Beekeeping Today Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Beekeeping and ABJ with Editor Eugene Makovec (S4, E10) Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Eugene Makovec has been Editor of the American Bee Journal for only a short time and isn't well known in the Beekeeping world. He is working to change that.

He grew up helping his father keep the family's bees, so has a good background in the craft. He spent time building his career for a few years after graduating with a journalism degree, but when he came back to bees when his father was around to help him get started.

When that happened, he began working with some local associations, drifting to the communication side and working on newsletters. As newsletter editor, he attended many local and regional meetings and he got to meet a lot of the industry leaders. Eugene was awarded beekeeper of the year and stayed active in the group. He pushed the state of Missouri to change the laws regarding home production and bottling of honey, for which the Association awarded him with a second Beekeeper of the Year.

Dadant hired Eugene as editor of ABJ after long time editor Joe Graham retired and after transitional editor, Kirsten Traynor.

He likes working with writers and has good advice for someone wanting to write for the magazine. He is gradually moving the magazine in new directions while maintaining much of what the magazine if known for: Common sense, practical information for all levels of beekeepers.

You can reach him at editor@americanbeejournal.com with questions or comments. And you can view past issues of the magazine at www.americanbeejournal.com.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

American Bee Journal: https://americanbeejournal.com
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We welcome Betterbee as sponsor of today's episode. BetterBee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

Thanks to Strong Microbials for their support of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Find out more about heir line of probiotics in our Season 3, Episode 12 episode and from their website: https://www.strongmicrobials.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode!

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

HiveAlive is the #1 feed supplement for honeybees worldwide. HiveAlive has been proven to give more bees, more honey, improved overwinter survival and improved intestinal wellbeing. It contains a unique blend of seaweed extracts, thyme and lemongrass. Whilst it is unusual for bees to be fed seaweed, the practice of adding seaweed to other animal feed is long established. Seaweeds are fed to animals for multiple benefits such as productivity, general health, gut health, immune function and nutrition. As well as providing multiple benefits for the bees, HiveAlive is super easy to use and also prevents syrup from fermenting. Simply add just 2 tsp of our concentrated formula per gallon of syrup. Due to demand from beekeepers, we have also created HiveAlive Fondant Patty. This gives all the benefits of HiveAlive in a ready to feed sugar fondant with added vitamins & amino acids. The patties are individually sealed meaning they won't dry out and are thin to allow easy placement close to the cluster. These patties are ideal for feeding colonies over winter and for emergency feeding of colonies. Ask for HiveAlive and our new HiveAlive Fondant Patty at your local beekeeping store or find it online at https://usa.hivealivebees.com/. Listeners of the podcast can claim a special discount online using the code "BTP" at the checkout.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

HiveTracks' Beekeeper's Companion with James Wilkes (S4, E9) Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, we welcome back friend of the podcast, James Wilkes, beekeeper, professor and Founder of HiveTracks. HiveTracks continues to evolve and grow from the 'simple' 2008 technology platform focused on recordkeeping for the beekeeper to an entire ecosystem of management decision making tools. In past episodes staring with Episode 007 we talked with James about the 'computerized hive' and then in Season 3, with James and Joseph Cazier, about the development of 'Bee-XML' as a means to standardize data recording and sharing within the industry.

The HiveTracks team also continues to evolve and grow with James taking on the role of CTO allowing the new CEO to focus on the day-to-day running of the business, and James can put all his energies to the technology behind HiveTracks and providing strategic direction.

HiveTracks is now about to roll out the next generation of the product under the name of "The Beekeeper's Companion". It's more than a recordkeeping app on your cellphone. It now incorporates a full featured, data driven decision making tool pulling in information from not only your bees, but from multiple data sources including weather, the local/regional beekeeper community, land use/area floral sources and blooming periods and a beekeeping calendar! All of this is to provide the beekeeper the best information for making health decisions for your bees, your colonies.

Join us as we learn more about the future of data driven beekeeping using HiveTracks!

