulties. Slow Food believes that wine, just as with food, must be good, clean, and fair – not just good. Slow Wine supports small-scale Italian winemakers who use traditional techniques, respect the environment and terroir, and safeguard the diversity of Italy’s grapes. “Slow Wine is how we approach life. It is our philosophy,” says Naldoni. But this lifestyle, this philosophy is not easy to affect. “The difficulty is that our world is going the opposite way, and we have to resist and fight this a lot.” Sorelle Bronca, whose winemaker Antonella Bronca is on tour, grows their vines on high steep hills in Veneto, where standing can be difficult, let alone farming. Moreover, organic wine, which all four visiting winemakers produce, in general tends to produce lower yields than conventionally-produced wines. Basilicata, where the Grifalco winery is located, is the most mountainous region in Italy, which can’t make farming grapes easy. While producing the high quality “Slow Wines” that these women make takes sacrifice and work in difficult land, they contend that making wine this way is worth it. The rewards are substantial. “Slow wine rewards not only the wine but also the relationship of the grower with the territory,” claims Elisa Piazza, enologist at Sorelle Bronca in Veneto, Italy. Angela Fronti of Istine in Tuscany says that the most rewarding part is being able to produce what she loves in the way she loves. “Maybe in the beginning it was difficult to change the mentality of my parents. They are from a generation who produced conventionally. But actually, they are happy now, too,” says Fronti. “We are a woman company that produces high quality wines and, like people do with women, we pamper our vineyards and land,” says Piazza whose family has been producing wine for three generations. “Wine is the pleasure of life,” she contends. Naldoni describes the pleasure she has in producing Slow Wine and how the wines themselves benefit. “We are always under the sky, looking up and thinking about our vineyard. We can be responsible, sensitive and manage our grapes as we would a little child, leaving his best peculiarities alive, and just letting him be what he can be, at his best.” Saluti to letting wine be its best self. Join us at Slow Wine with the Matriarchs to meet these Italian vintners on Friday, January 29th at The Rose in South Park. 6:30-8:30 pm. Angela Fronti of Istine from Tuscany Antonella Bronca of Sorelle Bronca from Veneto Cecillia Naldoni Piccin of Grifalco from Basilicata Matilda Poggi of Le Fraghe from Veneto Taste 8+ wines, enjoy a complimentary aperativo, and chat with four rad ladies making organic wine. $5 from every ticket benefits Slow Food Urban San Diego. Buy your tickets ahead of time or at the door. Join us for a collaborative gathering of fishermen, scientists, chefs, students, co-producers and gastronomes from across continental North America and beyond, searching to find solutions to the many challenges that affect fisheries, habitats, oceans, and cultural seafood systems in New Orleans, March 10th - 13th. In addition to a conference in the Old US Mint and a seafood festival in the French Market, Slow Fish 2016 in New Orleans will feature a traditional Lenten Friday Night Fish Fry at the French Market, tours of Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing wetlands and coast and other events around town and throughout the region.We guarantee that anyone brave enough to attend will have a great time, incredible food experiences, and will never ever look at watersheds, waterways, oceans and seafood the same way again. We at Slow Food Urban San Diego are helping plan this awesome event. Let us know if you'd like to get involved or help send local fishermen and students. Here are some other ways you help: - Sign up and join the event. - Want to host a local fundraiser to send local fishermen and students? Let us know! - LIKE and SHARE the Facebook Event Page - Write a blog. If you or someone you know would like to write a blog on the topic of good, clean, and fair seafood for all -- we wanna highlight you! - Be a presenter. Share stories and your experiences around seafood business, healthy oceans, and fish policy. See our request for Pesce-Kucha style presentations or email us directly. - Sign up to volunteer! - Share this information with your friends. By Sarah M. Shoffler, SFUSD board of directorsPhotos by Eric Buchanan We had a great time at the 2015 Good Food Community Fair! This year's event, at the wonderful Quartyard, featured some of the best of San Diego's thriving slow food scene: coffee, honey, beer, pigs, sea urchins, yellowtail, sushi, oysters, kombucha, mead...plus farmers, fishermen, chefs, brewers, beekeepers, butchers, food researchers, publishers, educators and conservationists. Check out our photos below! Over 40 partner organizations, our colleagues in the San Diego Slow Food movement, brought their variety of good, clean & fair food for all to our annual event. We owe our success to these partners, plus to our generous donors of food, supplies, raffle items, time and expertise, and to our awesome volunteers. Not to mention the rockstar staff at Quartyard. See you next year! Like this year's artwork? You can buy an artist-signed print, of just the art, for $10. Email us at [email protected]. Our amazing partners and sponsors: 1:1 Movement, Baby Cydesdale, Café Virtuoso, California Sea Grant, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Catalina Offshore Products, Cat Chiu Phillips, Chef Rob Ruiz, City Farmers Nursery, City Farming Academy, Culinary Historians Of San Diego, Community Health Improvement Partners, Cook Pigs Ranch, Duck Foot Brewing, Edible San Diego, Epicurean San Diego, Ernest Miller, Girl Next Door Honey, Golden Coast Mead, Green Flash Brewing, Jeanne's Garden Program for Children, Kashi, Leah’s Pantry and EatFresh.org, Master Gardeners of San Diego, NOAA Fisheries, Nomad Donuts, Nopalito Hop Farm, Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, One Bag World, Project New Village, RainThanks, Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, Revolution Landscape, San Diego Weekly Markets, Slow Food San Diego State University, Slow Money SoCal, SoCal Fish, Stone Brewing Co., Surfrider Foundation San Diego, Suzie's Farm, The Humane League, Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, Via International, Viva Pops, Wild Willow Farm & Education Center, Women of Coffee Microfinance Fund, Specialty Produce, The Meat Men, Eclipse Chocolate, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, Next Door Wine + Craft Beer Bar, Dr. Bronner's, Blind Lady Alehouse, Leroy's Kitchen, Suzie's Farm, NINE-Ten, Curds and Wine, Epicurean San Diego, San Diego Food Systems Alliance. Slow Food Urban San Diego is honored and grateful to have been a part of the 13th annual Celebrate the Craft held at The Lodge Torrey Pines. The October event showcases the region's best chefs, produce, wine, and beer. Guests came from all over California to gather together and celebrate with local culinary artisans, growers, brewers and vintners that were there to showcase their craftsmanship. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Slow Food Urban San Diego, to support efforts in raising public awareness, improving access, and encouraging the enjoyment of foods that are local, seasonal, and sustainable. Thanks to everyone who came out and visited the Slow Food table and to Executive Chef Jeff Jackson and The Lodge for hosting such a beautiful event. By Sarah M. Shoffler, SFUSD Board of Directors Bees are critical to pollinating plants and to growing thousands of fruits and vegetables that we eat. They are the only insect who make food that humans eat. But since the 1990s, beekeepers around the world have noticed bee colonies are disappearing. Added to that, droughts mean less access to their food supply. These things together spell trouble for these amazing five-eyed, honey-producing critters. DID YOU KNOW? There are three types of bees: worker, drone and queen. All worker bees are females. Their wings beet 200 times per second or 12,000 beats per minute. The average worker bee produces about 1/12th of a tablespoon of honey in her lifetime. Bees communicate through pheromones and dances. Plus watch this. But you don’t have to convince Hilary Kearney, Owner of Girl Next Door Honey, of the importance of bees. Her whole business is grounded in making bees accessible to people on every level. “First and foremost I am educating people about bees and I find that they are often less afraid of them once they have a better understanding of what they do. I like to think of it as 'pollinating hearts and minds,” says Hilary. She does this by: teaching classes on backyard hives, managing home hives, relocating hives, teaching children about bees and giving Beehive Tours to the public. These efforts, she feels, will broaden bee knowledge among the public and lessen people’s fear of bees, which are critical to “engaging people with bees and on a larger scale their local food and ecosystem.” Hilary cares about her bees. Under normal conditions, bees will produce excess honey, enough to supply us humans with the sweet stuff and still feed themselves. But during a drought, there are fewer flowers, which means less nectar, which the bees need in order to make honey. So they may not be able produce enough for themselves and may have to work harder and travel further just to find the nectar. To support her bees, who rely on honey as their only food, Hilary doesn’t harvest honey during a drought. So when people buy honey from her, they can be assured that the bees it was taken from have enough food and are not starving. In addition, the drought has weakened the wild colonies in the area. They are producing smaller and weaker swarms (when a queen leaves a colony with worker bees to form a new colony). “When I do a bee rescue it takes more effort and resources to keep those bees alive and healthy” she says. Wondering what you can do to support bees? HOW TO HELP BEES: - Avoid neonicotinoids in pesticides. These are thought to weaken bees’ immune system and make bees vulnerable to disease, parasites, extreme weather, viruses, poor nutrition, and other stressors. - Plant organic bee-friendly flowers, like California poppy, citrus, sage, sunflowers and others listed here. - Make a bee drinking fountain: fill a baking dish or pet water bowl with pebbles or marbles and water. The bees will stand on the marbles while they drink, without drowning. To learn more about bees, honey, beekeeping and how to help bees, you can check out Girl Next Door’s partnership with Suzie's Farm and their new monthly Beehive Tours. You’ll be able to suit up and go into a beehive with Hilary. Or, come check her and our other bee-positive partners out at the Good Food Community Fair, Sunday, October 11th. By Sarah Shoffler, SFUSD Board of Directors Our “Craft Beer and Local Hops: a Community Dialogue” panel discussion at this year’s Good Food Community Fair will feature three San Diego breweries and a local hop farmer. We selected these local producers because of their novel production practices, commitment to sustainability and community, along with their flavorful products. The youngest brewery on our panel at just four months old, Duck Foot Brewing Company has a unique approach to serving delicious beer to all San Diegans. “With so many great breweries in the county it can be difficult to differentiate yourself, but we have a solid lineup of different styles of beers with a focus on balance,” says Chief Fermentation Officer, Brett Goldstock of Duck Foot Brewing Company. “Plus, we’ve uniquely positioned ourselves to serve a whole sector of the community not served before by brewing gluten-reduced beer. And our gluten-reducing process doesn’t affect the natural flavor, aroma or body of any of our brews.” Bold and hop-centric Stone Brewing Co. is a San Diego king, both in terms of brewing and in terms of supporting the Good, Clean & Fair Food movement. Longtime supporters of local environmental non-profits, like Surfrider San Diego, sustainability is integral to their business practices: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens is the largest restaurant purchaser of local, small-farm, organic produce in San Diego County. Their Bistro’s Meatless Monday menu prevents 110,448 lbs. of CO2 from being released annually and they source their vegetables from their organic Stone Farms. Stone also provides their spent grain to local dairy animals for feed. Stone sees operating their own farm as a hands-on demonstration of their commitment to sustainable food production. Among the pioneers of the local IPA movement, Green Flash continues to experiment to find the next great beer. “Our Genius Lab allows any employee with an idea for an experimental beer to convince a brewer to brew it on our 5 bbl. pilot system,” says Erik Jensen, Head Brewer of Green Flash Brewing Company. “We serve these beers in our tasting room and many are the basis for future production beers. Cellar 3 is a separate facility dedicated to wood-aged sour beer and spirit-aged beer.” Nopalito Farm & Hopyard is a two-and-a-half acre certified organic hopyard in north San Diego County providing high-quality local hops to local brewers. “While we do dry some of our hops, we prefer to supply brewers with fresh hops, which are typically hard to come by this far south. Plus, we grow damn tasty hops,” says Jordan Brownwood, Farmer and Owner of Nopalito Farm & Hopyard. “Water is the number one issue for farms all over the West Coast, so the drought has heavily affected us,” which is, in part, why they use drip irrigation, heavy mulching and other techniques allowing them to minimize the farm’s water use. And while our local breweries have not yet faced big water restrictions to their operations, the drought is on all their minds. “The dirty little secret of the brewing industry is the brewing process consumes a large amount of water to make a gallon of beer,” says Brett. Most breweries use 3-7 barrels of water to produce one barrel of beer, depending on their production practices. Duck Foot, Green Flash and Stone evaluate water use at each step in their beer-making processes. And Stone is trendsetting in its water practices having implemented an on-site water reclamation system and water conservation practices years before the drought’s regulations came into effect. Our panel, moderated by JuliAnna Arnett, a local food systems expert, will explore the ways our local beer and hop industries support good, clean and fair food (and beer!) for all, the impact of the drought, and how they can implement water-wise production. Plus, beer. Really good beer. By Kathryn Rogers, SFUSD Board of Directors With no end in sight to the California drought, local organizations are seeking sustainable solutions to address all aspects of water use. The San Diego Food System Alliance, coordinated by Elly Brown, is collaborating with other local non-profits to process and minimize food waste - a surprising issue of importance in the water conservation dialogue. According to a recent Natural Resources Defense Council report, getting food from the farm to our forks eats up 10 percent of the total U.S. energy budget, uses 50 percent of U.S. land and swallows 80 percent of all freshwater consumed in the United States. Yet, 40 percent of food in the United States today goes uneaten. This means that Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion each year and wasting a significant amount of water at the same time. What’s more, researchers at the NIH have found that food waste accounts for over 25% of total freshwater consumption. Not to mention the approximately 300 million barrels of oil per year for transporting this wasted food along with the methane and CO2 emissions from decomposing food in our landfills. The good news is that the state of California recently passed legislation to begin addressing some of these issues. Governor Jerry Brown signed AB1826 in October 2014, which requires local jurisdictions to have an organic waste recycling program in place by January 1, 2016, and businesses to recycle their organic waste by April 1, 2016. A forward-thinking policy, no doubt, but how will it be implemented locally? The Food System Alliance is working in San Diego County to create polices and solutions to address huge gaps in terms of infrastructure for handling food waste. Food System Alliance researchers recently estimated that San Diegans produce 500,000 tons of food waste, but local composting facilities can only process an estimated 10,000 tons of this waste. We still have a long way to go. Public awareness about how much food waste we are producing and how to store and recycle this waste properly is a critical piece to the story as well. “The National Resource Defense Council and Ad Council are doing a national awareness campaign around food waste launching in early 2016, and we plan to dovetail and build upon that locally,” says Brown. Ground-level efforts are also helping to educate community members about waste issues and engage them in opportunities to create change. The Food System Alliance has collaborated with the Wild Willow Farm, Hidden Resources, and Sweetwater School District to pilot a Food Recovery Program. The Food System Alliance will also convene groups and individuals for a half-day summit on food waste on October 6: the Food Waste Solution Summit. “Water conservation should not only be happening in our homes but also in our food system as well by creating less waste and encouraging efficiencies,” says Brown. To learn more about local efforts to conserve water, join the Food System Alliance and other community partners at Slow Food Urban San Diego’s Annual Good Food Community Fair on October 11.

