Community & Perennial Beekeeping

FCBA September Meeting

Community & Perennial Beekeeping

Beekeeping can be isolating.  People often seek out Bee Clubs or join Facebook groups to create a sense of community.  But what happens if you encounter someone who thinks "their way is the only way" or even worse, being bullied for simply asking a question?  Larry Audet, FCBA Bee School Chair & our speaker this month, will be addressing these issues.  His desire is to build community that encourages, instructs, and inspires.  He will also cover how to have a continuous supply of bees in order to avoid having to buy bees each spring.  Please see below for more information.  We look forward to seeing you there!

If you plan to eat, please sign up for the Potluck HERE.

From Larry:  I used to keep honeybees just as I grew my garden.  Each spring, I acquired new stock from people who lived in warmer regions, then I maintained summer routines that yielded fragrant blooms and self-respect. However, the eventual heat caused blooms to fall and vines to shrivel, and I feared the winter because it often killed all that I had raised. Like gardening, I got tired of buying a fresh supply of bees each year and I became increasingly hesitant to ask for help about how to keep honeybees in a manner where I’m able to replenish my losses without spending more money.  

Most of us are growing our apiaries in a time when colony death is on the rise and social civility is in decline. Sometimes I wonder if I’m keeping bees or participating in a competitive sport. The famous Randy Oliver describes another problem as the “Beekeeper Taliban” – a well-intended but vocal group - adamant that newbies must follow their practice of raising bees.  In response to these challenges, I’m creating a sustainable apiary model that includes growing beekeeping relationships. Key to this sustainability model is having resources that replenish bees that die and equipment that fails. Sustainability is also about embracing the idea that we are living in an era where it takes the wisdom of a whole village to keep our bees alive.   

This presentation was designed to describe a model for keeping bees that values perennial apiary practice and community building. We all know that beekeeping can be either rewarding and self-fulfilling, or discouraging, tiring and burdensome. I want each of us to get better at multiple aspects of beekeeping practice so we feel more invigorated, our confidence grows, and our sense of wellbeing improves.