EP-007 Honey Bee My Teacher PodcastHosted by Patti HainesProduced by Jay FrattFlexibility 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 PageYouTubeSponsors: SmokinJs.com - Use Code HONEY for 15% off at checkout.StonerHoroscope.comListen: Listen here or find us on any major podcast app Watch:Intro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

Honey Bee My Teacher

Fall Lessons Overwinter Hive Preparation

Watch: Listen: Listen here or find us on any major podcast app EP-006 Honey Bee My Teacher PodcastHosted by Patti HainesProduced by Jay FrattPatti 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 PageYouTubeSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

Preparing for Winter and Planning

 WATCH:LISTEN: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element DIY Series - Episode #3Patti 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.comJoin the Community: Facebook PageYouTubeShow Produced by Jay FrattSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

DIY Series Part 3 - Maintain and Grow

Watch: Listen: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element EP-005 Honey Bee My Teacher PodcastHosted by Patti HainesProduced by Jay FrattOn 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 PageYouTubeSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

Children to Mentor All Generations Sustain Bees

Watch: Listen: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element EP-004 Honey Bee My Teacher PodcastHosted by Patti HainesProduced by Jay FrattKids, 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 person in your life.Everyone Has Space for Bee ActivitiesSweet Alyssum - Lobularia Maritima - Easy Small FlowerCalendula - Calendula Officinalis - Single Petal, Butterflies Love this FlowerBorage - Borago Officinalis - Easy Medium FlowerFour O Clocks - Mirabilis Jalapa - Large Flower Hyssop - Agastache Rupestris - Lovely foliage with a Sweet SmellCardinal Vine - Ipomoea x Multifida - Easy Starting Climbing PlantKids pollinator fun:https://kidsgrowingstrong.org/pollinator-works/https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/honeybee/#honeybee-pink-flower.jpgWhat's the buzz about?Join our little hive Community: Facebook PageYouTubeSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

Pollinators and Our Kids a Sustainable Future

 If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element DIY Series - Episode #2The MaterialsThe SetupManaging Your HiveMaterials, Setup, and ManagementThank you Jay Fratt and Smokin Js for making this podcast more than just a dream.I'm Patti Haines and I welcome you to Honey Bee My Teacher, a podcast for everyday people wanting to make a positive impact on our planet through stewardship of our great pollinators.In DIY Episode 1 we covered Bees and Hives.Today we want to make sure you have the basic tools to manage your hive without breaking the bank. Again, I don’t want you to be intimidated by beekeeping. It's manageable and very fulfilling so let's get started.Your tools are so important for ease of management. Keep it basic and don't overspend. There are lots of fun tools and gadgets out there; and eventually you may want them, but for now we want to keep it simple.Management includes hive setup, bee placement, sugar syrup, pollen patties if necessary, and frame inspections.  This podcast covers it all.  Good luck in beginning your Do It Yourself adventure in beekeeping.The episode ends with great questions about setting up bee hives and general bee queries.Press subscribe and let's get started learning, teaching, and buzzing together. Email feedback to beemyhoney.honeybees@gmail.comJoin the Community: Facebook PageYouTubeShow Produced by Jay FrattSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

DIY Series Part Two - Materials Setup Management

Watch:Listen: If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element EP-003 Honey Bee My Teacher PodcastHosted by Patti HainesProduced by Jay FrattOur little friends the bees create such a magical community for themselves. The super organism doesn't just happen from magic though. Hard work goes into creating a thriving hive environment. Patti takes a look at how the bees rebuild their community when disaster strikes. She draws parallels to our own human condition in regards to mental health and environmental toxicity.Patti had a tough winter with total loss of her hives. She draws strength from the resiliency of the bee, and is currently starting from scratch. She discusses where she is at in this process, and gives some advice to beginners.Communities are built through hard work and networking. Patti shares her steps to daily relationship building within her hive community.This episode has it all from mental health lessons from the bees to recovering from loss. It's a fun ride. Thank you for joining us. Great Links for Joining the local Olympia Beekeeping Community: Washington Dept of Agriculture ApiaryOlympia Beekeepers AssociationWashington Beekeepers AssociationLink for information nationally: American Beekeeping FederationWhat's the buzz about? Join our little hive Community: Facebook PageYouTubeSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

