We have been quite busy lately with many different projects. But the project I am most excited about is that of recently having established our own apiary yard. I have always been intrigued by the amazing honey bee, but because we lived in suburbia, I never considered beekeeping a possibility. That all changed once we moved out here.
Not too long ago our awesome neighbor offered to give my daughter and I a live tutorial on beekeeping. How often does an opportunity like that present itself? The morning of our date with Ali and her bees my daughter and I were SO excited. 
We both suited up and were able to get up close and personal with the sweetest insect known to man. We were able to see how honey bees function and what their unified mission is - to work themselves to death (literally) in caring for their queen bee. There was no fear (especially on my daughter's part), only awe and marvel at how gentle these productive and organized little creatures are. It was fascinating to learn that every action taken by the honey bee is with the sole purpose of ensuring the survival of its colony. There is no ME or I... only WE and US. I think humans can learn a lot from the honey bee. We are grateful to Ali (and to her bees) for her generosity in facilitating that magical experience. And now that we have our own bee colonies, we are actively expanding on our knowledge of organic and natural ways to care for them, without the use of toxic pesticides and chemicals. We are 'newbeeks' as they say; with so much to learn. But every seasoned beekeeper I have spoken to has expressed that whether you've been keeping bees for 1 year or 20 years, you never stop learning. These marvelous little creatures are always teaching us something new - about them, about ourselves or about our place in the circle of life. It is all very humbling indeed.
We both suited up and were able to get up close and personal with the sweetest insect known to man. We were able to see how honey bees function and what their unified mission is - to work themselves to death (literally) in caring for their queen bee. There was no fear (especially on my daughter's part), only awe and marvel at how gentle these productive and organized little creatures are. It was fascinating to learn that every action taken by the honey bee is with the sole purpose of ensuring the survival of its colony. There is no ME or I... only WE and US. I think humans can learn a lot from the honey bee. We are grateful to Ali (and to her bees) for her generosity in facilitating that magical experience. And now that we have our own bee colonies, we are actively expanding on our knowledge of organic and natural ways to care for them, without the use of toxic pesticides and chemicals. We are 'newbeeks' as they say; with so much to learn. But every seasoned beekeeper I have spoken to has expressed that whether you've been keeping bees for 1 year or 20 years, you never stop learning. These marvelous little creatures are always teaching us something new - about them, about ourselves or about our place in the circle of life. It is all very humbling indeed.
I am tempted to use this opportunity to share with you important facts about the honey bees as well as the critical role they play in our food supply. But alas, this is not that kind of post, so you will be spared... for now. I will just share with you some photos of our bees, which have settled in beautifully and are thriving on our homestead.
As a family we have a new found love and respect for the honey bee and we are pretty certain that our relationship will be a long lasting one. We are excited to experience the benefits and value that having them around will bring to our lives.
We are honored to be their stewards. And maybe... just maybe, if we take good care of them, every now and then they will graciously reward us with a bit of their glorious honey. Now wouldn't that be sweet?!
Thank you for reading and many blessings to you and yours in all of your endeavors.
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