2018 Spring Meeting Information Beekeeping – Good Fellowship SINCE 1903 Exploring the wonderful world of beekeeping together. THE KANSAS HONEY PRODUCERS’ ASSOCIATION (formerly k.a. The Kansas State Beekeepers’ Association) Friday and Saturday March 9 & 10 2018 The Cedars Conference Center 1021 Cedars Drive, McPherson KS Our guest speakers will be Dr. Dewey Caron and Randy Oliver. Dewey M. Caron is a graduate of Cornell University and Emeritus Professor from the University of Delaware. He has received numerous awards and forms of recognition for his teaching and extension work during his career. He has written many books and is one of our favorite guest. Some of his books are Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Observation Hives-How to set up, maintain and open a window to the world of Honey Bees, Beekeeping Basics and Africanized Honey Bees in the Americas. Randy Oliver owns and operates a small commercial beekeeping enterprise in the foothills of Grass Valley in Northern California. He and his two sons manage about 1000 colonies for migratory pollination, and produce queens, nucs, and honey. He has over 40 years of practical beekeeping experience, plus holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biological Sciences. Randy researches, analyzes, and digests beekeeping information from all over the world in order to not only broaden his own depth of understanding and knowledge, but to develop practical solutions to many of today’s beekeeping problems, which he then shares with other beekeepers through his various articles in bee magazines, his speaking engagements worldwide, and on his website: www.ScientificBeekeeping.com If you have questions about the program please contact me (Joli) by phone at 913-856-8356 or by email (use ‘KHPA’ one the subject line) at [email protected]. Please start letting folks in your local area know so that they can save the dates. KHPA Meeting Information (link). If you belong to a local beekeeping group please promote our meeting to your group. Kansas Honey Producers Fall 2018 meeting-save the dates- October 26 & 27 2018 Great Bend Kansas The fall 2018 meeting of the Kansas Honey Producers will be held in Great Bend Kansas at the Best Western and Perkins. Details will be available soon. Please “Save the date”. The Kansas Honey Producers Association (KHPA) is a not-for-profit IRC 501(c)5 agricultural-educational organization; run by dedicated volunteers; supported primarily by membership dues (subscriptions). The IRC status means that the association is a tax-exempt organization. While donations are always welcome, they are not tax deductible as a charitable contribution but membership dues and subscriptions may be deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses.

Huge product rangeOver 140,000 books & equipment products Rapid shippingUK & Worldwide Pay in £, € or U.S.$By card, cheque, transfer, draft Exceptional customer serviceGet specialist help and advice Of the 25,000 known species of bee worldwide, only seven species are honeybees. Bees and plants have a sophisticated and delicate symbiosis. In recent years, the shrinking of green spaces has endangered the honeybee. Now Planting for Honeybees shows you how you can help these delightful pollinators to flourish by creating a garden as a habitat for them. No matter how small or large your space from a window ledge in the city to a country garden Sarah Wyndham Lewis offers practical advice on which plants to grow, and when and where to plant them. Sarah Wyndham Lewis and her husband, Dale Gibson, founded Bermondsey Street Bees in 2007, a beekeeping and sustainability consulting business which was awarded `2016 Small Artisan Producer of The Year' at the Great Taste Award. The advent of bees in her life prompted her to transform a small, neglected patch in Suffolk into a test-bed for bee plantings. By teaching herself how to garden from scratch, she has formulated her own pragmatic approach to planting. "This prettily designed grower’s guide tells us about the best garden plants for honey bees, and where and how to grow them in the UK. [...] a very attractive and useful book for both beginner and experienced gardeners." – Bees for Development Journal 129, December 2018

I am the former managing broker of Loma Prieta Properties and have 28 years experience in South Bay Area real estate. I have been consistently one of the top listing and selling agents in the Santa Cruz/ Los Gatos mountains. I believe that for most clients, buying or selling a home is a very emotional decision. As a realtor, my job is to make the transaction as smooth and worry-free as possible. I anticipate and troubleshoot potential problems. I make myself available to my clients to discuss concerns that may come up. My clients can rest assured that I will always work in their best interests and will handle their purchases or sale with the utmost honesty and integrity. I have an educational background in Psychology. I am a certified real estate appraiser, licensed real estate broker, and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist. I am also certified as a Cartus Network Referral / Inventory / Marketing Specialist. I have lived and worked in the Summit area of the Los Gatos mountains since 1980. My twins, Kevin & Vanessa, were born here, attended local schools, and are currently pursuing their career goals. My husband, Stephen M. Payne, PhD., is a local historian and author. My hobbies and interests include period architecture & furnishings, deer-resistant gardening, beekeeping, and world travel. I belong to the Santa Cruz Bee Guild and the Monterey Bay Koi and Pond Club. TESTIMONIALS FROM FORMER CLIENTS: Carol is a true professional. She listed and sold our property in a very quick and clean sale. Her knowledge of the area was thorough to say the least and her dedication to completing the job at hand was amazing. Very detail oriented. Her commitment to us as her clients made us feel she put her 'all' into completing our sale. We very highly recommend her as a realtor who will complete the job in a timely and professional manner. Thanks again, Carol. Jon & Norene Mason. Stetson Rd., Los Gatos Carol Payne put a lot of herself and her time into a relatively small transaction. She was most helpful in pursuing the details of a complex negotiation, and her advice about pricing was right on. Highly recommended, five stars! Buyers, Soda Springs Rd., Los Gatos Carol Payne Is very honest & a dedicated worker. Carol will make you feel like you are her only client even though you know she has many others. I have bought two homes through Carol and sold one. I am sure when I am ready for a rest home, she will help me again. Her knowledge of the Los Gatos and Santa Cruz Mtns. is remarkable. In fact, someone once said "Carol Payne is a Legend"! Ray & Susan Adams, Skyland Rd., Los Gatos I can't say enough about Carol's patience, knowledge, responsiveness, flexibility and "beyond the call of duty" helpfulness in finding and buying a home that worked for both myself and my husband. It didn't take long for me to know I could trust that she was interested in helping us find the right place, and that her insight, experience and practical nature was the perfect fit for helping us in our search. We feel very lucky to have had her assistance and now consider her a lifelong friend. We would highly recommend her. Mark & Melinda, Bohlman Rd., Saratoga

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«The scenery of the region is perfectly pleasant, just imagine it: an immense anfitheatre as only nature could design. An open vast plain land surrounded by mountains; which are covered by grand and old woods up to their summits, where game is rich and abundant. On the sides of the mountains coppices gently slope down into humous-rich and fruitful hills that can compete in fertility with the fields wich lay on the lowlands […] Below, the wide vineyards hemmig from every side the hills make more smooth the face of the landscape, and which lines, disappearing in the distance, half-reveal graceful thickets. Then meadows everywhere,and fields which only powerful oxen with very robust ploughs can break up; that land so hard, at first cutting through, precisely gets up in such clods so large that you need nine ploughing before it can be completely tamed. The meadows, fat and rich in flowers, produce clover and more herbs always soft and tender as if they had just come up, since all those fields are wet from perennial brooks. Still, though the abundant water, there are non marshes, and that is because of the sloping land pouring into the Tiber all the waters it couldn’t absorb… […] Add to this, of course, the health of that area, the serenity of the sky, and the air, purer than elsewhere.» (Letter from Plinio il Giovane to Domizio Apollinare, Book V, epistle 6) The first settlements of San Giustino, the further north municipality of the region, trace back to Umbri as evidenced by the discovery of numerous small bronzes. In Roman times – under the name Meliscianum taken from nymph Melissa, whose name stands for “honey producer” and recalls an area where beekeeping was surely widely practiced– San Giustino became an important trade centre along Via Tiberina. The same Roman time is evidenced by the great country-style villa Plinio il Giovane wanted to be built around 100 A.D. Later on, the villa was flattened by Totila’s Goths. Archaeological reveals in Colle Plinio, pic kindly given by the City of San Giustino Today’s name of San Giustino, coming from the Saint martyred at Pieve de’ Saddi during the time of Emperor Marco Aurelio, appears for the first time in a diploma dated 1027. Its territory has been challenged for centuries by Arezzo, Città di Castello and San Sepolcro. Oddone and Rinaldo di Ramberto were the first local lords, before bending to Città di Castello in 1218. Following their submission, in 1262 Città di Castello fortified it, but during the vacancy of the Holy See, after Clemente IV’s death, San Sepolcro ravaged the territory, destroying the fortalice. After its rebuilding, in 1393 the Castle was left to Dotti family, which were political exiled from San Sepolcro, under the pledge to use it to defend Città di Castello. After changing fortunes, because of the destruction and reconstruction of Dotti Palace, the family gave it back to the town of Città di Castello in 1841. At this point the papal governor of Città di Castello called his brother, Mariano Savelli, skilful architect, to draw the project to change the steep fortress in a strong palace in order to make it impregnable, protected by a grand moat too. Works had started, but given the unavailability of the funding to carry them out in 1487 Città di Castello gave it to a rich landowner, Niccolò di Manno Bufalini, doctor of utroque iure and Sisto IV, Innocenzo VIII and Alessandro VI’s relative, so as to complete the works. The Holy See received so many favors and services that in 1563 Giulio Bufalini and his son Ottavio were given the title of count, the feud and territory of San Giustino. During the Napoleonic time San Giustino became an independent town from Città di Castello and, after being suppressed at the end of that period of time, it was finally recognized by Leone XIII’s motu proprio in 1827. San Giustino was the first Umbrian town the Piemontese troops led by General Fanti occupied on September 11th 1860. Bufalini’s Castle, pic kindly given by the City of San Giustino Castello Bufalini is the emblem of San Giustino beyond any doubt. The castle sees its origins in the Dotti family’s military fortalice. Restored by Città di Castello in 1478, after being attacked and destroyed again and again, in 1487 the legate of Città di Castello donated it to Niccolò, son of Manno Bufalini, so that he could accomplish the rebuilding, started on the project by Mariano Savelli, governor’s brother, assigned, in case of war, to defend Città di Castello and to provide accommodation for commanders and troops sent by the municipality to protect the place and the people. Bufalini, on the basis of Camillo Vitelli’s new project, changed the old fortalice in an actual fortress surrounded by a ditch, overlooked by four towers and a keep, embattled walkways and a drawbridge. But it was the Renaissance which led that the transformation of the fortress into a manor. The authors of the transformation were the brothers Giulio I and Ventura Bufalini, owners and residents of the building since 1530. The works, carried out between 1534 and 1560, concerned both the exterior renovation of the building and the new spatial layout out, together with the modernisation of the inside. The initial project, which concerned the refitting of the inner courtyard, the building of the kneeling windows, the construction of two spiral staircases and a new internal spatial distribution, probably owes to Giovanni d’Alessio d’Antonio, called Nanni Ongaro or Unghero (Florence 1490-1546), Florentine architect belonging to the Sangallo circle, in the service of the Gran duke of Tuscany Cosimo I, but the works continued even after his death. From 1537 to 1554 Cristoforo Gherardi (San Sepolcro 1508-1556), called Il Doceno, was appointed to paint the pictorial decorations of five rooms with mythological stories and grotesques. At the end of XVII century the castle was affected by a new phase of the works at Filippo I and Anna Maria Bourbon di Sorbello’s behast. The palace was changed into a countryside villa with Italian garden on Giovanni Ventura Borghesi’s (Città di Castello 1640-1708) design. The last event of the construction history of the castle took place after the Second World War, because it didn’t endure to the bombings which struck the area. In 1989 Giuseppe Bufalini gave it to the Italian State. Thanks to the excellent condition of the furniture, today the castle represents a rare example of historic stately home. Villa Magherini Graziani di Celalba Pic kindly given by the City of San Giustino The Villa, built on a pre-existing Roman fortalice, was designed by architects Antonio Cantagallina from San Sepolcro and by one Bruni from Rome, commissioned by Carlo Graziani from Città di Castello. Construction works started at the beginning of XVII century and were carried out in 1616. The quadrangular structure stretches on three levels surmounted by a turret 17 metres high. The ground floor is decorated by walled-up arches in the which centre niches and windows open up evoking the evenness of a portico. The first floor has a large porch with elegant banisters and pietra serena pillars. The side entry introduces to the carriage passageway, barrel vault designed, which enabled direct access for carriages into an indoor space and connected the farmhouse and the chapel dedicated to Santa Maria Lauretana. The building, which represents an outstanding example of aristocratic late-renaissance villa, is immersed in a recently recovered 6 hectars park and you can enjoy a wonderful example of Italian garden. Since 1981 it is a property of San Giustino municipality that has functionally refurbished the building. Today the farmhouse is used by the Municipality for socio-cultural activities, while in the little church are officiated civil marriages. Villa Magherini Graziani hosts Museo Pliniano and since February 2016 it has hosted also the permanent exhibition Iperspazio by Attilio Pierelli (Sasso di Serra S. Quirico 1924-Roma 2013). The artist, founder of Movimento Artistico Internazionale Dimensionalista, spent a large part of his work in visualizing the concept of space, concerning the fourth geometric dimension and the non-Euclidean geometry and, at Villa Magherini Graziani, it is possibile to go through the various creative seasons of his production from inox Slabs, to Knots, to Cubes through which the artist interacted with the hyperspace. Historical Scientific Tobacco Museum Historical and Scientific Museum of Tobacco, pic kindly given by the City of San Giustino It is one of the seven Italian museums dedicated to tobacco. Built in place of the former Consorzio Tabacchicoltori’s offices, thanks to the homonymous Foundation (set up in 1997), its mission is to disseminate the knowledge and the historical importance the tobacco growing had -and has- in the social and economic development of that area. Actually, in the Upper Tiber Valley tobacco cultivation is a tradition that is meant to be handed down and spread. It is no accident that a museum dedicated to tobacco exists just in San Giustino, because in Italian peninsula the first cultivation of some account for commercial purposes of erba tornabuona – so called as the first seed had been brought to Tuscany by bishop Niccolò Tornabuoni at the end of XVI century – date back to the beginning of XVII century and laid just in the Repubblica di Cospaia land, a small territory which is a hamlet of San Giustino today. The Museum includes offices, sort units, drying kilns, which have great charm and evoke a long story made of working hours and fatigue, but they also evoke emancipation because in this story the main character has been played by the XIX century women. As a matter of fact, the tobacco female workers -as well as the female textile workers- were among the first women who, after leaving the traditional ‘home-working’, become the workforce for the major industries of the country. Tabacchine, pic kindly given by the City of San Giustino Il museo comprende uffici, essiccatoi, sale di cernita: luoghi di grande fascino dove si rievoca una lunga storia di fatica e lavoro, ma anche di emancipazione, storia che ha avuto nelle donne del XX secolo le principali protagoniste. Le lavoratrici dei tabacchi, infatti, al pari delle operaie tessili, sono tra le prime donne che, abbandonato il tradizionale lavoro casalingo, vengono inserite nelle grandi industrie. The Republic of Cospaia The hamlet of Cospaia, today part of the municipality of San Giustino, is the most northern Umbria locality. Its history – which is the history of a tiny independent state surrounded by three great powers (State of the Church, Duchy of Urbino and Grand Duchy of Tuscany) a long time fighting each other – deserves to be mentioned. Cosimo dei Medici had granted a 25.000 florins loan to Eugenio IV for the ecumenical council, which was announced to be held in Basilea in 1431, demanding the jurisdiction over Borgo San Sepolcro for guarantee. When the pope died, the loan had not been repaid yet, so the two states sent their own land surveyor to define their boundaries. The surveyors worked without ever meeting directly face to face. As a result, the Tuscans established the border at the Rio della Gorgaccia, while the papal experts at the Rio Ascone. Therefore the area between the two streams, that is to say the hill of Cospaia, remained independent. From 1441 to 1826 Cospaia “for a period of four centuries had neither leaders nor laws nor councils nor statute nor soldiers nor army nor prisons nor courts nor doctors nor taxation. It outlasted according to the elders’ common sense. It used no weights and measures. Even the position of the parish prest, who took care to keep the register of the few souls up to date and who was involved to act as teacher of the town, was a symbol of independence because he wasn’t bound to any bishop. The agreement of February 11th, 1826 between Leone XII and Leopoldo I, with which they shared out the territory, ended with the independence of Cospaia. In une 28th, 1926 Cospaia did obeisance to the Papal States and each inhabitant received one papetto as award for the lost freedom, a silver coin depicting the effigy of Leone XII. Still today, on June 28th each year the “ex Republic of Cospaia” is remembered. For further informations Storia – Bibliografia essenziale San Giustino, in M. Tabarrini, L’Umbria si racconta, Foligno, s.n., 1982, v. P-Z, pp. 265-269. E. Mezzasoma, S. Giustino, in «Piano.Forte», n. 1 (2008), pp. 43-49. S. Dindelli, Castello Bufalini. Una sosta meravigliosa fra Colle Plinio e Cospaia, San Giustino, BluPrint, 2016 Castello Bufalini – Bibliografia essenziale A. Ascani, San Giustino, Città di Castello, s.n., 1977. G. Milani-P. Bà, I Bufalini di San Giustino. Origine e ascesa di una casata, San Giustino, s.n., 1998. S. Dindelli, Castello Bufalini. Una sosta meravigliosa fra Colle Plinio e Cospaia, San Giustino, BluPrint, 2016 La Repubblica di Cospaia – Bibliografia essenziale Cospaia, in M. Tabarrini, L’Umbria si racconta, Foligno, s.n., 1982, v. A-D, p. 447. A. Ascani, Cospaia. Storia inedita della singolare repubblica, Città di Castello, tipografia Sabbioni, 1977. G. Milani, Tra Rio e Riascolo. Piccola storia del territorio libero di Cospaia, Città di Castello, Grafica 2000, 1996 E. Fuselli, Cospaia tra tabacco, contrabbando e dogane, San Giustino, Fondazione per il Museo Storico Scientifico del Tabacco, 2014