If you like what you've listen to in this and any other episode, make sure to share this podcast with your beekeeping friends! Also, don't forget to subscribe and even leave a 5-star review!!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

HiveTracks - https://www.hivetracks.com
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow to Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Bee City USA with Xerces' Molly Martin & City of Olympia's Amy Stull (S4, E8) Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we talk first with Molly Martin, the coordinator of Bee City USA, and Bee Campus USA, both supported by the Xerces Society.

The Xerces Society is as Pro Pollinator as any group can get, there's no doubt about that. Of course, our honey bees are probably the best-known pollinators, but there are thousands more out there – other bees of course, but butterflies, birds, bats, beetles, and a host of other creatures.

It all began some years ago when Phyllis Stiles developed a program that cities, and then campuses could adopt that would enhance the environment of that city or campus to the advantage of all the pollinators that lived within its borders. The city or campus would work to develop additional habitat, reduce habitat loss, add to or develop an IPM program to reduce pesticide use, ensure that new plantings would be local, native and beneficial to pollinators, and work to make residents more aware of, support and nurture the value and the benefits of working with pollinators instead of against them.

Phyllis worked on growing this program, and after several years began working with the Xerces Society to help grow it even more.

Today, there are 266 total associates in this program, in 44 states, and the growth has not slowed one bit. Bee Associates, cities or campuses, must from a committee that includes officials and volunteers to make certain the goals of this organization are carried out, new directions are followed and existing programs that do not enhance pollinators are removed or modified. Xerces provides ample educational web sites, webinars, videos, signage, and additional support to the community so that the efforts of the city or campus not only continues to grow, but also continues to improve.

Then, Jeff makes an unplanned visit to talk with the City of Olympia's project leader for their recent Bee City Certification, Amy Stulls. Amy shares the City's inspiration, plan, program and future of their Bee City designation. Amy is definitely someone to listen to if you are planning a Bee City certification for your town.

Listen in as Molly and then Amy share what you will need to do to become a Bee City USA, or Bee Campus USA and help grow an organization the supports honey bees and beekeeping certainly, and all pollinators.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Bee City USA / Bee Campus USA: https://beecityusa.org
Xerces Society: https://www.xerces.org
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow to Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Nectar Technologies - Max Cherney & Dr. Rae Olsson (S4, E7) Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

Max Cherney is Director of Operations at Nectar Technologies and Dr. Rae Olson is a postdoctoral researcher at Washington State University. Together they work with Precision Beekeeping in Quebec, Canada developing a data driven app for commercial beekeepers to use to seasonally track not only individual colonies but entire beeyards, with each colony having an individual identity within that beeyard. Using GPS technology to identify a location, a beeyard, or a colony, can be tracked for an entire season. This can tell a beekeeper location differences as far as a host of variables is concerned, plus a long list of the results of management differences.

For instance, at the beginning of the season, colony and beeyard analyses can be made to determine the status of the yard and each hive. Then when some of the colonies, each with an QR ID code are moved, the early information in the cloud can tell what differences exist later in the season without having to take notes, enter them on a spreadsheet and hope you can remember what you did when and to which colony.

Data can be collected automatically when a yard is treated for varroa, fed, requeened with new stock, or other management issues. All you need is a cell phone with the app and you are set to collect. If you don't have a cell signal, the data is automatically loaded right to the phone and automatically downloads when a signal is found. The data is stored and can be analyzed later, adding information collected earlier in the season. This can show the beekeeper the long-term impact of different treatments, feeding schedules, kinds of feed, queen suppliers, local forage, local weather and more.

Still in the development stages, Nectar is working with commercial beekeepers in several locations and using different management schemes to determine what data beekeepers will want and need, then what data the analysis team will need to collect to analyze the data collected. Right now, Nectar is working with beekeepers on a dozen or so data points, but the researchers behind the scenes are pointing to over 70 different data points needed to better analyze what is going on.

Data analysis is based on a three-prong approach – providing an easy-to-use dashboard for data entry by beekeepers, determining exactly what information beekeepers want and need, and working with researchers to get the most out of treatments and location data.

