The Buzz Newsletter

September 2007

 

 

Page 8

Featured Beekeeper
of the Month

This month our featured beekeepers are Jeff and Jodie Miller from Dumont, Iowa. Their business name is Miller-Bee Honey. Jodie tells me they bought their first hive in 1995 from John Johnson. She was a little concerned in the beginning because she has been severely allergic to stings since her early childhood. She says she’s getting better with age, because she has been stung several times and has experienced major swelling, but it appears the allergic reaction is no longer life threatening. Jodie’s thankful because she says wearing a full metal armor would have been a bit hot, however, she does keep her emergency EpiPen kit close.

Jodie Miller with a few of the family hives.

Jeff and Jodie presently have 8 colonies and are planning a slow expansion. They are marketing 12oz. bears, 6 oz. bears, and quart jars. They filled their largest order of 500 12oz. bears around Christmas and do want to thank Phil Ebert for helping them complete that order. At this point Jodie says they are marketing honey at the local grocery store and looking into expanding to a second store as well.

Jeff and Jodie on a bee retrieval call :)

Jodie says beekeeping is a “sweet job”. Bees are fascinating, addictive and you can never fully figure them out. She wishes she had more time to just sit and watch them. Since Jeff and Jodie have 8 children to help them, they are going to make candles for the first time this winter. Jodie thinks it should be a lot of fun for the whole family.

Charlie (one of our boys) showing off our great catch :)

To the question asking about interesting experiences Jodie states, “On July 24th, 2007 we learned that a queen in her second week of laying eggs can fly 50 feet away from her hive into a hayfield with 18” tall alfalfa. What a horrible sight that was. We could only watch in frustration and horror. Thankfully she apparently returned to her hive because on August 3, 2007 eggs were present and her laying pattern looks great. Bees… aren’t they wonderful?!”

Thanks for your story Jodie and Jeff, and I’ll tell Phil your debt is paid.

Submitted by Ron Wehr