Almost two years ago, Fred and Kim Rivera started Backyard Bees of Bend, fittingly, in their own backyard. The business offers beehive items anyone looking to get started would need. But, more than anything, Kim said they started the business as a way to mentor amateur beekeepers. "It's captivating," Kim asserts. "Instead of going to nature, nature is coming to you." They have three backyard hives, and another 17 hives located on additional acreage. A hive averages 40,000 to 60,000 bees, Kim said, and under certain conditions there can be up to 100,000. It's hard to pinpoint when backyard beekeeping began to take off, but over the past several years there has been a noticeable uptick, probably not unconnected to mysterious and massive die-offs of honeybees everywhere. Starting in 2005, reports about massive bee deaths—or Colony Collapse Disorder, as it became known—were widespread. CDC has been blamed for slashing the global bee population by as much as 50 percent. Explanations for the deaths include mites and parasites, unsustainable commercial practices and the use of pesticides—a theory underscored by a massive die-off of bees in Oregon last month when some 25,000 bumblebees in Wilsonville and Hillsboro were found dead or dying. Those bees in particular were found near European linden trees, which had been treated with pesticides to control aphids. Shortly after the discovery, the Oregon Department of Agriculture restricted for 180 days 18 pesticide products that contain the active ingredient dinotefuran. Some speculate backyard beekeeping is helping maintain bee populations. Kim also acknowledges that beekeeping may be growing because of the self-sustainability and backyard gardening movement. For her and Fred, though, it was all about sharing their love for bees with others and spreading knowledge like nectar. For her, the art of beekeeping started with a 2008 book, The Secret Life of Bees, a best-selling coming-of-age story that echoes To Kill A Mocking Bird and featured racial issues and eminently likable beekeeping sisters as central characters. That book led Kim to discover the Central Oregon Beekeeping Association in Bend. Soon after, she put her hands in a beehive for the first time; that very same day, she purchased two hives. "We just decided to wing it," she says with a laugh. Fred helps out by assembling the frames for hives in their garage. The importance of bees—and their contribution to food systems—cannot be understated. Some beekeepers also suggest nutritional benefits to consuming honey; however, registered dietitian Lori Brizee, owner of Central Oregon Nutrition Consultants. Brizee said honey contains trace amounts of vitamin B, but added that we would have to consume a lot to make a difference. Brizee said she personally uses honey because she likes the taste, not to obtain nutritional benefits. What bees offer, though, is something more grand: Brizee, who has a master's in nutritional science and is licensed by the state, points out that bees are essential to our ecosystem, as they pollinate 40 percent of the food we consume. "When you see a species in trouble, dying off, that's a signal of something bigger," she adds. If you decide to become a beekeeper, there are multiple ways to care for your new friends. The Riveras have helped at least 50 people start or divide hives locally. They recommend not being afraid to ask questions or make mistakes. Other resources to learn about beekeeping include classes at Oregon State University and the Central Oregon Beekeepers Association, which meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at 63211 Service Rd. You can help bees, not just by becoming a backyard beekeeper, but also by becoming familiar with plants bees enjoy and creating a bee-friendly garden. "My girls, they give me a lot of joy," Kim adds.

