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So Much to Do! How Do the Bees Do It?

As I am trying to recover from a crazy month of Holiday madness I find myself facing the feeling I am oftentimes overwhelmed. Divorce, moving things in and out of the home, work, animals, financial obligations, yada yada yada; all seem like so much yet the Honeybee can successfully accomplish all these same scenarios in her own little  world without blinking and eye. I'm fascinated at their ability to be so structured and focused. It seems to be a feat that eludes us as humans so I reflect, observe, and try to resonate with the Honeybee hoping to gain some insight and wisdom on this journey of life. What do they do differently? They implement structure and democracy. Structure is oftentimes my nemesis. I know it is a foreign concept to many of us but without it we fail. The honeybee proves that over and over again. We do well in our work environment where structure is implemented then we go home to our chaos. We eat wrong, fail to exercise or properly or  rest and we wonder w
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Fall Lessons Overwinter Hive Preparation

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EP-007 Honey Bee My Teacher Podcast Hosted by Patti Haines Produced by Jay Fratt Flexibility is the key as a beekeeper.  It's not your plan ultimately, it's your colony's plan.  A quick Fall season threw Patti's plans out the window, but quick reactions, a positive attitude, and confidence allowed a safe response.  Patti goes through her overwinter hive management plan, and learned words on the flexibility required to manage and nurture bees. Enjoy the great information and Patti's charming personality.  Stick around for a question and answer session at the end of the pod:  Time Management.  Bee Advocacy. What's the buzz about? Join our little hive Community: Facebook Page YouTube Sponsors: SmokinJs.com  - Use Code HONEY for 15% off at checkout. StonerHoroscope.com Listen : Listen here or find us on any major podcast app Watch : Intro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "
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Winter Planning for a Healthy Bee Population in Spring

This is the beginning of my second year of Beekeeping.  I am preparing to overwinter my bees this year, and have been forced to start early due to an unexpected cold snap. Bummer! I feel a little shorted here. I was planning for a nice Fall season with temperatures going down in a nice sweater weather and bonfire kind of fashion. I don't know why I anticipated such a normal and predictable season, because Gaia, Mother Nature herself, dealt a different deck of cards. Just like the unpredictability of the Honeybee, so is the weather. No nice Fall season this year. Not even a teaser. We had a few days of Fall and BOOM! Twenty seven degree mornings already.  I'm not complaining, I was caught a little off guard, which interrupted my beekeeping schedule a little. I wanted more time with them before they hunkered down for Winter's chill. I will be overwintering early, and waiting impatiently.  Patience is a trait I am working on.  My Queen along with her new maidens are great
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Preparing for Winter and Planning

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Watch : Listen : Listen here or find us on any major podcast app EP-006 Honey Bee My Teacher Podcast Hosted by Patti Haines Produced by Jay Fratt Patti is back in studio to share her passion and adventures in beekeeping.  From Varroa mites to cautionary tales of drift, Patti shares her do's and don'ts regarding the Fall season peparing her beehives for the coming winter. Enjoy the great information and Patti's charming personality.  Stick around for a question and answer session at the end of the pod. What's the buzz about? Join our little hive Community: Facebook Page YouTube Sponsors: SmokinJs.com StonerHoroscope.com Intro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"
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Beekeeping Next Steps, Preparedness

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Beekeeping in an honest light is the realization that you never have the same situation with every hive.  If you try a cookie cutter approach to beekeeping, you will certainly will be schooled by your honeybees. One thing I have learned is nothing is constant other than the fact that the hive is unpredictable. Anything else is an educated guess.  Attention, quality management, and care is always required to keep your colony or colonies successful.  In the Pacific northwest, we are in a dearth.  Depending on where we live, we still have a few plants blooming; but sugar syrup has become a supplement to our honeybees, so we aren't harvesting honey. We are helping the bees build up their honey stores to overwinter.  I have treated for Varroa mites this year and no bears! I call that a win so I am focusing on the next stage of bee care, and will be planning now for next Spring. It's the only way to really be prepared for a more successful year.  July is when I treate
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DIY Series Part 3 - Maintain and Grow

