4. MAKE YOUR PEACE WITH BEES

 
So bees and I have never been friendly. But I thought it would be great experience to learn this process. There is a growing concern in the agricultural community that bees are diminishing evermore. They are crucial to our ecosystem and some have declared them the most invaluable species in our ecosystem.  

PoppaBob’s bees help his garden and the surrounding area flourish, and provide plenty of honey for extended family throughout the year.

Throughout the extraction process, which took place in the little cabin, bees were buzzing all around outside, and quickly cleaned off the leftover honeycombs and hives that were set on the porch. No one was stung. Apparently bees around honey are too focused, normally, to bother with people. Jake learned how to shave the outer coating of the honeycomb, turn them in the hand-cranked extractor, and sift through 2 steps of cheesecloth, into jars for everyone to enjoy. A neighbor who is currently taking a beekeeper course, also joined in to help and learn from PoppaBob.

He still leaves a hive full of honey for the bees to enjoy all winter, and continually feeds them sugar water in the birdbath by the field. We have learned to appreciate their importance in nature, and I have made my peace with bees.

PoppaBob has always taken care to respect every creature, whether it be the squirrels that fall from the trees during a storm, or the groundhogs in his garden that he carefully moved to a new home. He has shown respect and honor for every creature’s purpose and place in nature and silently taught us to do the same.