Honey Bees

 I began helping my father keep bees  around 1970, but that mostly consisted of running to get various things he might need while he had a hive open. My early career included not making too much noise while running away from the hive swatting bees that got in my hair.  As I ran, I was muttering that I would never willingly choose to be involved in such a hobby.

I began keeping my own bees in 1980. I love beekeeping. It is the most peaceful hobby I have. I love helping others get started in beekeeping. I love showing folks the inner workings of a hive. From 3rd grade homeschoolers to the 2000 NCAA 142 lb wrestling champion, I always keep an extra bee suit on hand for a curious student.

So why am I talking about honey bees on a blog about a Christmas tree farm?  Its true, we're going to sell some honey in our store but it goes beyond that. I've been wondering recently if honey bees are similar to the canary in the mine. If the canary died, the miners knew something in the air was dangerous and they should get out. Have you noticed how few honey bees you see these days? Collapsing Colony Disorder has destroyed thousands and thousands of beehives and nobody could really tell why the bees were dying. Bees are being studied like never before and there seem to be a few smoking guns at the scene of the crime. Virus and bacteria are known culprits but one cause of the weakened condition of bees is prolonged exposure to various pesticides (meant to kill insects). A weak honeybee, just like a human, is vulnerable to bacteria and viruses.

We made a choice many years ago not to use any chemical treatments on our bees and not to use any pesticides on our Christmas trees. Many of our customers appreciate this. All of our bees do.