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WATCH: LISTEN: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element DIY Series - Episode #3 Patti is back in the Smokin Js podcast studio to continue her DIY series on beekeeping. Now you have the hive, what now? There is so much more. Patti gives clear tips and tricks and dos and don't to help the young beekeeping apprentice become a thriving beekeeping steward. This episode covers safety, sturdy and smart hive locating, responsible inspection, healthy bee nurturing, and continued educational networking. The episode ends with great follow-up questions from producer Jay. Press subscribe and let's get started learning, teaching, and buzzing together. Email feedback to beemyhoney.honeybees@gmail.com Join the Community: Facebook Page YouTube Show Produced by Jay Fratt Sponsors: SmokinJs.com StonerHoroscope.com Intro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons
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Hive Management Basics

You've prepared and waited to get your Bee Hive going. You've painted and prepped your hive boxes on the outside. Your suit is hanging and ready to wear.  You have your tools in your bucket waiting to work that beautiful first hive. Your Bees have arrived ...... Now what? You may have ordered a package of Bees, or purchased a Nucleus (Nuc).  Your standing in front of your new hive ready to get started. You have already installed a sugar syrup feeder to get them started until they find their nectar flow while foraging. It's time. If you ordered a package you are going to open the hive, lift the inner cover and shake the bees inside. If you have a Nuc you will be replacing five of your frames with the frames from the Nuc. You basically have installed a fully functioning mini hive ready to grow into a larger space.  ALWAYS wear protective gear. You will get stung, guaranteed so minimize the amount of stings by wearing your suit. Once your Bees are placed in the hive and
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Children to Mentor All Generations Sustain Bees

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Watch : Listen : If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element EP-005 Honey Bee My Teacher Podcast Hosted by Patti Haines Produced by Jay Fratt On this special episode Patti ventures out of the studio to create a wonderful set of interviews. What do our children know and think about bees.  This very special episode of the Honey Bee My Teacher podcast brings our future bee stewards to the microphone.  Two children ages 10 and 5 are interviewed about their thoughts on bees. Finally at the heart of beekeeping and Patti's progression is a sit down interview with her mentor Kevin Mills.  He owns  High 5 Bees .  The interview takes place at his other business Mills Diner in Rochester Washington. What's the buzz about? Join our little hive Community: Facebook Page YouTube Sponsors: SmokinJs.com StonerHoroscope.com Intro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons &q
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Youth Lessons About Bees

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Hi there! When I talk about my Honeybees, I feel so happy.  I buzz around like my Bees do. I don't know about you, but I use to be scared of Bees. I thought they flew around and stung people. So I was really afraid. Now I own my very own Honeybee hives and I am not afraid anymore! Nobody told me about all the good things we have thanks to Bees.  Because of not knowing the truth about our Bees, I imagined them to be very different than what they really are. They are our very important friends, and we need them. We want to talk about them to everybody we know, but we want to say the right things. Just because you're a kid doesn't mean you can't help others know how much we need the bees.  Don't be afraid to tell people how much we need them. Be a little giant and save your Bee friends. We are going to be talking to you on the next podcast and we want to make sure you can see what we are talking about. You don't have to know everything, but when you kno
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Pollinators and Our Kids a Sustainable Future

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Watch: Listen: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element EP-004 Honey Bee My Teacher Podcast Hosted by Patti Haines Produced by Jay Fratt Kids, family, and pollinators.  This episode of the Honey Bee My Teacher podcast dives into how great bees are as a learning tool for young children.  So many lessons can come from active teaching of the role our pollinators play in the food chain ecosystem.  It's not just about beekeeping!  From habitats to education, there are so many ways to participate and promote a healthy Gaia. Host Patti Haines brings along show producer Jay Fratt on this wonderful discussion about legacy and education.  Any parent or grandparent will find wonderfully incentivizing lessons from this podcast.  Active teaching is important to promote sustainability and knowledge for future generations.  While you teach about our pollinators you may be spurring so many sustainable avenues of growth for the young p
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