Tuesday, November 5
Lawrence Business Magazine LLC
Lawrence Business Magazine LLC
2014 Second Quarter - Agriculture

KEEPING THE HIVE ALIVE

By on 193 Comments
KEEPING THE HIVE ALIVE
| 2014 Q2 | story by LIZ WESLANDER    | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |
untitled

Blossom Trail Bee Ranch

Richard Bean has been working with bees since the Nixon era. That may seem like a long time to some, but Richard reckons that 40 years is a relatively short amount of time when you consider the significant amount of changes he has seen during his beekeeping career.

“You used to be able to look at a hive that had died and know what had happened,” says Richard. “Now, there are so many things going on that you look at the hive, and you shake your head because you don’t know what happened.”

Richard attributes the challenge of maintaining healthy bees to changes in climate and to an increase in non-native beetles and mites that decimate hives. That said, Richard does not use pesticides or herbicides on any part of his 5-acre Blossom Trail Bee Ranch in Baldwin City. Instead, he chooses to focus on careful maintenance of his 60 honey-producing bee colonies. This includes removing pests by hand and adding a new queen to colony when one goes missing.

untitled

Richard Bean

“Beyond that, If the bees are going to make it, they are going to make it on their own,” says Richard “I don’t see the long- term benefit of using something that they can’t manufacture on their own.”

Richard sells honey from his bees – along with eggs and produce from his farm- at the Lawrence Farmers Market. Both Lawrence HyVees also carry Blossom Trail Bee Ranch honey. While honey may be his bread and butter, it is safe to say that Richard’s higher calling is breeding healthy bee colonies and teaching the increasingly challenging art of beekeeping to people interested in maintaining their own hives.

“Interest has increased,” says Richard. “People are much more aware of the situation that honeybees are in and I’m only glad for that. I feel like I’m fulfilling a need.”

Richard is quick to clarify that although a lot of people show an interest in beekeeping, the number of people who are actually up to the task is limited.

“It’s not just setting up a hive and checking it a few times summer,” says Bean. “You have to be mindful of the colonies and look at them regularly to see how they are doing. There’s a lot to know and a lot to do – so many things that keep you on your toes.

Share.

Related Posts

193 Comments

  29. ханзада жумонг 26 серия on

    деректер типі 7 сынып қмж, дб да деректер типі деген не 1802 жылы биосфера,
    1802 жылы биосфера терминін ғылымға енгізген үйірлі бастауышы бар сөйлем, сөйлем мүшелері дегеніміз
    не массажер для лица xiaomi, xiaomi inface facial beauty device

  30. гадание на новое замужество on

    джун пе магическая битва символы магические треугольник мне позвонить ему гадание
    сонник орущие котята меркурий период вращения вокруг оси, период вращения вокруг оси юпитер

  67. қосарлы айқындауыш дегеніміз не on

    аппетит кшт, appetite ақ орда билеушісі барақ ханның баласы, ақ орда саяси басқару
    жүйесі шығармашылық сабақ жоспары балабақша, сурет салу ашық
    сабақ балабақшада бейне түсіру 10 сынып қмж, 10 сынып қазақ тілі қмж

  114. Sbo24hr ทางเข้า on

    149245 764165Oh my goodness! a amazing post dude. Thanks Nevertheless My business is experiencing problem with ur rss . Dont know why Not able to sign up for it. Possibly there is any person obtaining identical rss difficulty? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx 224552

  123. ойлау туралы түсінік on

    жасыл әлем тәрбие сағаты,
    менің айналамдағы әлем тәрбие
    сағаты сайлау жүйелерінің қазіргі концепциялары, сайлау жүйелерінің түрлері курс доллара и
    курс рубля, курс доллара к тенге жұмысыңа табыс,
    ақша шақыратын дұға текст

Leave A Reply

Contact to Listing Owner

Captcha Code