Mental Health Bees and Community

 If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element DIY Series - Episode #1Why BeekeepingTypes of BeesIntro to HivesHobby vs CommercialWhy Beekeeping?  Keeping bees is an amazing experience; enlightening, humbling, educational, and rewarding. Beekeeping supports community pollination, food supplies, and fosters bee populations outside of the commercial beekeeping industry.Pollination:  Bees can help make your plants healthy as they pollinate, as well as fruit trees in nearby orchards which helps the local economy! Low maintenance. Bees work hard without much effort from you.Honeybee Decline:  Some of the main causes are pesticides both agricultural and home & garden used chemicals.Pests; Varroa mites, Hive BeetlesDiseases, Nosema and American Foulbrood (will discuss in Part three of this series.)Predators: Wasps, Racoons and BearsClimate changes: Rapid climate changes disrupt the timing between bees and blooming. Directly impacts the hives brood and bee rearing cycles.Monoculture: Huge scale single crop plantings deprive the honeybees of the diversity of vegetation key to healthy bee habitats virtually creating food deserts.          Honey:  Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants known as nectar. Honey is used as a natural sweetener, is found in skin and health care products, and medicines. Honey’s flavor profile is determined by the nectar available in a three mile radius.Fun: Mead! Mead is composed of honey, water and yeast. It is a fermented drink growing in popularity at a rapid rate. It’s an ancient drink that is making a great comeback.Community Education, Entomology, Ecosystems, all help us to better  understand our modern food system and the importance of it’s sustainability.Health and Well Being: Coming from Beeswax and propolis, a hive byproduct.Household items: candles, soaps, salves, lotions, shampoos, creams, deodorants, tonics, tinctures, wood polish and beeswax wraps to name a few.Types of Bees:Not all pollinators are honey bees. The honey bee is exceptional because it  also provides food for human consumption. Our focus will be mainly on the honey bee but we must remember we need all of our pollinators to survive.Apis Mellifera is the Western honey bee. Apis is Latin for “Bee” and Mellifera is “honey bearing”. It is the most commonly recognized bee when we think of pollination but we do have other species as well.Mason Bees also known as Blue orchard Bees don’t live in big hives but live in tubular cavities. They do not produce honey but are some of the best pollinators out there and in light of the honey bees’ decline these are a great addition to pollinating your trees and gardens. Seven mason Bees pollinate at the same level as 500 Honey Bees. to you can see how we can utilize this little group as well.Bumble Bees are similar to the Honey Bee when it comes to the structure of the colony. They have a single Queen and colonies are marginally smaller than the Honey Bees.They also feed on nectar but do not produce honey. The Queens invade other Bumblebee nests, kill the resident Queens and lay their eggs.This species is also in decline caused by habitat loss along with the mechanization of agriculture and the use of pesticides.CapenterBee, Leafcutter Bee, Sweat Bees, and so on! I suggest a google search for types of bees. You will be astounded at the diversity in the Bee  families.The Beehive:  Understand various types of beehives are perfectly fine. Each is user preference when it comes to keeping their bees.Beehive: an enclosed man made structure where honeybees live and raise their young.Bees nest: an the location bee colonies chose to house themselves in, walls, roofs, cavities in trees, old sheds, etc. In warmer climates you can find them hanging and exposed.So, the nest is the bees way and the hive is the man made way to house the nest.If you were to look into the inside of the nest you would see densely packed hexagon shaped cells make of wax for food storage, honey, pollen, and most importantly to house their brood which is composed of eggs, larvae and pupae up to the day they emerge from the cell as  a honeybee.Both natural and man made bee hives or nests require bee space. Bees do this naturally, modern hives use frames with bee space integrated into their design.Three most common types: Langstroth, Warre and Tob bar.Diagrams and pictures available in the DIY section online at honeybeemyteacher.comLangstroth: Bottom board with a porch for the bees entrance,  boxes with frames.Inner cover and telescoping cover for protection from weather.  Standard for many of the worlds beekeepers both professional and amateur.  Simple structure and fairly easy to work with.I prefer the 8 frame hive because of weight.  Honey is heavy!  Good beginner hiveWarre hive very similar to the Langstroth.Difference: Bars only, no frames. Bees build themselves.  It takes a little more skill to manage but is becoming more popular among sustainable practice beekeepers.  New empty box is placed on the bottom as opposed to the Langstroth where we place the new box on the top.  Purpose of this replacement is warmth retention within the brood nest of the hive which is considered to be the heartbeat of the hive.Top bar Hive: Horizontal design. Also referred to and the Kenya hive. Uses bars no frames. You have to make sure to create bee space.Pricing ranges:Langstroth: Unassembled $95 to as much as $299Warre:  $140 to $400Top Bar. $45 to $350Hobby vs Commercial Beekeeping:Hobby Beekeepers are in a great position to make a real impact for the Honeybee.The hobbyists can effectively create a matrix of Bee populations giving the Honeybee a fighting chance to survive and regenerate their populations while commercial Beekeepers  focus on pollinating large scale crops for profit.Making the decision to be a hobbyist or work at the commercial level boils down to your motivation and reason to keep the Honeybees.This podcast is focused on the opportunity to work together in community to make healthy changes for our beautiful planet.Press subscribe and let's get started learning, teaching, and buzzing together. Email feedback to beemyhoney.honeybees@gmail.comJoin the Community: Facebook PageYouTubeShow Produced by Jay FrattSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

