Monday, January 29, 2018

To bee, or not to bee?

There's gold in them there hills and I've found it!
Three years ago we agreed to host a hive of honeybees at the garden.  That one hive quickly became two but unfortunately we were relatively unsuccessful that first year. Both hives struggled and they never really performed the way we had hoped and we didn't get any honey.  We really didn't do it to get honey as much as we thought it would be a positive for our little ecosystem that we have here.   Honey is just one of those fringe benefits you get for doing something good and positive for the environment.  Luckily for me, failure at first is usually a good sign (if you can believe that) as it only strengthens my resolve to strive for success.  That first year was a learning experience although we really didn't do anything wrong.  We were assured by our beekeeper friend that sometimes the hives just don't do well and to not get discouraged.  Sometimes there is no explanation as to why a healthy hive doesn't do well.  It just happens from time to time.  He was very confident we would be successful the next year and of course I was willing to keep trying.




 The following year we hosted only one hive and it was a strong one from the get go.  The colony was very vibrant, one of the best of the year of the many our beekeeper had.  We really had high hopes that we would be able to overwinter the hive since it was so strong.  We did get a harvest of honey from that hive but they didn't survive the winter.  It was disappointing but by then we were hooked on the idea and knew we would have bees again.  We did and it was good.  Our most recent hive produced two harvests of honey (spring and fall) although the spring harvest was mostly produced by the previous years tenants.  We hope to get this hive overwintered.  We fed them going into winter and we hope it was enough.  Time will tell.  It would be a thrill to get this hive to the other side.  It's kind of like coming full circle.  Husbandry, if you will.  It would then become "our" hive and we would have a real sense of ownership in it.  They would be our bees.




We are gardeners here, first and foremost, and the incentive to have a colony of bees had very little to do with honey.  It had to do with pollinators.  Even though the majority of the crops we grow don't require insect pollination we really felt it would help with those that do.  It is something that is hard to quantify but we feel it did increase some yields.  Of course there is a lot more than vegetables in the garden for bees to forage on.  They do have their preferences and when they find something they like they can get pretty thick.  Often, you don't realize how many there are until you begin looking closely and the more you look, the more you see.  It makes the garden more alive somehow.




We have always had a good supply of bumblebees and mason bees but a honey bee was always a rarity (although not unheard of).  Now, we can't imagine not having them around.  They've become fixtures.
It has been a great learning experience as well.  It's been three years and I'm learning something new about bees all the time.  They are fascinating creatures and I have the utmost respect for them.  Of course I admire their work ethic but also their social structure, sense of community, and their tireless drive for survival.  Examining them up close reveals a focused and highly specialized being.  They quietly and diligently go about their business and unless threatened, are rather docile.  Everything they do is for the greater good.  It's inspiring.
 



These frames, from this past summer, are nicely capped and full of ripe honey ready for harvest or if left in the hive, a source of winter food.  This is what it's all about if you're a bee, or for that matter, a beekeeper also.  Foraging for nectar is the name of the game.  Pollination is merely a by-product.  It is a by-product that we gardeners covet so having a slave labor camp of 30K on site is a real benefit.  There is also one other benefit.....




The hive still contains some live bees at last check a few days ago and since we've had a pretty cold winter so far, we're optimistic they will make it all the way.  We are keeping our fingers crossed.

This may sound odd but as intrigued as I am with the whole process, I have no real desire to take up beekeeping myself.  It does take some time and effort and I simply can't take on anymore.  That could always change in the future if my hand was forced.  The place just wouldn't be the same without them around now.  So even if this hive doesn't survive the winter the answer to the question of "to bee?" is a resounding YES.  Yes, we will have bees.  Yes, we will be the beneficiaries of it.  And when we need honey in the kitchen, we will have it.



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