Applewood Permaculture Institute contributes to economy - Builds Warre hives for honey bees

(Golden, CO) - The Applewood Permaculture Institute (API) in Golden hosted a Warre Hive Building workshop recently and created seven new homes for honey bees.   The day long workshop, led by garden coordinator David Braden and beekeeper Don Studinski, involved hands-on building and learning about raising bees to about dozen eager  beeavers from around the Denver metro area.

 

Late winter is a good time to prepare and set out new hives because honey bees will be looking for new homes in the spring to create a new colony, in preparation for the pollination feast ahead.

 

Bees play an integral role in the pollination of our food, and new bee homes are needed for several reasons.  First, there is a decrease in their natural habit, especially in urban and suburban environments that often yield their space to more human development.  Second, with that increased development comes an increasing use of gardening and landscape products that are fatal to bees (and pollination). 

 

Nicotine bad for bees too

Many insecticide products, often labeled ‘green’, contain nicotine-derived chemicals - neonicotinoids - such as clothianidin and thiamethoxam, which are one of the factors linked to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD is fatal to bees and negatively impacts the subsequent systems that rely on bee pollination, such as food production.   “Neonicotinoid pesticides are systemic – the whole plant remains toxic right through to flowering. If spray drift doesn’t kill them, bees could be poisoned by pollen, nectar, and drinking water. Even sub-lethal doses weaken bees’ reproduction, immune systems, navigation, and memory,” said New Zealand writer and beekeeper Raymond Huber. (http://www.raymondhuber.co.nz/2011/06/23/poisoning-our-partners/

 

In addition to neonicotinoid usage, other factors are suggested to contribute to weakened honey bees and subsequent CCD: monoculture (the widespread specialization in single crops), genetic engineering, and the world's changing landscape.  All this points to the fact that we live in a complex and interconnected world, and that change occurs at all levels. As can be seen from the history and usage of DDT, starting in the 1940s, it may take decades before governing bodies to officially recognize the harmful effects and take appropriate action to safeguard the public at large. “In the meantime,” said Don the beekeeper, “it is up to us to increase our awareness of the risks and start where we can have the most immediate impact: act individually from an informed perspective, honor nature’s intelligence, err on the side of preserving life for all, now and in the future, and discontinue insecticide use.”

 

Building Warre bee hives

A Warre bee hive is a vertical top bar hive that is simple to build, easy to manage and maintain, and less expensive than other types of hives, such as a Langstroth hive.  The API set up six stations that allowed participants to work in teams, shifting to different areas, and learn about the different aspects of the Warre hive.

Building community for all, bees and people alike

After the full day of building new hives and connections, David reflected: “It's wonderful to see our community coming together to cooperatively support honey bees, one of the many insects that form an important layer of our food chain.  Hopefully, others can use this successful event as a model to create community sufficiency activities which will build more resilience into all our lives, including bees.”  Attendees walked away with a completed hive and accompanying plans, a full belly from a homemade lunch, and increasing interest in contributing to a healthy and bee-utiful community.

 

About the Applewood Permaculture Institute

The Applewood Permaculture Institute was started in Golden in 2010 by gardener David Braden IV, a retired lawyer.  Its focus is teaching programs in sustainable living and practical holism.  For more information about the API and future classes, visit http://www.organiclandscapedesign.org/content/applewood-permacultur..., or email David: d-braden@comcast.net.  For more information about bees, beekeeping, or swarm collecting, contact Broomfield beekeeper Donald Studinski: dstudin@yahoo.com

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