|Part of a series on| |Jews and Judaism| Ancient Israelite cuisine refers to the food eaten by the ancient Israelites during a period of over a thousand years, from the beginning of the Israelite presence in the Land of Israel at the beginning of the Iron Age until the Roman period. The dietary staples were bread, wine and olive oil, but also included legumes, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, fish and meat. Religious beliefs, which prohibited the consumption of certain foods, shaped the Israelite diet. There was considerable continuity in the main components of the diet over time, despite the introduction of new foodstuffs at various stages. The food of ancient Israel was similar to that of other ancient Mediterranean diets. The primary written source for the period is the Hebrew Bible, the largest collection of written documents surviving from ancient Israel. Other texts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Apocryphal works, the New Testament, the Mishnah and the Talmud also provide information. Epigraphic sources include ostraca from Samaria and Arad. The Bible provides names of plants and animals that were used for food, such as the lists of permitted and forbidden animals (for example, Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14), and the lists of foods brought to the king’s table (for example, 1 Kings 5:2–3) or the foods that the Israelites are said to have longed for after leaving Egypt (Numbers 11:5). These lists indicate the potential foods that were available, but not necessarily how regularly the food was eaten or how significant it was in the cuisine, which needs to be derived from other sources. Archaeological remains include the items used for the production of food, such as wine or olive presses; stone and metal implements used in the preparation of food; and amphorae, jars, storerooms and grain pits used for storage. Animal bones provide evidence of meat consumption, the types of animals eaten, and whether they were kept for milk production or other uses, while paleobotanical remains, such as seeds or other carbonized or desiccated plant remains provide information about plant foods. Using both written and archaeological data, some comparisons can be drawn between the food of ancient Israel and its neighbors. Although there is much information about the foods of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the inferences that can be made are limited due to differences in topography and climate; Israelite agriculture also depended on rainfall rather than the river-based irrigation of these two civilizations, resulting in the preference for different crops. Ugarit and Phoenicia were closer neighbors of ancient Israel, and shared a topography and climate similar to that of ancient Israel. Thus, conclusions about the food and drink in ancient Israel have been made with some confidence from this evidence. Significant milestones in the availability and development food production characteristic of Israelite cuisine occurred well before the Israelite period. On the other hand, vestiges of the cuisine and the practices associated with it continue to resonate in later Jewish cuisine and traditions that developed in Israel and Babylonia during the Talmudic period (200 CE – 500 CE), and may still be discerned in the various culinary styles that have developed among Jewish communities since then. Wild species of barley and emmer wheat were domesticated and cultivated in the Jordan River Valley as early as the 9th millennium BCE. Archaeologists have found the carbonized seeds of two kinds of primitive wheat, einkorn and emmer, and two-rowed barley, in the earliest levels of digs at Jericho, one of the first cities in the world. During the Pottery Neolithic period (6000 – 4300 BCE), the development of pottery enabled people to produce portable containers for the transportation and storage of food, and an economy based on agriculture and herding developed. Archaeological evidence indicates that figs, lentils and broad beans were being cultivated from Neolithic times. During the Chalcolithic period (4300 – 3300 BCE), large pottery containers, indicative of settled peoples, appear in the archaeological record. Date palm cultivation began in the Jordan River Valley, and the earliest date pits have been discovered at Ein Gedi by the Dead Sea. In the Golan, olives trees were grown and olive oil was produced there. Chickpea cultivation dates back to the Bronze Age (3300 – 1200 BCE) and grapes and olives became important crops in the hill country. Wine and oil were traded for wheat with the cities on the coastal plain, and for meat and skins with semi-nomadic herders. Wine and carobs were also exported to Egypt during this period. At Arad in the northern Negev, the remains of wheat, barley and legumes have been found, along with stone-lined storage pits for grain from this period. Pottery was imported from Cyprus and Mycenae in Greece for the first time, probably for use as good-quality tableware. After the Bronze Age collapse of urban culture, there was an increase in herding and the disappearance of smaller agricultural communities. The Israelite presence emerged during the Early Iron Age (1200–1000 BCE), at first in the central hill country, Transjordan and the northern Negev, and later in the Galilee, while the Philistines and other Sea Peoples arrived at roughly the same time and settled in the coastal regions. Pastoralism and animal husbandry remained important, and walled open spaces in villages that probably served as paddocks have been discovered. The construction of terraces in the hills, and of additional plastered cisterns for water storage, enabled more cultivation than before. Storage pits and silos were dug into the ground to hold grain. Under the united Israelite monarchy, central store cities were built, and greater areas of the northern Negev came under cultivation. The Gezer agricultural calendar, detailing the crops that were raised, dates from this period. After the division of the Israelite kingdom, Jerusalem and a number of other cities expanded, supported by the surrounding villages and farms. These were called “daughters of” the major towns in the Hebrew Bible (for example, Josh 17:11 and Josh 15:47). Large food storage facilities and granaries were built, such as the city of Hazor. During the later Iron Age (Iron Age II) period, roughly the same period as the Israelite and Judean monarchies, olive oil and wine were produced on a large scale for commerce and export, as well as for local consumption. The ancient Israelites depended on bread, wine and oil as the basic dietary staples and this trio is often mentioned in the Bible (for example, Deut 7:13 and 2 Kings 18:32) and in other texts, such as the Samaria and Arad ostraca. Written and archaeological evidence indicate that the diet also included other products from plants, trees and animals. Seven basic agricultural products, called the Seven Species, are listed in the Bible: wheat, barley, figs, grapes, olives, pomegranates, and dates (Deut 8:8). The Bible also often describes the land of Israel as a land "flowing with milk and honey" (for example, Exod 3:8). The cuisine maintained many consistent traits based on the main products available from the early Israelite period until the Roman period, even though new foods became available during this extended time. For example, rice was introduced during the Persian era; during the Hellenistic period, as trade with the Nabateans increased, more spices became available, at least for those who could afford them, and more Mediterranean fish were imported into the cities; and during the Roman period, sugar cane was introduced. The symbolic food of the ancient Israelites continued to be important among Jews after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE or AD and the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora. Bread, wine, and olive oil were seen as direct links to the three main crops of ancient Israel — wheat, grapes, and olives. In the Bible, this trio is described as representing the divine response to human needs (Hosea 2:23–24) and particularly the need for the seasonal rains vital for the successful cultivation of these three crops. (Deuteronomy 11:13–14). The significance of wine, bread and oil is indicated by their incorporation into Jewish religious ritual, with the blessings over wine and bread for Sabbath and holiday meals and at religious ceremonies such as weddings, and the lighting of Sabbath and festival lights with olive oil.:22–23 The daily diet of the ordinary ancient Israelite was mainly one of bread, cooked grains and legumes. Bread was eaten with every meal. Vegetables played a smaller, but significant role in the diet. The Israelites drank goat and sheep’s milk when it was available in the spring and summer, and ate butter and cheese. Figs and grapes were the fruits most commonly eaten, while dates, pomegranates and other fruits and nuts were eaten more occasionally. Wine was the most popular beverage and sometimes other fermented beverages were produced. Olives were used primarily for their oil. Meat, usually goat and mutton, was eaten rarely and was reserved for special occasions such as celebrations, festival meals or sacrificial feasts. Game, birds, eggs and fish were also eaten, depending on availability.:22–24 Most food was eaten fresh and in season. Fruits and vegetables had to be eaten as they ripened and before they spoiled. People had to contend with periodic episodes of hunger and famine; producing enough food required hard and well-timed labor, and the climatic conditions resulted in unpredictable harvests and the need to store as much food as possible. Thus, grapes were made into raisins and wine; olives were made into oil; figs, beans and lentils were dried; and grains were stored for use throughout the year. An Israelite meal is illustrated by the biblical description of the rations that Abigail brought to David’s group: bread loaves, wine, butchered sheep, parched grain, raisins, and fig cakes (1 Samuel 25:18). Grain products comprised the majority of the food consumed by the ancient Israelites. The staple food was bread, and it was such a vital part of each meal that the Hebrew word for bread, lehem, also referred to food in general. The supreme importance of bread to the ancient Israelites is also demonstrated by the fact that Biblical Hebrew has at least a dozen words for bread, and bread features in numerous Hebrew proverbs (for example, Proverbs 20:17, Proverbs 28:19). Bread was eaten at just about every meal, and is estimated to have provided from 50 to 70 percent of an ordinary person’s daily calories. The bread eaten until the end of the Israelite monarchy was mainly made from barley flour; during the Second Temple period, bread from wheat flour become predominant. The Israelites cultivated both wheat and barley. These two grains are mentioned first in the biblical list of the Seven Species of the land of Israel and their importance as food is also seen in the celebration of the barley harvest at the festival of Shavuot and of the wheat harvest at the festival of Sukkot. Rice was introduced during the early Second Temple period through contact with the Persians. By the Roman period, rice had become an important export, and the Jerusalem Talmud states about rice that “there is none like it outside Israel,” and that notable rabbis served rice at the Passover seder. Barley (hordeum vulgare) was the most important grain during the biblical period, and this was recognized ritually on the second day of Passover in the Omer offering, consisting of barley flour from the newly ripened crop. Furthermore, its significance to Israelite society, not only as a source of food, is illustrated by the biblical method for measuring a field by the amount of barley (rather than of wheat) with which it could be sown. Barley was initially predominant because it matured earlier and tolerated harsher conditions than wheat, growing in areas with less rainfall and poorer soils, such as the northern Negev and the hill country. It had a high yield potential and was resistant to insect infestation. It could be sown without plowing, and could therefore be grown on small plots of land that oxen or even donkeys could not reach, and it did not need artificial irrigation. It ripened a month earlier than wheat and was thus available to replenish supplies used up during the winter sooner than wheat, and also provide some food security if the more vulnerable wheat crop was poor or failed. Two varieties of barley were cultivated: two-rowed and six-rowed. Two-rowed barley was the older, hulled form; six-rowed barley was unhulled and easier to thresh, and since the kernels remained intact, store for longer periods. Hulled barley was thus the prevalent type during the Iron Age, but gruels made from it must have had a gritty taste due to the barley’s tough outer layers. Bread was primarily made from barley flour during the Iron Age (Judges 7:13, 2 Kings 4:42), as barley was more widely and easily grown, and was thus more available, cheaper, and could be made into bread without a leavening agent even though wheat flour was regarded as superior. It was presumably made from dough that was a simple mixture of barley flour and water, divided into small pieces, formed by hand into round shapes and then baked. Emmer wheat (triticum dicoccum) was initially the most widespread variety of wheat, as it grew well in the warm climate and was resistant to fungal rot. It was high yielding, with large grains and relatively high amounts of gluten, and bread made from emmer wheat flour was thus fairly light in texture. However, emmer required time-consuming pounding or roasting to remove its husk, and during the Iron Age, durum wheat (triticum durum), a descendant of emmer, gradually replaced emmer and became the favored grain for making fine flour. Durum grew well in the rich soil of the larger valleys of the central and northern areas of the country, where rainfall exceeded 225 millimeters per year, was higher yielding than emmer, and its grains released more easily from the chaff. It could therefore be separated from the husk without roasting or pounding first, thus reducing the work required for threshing, and also leaving most of the grains whole, which was better for longer storage. However, durum is a hard grain and was difficult to grind with the early hand-held grindstones. The flour also had to be sifted repeatedly to obtain fine flour (such as the solet required in the Temple offerings). Thus, durum was primarily used for porridges, or parboiled and dried, or roasted and boiled, and barley flour continued to be used for making bread, until another hybrid of emmer, common or “bread” wheat (triticum aestivum) replaced barley as the primary grain after the Greek conquest of the land of Israel and, together with durum wheat, became widespread during the Greco-Roman period, constituting the bulk of the grain crop by the end of the Second Temple period. The introduction of common wheat, which contained more starch and had a higher level of gluten, spread the use of wheat for bread-making and led to the production of loaves that were more lightly textured than barley and durum wheat breads. A series of developments in technology for threshing, milling and baking improved both the quantity and the quality of the grain and the means for preparation that were available, from the beginning of the Iron Age until the end of the Second Temple period: In the early Iron Age, grain was threshed to remove it from the stalks by beating it with sticks or by oxen treading on it. This usually broke most of the grain kernels, which limited their storage time because broken kernels spoil more quickly than unbroken ones. The development of the threshing-board, which was pulled over the stalks by oxen, left most of the grain kernels intact and enhanced their storage time. Numerous threshing floors and threshing boards have been discovered at archaeological sites of ancient Israel. Once separated from the stalks, the grain was used in a number of ways: Most simply, unripe kernels of grain were eaten fresh, particularly in the spring, before ripe grain was available, and both unripe and ripe grain was roasted over fire for immediate use. Ripe grains of wheat were also parboiled and dried, like modern bulgur, and then prepared as porridge. Whole or cracked grain was also used to make gruel and in stews. Most frequently, grains were ground into flour to prepare bread. Bread making began with the milling of the grain. It was a difficult and time-consuming task, performed by women. Each household stored its own grain, and it is estimated that it required at least three hours of daily effort to produce enough flour to make sufficient bread for a family of five. The earliest milling was performed with a pestle and mortar, or a stone quern consisting of a large lower stone that held the grain and a smooth upper stone that was moved back and forth over the grains (Numbers 11:8). This often left small pieces of grit in the flour. The use of the millstone became more widespread during the Iron Age, resulting in greater speed and increased production of flour. Smaller versions for household use, the rotary or beehive quern, appeared during the early Persian period. After the grain was milled into flour, it was mixed with water and kneaded in a large trough. For dough made with wheat flour, starter, called seor, was added. The starter was prepared by reserving a small portion of dough from a previous batch to absorb the yeasts in the air and thus help leaven the new dough. Seor thus gave the bread a sourdough flavor. Once prepared, the dough could be baked in various ways: Initially, the dough was placed directly on the heated stones of a cooking fire or in a griddle or pan made of clay or iron (Leviticus 7:9). In the time of the First Temple, two types of oven were used for baking bread: the jar oven and the pit-oven. The jar-oven was a large pottery container, narrowing into an opening toward the top; fuel was burned on the inside to heat it and the dough was pressed against the outside to bake. The pit-oven was a clay-lined excavation in the ground in which the fuel was burned and then pushed aside, and the loaves were baked on the heated surface. People also began placing a convex dome, initially earthenware and later metal, over the pit-oven and cooking the flatbreads on the dome instead of on the ash-covered surface; this type of oven is probably what was meant by the biblical machabat, often translated as “griddle”. The Persians introduced a clay oven called a tanur (similar to the Indian tandoor), which had an opening at the bottom for the fire, and through which the bread was placed to be baked on the inner wall of the upper chamber from the heat of the oven and ashes after the flames had died down. This continued to be the way in which Yemenite Jews baked bread until modern times. The remains of clay ovens, and fragments of bread trays, have been found in several archaeological excavations. All these methods produced only quite thin loaves and the custom was thus to break bread rather than cut it. The bread was soft and pliable and used for dipping and sopping up gravies and juices. The Romans introduced an oven called a "furn" ("purni" in Talmudic Aramaic), a large, wood-burning, stone-lined oven with a bottom on which the dough or baking sheet was placed. This provided a major advance in bread and pastry baking, and made the baking of much thicker loaves possible. A variety of breads were produced. Probably most common were unleavened flat loaves called ugah or kikkar. Another type was a thin wafer, known as a rakik. A thicker loaf, known as hallah, was made with the best-quality flour, usually for ritual purposes. Bread was sometimes enriched by the addition of flour from legumes (Ezekiel 4:9). The Mishna (Hallah 2:2) mentions bread dough made with fruit juice instead of water. The sugar in the juice, interacting with the flour and water, provided some leavening and sweetened the bread. The Israelites also sometimes added fennel and cumin to bread dough for flavor, and dipped their bread in vinegar, (Ruth 2:14) olive or sesame oil for extra flavor. Broad beans, chickpeas and lentils are the only legumes mentioned in the Bible but lentils, broad beans, chickpeas, fenugreek, field peas and bitter vetch have been found at Iron Age Israelite sites. By the Roman period, legumes are mentioned frequently in other texts. They are cited as one of the elements of the “wife’s food basket” in the Mishna (Ketubot 5:8), by which it is estimated that legumes supplied 17% of daily calories at that time. Lentils were the most important of the legumes and were used to make pottages and soups, as well as cakes made from ground roasted lentils pressed and fried in oil and called ashishim (similar to Arabic felafel), such as those that King David is described as distributing to the people when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. Stews made of lentils or beans were common and they were cooked with onion, garlic and leeks for flavor. Fresh legumes were also roasted, or dried and stored for extended periods. They were then cooked in a soup or a stew. The Bible mentions roasted legumes (2 Samuel 17:28), and relates how Jacob prepared bread and a pottage of lentils for Esau (Genesis 25:29–34). Vegetables are not found often in the archaeological record and it is difficult to determine the role that they played, because plant foods were often eaten raw or were simply boiled, without requiring special equipment for preparation, and thus barely leaving any trace other than the type of food itself. Vegetables also are not mentioned often in the written record, and when the Bible does mention them, the attitude is mixed: sometimes they are regarded as a delicacy, but more often, they were held in low esteem (for example, (Proverbs 15:17, Daniel 1:11–15). Vegetables were perhaps a more important food at the extremes in society: the wealthy who could afford to dedicate land and resources to grow them, and the poor who depended on gathering them in the wild to supplement their meager supplies. More people may have gathered wild plants during famine conditions. Vegetables that were commonly eaten included leeks, garlic and onions, black radishes, net or muskmelons (sometimes misidentified as the cucumber) and watermelons. Other vegetables played a minor role in the diet of the ancient Israelites. Field greens and root plants were generally not cultivated and were gathered seasonally when they grew in the wild. Leafy plants included dandelion greens and the young leaves of the orach plant. Leeks, onions and garlic were eaten both cooked in stews, and uncooked with bread, and their popularity may be indicated by the observation in the Bible that they are among the foods that the Israelites yearned for after leaving Egypt. Gourds and melons were eaten raw, or flavored with vinegar. Black radishes were also eaten raw when in season during the autumn and winter. The Talmud mentions the use of radish seeds to produce oil, and considered eating radishes to have health benefits. Wild lettuce, known as chazeret, was a leafy herb with prickly, red tinged leaves that became bitter as they matured. It was cultivated from around 800 BCE. Sweeter head-lettuce was only developed and introduced by the Romans. Bitter herbs eaten at the Passover sacrifice with the unleavened bread, matza, were known as merorim. "Chazeret" is listed in the Mishna (Pesahim 2:6) as the preferred bitter herb for this Passover ritual, along with other bitter herbs, including chicory or endive (ulshin), horehound (tamcha), reichardia or eryngo (charchavina) and wormwood (maror). Mushrooms, especially of the Boletus type, were gathered in many areas, particularly when plentiful after a major rainfall. The Talmud mentions mushrooms in connection with their exemption from tithes and as a dessert at the Passover seder. Sesame seeds were used in the preparation of oil, or were eaten dry, or were added to dishes such as stews as a flavoring; the leftovers after pressing out the oil were eaten in a cake form. The Hebrew for sesame, shumshum, is related to the Akkadian samassammu, meaning “oil plant”, as the seeds contain about 50% oil, which was pressed from the seeds. Sesame is not mentioned in the Bible, but the Mishna lists sesame oil as suitable for lighting the Sabbath lights, and the oil was also used for frying. Fruit was an important source of food for the Israelites, particularly grapes, olives and figs. Grapes were grown mostly for wine, although some were eaten fresh at harvest time, or dried as raisins for storage while olives were grown exclusively for their oil, until the Roman period. Other fruits that were eaten were the date, pomegranate and sycamore fig. The ancient Israelites built terraces of leveled areas in the hill country for planting a variety of crops, including grains, vegetables and fruit trees. All the trees, with the exception of the olive, produced fruit that could be eaten fresh or be made into fresh juice while in season. Fruit was also processed for later use in a variety of ways: Fruit with high sugar content was fermented to make alcoholic beverages; grapes were most commonly used for this. Fruit was also boiled down into thick, sweet syrup, referred to in the Bible as dvash (honey). Grapes, figs, dates and apricots were also dried and preserved individually or put on a string or pressed into cakes. Since dried fruit are an efficient source of energy, they were prepared as provisions for journeys and long marches. The olive is one of the biblical Seven Species and one of the three elements of the “Mediterranean triad” in Israelite cuisine. Olive oil was used for not only as food and for cooking, but also for lighting, sacrificial offerings, ointment, and anointment for priestly or royal office. The olive tree was well suited to the climate and soil of the Israelite highlands and a significant part of the hill country was allocated to the cultivation of olive trees, which were one of ancient Israel’s most important natural resources. Olive oil was more versatile and longer-lasting than the oil from other plants, such as sesame, and was also considered to be the best-tasting. Although olives were used to produce oil from the Bronze Age, it was only by the Roman period that the techniques were introduced to cure olives in lye and then brine to remove their natural bitterness and make them edible as a food. Olives were harvested in the late summer and were processed for oil by crushing the olives, pressing the mash and separating the oil from the flesh. In the early Iron Age period, this was done by treading the olives in basins cut into rock, or with a mortar or stone on a flat slab. In the later Iron Age period, the introduction of the beam press made large scale processing possible. The discovery of many ancient olive presses in various locations indicates that olive oil production was highly developed in ancient Israel. The oil production center dating from the 7th century BCE discovered at Ekron, a Philistine city, has over one hundred large olive oil presses, and is the most complete olive oil production center from ancient times to be discovered. It indicates that ancient Israel was a major producer of olive oil for its residents as well as for other parts of the ancient Near East, such as Egypt and especially Mesopotamia. In addition to the large-scale olive oil production for commerce and export, presses have been found in ordinary houses, indicating that this was also a cottage industry. Archaeological remains at Masada and other sites indicate that the most common olive cultivar was the indigenous Nabali, followed by the Souri. In Roman times, other olive cultivars were imported from Syria and Egypt. There is also some written information about olive oil. The Bible describes its use in relation to certain sacrifices in which olive oil is used (for example, (Leviticus 6:13–14, Leviticus 7:9–12). However, these sacrificial “recipes” can be assumed to represent some of the everyday uses of oil and methods for cooking and frying. Olive oil was mixed with flour to make bread in the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:12–13) and is also noted as a valuable product for eating (Ezekiel 16:13,19). Olive oil is also mentioned on the Samaria and Arad ostraca. The consumption of olive oil varied with social class – it was less available to the poor, but it may have become more available later in the Israelite period as the means of production improved and became more widespread. By early Roman times, the Mishna indicates that it was one of the four essential foods that a husband had to provide his wife, and it has been calculated that at a minimum, this represented about 11 percent of the overall calories supplied by the “food basket” described at that time. Grapes are another of the biblical Seven Species and were used mainly for the production of wine, although they were also eaten fresh and dried. Grapes were dried in the sun to produce raisins, which could then be stored for a long time. Raisins were also pressed into clusters and dried as cakes, which kept the interior raisins softer. Grapes were also used to produce a thick, honey-like liquid, called grape honey (dvash anavim) that was used as a sweetener. Grape honey was made by treading the grapes in vats, but instead of fermenting the liquid produced, it was boiled to evaporate the water content, leaving behind the thick grape-honey syrup. Figs were an important source of food. Figs were cultivated throughout the land of Israel and fresh or dried figs were part of the daily diet. A common way of preparing dried figs was to chop them and press them into a cake. Figs are one of the biblical Seven Species and are frequently mentioned in the Bible (for example, 1 Samuel 25:18, 1 Samuel 30:12 and 1 Chronicles 12:41). The remains of dried figs have been discovered from as early as the Neolithic period in Gezer, Israel and Gilgal in the Jordan Valley. The fig tree (ficus carica) grew well in the hill country and produced two crops a season. Early-ripening figs were regarded as delicacy because of their sweetness and were eaten fresh. Figs ripening in the later harvest were often dried and strung into a chain, or pressed into hard round or square-shaped cakes called develah, and stored as a major source of winter food. The blocks of dried fig were sliced and eaten like bread. The Mishna mentions figs as one the components of the prescribed “wife’s food basket” and they are estimated to have constituted 16% of the overall calories of the basket. Dates were eaten fresh or dried, but were used mostly boiled into thick, long-lasting syrup called “date honey” (dvash temarim) for use as a sweetener. This syrup was prepared by soaking the dates in water for some time until they disintegrated and then boiling the resulting liquid down into thick syrup. The honey in the Biblical reference of “a land flowing with milk and honey” is date honey. Fresh, ripe dates were available from the mid- to late-summer. Some were sun-dried and pressed into blocks to dry completely, and then used throughout the year, especially as food for travelers. Dates were also fermented into one of the “strong drinks” referred to in the Bible as “shechar”. The date palm required a hot and dry climate and mostly grew and produced fruit in the Jordan Rift Valley, from Jericho to the Sea of Galilee. In these arid areas, the date was sometimes the only plant food available, and was a primary component of the diet, but it was less important elsewhere. Pomegranates were usually eaten fresh, although occasionally they were used to make juice or wine, or sun-dried for use when the fresh fruit was out of season. They probably played a minor part in Israelite cuisine, but were symbolically important, as adornments on the hem of the robe of the high priest and the Temple pillars, and embossed on coinage, and are also listed in the Bible as one of the Seven Species of the Land of Israel. Almonds, walnuts and pistachios were eaten and are mentioned in the Bible. Almonds were widespread in the region from prehistoric times and the Bible mentions almonds (shaked) and pistachios (botnim) as among the “choice fruits of the land” sent by Jacob as a gift to the ruler of Egypt (Genesis 43:11). Almonds and pistachios were probably eaten primarily by the wealthy. The walnut reached Israel from Mesopotamia by at least 2000 BCE and is mentioned once in the Bible (Song of Solomon 6:11). Walnuts became common during the Second Temple period and so widespread that the word for walnut, egoz, became the generic Hebrew word for nut at that time. The Israelites usually drank water drawn from wells, cisterns or rivers. They also drank milk (for example, as mentioned in the Bible in Judges 5:25), often in the form of sour milk, thin yogurt or whey, when it was available in the spring and summer. They drank fresh juices from fruits in season as well. The most strongly preferred beverage was wine, although some beer may have also been produced and wine was an important part of the diet and a source of calories, sugar, and iron. Making wine was also a practical way to preserve fruit juices for long-term storage. Usually, wine was made from grapes for everyday use, as well as for rituals, such as sacrificial libations. Less often, wine was made from pomegranates and dates. The Mediterranean climate and soil of the mountainous areas of the area are well suited to viticulture, and both archaeological evidence and written records indicate the significant cultivation of grapes in ancient Israel and the popularity of wine-drinking. The production capacity apparent from archaeological remains and the frequent biblical references to wine suggest that it was the principal alcoholic beverage of the ancient Israelites. Based on the remains of wine production facilities and storage rooms, it has been estimated that on average, people could have consumed one liter of wine per person per day. Many rock-hewn winepresses and vats, dating to the biblical period, have been found. One typical example at Gibeon has a wide surface for treading the grapes and a series of collecting vats. Archaeological finds at Ashkelon and Gibeon indicate large-scale wine production in the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, which most likely developed to supply the Assyrian empire, and then the Babylonians, as well as the local population. Vineyards are mentioned many times in the Bible, including in detailed descriptions of the method for establishing a vineyard (Isaiah 5:1–2) and the types of vines (Ezekiel 17:6–8). The Bible refers to several types of wine and one of the Arad ostraca also mentions wine among the supplies being sent to a garrison of soldiers. Another indication of the importance of wine in ancient Israel is that Hebrew contains numerous terms for various stages and types of vines, grape varieties and words for wine. The word yayin was used both as a generic word for wine and as a term for wine in its first year, once it had undergone sufficient fermentation from the initial stage, when it was called tirosh. The type of wine was determined by the grapes, the time allowed for fermentation, and the age of the wine. The often coarse and unrefined taste of ancient wine was adjusted to make it more drinkable. Spices were added directly to the wine to improve the aroma, and other ingredients, such as honey, pepper, herbs and even lime, resin or seawater were added to improve the flavor or disguise a poor-tasting wine. Wine was also sweetened by the addition of grape juice syrup. Wine was also sometimes given an aroma by rubbing the winepress with wood resin. On the other hand, wine could also be added to drinking water to improve the taste, especially towards the end of the summer when rainwater had been standing in a cistern for at least six months. This also had the beneficial effect of lowering the bacteria content of the water. After the grape harvest in mid-summer, most grapes were taken to wine presses to extract their juice for winemaking. Once fermented, wine was transferred to wineskins or large amphorae for storage. Israelite amphorae were typically tall with large handles and little decoration, and the handles were often inscribed with the name of the city in which the wine had been produced, the winemaker’s stamp and sometimes the year and the vintage. Amphorae made long term storage possible, especially in caves or cool cellars. Glass bottles were introduced only in the 1st century CE by the Romans. The insides of amphorae were often coated with a preservative resin, such as from the terebinth, and this imparted a pine flavor and aroma to the wine. Before the jars were sealed with pitch, they were filled completely and often topped with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent spoilage due to exposure to air. During the Greek period, the style of winemaking changed. Ripe grapes were first dried to concentrate the sugars, and these then produced a much sweeter and higher alcohol content wine that needed to be diluted with water to be drinkable. Before this, watered-down wine was disparaged, but by the time of the Talmud, wine that did not require dilution with water was considered unfit for consumption. Beer, produced by brewing barley, was another alcoholic beverage common in the ancient Near East. Beer was the primary beverage of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and it can be assumed that in Israel, which is located between the two, beer was also known. The biblical term sekhar may refer to beer or to alcoholic drinks in general. The production of bread and beer were closely linked, since barley was the same key ingredient used for both, and most of the tools used in beer production, such as mortars, querns and winnowing baskets were also the same as for bread making. Archaeological evidence specific to beer making is thus uncommon, and earlier indications were that the ancient Israelites did not often drink beer. More recently, Iron Age sites in Israel have produced remains such as beer jugs, bottles, strainers and stoppers, all of which provide evidence that the Israelites drank beer. Nonetheless, the widespread cultivation of grapes, used primarily for winemaking, indicates that wine drinking was probably far more common than beer drinking. The Israelites usually ate meat from domesticated goats and sheep. Goat’s meat was the most common. Fat-tailed sheep were the predominant variety of sheep in ancient Israel but as sheep were valued more than goats, they were eaten less often. The fat of the tail was considered a delicacy. Beef and venison were eaten primarily by the elites, and fattened calves provided veal for the wealthy (for example, as mentioned in the Bible, Amos 6:4). For most people, meat was eaten only a few times a year when animals were slaughtered for the major festivals, or at tribal meetings, celebrations such as weddings, and for the visits of important guests (1 Samuel 28:24). Only at the king's table was meat served daily, according to the Bible. Although most meat was obtained from domesticated animals, meat from hunted animals was also sometimes available, as the story of Isaac and Esau (Genesis 27:3–4), certain Biblical lists (for example, Deuteronomy 14:5), and archaeological evidence indicate. The remains of gazelle, red deer and fallow deer are the most commonly found in the archaeological record. Archaeological evidence from an Iron Age market excavated at Ashkelon shows that game was also sold to those who could not hunt or trap them themselves. However, meat from wild animals was more common at times of economic distress and in the northern areas, where forests and open land provided a habitat for more wild animals. Meat was prepared in several different ways. The most common was to cook it with water as a broth or a stew (for example, Ezekiel 24:4–5). Meat stewed with onions, garlic and leeks and flavored with cumin and coriander is described on ancient Babylonian cuneiform tablets, and it is most likely that it was prepared similarly in ancient Israel. Stewed meat was considered to be a dish worthy of serving to honored guests (Judges 6:19–20). A less common way to prepare meat was to roast it over an open fire, but this was done particularly for the meat of the Passover lamb. For long-term storage, meat was smoked, dried or salted, according to indications in texts and ethnographic studies. The Israelites ate domesticated birds such as pigeons, turtledoves, ducks and geese, and wild birds such as quail and partridge. Remains from archaeological excavations at the Ophel in Jerusalem and other Iron Age sites show that domestic birds were available, but consumption was small. The inclusion of pigeons and turtledoves in the Biblical sacrifice lists implies that they were raised domestically, and the remains of dovecotes discovered from the Greek and Roman periods confirm this. Biblical references and archaeological evidence also demonstrate that wild birds were hunted and eaten. The turtledove was present from about April to October, while the rock pigeon was available throughout the year. The pigeon appears to have been domesticated in Sumeria and Canaan during the second millennium BCE, and remained the predominant fowl in ancient Israel until the end of the Second Temple period. Nonetheless, to avoid the spread of disease, pigeons could only be raised in small numbers and were thus fairly costly and not a regular part of the diet. Geese, originally domesticated in ancient Egypt, were raised in ancient Israel. They are most likely the “fattened fowl” on King Solomon’s table (1 Kings 5:3). Goose breeding is also discussed in the Mishna. Like other animals, birds were fattened for consumption on special occasions, and for the wealthy. It is unclear when chicken became part of the diet. There are some archaeological remains from Iron Age sites, but these were likely from roosters as a fighting bird, which are also pictured on seals from the period as a symbol of ferocity, such as on the 6th century BCE onyx seal of Jaazaniah. Chicken became common around the 2nd century BCE, and during the Roman period, chickens emerged as an important feature of the cuisine, with the Talmud describing it as “the choicest of birds.” By Roman times pigeons and chickens were the principal poultry. Until the domestication of the chicken, eggs were available in limited quantities and were considered a delicacy, as in ancient Egypt. The most common birds – turtledoves and pigeons – were reared for their meat and not for their very small eggs. Biblical references to eggs are only in reference to gathering them from the wild (for example, Deuteronomy 22:6–7 and Isaiah 10:14). Eggs seem to have increased in use for food only with the introduction of chickens as food, and were commonly used as food by Roman times. The Israelites ate a variety of fresh and saltwater fish, according to both archaeological and textual evidence. Remains of freshwater fish from the Yarkon and Jordan rivers and the Sea of Galilee have been found in excavations, and include St. Peter’s fish and mouthbreeders. Saltwater fish discovered in excavations include sea bream, grouper, meager and gray mullet. Most of these come from the Mediterranean, but in the later Iron Age period, some are from the Red Sea. Fishermen supplied fish to inland communities, as remains of fish, including bones and scales, have been discovered at many inland sites. To preserve them for transport, the fish were first smoked or dried and salted. Merchants also imported fish, sometimes from as far as from Egypt, where pickled roe was an export article. Remains of Nile Perch from Egypt have been found, and these must have been smoked or dried, before being imported through the trade network that connected ancient Near Eastern societies. Merchants shipped fish to Jerusalem and there was evidently a significant trade in fish; one of the gates of Jerusalem was called the Fish Gate, named for a fish market nearby (Zephaniah 1:10, Nehemiah 3:3, Nehemiah 12:39, Nehemiah 13:16, 2 Chronicles 33:14). It is unclear to what extent fish played a role in the cuisine, but it is apparent that fish became steadily more available during the Israelite and Judean monarchies. Fish products were salted and dried and sent great distances. However, even in the later Persian, Greek and Roman periods, the cost of preserving and transporting fish must have meant that only wealthier inhabitants of the highland towns and cities could afford it, or those who lived close to the sources, where it was less expensive. In the Galilee, small-scale fishing was a fundamental component of the agrarian economy. Goats, and to a lesser extent, sheep, provided milk for part of the year, and milk and dairy products were a significant source of food. Dairy products are mentioned in the Bible (for example, Genesis 18:8, Judges 4:19, and 2 Samuel 17:29, and a repeated description of the Land of Israel in the Bible is “a land flowing with milk and honey” (for example, Exodus 3:8, Exodus 33:3, and Joel 4:18)). Fresh milk could not be stored for long without spoiling. Typically, thick sour milk called laban was drunk because the Israelites stored the milk in skin containers, in which it curdled quickly. Milk had to be processed to preserve it. This was done by first churning it, using a goatskin or clay container to separate the butterfat from the whey. The butterfat was processed by boiling and then cooling it to make clarified butter, which could then be stored for a long time. Clarified butter was used principally for cooking and frying. Butter churns have been excavated at Beersheba, dating from the 4th century BCE, and other ancient Israelite sites. Goat milk and sheep’s milk cheeses were the most prevalent types of cheese. Soft cheese was made using cloth bags filled with soured milk. The thin liquid was drained through the cloth and soft cheese remained in the bag. A hard cheese was made from fermented soured milk: Milk was poured into special moulds in which it curdled and was then hardened by drying in the sun or by heating and numerous small cheese molds with holes for the draining the whey have been discovered. Cheese is not mentioned often in the Bible, but in one case, David is sent to take a gift of cheese to the commander of the army (1 Samuel 17:18). The Mishna and Talmud mention using the sap of fruit trees, such as figs, to harden cheese (a method still used by nomadic herders of the region until modern times). Using fig sap instead of animal enzymes to make cheese also conformed to the prohibition on mixing meat and milk. Fruit syrup called “dvash” served as the primary sweetener and was most often made from dates. It was not until Talmudic times that the word “dvash”, now translated as “honey”, generally meant bee honey. The Biblical term “dvash” usually did not mean bee honey, but thick syrup obtained from grapes, figs or dates. This syrup was similar to the date syrup, or “halek”, that many Mizrahi Jews continue to use in modern times. The Biblical references to “honey from the crag” (Deuteronomy 32:13) or “honey from the rock” (Psalms 81:17) could refer either to fig honey, as fig trees commonly grew in rocky outcrops, or to honey collected from wild bees, which made their nests in these places, as they still do in the region until today. The Bible refers to honey from bees in only a few instances, for example, when Samson eats honey from bees made in the carcass of a lion (Judges 14:8–9) and when Jonathan eats honey from a honeycomb (1 Samuel 14:25–27), and these references are to honey obtained from the wild. Nonetheless, the oldest archaeological find relating to beekeeping discovered to date is an apiary dating from about 900 BC at Rehov, a Bronze- and Iron Age site in the Jordan Valley. The hives, made of straw and unbaked clay, could have housed more than a million bees, and indicate that honey was produced on a large scale. It is most likely that the inhabitants of Tel Rehov imported the bees from Anatolia because they were less aggressive than the local bees and produced a higher yield of honey. It is also possible that the domestication of bees for honey production was introduced from Egypt during the Iron Age and honey was being obtained from domesticated bees from late in the Iron Age period. The most common and important seasoning was salt (Job 6:6), demonstrated by the fact that it is referred to throughout the Bible and its use was mandated with most sacrifices (Leviticus 2:13). Salt was obtained from the Mediterranean or the Dead Sea. It was produced by evaporating seawater from both natural and artificially created drying pans along the Mediterranean coast. It was also obtained by mining salt deposits, such as at Sodom near the Dead Sea. Salt had to be transported to other locations, so most communities had to purchase it. Food was also flavored by plants, most native to the region and either cultivated or gathered in the wild, although a few spices were imported. Garlic and onions, and possibly fenugreek, were used to season cooked foods, as well as being eaten as vegetables. Herbs and spices included capers, coriander, cumin and black cumin, dill, dwarf chicory, hyssop, marjoram, mint, black mustard, reichardia, saffron and thyme. Some seasonings were imported, such as myrrh, galbanum, saffron and cinnamon, but their high cost limited their widespread use. Spices for special feasts were imported by the wealthy and royalty from Arabia and India, and were highly valued. These included various types of pepper, and ginger. Storing water and food was critical for survival, and particularly, being able to store enough food for use from one harvest to the next. To protect grain from damp and vermin, underground granaries were used for the bulk storage of grain. Families also stored grain, wine and oil in large pottery jars in their houses. When well protected, wheat, barley, legumes and nuts could be kept for long periods. Rainwater from roofs and courtyards was collected in cisterns to supplement natural sources like springs and wells. Fermentation, oil extraction and drying were all ways of converting food into products that could be stored. Feeding crops to animals was also a means of "storage on the hoof" with the animals converting the fodder into meat or milk. Food was cooked in pots made of clay and placed on earthenware stands built in a horseshoe shape, so that the fire could be lit through the opening, under the pot, or pots were suspended above the fire from tripods. Cooked food included soups and stews that were a mixture of meat and vegetables. Beans and lentils were likely to have been cooked several times a week. However, vegetables, such as melons, garlic, leek and onions were also eaten uncooked. Meals eaten by the Israelites fell into two categories: daily meals, and festive or ritual meals. Daily meals were prepared by women. Two daily meals were usually eaten by the family, either in the home or in the field. The first meal was eaten in the late-morning, as a break in the workday, and could include roasted grain, olives, figs or some other fruit, bread, dipped in olive oil or vinegar, or eaten with garlic, onions or black radishes for flavor, and water or wine. A description in the Book of Ruth provides an example of this kind of meal: the harvest workers eat bread, dipped in vinegar, and parched or roasted grain (Ruth 2:14). Agricultural workers, who comprised the largest part of the population, also ate a light meal in the early morning before leaving for their work in the fields (Proverbs 31:15). The second meal was the main meal of the day and was eaten in the evening. In addition to bread, it typically included soup or a stew of vegetables or legumes, served in a common pot into which everyone dipped their bread. Also served from time to time were cheese and fruits such as fresh figs and melon when in season, as well as dried fruits. Water, wine and milk could also accompany the meal. Small bowls were used for both eating and drinking. Small jugs contained condiments like olive oil, vinegar and sweeteners. Wide-mouthed pitchers held water and milk, while spouted decanters with narrow, ridged necks with built-in strainers held wine. Festive meals were held to mark significant occasions, entertain important guests, or as sacrificial or ritual meals. The meal was prepared by both men and women. Meat was always served at these meals and many people participated so that there would be no leftovers that would go to waste. Ritual feasts and banquets in ancient Israel, and the ancient Near East in general, were important for building social relationships and demonstrating status, transacting business and concluding agreements, enlisting divine help, or showing thanks, devotion or propitiation to a deity, and for conveying social instruction. These meals were imbued with significance by the occasion and were a time for entertainment and enjoyment. Festive meals were held only from time to time, but they are the ones recorded by biblical and extra-biblical sources. Many biblical stories are set within the context of a meal, such as the accounts of the food Abraham prepares for his visitors (Genesis 18:1–8), the stew which Jacob prepares for his father, Isaac, and the Passover meal (Exodus 12). In the story of Abraham hosting the three visitors, Abraham offers cakes, a well prepared young calf, curds, and milk. This meal has similar elements to an earlier meal described in the story of Sinuhe, an Egyptian nobleman who lived for a time in Canaan around 1900 BCE, at which bread, wine, cooked meat, roast fowl, and dairy products were served. One of the distinguishing features of the meals of the wealthier social class, as illustrated in the stories of Abraham and Sinuhe, was the more frequent consumption of meat. A description of the provisions for Solomon's kitchen also illustrates this: "Solomon's daily provisions consisted of 30 kor of fine flour and 60 kor of flour, 10 fat oxen, 20 pasture-fed oxen, and 100 sheep and goats, in addition to deer and gazelles, roebucks and fattened geese" (1 Kings 5:2–3). This account describes the provisions that were possible to obtain for those with the resources to purchase them and indicates they were sufficient to provide sumptuous meals for thousands of people. Another example of a lavish meal celebrating an important occasion is the inauguration of the Temple by Solomon (1 Kings 8:65, 2 Chronicles 7:8). Similar meals are described regarding Hezekiah's temple consecration (2 Chronicles 29:31–35) and Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 30:23–24). In contrast to the simplicity of the daily fare of ordinary people, the cuisine of the royal courts of the ancient Near East was sophisticated, and it is assumed that the dishes served at the table of King Solomon and other Israelite kings were also elaborate. King David had officials who were in charge of wine cellars, olive stores, cattle, olive and fig trees (1 Chronicles 27:27–31) and the royal kitchen was a complex organization. The kings of Israel are recorded as having displayed an extraordinary measure of royal hospitality, like other kings of the ancient Near East who held elaborate banquets. Solomon’s royal table is described as providing such a variety of foods that the Queen of Sheba is said to have been amazed that the reports of Solomon’s wealth did not exceed what she had seen (1 Kings 10:4–7). Royal entertainment in Israel included music (Ecclesiastes 2:8), large numbers of guests (1 Kings 18:19), and presumably many servers and cupbearers, though these are not expressly mentioned in the Bible. Feasts and banquets were important social and political tools throughout Israel’s history, especially in the early years of the Israelite monarchy, when an invitation to the king’s table was important for creating and maintaining political support and was also an important marker of social status and influence. Regular meals too, developed as expressions of common identity, social unity and communal celebration. By the Roman period, Jewish communities came together at banquets for both food and company and the weekly Sabbath meal was an occasion for families to gather and enjoy both food and company. The practice of hospitality was a fundamental custom of Israelite society and serving food was integral to the hosting of guests. Additionally, in ancient Israel, the belief that God had delivered Israel from slavery resulted in the social imperative and religious commandment to look after guests and strangers as an act of recognition and gratitude. The importance of hospitality to the Israelites can be inferred from the texts of the Bible, in numerous instances, including the stories of Abraham hosting the messengers, Gideon’s call to leadership (Judges 6:19), the hospitality of the woman from Zarephath towards the Prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:8–16) and the Shunammite woman towards Elisha (2 Kings 4:8–11), David’s hosting of Mephiboshet, son of Jonathan (2 Samuel 9:6–7) and Hezekiah’s invitation to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30). Meals at which important guests were present were viewed as special occasions, and as such, meat was served. The order in which the guests were served indicated the recognition of the social status of the guest. The choice of meat and dishes indicated the importance of the occasion. The Bible illustrates this in relating how Samuel hosted Saul, who, seated at the head of the hall is served first with a portion of meat that has been especially reserved for him (1 Samuel 9:22–24). Certain parts of the animal, such as the breast and the right thigh, were considered to be the best portions and were reserved for the most honored participants in the meal. Guests were always served before family members. The host would also sit with the guests to encourage them to eat and see to all their needs, as related in the story of Abraham, who waited on his visitors while they ate. Sacrificial meals were eaten when a portion of a sacrifice was reserved for the priest (kohen) or the ordinary Israelite who brought the offering was permitted to eat a portion with his family at a festive meal. The offerings considered “most holy” were eaten by the males of the priests in the court of the Temple sanctuary (Leviticus 7:9–10). The meal was considered to be a part of the priest’s duties. Other offerings could be eaten by the priests with their families in any ritually clean place (Leviticus 10:14). The ordinary Israelite had to eat his share within a fixed time, with his family, guests, and any Levites and strangers that he invited. Depending on the type of sacrifice, the animals that were brought as sacrifices could be a lamb, kid, goat, ram, calf, bull or cow; bird offerings were doves and turtledoves (pigeons). Of these, the guilt offering (asham) (Leviticus 5) and the communal peace offering (shalmei tzibur) (Leviticus 23:19–29) were eaten only by the male priests (kohanim). Other offerings, such as the Firstborn offering (Numbers 18:17–18), could be eaten by the priests and other members of their households, while for the personal peace offering (shalmei yachid) (Leviticus 3) and Thanksgiving offering (Leviticus 7:31–34), the breast and thigh meat were eaten by the priests and other members of their households and the remainder by ordinary Israelites. The Tithe offering (Leviticus 27:32) could be eaten by anyone and the Passover offering (Exodus 12) was eaten by all who had purchased a share in the sacrifice. Meal offerings called mincha all consisted primarily of flour and were either completely or partially burned on the altar. Those not entirely burned on the altar were eaten by the priests. Some mincha offerings were fried or baked before being offered. Types of mincha included fine flour (solet) mixed with oil and of which a portion was given to the kohen; flour mixed with oil and fried on a griddle or on a pan; bread called challot mixed with oil and baked in an oven; and wafers (rekikim) smeared with oil baked in an oven. There were also baked goods, all made of wheat flour and baked in an oven, which were not burned on the altar. These were the twelve unleavened and specially shaped showbreads, eaten by the priests after they had been displayed; two loaves of leavened bread prepared for the festival of Shavuot and eaten by the priests; thanksgiving breads, which included leavened bread, unleavened bread, unleavened wafers and scalded loaves, with one of each kind given to the priests and the remainder eaten by the owner and guests; and the unleavened loaves and wafers accompanying the Nazirite’s sacrificial ram, one of each kind given to the priests and the remainder eaten by the Nazirite and guests. Whole extended families or clans also participated in a sacrifice that was offered on occasions such as the New Moon, and it is referred to as both the “sacrifice of days” and a kinship sacrifice. In the early Israelite period, before the centralization of sacrificial offerings as an exclusive part of the Temple services, these sacrifices were offered at various locations. David is described as leaving Saul’s table to participate with his family in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 20:6) and Elkanah goes to Shiloh to participate with his household in the annual sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:21). Perhaps the oldest and most important feast celebrated by the Jews is the Passover. The original feast, with its origins in the story of the Exodus, consisted of a sacrificial lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread eaten by each family at home. Under the Israelite monarchy, and with the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem, the sacrifice and celebration of Passover became centralized as one of the three pilgrimage festivals. Families who were able to travel to Jerusalem ate the Passover meal together in Jerusalem. Those who could not make the pilgrimage celebrated the holiday by holding a special meal and observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In addition to requiring that certain foods be eaten for sacred purposes, the Israelite diet was shaped by religious practices which prohibited the consumption of certain foods, both in terms of the animals permissible for eating, and the manner of their preparation. The cuisine of the Israelites thus differed from that of their neighbors in significant ways. For example, ancient Mesopotamian recipes describe foods cooked with animal blood and milk added to meat stews; this would have been avoided by the ancient Israelites. Only animals specifically slaughtered for food or for use in the sacrificial service could be eaten. Detailed lists of which animals, birds and fish could be eaten and which were prohibited appear in the Bible (Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:3–21), and animal bones found in the archaeological record tend to support this, with some exceptions. For the Israelites, food was one way for self-definition. While it is impossible to know to what extent dietary laws were observed, self-definition is a most likely the basis for certain biblical lists listing different kinds of animals permitted or forbidden for consumption. The taboo against eating certain animals, particularly the pig, may have developed from the early Iron Age. Archaeological evidence from various sites shows that the consumption of pork, while limited, was higher in the early Iron Age but had mostly disappeared during the later Iron Age. Sites in the highlands and the coastal plains show low levels of pig utilization in the early Iron Age, but on the coastal plain, excavations such as Ekron show a higher consumption of pig; this is usually associated with the arrival of the Philistines. However, even at Philistine sites, pig remains were a small proportion of the bones discovered and decline after the initial period of settlement. This may have been due to unsuitable environmental factors for raising pigs. At archaeological excavations at Mount Ebal in Samaria, from the period immediately after the Israelite conquest, animal bones discovered were only from animals considered permissible, such as cattle, sheep, goats and deer. In addition, some taboos did not relate to the source of the food but to the way in which they were prepared, as in the prohibition against boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk (and mentioned in the Bible in three separate instances: Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, Deuteronomy 14:21). Milk and its by-products served as offerings in Near Eastern pagan worship to gods and kings and milk was used in connection with the phenomenon of reproduction, and a goat kid would be cooked in its mother's milk. Thus, the Israelite practice was to avoid an act similar to that carried out by the Canaanites as part of their cult worship (Ezra 9:1). The Israelites believed that since an animal’s blood represented its life, its blood should not be consumed (Deuteronomy 12:23–24). The blood of a slaughtered animal was thus drained before the meat was used and the blood itself was not used as a cooking liquid or drink. There are no biblical lists containing forbidden plants, so it can be assumed any plant or fruit was permissible as food, and their use limited only by taste or toxicity (for example, 2 Kings 4:39–40) and the fulfillment of religious requirements such as the tithes. Fishing was a fundamental part of the embedded agrarian economy of first-century Galilee. This region was ruled by Herod Antipas; a client king of the Romans. An “embedded” economy was one in which questions of production, processing, trade, and their regulation could not be separated from politics, religion, and family or village life. There was no free market that functioned independently from other dimensions of society, and little if any upward mobility. Most peasant fishing families were poor and lived at subsistence level, while a small minority of elites held the bulk of wealth and power.

