First published in the April 2000 APIS: http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~mts/apishtm/apis_2000/apapr_2000.htm#4
There has been much hand wringing over the lack of young beekeepers in the United States and elsewhere. The reasons are many; the most prevalent opinion is that young people are not attracted to activities that have little monetary reward. In my discussions with beekeepers, however, I find that money is not always, indeed may not be the main reason, most people keep bees. There are other possibilities including love of nature and the outdoors, fascination with social insects and cooperative systems, and the beauty of the individual insects as exhibited in queen, drone, and worker morphology and behavior. Many beekeepers are creative types and love to develop gadgets to help themselves and others keep bees more efficiently. These reasons bring to mind the book The Joys of Beekeeping by Richard Taylor (New York: St. Martin’s Press), which continues to be widely read and appreciated. In the preface, Dr. Taylor writes: "…I have in mind readers who have never seen a beehive and who have no intention of ever owning one but who might want to know how things are done by devotées of this strange craft. I have also had in mind my fellow victims of this obsession, hoping that I have expressed something of their own joys and supplied them with an idea or two."
Other possible joys for beekeepers might be interest in the rich variety of worldwide honey bee races based on behavior and ecological niche, or the plants that honey bees as vegetarians depend on and that they pollinate in return. And, of course, there’s the use of bee products like honey, beeswax, royal jelly, even venom. The latter is a reason for much recent excitement, given advances in apitherapy and the respect this activity is increasingly being given by the mainstream medical community <http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/digital/1999/column14.htm>.
How then is it possible to encourage more young folks to take up the craft? One way is for each and every beekeeper to communicate their own individual passions and joys when they are involved with these insects. In reality this is not hard to do. My experience is that just taking an observation hive, jars of honey, cakes of beeswax, lumps of propolis or some other honey bee-related material (pictures, video tapes, books, beekeeping equipment (smoker, veil, bee suit, gloves) into a classroom is enough. Not only students but also teachers get excited when this happens. You don’t have to be a wonderful public speaker; but only need to authentically communicate what turns you on about the insects. Generally, the materials or props you bring take care of themselves by providing the basis for questions and answers. Will this activity ensure that young folks take up the craft? Hard to determine in advance, but if youngsters cannot first hand see the excitement of a real live beekeeper describing their experiences, the chances they will become beekeepers are certainly reduced.
So I issue a year 2000 challenge to each and every beekeeper that reads this newsletter to get into action. Call up a local school; no, two schools, and simply ask the question, would some science or other teacher be interested in having a volunteer come in for a half-hour discussion with students about honey bees? Once your experience is complete, send me an account by e-mail or regular mail and/or call me on the phone telling me how it went, what it meant to you and ideas you used to stimulate discussion. I will then make up a page of these responses, which will be linked to the APIS World Wide Web site so that others will see what is being done and are able to capitalize on ideas already generated. This is the first project of this kind I know of, and it will be truly global in scope, as the electronic version of this document goes to over 1,870 persons, with another 1,400 paper editions being issued each month. The results on the APIS web site will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Good luck and may the bees we all love inspire you.
Updated in the May 2000 APIS: http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~mts/apishtm/Apis_2000/apmay_2000.htm#1
The paper edition of the April 2000 APIS is just now being mailed. I have been waiting for
it to appear before reporting on what has happened since I issued my challenge to the
beekeeping community in that issue. This is a project for an educational course I am
pursuing as part of Landmark Education’s Curriculum for Living <http://www.landmark-education.com/>.
Feedback to date indicates that it is missing two ingredients, measurable results and a
time line. To rectify this, I propose the following:
1.The goal is to have confirmed names of 50 (fifty) beekeepers who have presented 2 (two)
presentations to schools on the joys of beekeeping.
2.The deadline is July 1, 2000, for receiving this information.
