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Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter July 2007 |
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This month our featured beekeeper is Brantly Beal. He is from Mt. Sterling, Iowa, is 15 years old, and is one of the three beginning beekeepers sponsored by the Southeast Iowa Beekeepers. He spoke at our annual meeting this past March and is a friendly, likable and energetic beekeeper. The Southeast Iowa Beekeepers are proud to have Brantly in the group an thank Vern Ramsey for being an excellent mentor. Keep up the good work. Here is Brantly’s letter. Hello, my name is Brantly Beall and I am glad to be in a league with all of you knowledgeable beekeepers. Thank you for allowing me to speak and to be a part of your family. If somebody had told me when I was younger that I was going to be a beekeeper I would have told you that you were crazy, but thanks to Max Dirks, my FFA advisor, Vernie Ramsey, an old but intelligent friend of mine, and the Southeast Iowa Beekeepers, I love beekeeping. I used to only think of bees as mean little devils that stung people for the fun of it, but now, thanks to Max and Vernie, I have a new found respect for bees. I got started beekeeping through the FFA. Max had talked to Vernie about beekeeping at the Iowa State FFA Convention 2 years ago and Max thought he might have a few students interested in beekeeping. So we had a meeting for those interested and among the few to attend was Thadd Roush and me, Brantly Beall. We were excited to say the least. We had seen this kind of thing on TV before, but never did we think it would be this much fun or that I would learn this much. I have learned that bees sting only when threatened and once they do sting they die soon after. Let the bees smell smoke and that will calm them down. I have also learned that the hive is run completely by women, and the men get kicked out. Much like in real life, the women are in charge. One thing that really surprised me about bee behavior was the ability to organize and cooperate with no arguments. There are thousands of bees in one hive and all work for their entire lifecycle. Bees have also developed their own special language. Bees communicate through pheromones not actual words but smells. Most of all I have learned a sense of responsibility. Bees require many check-ups a month. I can’t just leave them alone and expect them to live. I have to assume that they can’t live without my intervention. I would like to thank Vernie Ramsey for all of the knowledge he has shared with us and for the guidance he has give us. I would also like to thank all of those who donated equipment, for without the Southeast Iowa Beekeepers this project would be near impossible. I am proud to be a member of the Southeast Iowa Beekeepers.
Tyler Roush, Brantly Beall, and Thadd Roush at the Wehr Honey Farm. Thank you all, I am looking forward to another fun year with all of you. Brantly Beall Submitted by Ron Wehr
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