New tech for TBI care and prevention (9/19/19 newsletter) We are pleased to have Carleton College students and alumni interning with Concussion Alliance. Intern contributors this week: Editor: Galen Moller Contributors: Eloïse Cowan, Galen Moller, and Julian Szieff. Do you find the Weekly Concussion Update helpful? If so, forward this to a friend and suggest they subscribe. Groundbreaking online clinical guidelines for pediatric concussion diagnosis and care A groundbreaking online service has launched to help healthcare professionals who are treating youth (ages 5-18) with potential or diagnosed concussions. The Living Guideline for Diagnosing and Managing Pediatric Concussion is the product of an international team of 50 experts, including clinicians and researchers, in the concussion field. They worked for three years to evaluate hundreds of scientific studies, from which they synthesized a series of best-practice clinical guidelines. As discussed in Ottawa Citizen, the experts will review new research on a monthly basis and regularly update the online guide. The website also has resources for families, schools, and sports organizations; it also suggests that people bring the Living Guideline to the attention of their healthcare providers. One of the main takeaways is that youth should not be limited to a dark room and prolonged rest after a concussion. The project was spearheaded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, but it is applicable worldwide. Rutgers University joins multi-institutional traumatic brain injury research collaboration Rutgers University has recently joined the Big Ten Ivy League Traumatic Brain Injury Research Collaboration. This collaboration is a research effort that studies the effect of TBIs in athletes, to improve prevention, detection and treatment of TBI for all citizens. The multi-institutional partnership increases access to the sports concussion data registry for all 18 institutions, while also increasing collaboration between researchers, athletes, and physicians. Rutgers has already begun collecting information for each injured athlete and continues to contribute to the six year data collection. The vast population sample should become a major player in concussion research, allowing for longitudinal studies on the impact of head injuries and will promote safer play. New molecular technology provides faster CBD uptake Researchers with the German biotech company, BioTeSys, and Ulm University, have developed a new molecular technology that allows for quicker absorption of ingested CBD, the non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. According to Project CBD, ingested CBD only dissolves in fat, so it does not absorb well from the large intestine if there is not already fat in the stomach. CBD absorption is much faster and more effective when the correct molecules are present to break down the fat. In a study published in Molecules, authors Katharina Knaub et al. found a way to use a molecular system to help CBD to dissolve in water. These molecules break down the clumped up CBD into small spheres, which leads to faster and more complete uptake. This also means the effect of the CBD wears off sooner, because it is processed more quickly. This new delivery mechanism for CBD offers a more effective and rapid treatment option for those who can’t or prefer not to use vaporizer pens. Concussion Alliance would like to point out that some CBD tinctures are infused in an oil, such as MCT oil. New MRI technique shows the danger of repeated impacts Researchers at Stanford University and Trinity College Dublin are looking at how we can detect brain damage in mTBI. Eoin O’Keeffe et al.’s study in the Journal of Neurotrauma recruited MMA fighters and adolescent rugby players and examined their brains. The MMA fighters were given a contrast-enhanced MRI before a fight then tested 120 hours post competitive fight and this data was compared against impact data from mouthguards worn during the fight. The rugby players were examined pre- and post-season. In both groups, the number of impacts was correlated with the amount of disruption found in the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This disruption of the BBB was detected using a new MRI technique called DCE-MRI which measures fluid flow across the barrier. According to the research group, this suggests that this BBB damage is related to repeated impacts, not single impacts which could be more symptomatic. Their work is part of a long-term study which hopefully should yield even more details about brain damage in contact sports. We also recommend the article Stanford Medicine News Center, “preliminary evidence of damage to the brain’s protective barrier in adolescent and adult athletes even if they did not report a concussion.” Specialized optometrists should be on the healthcare team Optometrists should be on the healthcare team for patients recovering from a TBI, according to two posts published in Helio. Specialized optometrists can identify more serious eye problems; guide vision rehab; and prescribe specialized lenses, prisms, and tints/filters which may improve vestibulo-ocular function (balance and vision). Curtis R. Baxstrom, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, FNORA, states: “At a minimum, I would like primary care optometrists to be aware that patients with visual-vestibular dysfunction after TBI may need adjustments to their vision correction. They will typically do better with single-vision lenses for far and near. Progressive lenses or bifocals introduce motion in the periphery, which is very challenging post-TBI.” In a second post, Michael S. Cooper, OD, writes that even head injuries in the past can create long-standing vision problems, eye discomfort, and dry eye symptoms. Veterans & Service Members Beekeeping helps veterans find jobs and peace An article in The Washington Post reports on the rise of veteran-targeted beekeeping programs across the country. While some of the programs are intended as occupational training, other programs, such as Bees4Vets in Nevada, aim to help veterans who are suffering from PTSD and/or TBI. While there is not any hard evidence of beekeeping’s benefits, many of the veterans in beekeeping programs have reported that it gives them a sense of purpose, and helps them to focus and relax, and researchers are beginning to investigate if beekeeping could have therapeutic benefits for veterans with mental health issues. The University of Nevada, Reno is partnering with Bees4Vets to see if veterans in the program show improvement, and whether beekeeping is the cause. Researchers use new technology to study late-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms from TBI Many postmortem studies have revealed that tau depositions in the brain are linked to traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), which are the late-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms that arise in patients who were exposed to mild-repetitive or severe TBI. New PET technology has allowed Takahata et al. to map out the depositions of tau in the brains of living patients with a history of either severe or mild-repetitive TBI, to better understand the associations between tau and TES. In general, they found that subjects with a history of TBI had more tau in their neocortical grey and white matter than healthy control subjects. They also found that among TBI patients, those with TES had more tau in their white matter than those without the syndrome, and that the amount of tau in their white matter correlated with the severity of their psychosis. The study was published in Brain. New research deems side impacts to head as dangerous as frontal collisions Irish Tech News highlighted new research from NUI Galway and University College Dublin concluding that injuries caused by side impacts to the head can be as dangerous as whiplash from frontal impacts. The research led by Dr. Valentina Balbi, and published in Soft Matter, simulated the effects of forceful collisions on the human brain through torsion tests on porcine tissue and modeling. They found that rotational accelerations, which are as likely to occur as frontal impacts, cause stretches and strains that impair neurons, lead to concussion, and even cause permanent damage. These results are important, considering that collisions in football and boxing often cause axial rotations of the head. While research has often looked at the danger of frontal impacts, future studies may lead to changes in sports gear and practices to avoid the dangerous twisting motion of the brain. An invisible injury leaves a dramatically visible mark for a 24-year-old lead writer Jennifer Sherman, guest writer for Huffington Post, wrote a moving story of her experience with concussion. I Got a Concussion and It Derailed My Whole Life starts with her high-powered job in Berlin at age 24, and then a long journey recovering from a concussion she suffered on a bus. Four months after her injury, she writes with wisdom and perspective: “Before I continue, I’d like to point out that my concussion journey, while traumatic and tough in its own right, has been padded by privilege; my work benefits gave me medical insurance and paid leave, and I was able to travel to see specialists. I’ve had access to treatments ranging from neuro-optometry and acupuncture to functional neurology, from physiatry and physiotherapy to reiki energy healing, and I am well aware that most of the millions experiencing concussions each year will not have the same, or even similar, opportunity. That’s a problem.” From football star to investor: Richard Sherman funds concussion treatment companies CNBC news source recently highlighted investments made by 49er’s cornerback Richard Sherman in concussion prevention. Sherman is currently anticipating his future after the NFL by supporting tech companies and start-ups. He continues to play a role in increasing player safety by investing in Vicis football helmets and Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals. Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals is currently developing a pill that would aid with the brain’s response to concussion and help mitigate lasting effects. While the company is still at Phase 2 with the FDA, Sherman hopes to promote the medication for future victims of concussions in the industry. Executive Editor (and Contributor) Concussion Alliance co-founder Malayka Gormally

