Today my neighbors and their kids showed up!

Rodni73 · May 23, 2008, 11:24:26 PM

Today while working my vegetable garden 5 of my neighbors showed up with 12 of their kids ages 8 to 14 plus my sister and my little niece Isabel. They wanted me to explain to them how the hive work and how the bees interact! They stood there as I explained, then I put my fingers near the reduced entrance and some of the bees got on them enjoying the warmth of my palm. I showed them all how the bees don't sting unless they are provoked and they all got a close look at a few bees as they crawled and flew from palm to palm... Then I opened the hive and they all watched in awww the bees taking my sugar syrup and snaking on my mega bee pollen patties....! My neighbors warned me that in the future any swarms that lands in their yard would be theirs...!!!!!

Awesome suburban experience.
-Rodni

Koala John · May 23, 2008, 11:56:28 PM

What a fantastic story Rodni.It's great to be able to share your passion with others like that, especially in the suburbs where so many kids barely know where milk comes from.

pdmattox · May 24, 2008, 12:08:34 AM

And here I thought we were going to have more angry neighbors. Good job on taking the time with them.

MustbeeNuts · May 24, 2008, 07:58:02 AM

Nice story, sometimes people can really surprise you. I find the post of angy neigbors more the norm. This post is such a welcome turn around. Just when I was about to give up on humanity as a whole. Good job keeping them informed and happy.

JP · May 24, 2008, 08:50:52 AM

I reported on a hive I set up for a customer and his wife, we are actually friends now, kinda before as well, now we share "the bee bond", anyway, I was setting this hive up and we had a few people over and this really nice older lady, that lives next door, Ms. Betty, comes over clapping her hands together all giddy like a little school girl exclaiming "I like bees, I like bees!" She was so excited that her neighbor was setting up a hive!

...JP

Ross · May 24, 2008, 11:24:41 AM

You also need to tell them that come August when the hive is bigger and nothing is blooming that they won't be that tolerant of you presence.

BeeHopper · May 24, 2008, 12:52:16 PM

Quote from: Rodni73 on May 23, 2008, 11:24:26 PM
Today while working my vegetable garden 5 of my neighbors showed up with 12 of their kids ages 8 to 14 plus my sister and my little niece Isabel. They wanted me to explain to them how the hive work and how the bees interact! They stood there as I explained, then I put my fingers near the reduced entrance and some of the bees got on them enjoying the warmth of my palm. I showed them all how the bees don't sting unless they are provoked and they all got a close look at a few bees as they crawled and flew from palm to palm... Then I opened the hive and they all watched in awww the bees taking my sugar syrup and snaking on my mega bee pollen patties....! My neighbors warned me that in the future any swarms that lands in their yard would be theirs...!!!!!

Awesome suburban experience.
-Rodni

Nice :-D

First Lessons and they are already calling DIBS on SWARMS :evil:

poka-bee · May 24, 2008, 01:06:31 PM

Rodni, that's wonderful! Sounds like you have a great neighborhood! You are blessed in that! The more "true" information that gets out the better & teaching our replacements the right way w/facts vs fears is the way to go. Maybe next year when you are able to harvest a bit some of them can help for a short time & take a small jar of "their" honey home! The lady that runs the CSA we belong to is letting me put hives (when I get enough) & I thought I would offer "tours" or classes for others that belong. They see how food is grown & watch change every week. Now they can see how it is that we get the tomatoes, sunflower seeds, squash & corn!! AND buy honey made from our own CSA gardens! WOO HOO!! :-D Oops, sorry for getting too excited... :roll: Jody