The future of beekeeping is here. Listen today!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Nectar Technologies - https://www.nectar.buzz
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow to Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Ross Rounds & More with Ben & Kimberly Carpenter (S4, E6) Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we talk with Ben and Kimberly Carpenter of Hungry Bear Farms, current owners of Ross Rounds Honey Supers and Sundance Pollen Traps.

Ross Rounds Honey Supers were created by Tom Ross several years ago, then the business was purchased by Lloyd Spears, who then developed the Sundance Pollen trap to increase his business. In 2017 he sold his business to Ben and Kimberly Carpenter, who run Hungry Bee Farms in New England as commercial honey producers, a bee supply business and now these very unique pieces of beekeeping equipment.

Ben and Kim do an excellent job in describing what a Ross Round Super is, and better, how to assemble, manage, harvest, and market Ross Rounds Comb Honey. Comb honey doesn't have the built-in marketing advantage that a one-pound jar of local honey does, so initially marketing can be a challenge. Kim has developed several ways of introducing new customers to comb honey that you will want to take advantage of. Samples at farm markets, meat and cheese plates, and more will get folks introduced to these. And, she has several ways to use unfilled combs that will make you money.

Ben discusses colony management to produce Ross Rounds, what time of year, honey flows, population requirements and more to make a good product. Not difficult, but you'll need to know the timing of honey flows in your area so you have the right population at the right time.

Lloyd Spear developed the Sundance Pollen Trap and Ben and Kimberly have perfected the techniques for collecting and marketing the pollen you collect with these. Days on, days off, and more are important, but not critical because these traps are designed to not collect 100% of the pollen that comes back to the hive.

Kimberly does a lot of collection and will check them at least once, often twice a day, to make sure the pollen collected stays fresh. Once collected, it is usually very clean, but is inspected, then frozen in open containers until sold. This dehydrates the pollen so it will not mold. Once you have a ready supply, marketing is easy to folks who claim it helps local allergies, athletes who look for the protein, and queen producers who use it raising queens.

Both of these devices can easily pay for themselves the first year you have them, so they are worth looking at as an added dimension to your business.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Ross Rounds - https://rossrounds.com
Hungry Bear Farms - http://www.hungrybearfarms.com
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Follow to Beekeeping Today Podcast today!

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Dr. Gene Kritsky on Honey Bees and Cicadas (S4, E5) Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we talk with Dr. Gene Kritsky, who has authored or edited 10 books and over 250 papers on subjects as diverse as entomology, Egyptology, evolution, history of science, dinosaur biology, insect poetry and insect mythology. The Tears of Re: Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt is one of his Egyptology stories in a book, and Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition was released this spring, just before Brood X began singing their mating songs (at up to 90 decibels at their peak) in the Eastern US this spring.

He is the Dean, and a Professor in the department of Behavioral and Natural Sciences in Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In this incredible interview, he weaves all of these things together and ties them all into his love of bees and beekeeping.

We start with a discussion of the Brood X cicadas this spring, and his new book about them, but wander in and through the history of developing the timing of all of the Broods of cicadas that exist, how are they related, and do they harm bees in anyway.

Long ago he read Eva Crane's book on the history of hives, and that started his exploration of, and a book about, In Search of the Perfect Hive. As a Fulbright Scholar, he traveled to Egypt to teach entomology, and there he really got involved in their beekeeping styles, government's role and organization. He relates stories on Egypt's history of bees and beekeeping, hive styles, and yes, there has been honey found in Pyramids that is thousands of years old that is still edible. His definition of "beekeeping" is the intentional prevision of an artificial container in which bees can produce.

Have you ever thought you would use the words "Insects" and "Mythology" in the same sentence? Gene does. He knows museums and can direct you to the sections that cover all of these subjects.