The South Chilterns Beekeepers’ Association (SCBKA), currently has members in an area of the South Chilterns bounded by the Thames to the South and the M40 to the North. We are a well-established group of beekeepers interested in the promotion of good beekeeping and the preservation of the Honey Bee. We have members from all walks of life, and whilst some of us are complete beginners we are fortunate to have a number of very experienced beekeepers who will share their knowledge about the honey bee and practical beekeeping skills. With an Association Apiary set in the beautiful South Oxfordshire countryside we are able to offer our members practical courses and demonstrations of beekeeping, using docile, near native bees. We also hold monthly educational and entertaining winter meetings in the Woodcote Village Hall (RG8 0QY). Our summer meetings are held at various locations within our membership area. Whether or not you have your own bees, we welcome new members from the towns and villages in the area shown below. - Justine is a valued Member who attended our Theory Course in 2017, which helped her to decide if beekeeping was for her. - After joining our Association she progressed onto the Summer Practical Course and together these Courses gave her the confidence to start her beekeeping with good basic underpinning knowledge and skills. - Due to unforeseen circumstances the AGM has had to be moved to Wednesday 23rd October - Beginners Theory Course March 2020. Now registering students for the South Chilterns BKA Beekeeping for Beginners Theory Course in March 2020. Contact Margaret at [email protected] to register your interest and/or for details

