Honey bees are our most
important pollinators.
Although many species of
bees can be found in and
around blooming orchards
and vegetable crops, most
wild bee species vary in
abundance from year to year. Some agricultural
practices destroy the natural nesting sites of wild
pollinators, and regular pesticide applications may
limit the number and variety of these pollinators.
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| CAN YOU FIND THE QUEEN? |
Problem: the changing pollination scene
With the introduction of parasitic honey bee
mites, the pollination picture is changing rapidly.
Once-abundant feral colonies (wild colonies
nesting in trees or other cavities) provided a
measure of pollination security for fruit and
vegetable growers. This is no longer the case. Feral
honey bee colonies are now nearly nonexistent in
many areas. Estimates vary, but Northeast Iowa may
have lost 80 percent of its feral honey bees Fewer
beekeepers are providing honey bee colonies for
growers using honey bees for pollination. But I intend to give it a try.
2015 Hive Hosting Program
Do you want bee hives in your yard but don’t have the time or even
the desire to care for them? Do you want to be part of the solution to
help the plants and wildlife in your yard and neighborhood?If you want
to help pollinate the neighborhood but aren’t sure if beekeeping on your
own is right for you, why not be a participant in the Hive Hosting
Program ?
The program:
•
Becker has Hives places beehives in your neighborhood back yards, near your orchard or garden, down town business roof top or Brew Pub.
• Apply and have your yard accepted as being suitable for the Hive Hosting Program.
•
Becker has Hives will place one or two hives on your property.
•
Becker has Hives will tend and maintain the hives throughout the year. Harvest and extract the honey, a very sweet and sticky job.
What you get:
• The pollination benefits of honeybees in your yard for an entire year.
•A gallon of honey or more upon harvest and some comb honey in the fall if available.
• The satisfaction of knowing that you’re part of a solution by taking
direct action that benefits your yard, your neighbor’s yards, and helps
grow the population of honeybees in the city.
• A “bee education” that comes from the opportunity to watch the bees
work every day.
What you give:
• The space in your yard to place our hives
• Permission for
Becker has Hives to have hives in your yard for up to one year
• While the hives remain on your property for an entire year, the
“billing season” runs only from April through September. During the
billing season you are charged $175 (6 month payment plan is available). The remainder of the
year there is no charge.
Here's how it works.
You can either rent a complete hive from me or if you want to purchase a hive, I can get you set up with one of your own.
For a monthly maintenance fee I will check the hive and take care of
keeping things in order and doing all I can to keep the bees happy and
healthy. You can be a part of the hive checks and extraction to any
extent that you feel comfortable.
How to become involved:
• If you are a person who cares about promoting a healthy environment
through your actions and wants honeybee hives in your yard, send me an
email at
bckrvue@hotmail.com. In the subject line of the email
please write “2015 Hive Host–and your last name” (putting your last
name in the subject line helps me sort your application). In the body
of the email please provide me with your physical address, your email
address and your best contact phone number.
Our Honey Co-op is with about 10 members.
Along with keeping bees,
harvesting honey and I practice and advocate for sustainable agriculture, and
awareness of the natural environment.
Since I began beekeeping in 1989, beekeeping has become more and more
popular but also more and more challenging. I lose many hives over the
Winter and have to replace them each Spring. I have been tending the bees and
harvesting raw honey from chemical free beehives since I started.
Despite the challenges, I really love what I
do and hope to continue for many years to come.
All
beekeepers lose a portion of their hives each year and must replace those bees
with ones purchased from Southern or Western beekeepers, which have a longer
beekeeping season.
Becker Has
Hives Co-op, wishes to provide you with fresh, local, seasonal honey and you,
the member, wish to receive a portion of the harvest, my goal has always to
provide each host with a gal., 12# of honey each season. This agreement outlines our shared
commitments to that relationship.
Honey will be harvested twice a year around the summer solstice and the fall
equinox.
I promise to do my best to
provide you with a harvest of honey each season. The quantity of honey,
however, may vary from season-to-season due to extreme weather, disease or
other production factors despite our best efforts. By joining our Coop, you are
agreeing to share in all the risks of beekeeping with us and other members.
In the event of a colony collapse, infestation, or disease, our
procedure is as follows:
You will receive a percentage of the honey remaining in the hive. The
resulting honey will be divided. It is possible that at the end of the season
another hive may have excess honey, if that is the case we will use that honey
to fulfill the rest of your order.
Honey is the sticky sweet substance produced by bees from the nectar of
flowering plants. Not only can honey be used as a natural sweetener for
your favorite recipes, but it can also be used medicinally. In fact,
honey has been a key ingredient in natural remedies for common ailments
for thousands of years. Ancient cave paintings found in Spain suggest
that humans have been gathering and using honey for at least 8,000 years
– possibly more. Today, honey is making a comeback in herbal remedies
as a treatment for everything from the common cold to gastric
disturbances and even external wounds. If your interested in learning more about my HIVE HOST program please contact me soon
If it's not a polar vortex then it's another Alberta clipper blowing down from the icy north down into the midwest. The weather out side hasn't been fit for man nor beast. But not even a winter weather advisory would keep us from getting out for a little Olympic training.
Driving back home Sue and I noticed a paint horse high tailing it through the field, back to the barn. We both thought it was kinda odd.
Not all the animals have it so rough in winter. Tuzu and Lilli don't stray too far away from the warmth of the wood stove and the heat lamp these days. That is, if they know what's good for them. 