Dr. Gene Kritsky is one of the most interesting stories we've told. Come along for the ride.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Gene Kritsky Website - http://genekritsky.com/
Cicada Safari - Cicadasafari.org
Gene's Wife's Bee Inspired Jewelry - Silverspotstudio.com
At The Hive Entrance, H. Storch - https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/products/storch-at-the-hive-entrance/
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Honey Bee Health Coalition: Part 2 - Pests and Predators (S4, E4) Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

We continue this week exploring the work of the Honey Bee Health Coalition we started on the March 29th, Season 3, Episode 44, with Matt Mulica. The HBHC has several goals, tasks and programs it is pursuing and the one we are exploring today, with Dr. Dewey Caron, Representing the Western Apiculture Society and Mary Reed, Texas Apiary Inspector and Secretary to the HBHC organization. Together they represent the Pests and Predators arm of the Hive Management group.

Of course, Varroa, and the viruses they transmit, are at the top of the list, and Dewey and Mary have several suggestions to help beekeepers handle this pest. First, certainly, is sampling for mites often enough, and then acting on the results of the sample just taken.

Another aspect of the HBHC actions is a concerted effort, working with the USDA's Animal, Plant, Health Inspection Service, APHIS, looking for pests that are not yet in the US, and to make sure they find them before they become established. They are drawing up the fundamentals for this right now so they know what to look for, and what to do when and if they do find any of these invasive pests, before it's too late.

Perhaps what's really an eye opener for beekeepers, is what climate change is doing, and going to do to bees and beekeeping and the plants both need to stay in business. They are looking at honey bee nutrition and climate change, and what will extreme weather events do to how, and where bees can be kept. They are also looking into what changes can we expect in the environment because of all this.

Dr. Dewey Caron, and Mary Reed and the Honey Bee Health Coalition. Don't miss this one.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

The Honey Bee Health Coalition - https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

2020-2021 Annual Colony Loss Report with Bee Informed Partnership (S4, E3) Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Geoffrey Williams and Dr. Nathalie Steinhauer join us in this episode to discuss the just released survey of colony losses between April 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021 conducted by the Bee Informed Partnership, BIP. The numbers are not getting better after 15 years. In fact, beekeepers across the United States lost 45.5% of their managed honey bee colonies last year.

The survey asks beekeeping operations of all sizes to track the survival or turnover rates of their honey bee colonies. This year, 3,347 beekeepers managing 192,384 colonies across the country responded to the survey, representing about 7% of the nation's estimated 2.71 million managed colonies. This effort helps to keep a finger on the pulse of what is going on with beekeepers to identify why high losses are persisting.

These losses mark the second highest loss rate the survey has recorded since it began in 2006 (6.1 percentage points higher than the average annual loss rate of 39.4%). The survey results highlight the continuing high rates of honey bee colony turnover. The high loss rate was driven by both elevated summer and winter losses this year, with no clear progression toward improvement for beekeepers and their colonies. BIP hopes to use the survey results to better understand how colony losses are experienced by beekeepers, and what can be done to reduce losses in future seasons.

This past year, winter losses were reported at 32.2%, which is 9.6 percentage points higher than last year and 3.9 points higher than the survey average. Summer losses were some of the highest ever reported again this year at 31.1%, which is 0.9 percentage points lower than last year, but 8.6 points higher than the survey average.

Join us as we discuss the preliminary findings of this latest BIP survey!

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Bee Informed Partnership - https://beeinformed.org
2020-2021 Prelim Survey Online Results - https://beeinformed.org/2021/06/21/united-states-honey-bee-colony-losses-2020-2021-preliminary-results/
2020-2021 Prelim Survey Paper - https://beeinformed.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/BIP_2020_21_Losses_Abstract_2021.06.14_FINAL_R1.pdf
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

"Work I Knew I Must" - with Tammy Horn Potter (S4, E2) Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

Returning to join us in this episode is Tammy Horn Potter. (She originally visited us back in Season 2!) Not only is Tammy the State Apiary Inspector for Kentucky, but she is also an accomplished author. She has just finished her fourth book entitled, "Work I Knew I Must. Reminiscence of Forty-One Years of Factory Life."