DIY Series Part One - Finding Your Why

 If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element Patti is back! Stronger than ever from tough life lessons in beekeeping. The Washington weather was rougher than usual this winter, but the bears didn't help either. Patti sits down with Jay to discuss loss and disappointment that visited her hive this winter. Mistakes were made. Lessons were learned. She marches on in her journey with our wonderful pollinators. You can read the blog about this tragedy here. Press subscribe and let's get started learning, teaching, and buzzing together. Email feedback to beemyhoney.honeybees@gmail.comJoin the Community: Facebook PageYouTubeShow Produced by Jay FrattSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"

EP-002 A Long Hard Winter - Dealing With Loss and Rebuilding

What's all the buzz about!  From the Smokin Js podcast studio in Olympia, Washington, Patti Haines is here to educate and participate in the stewardship of our great pollinators, the honeybee. Why Me?  Why You? Time is precious and very little is left with our busyness in life. We are often too tired to act even after we listen, watch or read something inspiring us to make change happen.  So, with all sincerity, I want to share this journey with all of you. Even if they're baby steps I want us to move forward and make an impact by virtually "joining minds" in action to truly offer our entire planet love and care thereby saving ourselves by doing simple things to at least start. The Bees do more than feed my belly. They feed my spirit and soul. I love watching their interaction and role clarity in and out of the hive. We need our pollinators! Our pollinators are the life blood of the food chain accounting for 70% of our crops that feed 90% of the planet one third of the food we eat. This isn't even beginning to address our textiles and if we don't understand them and protect them, we may die without them. Enjoy the show, it is my honor to bring this information to you. Thanks for beginning this journey together. Press subscribe and let's get started learning, teaching, and buzzing together. Email feedback to beemyhoney.honeybees@gmail.comJoin the Community: Facebook PageYouTubeShow Produced by Jay FrattSponsors: SmokinJs.comStonerHoroscope.comIntro and Outro Music Credit: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0" If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 

Ep-001 Why Me Why You

Sustainable stewardship of our environment to preserve our life requires caring for our pollinators. We can successfully share small spaces together if we take care of each other.

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Honey Bee My Teacher

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