It was an early-morning-old-married-couple sort of discussion that went like this:
Me: What’s on the docket for today?
Him: I’m going to the library. [Long Pause. Translation: There’s more to the story…]
Me: What’s going on at the library?
Him: There’s a lecture on beekeeping. [Another Long Pause. Translation: I think I want to add bees to our farming menagerie.]
Me: Would it be alright for me to go along? [My turn to Pause. Translation: I don’t think I’m in favor of that project. Not unless the neglected vegetable garden gets rejuvenated and the missing fences get replaced and…]
Him: Sure. It’s from 11 to 1. Should we eat lunch first or after?
The lecture was sponsored by the Willapa River Beekeeping Club and among the presenters was our former Nahcotta neighbor Larry Holland (who now goes by the name of “Dutch” – go figure.) In a way, it was Larry who got us into chickens… I told myself to keep an open mind.
The time went quickly. Honey bees are interesting insects and I enjoyed this ‘review’ of life in a healthy beehive. It took me back to my teaching days and a junior high colleague’s classroom in Hayward with the huge glass-sided hive built into his classroom wall. I took my second graders over there for a field trip once… but I digress.
We were told about the types of honeybees, especially those that do well in our humid conditions and we learned a bit about why honeybees are under threat. The practical aspects of beekeeping were also covered – what equipment is necessary (not much), the costs (not overwhelming), safety concerns, recommended reading, and a timeline for getting started this year. As in order your bees by March 1st.
By the Question-and-Answer time, I was feeling pretty positive about putting a hive or two out near our chickens. And then the bear question came up. “Yes,” Larry said, “You’ll definitely have bear problems over here on the Peninsula” (as opposed to Willapa Valley where he is now.)
We talked about that for a while. “The only way you could keep hives of honeybees successfully here,” he said, “would be to enclose them completely – all six sides – in cyclone fencing.”
For Nyel that was a deal breaker. Raccoons after our girls are one thing; bears after honey, quite another. We talked about our (yes, our) disappointment on the drive home and detoured for a cheering cup of coffee at Adelaide’s.
Thanks for taking me for the ride to the library, Sydney. I was getting excited there since raising bees sounds easier than chickens and it so important for the health of the planet. Too many are dying and if we don’t have them we aren’t going to have food. Unfortunately, we have enough trouble with bears and our garbage much less honey. I guess having some nice flowers to encourage the bees will have to be our contribution to the ecosystem.
Great read! In my imagination I could see the hives and Nyel in the required white suit and hat. Darn bears have spoiled what could have been some great stories.
Bees are definitely fascinating! Has Nyel thought about Mason bees? We have a friend in Gig Harbor who uses them to pollinate his fruit trees. They are solitary bees who utilize a small nest and do not produce honey. Like the honey bee they only sting when threatened or stepped on. Might be a pretty low-maintenance addition to Nyel’s menagerie!
Cheryl
I remain perpetually amazed at the busy life you live thin the “sleep” little outback. Very clear nature is teeming to keep you occupied.
Loved the unspoken conversation up front………how do we ever manage to understand each other?