Jeremy’s Corner - As we approach the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth

Gandhi’s great gift was to bring together in public spaces masses of highly motivated and disciplined protesters with a common passion. As beekeepers we are not alone in our loss; indeed, like the honey bee, we cannot survive in isolation. And the bees, our wards as well as our teachers, are not only motivated and disciplined but also demonstrate the traditional values that Gandhi so admired, not least, simplicity, patience and frugality. They are beacons of hope in the best of counter-cultural traditions.

Secondly, Gandhi’s ecological world view, summed up in his homily “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not for every man’s greed,” supports the increasing move towards backyard beekeeping, organic farming, farm-to-table restaurants and sustainable lifestyles - the kinds of practices that were common before the steam engine and the factory, a time when the majority were stewards of the land even if few could afford meat - “To bring home the bacon” originated in the late Middle Ages as a sign of unusual good fortune.

And thirdly, Gandhi realized that the triumph of the scientific world over the ethical one has desacralized nature… Read Article from Jeremy's Corner

A K.I.S.S. Model for Breeding Locally-adapted Varroa-resistant Bees

Although Randy’s model clearly bee best suited for those Raising Their Own Queens, if you bee tending at least 2 Colonies of Bees, Have a Look; You will bee able to adapt to it’s usefulness! All BeeKeepers should have, or have access to a minimum of 2 colonies.  Bee Buddy up if need bee!

If you bee involved with raising your own queens and/or have a significant few colonies, and a desire to bee self-reliant within your operation, this presentation, with indisputable reasoning, bee easy to implement, and as Randy mentioned, was a true eye-opener.

I truly beelieve that this approach to selective breeding will aid local bees in finding that balance so that they may co-exist with Varroa, maintaining the Varroa mite within their threshold!

If You are not a Keeper of Bees, Have a Look anyway!  Good Stuff!

REFORESTATION EFFORTS WITH FORESTPLANET

In conjunction with our regional efforts, involvement with Penn State University’s Research, We have now Partnered with ForestPlanet!

ForestPlanet Plants Trees, Lots of Trees, leveraging the unique benefits of trees for positive social & environment impact. 

 

As Countries needing reforestation, Beecome TreeRich, All Inhabitants will Blossom into
"Finding That Balance"

Have a Look: www.forestplanet.org

When you check out of the Honey Store, When asked 'If You would like to Plant a Tree with that', A reply of Yes, costing You 12 cents, will fund the Planting of Two Trees, for we will bee matching Your Donation! Consider Donating 8 Trees for 96 cents, which, after doing the math,allows 16 more Trees to bee Planted where needed, Offering HOPE! Aside from Large Donations, which will bee forwarded to ForestPlanet Swarmbustin' Honey will match all Donations, Tree for Tree.

To illustrate the transformative power of trees, here are 'beefore & after' pics, taken only Five Years apart, from the Mahabana estuary area of Western Madagascar!

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December 2016 Update

T’is December 2016 as I draft this briefing, normally a season offering a less hectic schedule for the non-migratory beekeeper. Not so this year. Oh, we are still keeping our colonies in permanent bee yards in Southeast PA, yet the workload decreased not. This bee an observation, not a complaint, for this season’s projects are rejuvenating.

Our State Winters Meeting was moved to State College, PA and the program, speakers and Buzz in the air rivaled last years meeting, resuming with offerings motivating change. The theme in 2016 was

"Audacious Ideas for the Future of Beekeeping".

Click Here for 2015 PSBA Winter Program

Click Here for 2016 PSBA Winter Program

Mark Winston counsels “Today’s growing environmental ethic exists because our impact on the globe is finally fouling our own nest,” Commercial Pollinating Beekeepers are the backbone of Agriculture, tirelessly accommodating the needs of crop farmers, as they rent tractor-trailer loads of bees for their monoculture crops. Go back in history as far as you care to unscroll and Beekeepers have always played a vital, revered role in the community. Winston challenges us when he argued for a new paradigm "that recognizes beekeepers as stewards of both managed and wild bees, promoters of healthy environments, managers of economically sustainable apiaries and paragons of collaboration and cooperation. It’s time for some audacious thinking about the future of beekeeping."  Winston dissected all components of Apiary Management and illustrated the impact of the xplosive interest in beekeeping. Beekeeping Clubs boast of membership tallies, oft times with a roster 10 or 20 times more than a mere 20 years ago.

I propose that all keepers of bees, (Hobbyist, Commercial, Queen Rearer, Nuc Producer and participants in the Factory Farm Package Industry), analyze ALL THAT WE DO and WHY! If not satisfied with the analysis, CHANGE!

A Must Read - The State of Honey Bees by Hanna Carroll