Jane Cole worked for the A. I. Root Company for 41 years, starting when A.I. Root was making jewelry in his factory on the Town Square, in Medina, Ohio. She worked through the construction of the new factory built on the Country Fair Grounds on the edge of town to manufacture beekeeping equipment, and the many, many factory expansions they made after that. During those 41 years she did almost every job that could be done in a factory that sawed wood, made smokers, extractors, bottled honey, printed a magazine and books, and took orders and filled orders and delivered orders to customers, the railroad and the post office.

She wrote about building the new factory, child labor, factory dangers (and there were many), factory politics, noon prayers, the hundreds of people she worked with over the years, the company sponsored picnics, the men, women and children she was in charge of, and the people she worked with, and for.

When A. I. Root retired, he, too, wrote an autobiography, about running the factory that Jane Cole worked in.

What Tammy has done is take Jane Cole's work and stand it side by side with A. I. Root's work to give you a very unique look at factory life, from the perspective of an employee, and her employer. Many of the events Jane found worthy of writing about were also mentioned by Root in his work. Because neither was aware of the other's work, the telling of these events is about as straight forward from each as you can imagine.

The story Tammy as sewn together tells much about early beekeeping history and equipment, the evolution of factory equipment and science, about working as a single woman in what is mostly a man's world, and about life in a small town in northeast Ohio at the turn of the century.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

"Work I Knew I Must" - https://store.beeculture.com/books/
Bee-ing Diverse - Bee Culture October Event: https://store.beeculture.com/beeing-diverse-inspiring-leaders-in-beekeeping-october-2021/

Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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Calling all craft food and drink makers! Entry period for the 12th annual Good Food Awards is open now thru June 30th, and we're accepting entries from 18 different categories of food and drink, including honey. Entries are $78 a piece to help cover logistics, and entrants can add on the option to receive judge feedback from the Blind Tasting in August for $15. Head over to goodfoodfdn.org for all the details and use code BEEKEEPING at checkout for $10 off. We look forward to seeing your entries soon!

Click here for Submission Information
Click here for Rules & Regulations
Click here for Honey Category details

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

Pollinator Week with Kelly Rourke & Miles Dakin of Pollinator Partnership (S4, E1) Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

What better way to start Pollinator Week than to get the latest info on everything Pollinator from Kelly Rourke, Executive Director of Pollinator Partnership, and Miles Dakin, the Coordinator of Pollinator Partnership's Bee Friendly Farming program.

This week's program also marks the beginning or Beekeeping Today Podcast's FOURTH year! Our first program way back then was with members of the Pollinator Partnership organization and we're at it again with them. It's been a good relationship each year.

Kelly shares a lot of what this group is doing during the 15th year of Pollinator Week. She discusses the new poster, this year's t-shirt, how to get your Governor to produce a Proclamation Supporting Pollinator Week in your state, and this year's virtual congressional briefings from the group on the state of protecting pollinators, plus the announcements sent to the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of EPA. They are also sponsoring a cookbook, an announcement page on their web page that viewers can post their local events on and several FB Live Events this week.

Miles discusses his role with the Bee Friendly Farming program, including what it takes to get certified as a BFF, how many BFF farms there are, and being a BFF Supporter that beekeepers can take advantage of. All of this for supporting native and honey bees, but all are also very good marketing tools for growers and sellers. The Poster this year is focused on BFF, with native plants, bees, flies, beetles and the habitat they need, including continuous blooms, pesticide responsibility and clean water.

Solar arrays are becoming pollinator friendly too, and supporting pollinator friendly planting under them is good for everybody, and a lot better to look at.

Learn more and better ways to help support pollinators with the Pollinator Partnership Group

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

The Pollinator Partnership - https://www.pollinator.org
Bee Better Farming - https://www.pollinator.org/bff
P2 2021 Pollinator Poster - https://www.pollinator.org/shop/posters
Honey Bee Obscura Podcast - https://www.honeybeeobscura.com

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Click here for Submission Information
Click here for Rules & Regulations
Click here for Honey Category details

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"; Musicalman, "Epilogue". Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

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