Results so far from the challenge include the following:
Mr. Pedro Pérez Gómez <pedroperez@bigfoot.com>,
who lives in Dagnazo de Arriba <http://www.aedhe.es/frames/AEDHEframes16.htm>,
Spain, writes that his activity in this arena has affected his life in many positive ways:
"What you say in APIS it’s what I’ve been doing during all the last 17
years at the place where I’m living and at some other places around. I went to the
school with my bees in a jar and the honeycombs. And with all the instruments, smoker,
gloves, etc. I’ve made videos and show it to the students. Honey to try it. And
everybody enjoys it. I even made caramels of honey to try it. During all this years
I’ve met many friends from this activity and even, in a course of 2 years that I gave
about how to work with honey bees, I met a girl of 15 year old who now, at 27, is my
daughter-in-law and gave me a granddaughter with one of my sons. During three years I put
six beehives at a farm school near Guadalajara (Spain) and I’ve been teaching what I
know to children from 7 to 17 years old, and a week a year with the teachers. It was a
wonderful experience. Now at the farm school they have their own beehives to show and
learn, and teach. Some of they became beekeepers. The bees always gave me great
satisfactions when I worked with them. My best friends are the ones who I met through the
bees. So I can say that my life, it’s a bee life." Also see his website at
http://www.curandote.com.
Mr. Pérez also has contacted a colleague in another community to begin this activity.
Finally, he knows of a person who gives classes in beekeeping in at least three schools
(primary and secondary under the age of 13) and received a prize for this effort. She is
Cristina Gasser, Campoamor 860 Interno, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina, Tel: 03492 434584.
Although she has no e-mail, I consider her an important part of this project.
The Olivers <coliver@mfi.net>, who live in Ocala, Fla., write that although just getting started in beekeeping, they are excited about the opportunity to use these insects both in a budding avocation and as part of their educational activities. Ms. Jaycee Oliver is a teacher on assignment for the Marion County School Board at the Discovery Science Center, 50 South Magnolia Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474, ph (904) 620-2555. Her latest effort is to get local teachers some funding from various grant sources to encourage this activity. I discussed with her the possibility of tying in with the Florida Ag in the Classroom program . This program is also found in many other states and is a resource worth pursuing. A quick search of the Internet reveals a good many Web sites with the Ag in the Classroom rubric.
Mr. Greg FryeWeaver <ebbade@aol.com> also sent me the following: "Love your challenge to fellow bee keepers to spread the joy and wonder of bee keeping. I've started a program here loosely called 'Host a Hive.' I find families, mostly through workshops or classroom visits, that would like to have a hive at their home without the work. I supply the hive and do the 'work' and the host family gets a portion of the harvest. My goal is to keep the city covered by bees."
Coincidentally with the APIS challenge, Raymond Lackey <http://www.tianca.com> published an article, "As
an Expert, Go Back to School," Bee Culture (Vol. 128, No. 4, April 2000, pp.
31-32). He puts another twist on the situation. Mr. Lackey is actually being paid for his
services: "I have found that people tend to value you at the value you are willing to
sell yourself, much like our honey. I know that I have a unique service to provide, and I
do so at a good price." He advocates starting at the top with the principal by
providing an outline of your presentation, which might be used in several class venues. In
addition, in his area guest speakers are contracted through a central resource management
group. Part of any effort is to identify what schools want and tailor a presentation for
these needs. Then he says to work with teachers that might be identified and target the
talk toward particular classes by providing them with supporting materials. Finally, he
says to prepare evaluation sheets, which not only help improve presentations, but also are
references for further job applications.
The following sections are explained in some detail in Mr. Lackey’s article:
1.The Subject: Should be tailored to the customer’s need.
2.Don’t Overcommit: Marathon sessions are stressful and one should know one’s limitations. Like most things in beekeeping, start small and grow slowly.
3.Class Size: When charging by the hour, the customer will want to reduce presentation time by perhaps combining classes. Be aware that talks before younger audiences can be very stressful, and demand smaller classes. Remember that you are the expert in this area.
4.Fees: Mr. Lackey charges an initial fee and then a reduced rate per hour, in addition
to mileage. This, he says is much like a plumber or appliance repair service technician.
