Bees in the Backyard
June 4, 2014It was one of those long days when I had to occupy the children while my wife caught up on her sleep after a night shift at the hospital. I heard that there was a man in the nearby village of Saint Etienne les Orgues who kept bees that were so gentle that children could pet them. So off we went.
Indeed, the children were able to stroke the backs of some kind little bees and it was an astonishing experience. But that’s not what truly amazed me.
That day I was struck by two things. First, the man himself: he was an elderly Buddhist who had dedicated his life to providing a healthy home to bees and to teaching others to be good shepherds for these essential little creatures. A fine mission considering the delicate relationship between bees and humanity and the recent apian degradations which may imperil agriculture as we know it. And, second, the man’s bee outreach program: each year, he sold vibrant hives of bees to people who would provide them with a good environment. This wasn’t just a case of people having the space and the fields to nourish the bees; it was people who agreed not to exploit the hive, not to take so much honey that the bees ended up stressed or in danger of starving in the winter. (Some commercial honey operations actually take all the honey from the bees and pump a glucose mixture into the hive for their food.)
The price for one of these hives from the bee Buddhist? Only 180 euros for a hive with a 40,000 bees including the queen. A bizarre price, a ludicrous price, considering that in recent months I’ve seen a student wear a pair of shoes that cost as much as an active bee hive. You know I immediately wanted one.
The good thing about my wife is that she and I are the same type of people: if we are enamored with a project, we don’t think too hard about the possible negatives. We are the boldly-jump-into-the-cold-lake type people, not the timidly-wade-into-the-cold-lake type people. So, in mid-winter we ordered a hive that would be ready for us in mid-May. Having done absolutely no prepatory research, we picked up the hive a few days ago and it now sits in the back corner of our yard.
We are smitten, of course, and have taken to sitting on the hill and watching the ballet of bees as they circle the hive and float among the flowers. Bee-keeping equipment is in the post and should arrive in a few days. The children, ours and the neighbors, have been warned: no touching the hive, no throwing rocks at the hive, no walking within 10 feet of the front entrance to hive because it disrupts the flow of traffic in and out …
Will there be challenges? Most certainly. Will there be a few stings? Most definitely. But, there is excitement in the air.
One of the things about having a family is that the adventures change. No longer are there journeys to Beijing or Baku for wild projects. Instead there are new adventures, just as enriching and bewildering.
There will be regular bee updates in this space. And for those passing through the Luberon, I expect you to stop by and taste my honey.
Waiting for the Bees
The Bees are Home
4 Responses to Bees in the Backyard
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Clare MacQueen says:
Hello, Jeremy!
Lauren B. Davis posted a link to your blog on her Facebook page, where I posted a little comment, which she suggested that I post here at your blog:
The drones in ANY honey-bee hive are so gentle that children can pet them. Drones don’t have stingers!
I’m a third-year beekeeper, and as one who has fallen in love with these marvelous little golden bugs, I wish you all the best. I hope you become smitten with them, too!
–Clare MacQueen
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carol from ottawa says:
Jeremy, I just read Time Was Soft There, and it is such a marvelous book. Do you have another book like that in you? I suppose you need adventures to turn out such a masterpiece.So hurry up and have these adventures so I can read about them. No detective fiction for me, please.
Thank you a lovely two days over which I read your book.
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Christine A says:
Hello Jeremy,
How are the bees? Have you eaten any honey yet?
Christine
Hello from Vancouver, Canada,
Bees in North America are dwindling at an alarming rate too. Watching for bees in a rose garden a few years ago, I counted only 2 bees over 20 minutes. Ten years ago, the area would have been so busy with the bees, including bumblebees, who I never see anymore around flowers. Over 5 years, probably have only seen 4 of the lovely creatures. It is truly sad.
So, how wonderful your family are having this new adventure with ‘your’ bees. And who knows how many others may follow your example, if they are able, and do the same.
Message is: We need to do all we can to save these invaluable creatures as truly time is running out to save them from extinction. I grow flowers on my balcony to hopefully give the bees some nectar for their travels.
Really enjoy your story. Thank you.
Wendy