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Rutherford County Beekeepers Association Ya Just Gotta Bee-lieve... It's A Honey Of A Hobby!
Did you know that bees are flying insects? They are best known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are found on every continent except Antarctica and in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants. Now, with bees and honey bees, in particular, we know that over one-third of our food supply relies upon them for pollination services. We also know that pollination is essential for the reproduction of the plants the bees service. Bees are extremely important to us. From 1972 to 2006, there was a dramatic reduction in the number of feral honey bees in the U. S., which are now almost absent. At the same time there was a dramatic decline in the numbers of colonies maintained by beekeepers.
In Rutherford County a four week course was 0completed by the Beekeepers Association of Rutherford County. Over 38 signed up for the course and 18 took the test to be certified by North Carolina State and also the North Carolina Bee Association. It is very interesting that North Carolina has the largest state bee association in the country.
After the course most of the graduates become beekeepers. They definitely contribute and find that beekeeping is not only a great hobby, but contributory to a better environment. Bees help and add directly or indirectly to the majority of what we eat. Amazing that something so small can contribute to so much. How the bee exists and how they live is a fact filled story we all should know. They truly are a very impressive gift.
Among 10,000 species of bees identified the honey bee is the only one that produces honey! Honey bees are highly organized living in colonies of up to 80,000 bees - each bee having a specific job. The female usually becomes a worker which creates as well as takes care of the nest. The youngest workers cleans the empty cell (frame) and takes care of the larvae or "baby bees". Outside of the nest, it is the worker who gathers nectar, pollen and water for the young in the hive. The success of the beehive depends largely on the queen bee. The queen bee will mate with a one or several drones (males). Amazingly, the one mating event will allow the queen bee to lay eggs for the rest of her life! This can translate for up to 2,000 eggs a day and up to 1,000,000 in her lifetime. Bees are so fascinating that many people now have glass walled hives so that they and others can observe the industry ad efficiency of the bee colony.
John Stevens is President of the Rutherford County Bee Association. He told me that there are now abuses of honey sold in North Carolina which are resulting in the adopting of a new honey standard. Consequently negotiations are now underway with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for incorporating a new honey standard into its rules and procedures that govern food safety. This has been caused by those who engage in the unethical practice of adding corn syrup to honey, making it lighter and increasing profit. So, beware of cheap imitations. Pure honey is not cheap, but very beneficial. One of the benefits is helping with allergies. If you develop an allergy, just purchase some pure "locally produced" honey and take a teaspoon a day. Believe me, it works! You must intake locally produced honey only.
After the last class was held at the Rutherford County Courthouse Annex, I went with John to his home to observe his hives. It was not only interesting, but fascinating. He and others of the Rutherford County Beekeepers Associat0ion are very committed to being the best at what they do. This can be a great hobby as well as a benefit to our society. Bee-lieve me, these gifts of nature are a honey of a deal!