Don’t fall into the trap of pricing yourself too low either, he says. Speakers have
been rejected because of this. The prevailing opinion usually is that you get what you pay
for. In addition, some school districts have programs subsidizing speakers’ fees.
Beyond the presentation, Mr. Lackey says that hawking products is also appropriate. He
suggests taking honey, candles, and other things to sell and using business cards to the
fullest. Finally, he cautions, be extremely sensitive to liability insurance concerns if
you work with live bees. Although he uses observation hives, I personally do not recommend
them unless it is absolutely sure that the bees have no possibility of escape. Even then
one should be always alert, as children can sometimes become "loose cannons"
when least expected.
Received Monday, 15 May 2000 from: Bob Cox <Bob.Cox@idals.state.ia.us>
I keep about 10 hives of bees for a hobby, honey for my family (my wife and I and nine
children), to sell a few gallon jugs and to have bees for educational purposes connected
with my job with the Iowa Department of Agriculture. I regularly give about 50 to 80
beekeeping presentations a year to school classes, library programs, 4-H clubs, civic
organizations, nursing homes,
preschools, homeschool groups, summer camps and vacation bible schools which involves 1500
to 2000 people annually.
I have given 55 presentations already this year, a very busy spring. Some of these
were local in the Des Moines metro area, but some 2 to 3 hours away.
I love this part of my job more than most, the other being writing the monthly newsletter.
I specialize in lower elementary school grades. They seem to be the most excited,
interested and well behaved. The other group I especially enjoy are the elderly.
I always take an observation beehive and use the Dadant study prints which I have
laminated with a very stiff (thick) lamination. If I am outside, I light a smoker
and the kids just love it. I start out talking about the life of the bee and then
transition into how we keep bees. I save opening the observation hive until last
when I have the children come up in groups
of 3 or 4 to take a close look at the hive and have a honey treat (honey candy or a drip
of honey from a bear). I close with taking a few questions (or stories about when
the child was stung).
This is a great promotion for beekeeping and the Department of Agriculture. I charge
nothing, but sometimes get a free lunch in the school cafeteria. Some of the most
interested people are the teachers or other adults with the children. I have many
times sparked in an interest in beekeeping and end up signing them up for the beekeeping
newsletter. I can often connect interested people with a local beekeeper for the
purchase of honey or beekeeping advice or what to do about a swarm that has landed on
their property. Because you find hobby beekeepers in every walk of life, it makes
talking to
beekeepers really fun.
Received Monday, 15 May 2000 from: Ginifer Buckley <Zazochi@aol.com>
The site of your APIS newsletter was forwarded to me to share the Beekeepers Challenge. I think this is such a wonderful idea! I completed the Master Beekeeping Program through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in 99'. Since then I have gone on to teach an 8 week online course in beekeeping. Some of my participants were beekeepers, but most were homeschooling parents who took the course along with their families. The official registration for the class was 70, however nearly all of those 70 took the class along with at least one child, bringing the numbers up to well over 100.
The results have been more than I could have hoped for! I have received numerous letters from my class members telling me how their children have become quite serious about bees, beekeeping, pollination and the environment. The children that participated in the course ranged in age from 3 to 18. The class has shared with me wonderful stories of children educating other family members about the importance of bees. One young child who's mother took my course, said to her father '"Dad you can't kill the bumble bees! Don't you know we have a pollination crisis!" The bumble bees that had nested in their yard were spared after the speech she gave her father!
Teaching the course online enabled many people to participate who would have otherwise had difficulty finding the time. It has been a successful way to spread the word about our declining bee population, and the effect we are having on our environment. Some of the class participants have gone on to keep bees. Class members tell me they have come away with a greater understanding of bees, and their importance. The members that weren't already, have now become much more aware of the dangers of pesticides, as have their children. Many of the children are currently working on "bee friendly" gardens. I offered this course free of charge. The rewards have been priceless.