To promote beekeeping and support the local agricultural industry, the City of Chilliwack has recently adopted text amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and an Urban Beekeeping Bylaw to allow for residents of Chilliwack to keep bees in urban areas. The Urban Beekeeping Bylaw includes regulations regarding the location and number of beehives permitted on a property and will serve to ensure healthy beekeeping practices are followed in order to manage the spread of disease through colonies and prevent aggressive behaviours. Why is Beekeeping important? Bees play a key role in the production of most fruit and forage crops through pollination. Honey bee pollination in BC is responsible for over $250 million per year in agricultural production and approximately 1.5 billion per year in Canada. Urban Beekeeping Bylaw Regulations Bees are allowed in the following locations: - Any residential property that allows for a single family home or duplex , if the lot is 300m2 or greater - Institutional property in the P1 (Civic Assembly) or P6 (University Village) Zones in association with an educational program - Community gardens - Beekeepers must be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture - Beekeepers must complete a recognized Beekeeping course and seek membership in a local Bee club Siting of beehives: - The entrance to the beehive must be 6m away from any property line. - The side and rear of the hives must be 3m away from any property line. - A hedge or fence with a minimum height of 1.8m is required to separate the hive from the neighbouring properties. |The flight path behaviours of bees can be directed away from neighbouring properties by placing obstacles (such as a fence or hedge) in a colony’s flight path.| Number of beehives: |Minimum Lot Size||Number of Hives| |300m2 to 500m2||2 beehives and 2 nucleus colonies| |500m2 to 2000m2||4 beehives and 4 nucleus colonies| |2000m2 or larger||6 beehives and 6 nucleus colonies| Source: GreenUp Association - Beekeeping is regulated by the Provincial government under the Bee Regulation. - The Province requires all beekeepers and hive locations to be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture. - A copy of the Bee Regulation and a description of the registration process are available on the Ministry of Agriculture website (www.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture). Reporting a complaint: - A complaint can be made with the City’s Development and Regulatory Enforcement Department via phone at 604.793.2908 or in person at City Hall. |Ministry of Agriculture—Apiculturewww.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture||BC Honey Producers Associationwww.bchoneyproducers.com| |Canadian Honey Councilwww.honeycouncil.ca||Chilliwack Beekeepers [email protected]| |Campbell Gold Honey Farm & Meadery (Abbotsford)www.campbellsgold.com||The Honey Bee Centre (Surrey)www.honeybeecentre.com| |The Bumblebee Circle (Chilliwack)www.thebumblebeecircle.com|

Posted by Guest on Sun, 12/27/2009 - 9:00am Round Rock Honey has partnered with the City of Austin and the Austin Nature Center to provide beekeeping classes. Although the class is designed mostly for those with little or no beekeeping knowledge or experience, persons with limited experience are also encouraged to sign up for the class. Class size varies, but rarely are there more than 5-10 students at a time, per instructor. The course is taught over three Saturdays at the Austin Nature Center from 10am-11:30am Saturday mornings. Students have the choice of attending classes consecutively, or not. The course covers a basic introduction of bees, beekeeping and hives, how-to information for keeping bees in Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, and disease and parasite management. Each class allows students the opportunity to suit up (bee suits provided), and gain hands-on experience at the onsite apiary. Depending on the season, integrated workshops encourage participants to completely assemble their own hives, populate hives with honeybees, and harvest honey. They take this knowledge and their own bees and repeat the process with their own hives. The course fee is $125. The course instructor will be available to answer questions from students and give advice on an as-needed basis after completion of the course. To sign up, simply send an email expressing your interest to [email protected]. Please include a call-back phone number.

Seattle loves its urban agriculture. Thousands of Seattle families grow their own food. Through the city's community gardening P-Patch program alone, more than 2,000 plotholders cultivate around 32 acres of land. This is in line with a global trend: The USDA reports that around 15 percent of the world’s food is now grown in urban areas, including backyards, vacant lots, balconies and parking strips. Increasingly, Seattle's urban farmers are also taking on an area usually associated with rural farms rather than kitchen gardens: animal husbandry. We're all familiar with the urban chicken movement, but local families are also raising ducks, goats and rabbits, and keeping bees. And an organization that is helping these families access what they need to thrive is the Seattle Farm Co-op. Founded in 2009, with a retail warehouse and educational center in Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood that opened in the spring of 2015, the Seattle Farm Co-op supports and fosters urban farming, with a mission of serving as a resource for both material supplies and knowledge, especially for urban farmers raising animals. Tucked away in a side street just off Rainier Avenue S. — a block away from Rainier Beach Public Library and less than a mile from Seattle Tilth's Rainier Beach Urban Farm — the Co-op's warehouse/feed store is a cozy, organized space stocked with locally sourced, organic and non-GMO feed and seeds for members and the public. Friendly, knowledgable staff are on hand to explain the purpose, source and application of items in stock; and Illustrative signage visually designates each area, making the mini-warehouse an inviting place to shop and learn. The Co-op buys locally grown and milled feed as much as possible, including from vendors such as Conway Feed in the Skagit Valley and Modesto Grains, which sources feed grains from Washington and Oregon. Christy Cusick, a founding board member of the Co-op and one of two employees (the Co-op also has many volunteers), runs the store Thursday through Sunday every week with her cohort, Caitlin Moore. “We provide quality sourcing and the educational resources to use these products,” says Cusick, who is a master poultry farmer and teaches the Co-op’s chick-rearing classes every spring. Along with supplies, the Co-op offers free and low-cost classes on everything from soil restoration to organic fertilizer production to beekeeping. Many of the classes are open to families with kids of all ages. Including families is paramount to Seattle Farm Co-op. Many of the members have children, and kids, of course, are the future of urban farming. Creating community, nurturing future urban farmers On the day I visited the co-op's warehouse, families with kids were arriving for an afternoon class on backyard chickens. Cusick fielded a customer question about the difference between hay and straw (hay is feed and straw is more often used as bedding; it is also more often treated with pesticide to prevent mold) while greeting class participants as they arrived, clearly people she already knew from the community. The co-op has a membership base of more than 700 people. Through co-op membership (lifetime membership costs $50), families get a member discount for supplies at the retail store, access to the Co-op’s Yahoo list serve, as well as tool-lending library privileges and invitations to member education and social events. While the shared buying power is a benefit, an equal draw is the community. “I came to the Farm Co-op, then in its infancy, through a Craigslist search," says Sarah Moore, who raises goats and bees in North Burien. "I joined for the buying power but also because it was so clear that (the founders) were trying to build something beyond just buying food for our animals. They wanted to pool our wisdom, provide some contact with the soil that feeds us, teach kids how food is made, meet neighbors. I was hooked.” Then there are the unexpected benefits: “It’s where I found all my pet sitters!” says Moore. “We take turns goat-sitting for each other.” Children are an important part of the community. Annya Uslontseva is a Rainier Beach resident and Co-op member who grew up in Russia tending to her grandparents’ urban farm. Now, as a mom to 5-year-old son Misha, she carries on the tradition. “I want my child to grow up thinking that growing our own food is a natural thing to do, like we did. I still dream about all the beautiful flowers, the fresh delicious fruits and veggies, helping to care for the animals, having a lot of unstructured time to wonder, and working together with people you love.” Sarah Moore, mother to a 14-year-old son, has seen firsthand how children can benefit from learning about farming. “Kids can be incredibly responsible and caring," she says. "We’ve had friends of our son come help with chores and even be part of the goat’s kidding process.” But as cute as farm animals are, she adds, “Having animals is ultimately an adult responsibility.” Thanks to organizations like the Seattle Farm Co-op, a growing community of urban farmers is building a network of shared food security. Not only are they producing food for themselves, but they are creating community and educational resources for those of us — tipping my sunhat here — who are still in observation mode. Getting involved with Seattle Farm Co-op Where: Seattle Farm Co-op, 5133 S. Director St., Seattle, 206-258-1669 Retail hours: Thursdays, noon–7 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sundays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Upcoming classes and events: Check the calendar for a full list, but upcoming classes include a March 26 class on raising mason bees; and an April 28 class on soil building and creating composting worm bins (kids welcome!). Membership: Membership in the Seattle Farm Co-op only costs $50 for a lifetime membership and includes priveleges such as discounts on supplies, and access to the tool-lending library and Yahoo list serve.