Received Tuesday, 16 May 2000 from: David England <dave.england@virgin.net>
I took up beekeeping whilst studying social insects as a mature student at university,
and 2 years later met a 19-year old lad with learning difficulties who wanted to start
keeping bees with the suport of his special needs college. At that time I was just
embarking on a teacher training program part time and needed a placement for teaching
practice, so the two fell in nicely
together. After a term teaching beekeeping on a voluntary basis at the special needs
college, I was offered a job, teaching Animal Care, Beekeeping and Countryside Skills,
with additional input of Science for Animal Care, Horticulture and Independent Living.
I have attracted a further student for beekeeping (from a population of 23!) and
have 2 others who are interested in watching.
Received Sunday, 21 May 2000 from: Larry D Dieckman <beedieck@juno.com>
As I arrived (late) at last night's meeting of the Cook-DuPage Beekeepers Association, our
president, Ron Fischer, was reading your challenge to the gathering. We chuckled when I
told him I had requested permission to include the challenge in our newsletter. Our
editor, Bob Svidron, has indicated that he plans to use it in our next issue.
Received Friday, 26 May 2000 from: Jon Munden <jon@jmunden.fsnet.co.uk>
We live and work in Yorkshire,england . I was very interested to read your recent
e-mail enquiry . there are several
clubs and associations encouraging young people . The British Beekeepers Association
recently introduced a folder "bees in the curriculum " (key stages 1 & 2 )
with the specific aim of allowing both teachers and beekeepers to cover the mini beast
part of our curriculum . Sylyvia Chamberlin is I believe running this
programe. Her e-mail address is wwinds@btinternet.com.
Recently I was lucky enough to watch a beekeeper give a talk to a school with
the intention of trying it myself at my daughter's shool (Willow is Three) . They
were all very excited as you can imagine and had many questions . Perhaps the most
exciting part was just prior to the observation hive being opened. There was quite a
lot of noise in the hall with 60+ children / teachers
..all of sudden the chattering subsided to silence as the colony's hum moved up an octave
and seemed to be all around the room. The audience started looking around to locate
the strange sound at which point Barbara (the lady giving the talk) explained where
the noise was comming from as she opened the hive. In some ways that's all barbara
really needed to do .for the next 20/30 minutes. All eyes, ears and mouthes were
fully engaged.
[Editor's note: Let's hope the observation hive was not really opened, but merely uncovered for the multitude to see!]
Received Thursday, 15 June 2000 from Mary McAdam <mmcadam@mail.thefuture.net>
I am a teacher who recently took up beekeeping. I have an uncle who, at 76 years of age, decided that beekeeping was something he could do, would provide gifts for family members, and would make his garden more fruitful. As I watched him tending his bees one day, it looked like a hobby that I could interest my own kids in, and then use it for a school project in general science classes that I teach at our local high school. I am still in the planning/learning stage myself, but my kids love it, and I hope to pass this interest on to others.
Received Saturday, 17 June 2000 from Walter J. Mckay <mckaywj@aramco.com.sa>
This is written in response to your April APIS call for communicating the joy of
keeping bees. I hope you find it interesting. I am keeping bees at the moment in Abqaiq,
Saudi Arabia (11th year here, 28th in beekeeping). I have in the past served terms as
President and Vice-President of the Central Mississippi Beekeepers Association, before
moving to Saudi Arabia to work. I count among my very good acquaintances Mr. Harry
Fulton, Mississippi State Dept. of Agriculture, who is involved state-wide in apiculture.
It has been my privilege to visit one school in a Company community that you have probably
heard of, Dhahran, (home of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company,) to describe my interest in
beekeeping, and try to impress upon those who listen the importance of bees in our daily
lives via the pollination of the foods we enjoy. I used an observation hive, and as many
portable props as
possible to carry to the classroom.
Even more fun was to have 3rd & 4th graders come to my home in Abqaiq (we live only a
block from the school), on 2 separate occasions (different years). I used the extractor,
bottling tank, and un-capping tank as props, as well as frames, foundation, drawn comb,
and combs of honey. This talk was in the yard, just a few feet from the working hives, and
gave them an opportunity to see into a real hive (I have been blessed with some of the
quietest, calmest, bees, derived from queens which I have hand carried to Saudi from USA
apiaries. They may have given the kids a false sense of security, but we made the
experience completely safe with safety precautions.) In each instance, these visits were
in conjunction with the teachers' lessons on bees and social insects, and the kids
surprised me on how much they knew about bees and their social order, and the importance
of bees.
I have also spoken to the Natural History Association (adults) in Dhahran on one occasion.
I illustrated this talk with hive props, 1-frame observation hive, videos and slides. It
is amazing how interested people are once youget into a talk. Once I start to talk I need
2 hours! On another occasion I gave a talk and prop demonstration at a Women's group in
Al-Khobar at their spring garden festival. I try not to pass up an opportunity.
I retire in August, and, from our home in Texas and farm in Mississippi, I plan to devote
more time to this kind of activity, and hopefully begin a Boy Scout beekeeping merit badge
program.
Thanks for letting me share this. Keep up your good work with APIS news letter.
Currently a beekeeper friend in Dhahran passes it on to me. I shall request my name be
added to your list.
Received Saturday, 17 June 2000 from: Birgit DeWeerd <bhdeweerd@worldnet.att.net>
A beekeeper friend send me a note that you are looking for beekeepers who give honeybee
talks in schools. Well, I have been doing that in my area (Boston) for the last three
years and have quite a clientel by now. I have been doing Grade Schools, Nursery Schools
(it's so important to start the kids young with the introduction of bees and wasps ) and
kids in summer
camps. I love it, have fun, the kids have fun and hang on my lips and the teachers say
they learn soo much. I am known as Mrs. D., the Bee Lady. I also give slide shows in
retirement homes, garden clubs and whoever wants me as a speaker. You might want to check
out my home page at http://home.att.net/~bhdeweerd.
Received Saturday, 17 June 2000 from Marion D Ellis <mdellis@unlnotes.unl.edu>
I am writing to share a novel way to achieve your goal of getting more beekeepers
involved in "service activities" such as speaking to youth groups.
We offer an annual master beekeeper training program that provides three days of intensive
training. The training session includes both classroom and practical training. We
emphasize training that goes beyond "how to keep bees" that prepares
participants good spokespersons for beekeeping. We do not require our participants to take
a test, but they must complete 10 demanding homework assignments, and they must complete 8
service credits. Service credits can be achieved by presenting to youth or civic groups,
writing an article for a local paper, working at a State Fair exhibit, etc..... We provide
16 suggested ways to complete the servicecredit requirement.
To date, 211 participants have signed up for the program, and 39 have completed all the
requirements. These 39 beekeepers have completed in excess of 312 service units. This
total does not include participants whose "certification" is still in progress,
nor does it include presentations in excess of the requirements that our "Master
Beekeepers" have performed.
I am very pleased with this formalized approach to sharing the "joys of
beekeeping" and recommend it to others. Rewarding a committement to training
(attending the 3-day program), hard work (the homework assignments), and service is a
model that serves the beekeeping community well. We commit resources to the training that
exceed our registration income, but the return we receive in service activities makes
ourinvestment in these individuals a bargin.
Received Sunday, 18 June from Paul Cronshaw <paulc@silcom.com>
For the past 25 years I have been a hobbiest beekeeper. I have 4 children, and a high
school teacher Each year I go into their classrooms and make a presentation on bees. I
have made presentations from grades K-12.
I begin the demonstration by putting on my full beesuit to get their attention. Then I
take out a bee and have it sting me.. this REALLY catches their attention!! Then I take
off my veil and put up a large poster (Educational Products) which has the anatomy of the
bee. We also talk about social insects. Then I show the 10 study prints (distributed by
AEVAC, Inc coe 245715). I had them laminated for preservation. These help introduce the 6
products that bees produce that humans can use:
1. Honey
2. Beeswax
3. Pollen
4. Propolis
5. Royal Jelly
6. Chocoloate bees
Then I bring out the extractor and uncap a full frame of honey. I invite one of the
students up to spin the honey. We pass around the bucket of honey with honey sticks and
let the kids try a sample.