Stamp collecting, knitting, playing with basketball or painting: these are the certain things that come to mind when people think of hobbies. Attempt to think of beekeeping as a hobby. Keeping bees is a pastime that is unique, it can be entertaining and educational; it also can be a rewarding avocation. Beekeeping or apiculture is the preservation of honey bee colonies. Apiary is where the bees are kept. Apiarist or a beekeeper is someone who keeps honey bees for the intent of fastening products such as honey, beeswax, pollen, and lifting queens and bees to sell to other farmers. There are various types of beekeepers: residential, hobby beekeepers or hobby beekeeping, sideliners, or commercial beekeeping. Residential beekeeping is generally kept bees in the most busy area in urban surroundings. Make sure you know the laws, regulations and demands because some places do not allow beekeeping, before keeping bees in residential area. Most beekeepers are hobby beekeepers; they’ve an alternate day job, and find beekeeping pleasurable although they keep bees as a hobby. Just several hives are typically owned by these people. They will have interest in ecology. A sideline beekeeper desires to make a profit keeping bee but relies on an extra supply of income; it usually occurs when they’ve decided to widen beekeeping in time that is full or when a hobby gets out of hand. Sidelines beekeeping can manage up to 300 colonies of bees. And finally, Commercial beekeepers command hundreds or thousands of colonies of bees. Up to 50,000 colonies of bees and create can be managed by the most extensive beekeeping kind millions of pounds of honey. Beekeeping lessons are essential for an aspiring beekeeper you should wear protective clothing to protect skin from stings of the bees. Gloves must be worn by beekeepers for holding the stands and a hooded suit or hat and veil to protect your face and particularly the eyes. Sometimes they do not to use gloves because they have this expertise in beekeeping and in managing bees. Neck and the face are the most important areas to shield most beekeepers will at least wear a veil that’s. Washing suits often and rinsing glove hands in vinegar will minimise interest. Beekeeping can readily be learned over time. Hands on expertise is the best way to learn. You may understand how to approach correctly work and the hive with the bees. Constantly keep an open mind and beekeepers have to use all their senses. Start with a great beginning, look for what ask and you need to learn some encounters beekeepers seek for their guidance. But it is not unimportant at all times the safety of the beekeeper. Remember that what you may desire to execute, anything you would like to do or what profession or business you need to enter only follow what your heart go for what makes you’ll joyful and says. Some individuals that are interested in honey bee farming get their training from how to raise bees classes in White Sulphur Springs West Virginia but it can be very costly. Fortunately there are less expensive ways to master the art of successful honey bee farming in WV.

About Oxx Beekeeping Oxx Beekeeping was founded in 2013 by Alwyn "Oxx" Simeina. Born in the Caribbean island of St.Lucia. His Beekeeping operation was started in Jacksonville Florida. While being mentored by Alice Shinkos and at the time the current president of the Jacksonville beekeepers association he learned treatment free beekeeping. By robbing minimum honey from the bees this taught him techniques to prevent from feeding the honeybees sugar water as a substitute for their honey. Still the practice used to this day in this family operated business. Honey Touched products was created in 2016. Oxx collaborated with Dermatologist, Estheticians, Cosmetologist, and Aesthetician to create his own skin care line based on his skin conditions he has encountered growing up. All products are made with raw and unfiltered honey and beeswax. Other ingredients are natural, cold pressed, organic, and non GMO. Hope you enjoy all the honey touched products that are not only good for your skin its also good to your skin. Stay Honey Touched. Thank you for visiting this website. We thank you for all your support though out the years. May you always bee wonderful and bee great.

As the managed honey bee industry continues to grapple with significant annual colony losses, the Varroa destructor mite is emerging as the leading culprit. And, it turns out, the very nature of modern beekeeping may be giving the parasite the exact conditions it needs to spread nearly beyond control. In an article published yesterday in […] For Varroa mite control, I sprung for a ProVap110 this year. I put it through the paces this week and thought I’d report on it here. View Video Here: Disclaimer first: Yes, Larry of OxaVap is a friend of mine. We met at a South Carolina Beekeepers Association conference several years ago and hit it off talking bees non stop for the duration of the conference. This was all before oxalic acid was approved for use in the United States. Larry told me then it would be the next big deal in Varroa mite control and apparently he was right as it was approved a couple years later. (Larry also told me where U.S. beekeepers were already ordering vaporizers from across the border in Canada.) Anyway, Larry and I always look forward to conferences and hanging out, telling bee stories when we can. Before getting the ProVap110 I was using two Varrox, pan type ,vaporizers. Using two really sped up my mite treatments. Duh, twice as fast, right? No, don’t ask me how but everything moved faster and down time between hives was less so I really think I was doing the job in less than half the time than with one. Recently, Larry suggested I needed to try the ProVap110 but I was resistant due to the issue of needing AC current. He said that most inexpensive car/truck inverters would do the job as it only used 250 watts and 2.2 amps. I checked and Harbor Freight had an inexpensive inverter. But I really wanted to be able to treat without having to drive my truck into sometimes muddy out yards. Larry assured me that a long extension cord run would not be a problem but I resisted and bought a small WEN 1800watt generator. I do plan on buying that inverter as well but the WEN1800w is under 50 pounds and, so far, I really like it and don’t have to worry about getting my truck stuck in a muddy out yard field while vaporizing mites. One morning this week I oxalic acid vaporized 32 hives in about an hour and 15 minutes. As with the old Varrox, you still have the setup time of placing IPM boards under screened bottom boards to help seal the hive as well as a damp dishcloth across the entrance. I left the WEN1800w generator in the back of my truck and used a 50 ft extension cord. The extension cord had no noticeable effect on the operation as the ProVap performed exactly as the enclosed paperwork stated it would. I will use a 100 ft extension next time to see if that has any effect. The ProVap110 took about 2 to 3 minutes to reach its operating temperature of 230C. The unit adjusts to maintain that temperature throughout its use. I’ll place a link to a video in this post for those who have not seen how it operates. Basically, after it reaches its operating temperature a measured amount of OA is placed in a cup and attached to the ProVap110 while inverted. The nozzle is inserted into a 1/4″ predrilled hole in the hive body and the unit is spun around to its upright position causing the OA to drop into the 230C pan. The temperature readout dropped to approximately 208C when the OA came in contact with the heating unit and immediately began its rise back to 230C. Within about 20 seconds the temperature had returned to 230C and I removed the unit from the hive. An additional “cup” is provided so the user can prepare the dose for the next hive during the 20 second wait. And so it goes hopscotching down the row of hives. Some things I learned are: 1) Hole placement is more critical than I first expected. I had used a homemade template based on the instruction sheet and some of the holes were drilled into handholds which caused me to have to hold the unit in place instead of leaving it to prep the next dose. The instructions say drill the hole 3 to 4 inches up from the bottom . I will drill future holes below the handholds in the lower box – if you use cleats drill well below. You want the vapors to circulate readily once inside the hive so make the hole in that area where the frames are narrow (lower half) to allow for the bees to move around the frame. 2) The tube that sends the vapor into the hive is copper and about 3/4″ in length. That makes sense since it is going into a hive body with a thickness of 3/4″. Longer and it could bottom out on a frame inside. Unrelated to the tube length but I’d like the tube to be made of a harder metal than copper if possible – I am uncomfortable with the possibility of bending the copper tubing. 3) You will need an acid/vapor PPE mask as you will be in close proximity of the OA vapor. There is no getting around this. I currently use a 3M 7502 mask with organic vapor/ acid gas filters – $13.99 on Ebay, and non vented safety goggles – $7.99 Ebay. The mask worked great and I never even got a whiff while standing behind the hive administering the OA vapor. (more on this later) Some of the nice things about the unit are: 1) Its speed. I usually just stood there behind the hive for 20 seconds and let it do its thing. 2) The plume of vapor into the hive is thick and sudden. The bees don’t have the “warning time” they did with pan type vaporizers to start fanning. Bang, it’s in there and done. Most of the hives didn’t object any more than they did with the pan vaporizer but a couple did. All hives settled down soon afterwards. 3) The almost constant 230C temperature ensures the OA is properly sublimated. I always suspected the gradual warming of the OA with the pan vaporizers may have wasted some of the OA as it was evaporated, boiled off, or was otherwise consumed instead of sublimated thus diminishing the dose. The ProVap110 ensures the OA always hits the pan at exactly 230C. 4) I often lose my biggest and strongest hives over the winter. I’ve always suspected it might be related to inadequate OA treatment reaching the upper boxes. Now I can treat the hive via a 1/4″ hole placed anywhere, in any box, instead of just underneath the hive. And don’t worry about drilling 1/4″ holes in your woodenware, the bees will propolize it soon enough or you can use a golf tee or dowel rod to plug. 5) It would be nice to have a half dozen of the “caps.” to prepare in advance. It’s not essential; that’s just my OCD speaking. General comments: Most efficient use would necessitate a planned layout of the hives in the bee yard. If you scatter your hives around here and there you’ll waste time in transit. I have basically three different zones in my home yard. This meant driving the truck to three different positions and repositioning the drop cord each time. I think keeping your hives within a 100 foot radius and using a 100 foot drop cord might be ideal. Having plenty of IPM boards available is also a great time saver as transferring them hive to hive is a time waster. Luckily I have plenty to use in case of a severe winter but others may not. The hives with solid bottom boards were easiest to treat. Now, here’s an interesting thing: The visible escaping particulate using the ProVap110 was noticeably less than when using pan type vaporizers. I can’t really account for why this is other than the bees don’t have the 2 – 4 minutes to start fanning before the deed is done. I actually used the ProVap110 in the first two hives and thought, “Did it work?” So I loaded the ProVap110, held it downwind, and flipped it to see if it was sublimating the OA. Yes, it was working and it’s done in about 20 seconds. If you look at the video, at the end the guy does exactly this and you can see how thick the plume is and how fast it comes out. Anyway, my point is, there appears to be less particulate escaping the hive than with pan vaporizers – and that’s a good thing! Cleanup is a breeze. A little water to wash out the areas where the OA comes in contact was quick and easy. The unit itself cools off quickly when unplugged which is good and bad. Good for safety once you are done but moving into different bee yard zones meant having to wait the 2 – 3 minutes for the unit to return to operating temperature. I’m convinced I can shave 30 minutes off my first effort implementing some of the changes mentioned above. I am satisfied with the unit over the pan type vaporizers for a few reasons: time efficiency, proper sublimation, flexibility in selecting placement of the area the OA is administered, and ease of use. I’d recommend it to anyone that starts to feel that pan-type vaporizing is taking too much of their bee management time that could be better spent more productively. Addendum August 31st, 2017: After having used the ProVap100 for multiple yard treatments I thought I’d comment on a couple items I hedged on in my first review (above). First, use of multiple extension cords makes no noticeable difference in either warm up time or time to sublimate the oxalic acid. I am now using two fifty foot extensions cords and I get the same excellent performance as with one. Second, After having a problem with my gas powered generator I purchased an inexpensive 400 watt inverter at my local Harbor Freight store for ~ $23.00 USD. Using this as my power source the ProVap100 performed again without any degrading of performance. At $23.00 versus what I paid for the gas powered generator I’d opt for the inverter first unless there was an issue with access to the bee yard. Third, Thus far this year I have not lost my biggest hives post nectar flow and during the Varroa buildup as I have in previous years. I am unable to say that positive outcome is a result of the ProVap100 but I suspect it is a contributing factor. I remain very happy with the unit and from emails and messages I have received from people that have also purchased one they are likewise happy with the efficiency and ease of use of this unit.

Do we take lawn care too seriously? Whether we are wasting water on Kentucky bluegrass in the great American southwest, or soaking tonnes of weedkiller and insecticide into pleasant little villages across the continent, much of o… Read More To stay updated with the latest in the beekeeping industry to may visit our beekeeping latest news. On the other hand if you are beginning apiculture and would like to start professional apiculture now get a copy of our beekeeping for beginners ebook. Beekeeping can be a full time profession or a simple hobby. Yet, more often than not, what started as a hobby would become a profession. But you cannot only determine and tell yourself that you will start to do beekeeping. Before starting on any avocation or profession, you need to have satisfactory knowledge and comprehension on the field that you are going to enter. Then it is about time to indulge yourself in your line of interest if you’ve been putting off your interest in beekeeping for quite a long time. Bee farming may appear easy; by learning the basic beekeeping lessons, you can be got off to a good start. What does a beekeeper have to know? On beekeeping to start at the right foot first, you should have interest that is full. You must spend time taking care of your colonies of bees. You should have also consented to share your house space with the bees. There are possible dangers in beekeeping that can harm not only you but your family also. Then you must understand the supplies and equipment you will use for beekeeping if you decide to let the bees inside your living space. Your focus is not only to build an income by selling honey; a great beekeeper should have a keen interest and fire in raising bees. An apiarist ought to know the right location for the beehives. The area must have sufficient sources of nectar for the bees to get. You need to make sure beekeeping is allowed in your area if you decide to put your beehives at your backyard. There are several areas restricted to beekeeping; you should get permission relating to this. Beekeepers must understand whether beekeeping supplies are available in the region where the beehives are situated. When you must go to a nearby beekeeping store you may never understand; it’s best that a nearby beekeeping shop is reachable. Equipment and protective gear will also be important for beekeepers to know. Beekeepers are prone to bee stings; the ensemble that is proper must be worn during beekeeping sessions. Know the right kind of suit to pick to keep you from any potential risk in beekeeping. All the beekeeping efforts would be useless if you’re not able to harvest honey from your bees. The methods should be known by a beekeeper in collecting the honey from your comb; beeswax is also part of the yields in beekeeping.