Finally I pass around a 2 frame observation hive and let them feel the temperature of the
glass and listen to the buzzing.
We end the lecture on a discussion of the AHB. I find that lover levels can handle
20 minute demo and upper levels can go
a full hour depending on questions.
If one gets good at this they are in full demand in any school district. This is why I
have limited my demos to my childrens' classrooms.
IMO making bee demonstrations in classrooms takes a beekeeper to another level.
Received Tuesday, 27 June from Tony Barnett <tony@tbarnett.fsnet.co.uk>
Just a quick note to tell you about a scheme we are running here in Cornwall England. I am
the Chairman of the Schools and Education Committe of the Cornwall Beekeepers Association
and we introduced a scheme last year takingthe subject Bees into the Primary and Junior
Schools. We loan the school a pack containing the Manual "Bees in the
Curriculum"
(produced by The British Beekeeping Association) together with a video on Bees ,books on
Bees and large A3 pictures of Bees. The pack stays with the school for three weeks
and then is followed up with a visit from a Beekeeper together with all his Beekeeping kit
and live Beeswhere possible.
The scheme last year visited 14 schools and this year has expanded up to 26 with an
estimated 1800 children enjoying the delight of Bees. Bye the way I am doing most of the
visits at the moment but am training up other beekeepers to take some of the pressure off
me. This year alone I have travelled 2500 miles on visits. All the work is voluntary and
the only
charge we make the school is £10 toward the upkeep of the pack.
Received Thursday, 29 June from Richard Chapin, EAS Master Beekeeper <bkeep@epix.net>
My interest in honey bees was sparked many years ago when a fellow teacher brought an
observation hive to our school. Not wanting to rush into something like that, thirty years
later I acquired my first colony. Immediately thereafter, I bought an observation hive and
started bringing it into classrooms. For five more years as a teacher, and for the past
five years as a retiree, I have continued to visit classrooms. We have a number of home
schooled children in our area, and several groups have visited my apiary and honey house.
Like many otherbeekeepers in the U.S, and Canada, I have talked with thousands of
children and teens about these fascinating creatures. My bees are especially blessed
because they have also been the centerpiece ofseveral sermons and able assistants at mass.
As a member of our five county beekeeping association in rural northeastern Pennsylvania, and as editor of the newsletter, I have been privileged to work with many other beekeepers who are serious about our educational mission. Several years ago, four of us had the experience of working with beekeepers in Belarus as ACDI/VOCA volunteers; that has added richness and universality to our presentations. Over the past few years, seven members have joined me in reaching children & teens in most of the schools in two of our counties. At the same time, another master beekeeper has been visiting the schools in another county. Our goal is twofold: to reach every child in all five counties, and to involve the largest number of beekeepers possible.
We do not want our program to hinge on just one or two members. In this rural
area, we do not charge for our services. We use a number of props, including the AEVAC
posters, other laminated boards with facts & figures, puppets, beekeeping gear,
including a Russian veil, and a clear acrylic block containing larva, pupa, worker, drone
and a queen. Students are able to touch and smell frames with comb, a block of
beeswax, candles, queen cages and a package bee box. Our latest
addition is an audio recording of a virgin queen piping and the responsive quacking of
queens which not yet emerged. We are able to cover basic honey bee biology, life cycle,
pollination, the use of pesticides, and products of the hive. Once a program such as
this is begun, there is no problem getting return invitations. The enthusiasm seems to be
contagious. If local associations all over this country were committed to reaching
the schools in their area, we wouldn’t have to worry about getting future beekeepers,
getting out our message about pesticides, or, for that matter, about foreign competition.
Received Friday, 7 July from Perry Byars <BYARS_P@popmail.firn.edu>
I'd like to summit the names of two teachers who have promoted the joys of bee keeping to students, even to the point that several of these students have started keeping their own hives. Both teachers teach at Northview High School in Escambia County, FL. They are Gary Welch and Perry Byars.
Updated July 7, 2000 --