Son of Song Apiaries start up Fundraiser
Donation protected
Honey bee Proposal
Honey Bees are an essential part of our ecosystem and even more so in our food production.
Honeybees also have an important cultural significance and can engage a community in the deep inspiration of their diligent work. Far too often in the news these days we hear of so many disasters regarding the honey bees; honey production down, adulterated honey in the market, colony collapse disorder, and loss of habitat.
I have been involved in agriculture for the last 8 years and bees for the last 6. In that time I have focused on breeding the honey bee to be resistant to diseases and on producing comb honey. These two focuses have brought much inspiration into my own life and have been able to connect with my community as well.
Comb honey is honey in the raw. Without having to extract the honey it is cut into sections and sold as is for consumption. This delicious food has been the way that humans have eaten honey for thousands of years. Only recently has there been a change to extracted honey. Comb Honey has a very important significance to many cultures around the world. Much of the honey bought in stores are tainted with sucrose; a feed that many beekeepers use. Though the use of feed is necessary in apiculture it is disappointing that this adulterated honey is sold. This cultural significance is being lost with the commercialization of honey. To produce comb honey is much more difficult then one may think. There has to be an understanding of when the nectar flows are coming in and the ability to build a colony up to strength at the right time.
Breeding the honey bee has been done for thousands of years to make them more able to work with, to produce more honey, pollen and bees. Due to all the pests that have infiltrated our apiculture society we are facing an extremely tough time in keeping honey bee colonies alive. However, there is good news. The ability to breed honey bees to be resistant towards the current pests is being done, and in some operations has been shown to have bred them to be extremely resistant. In Massachusetts we have over 15,000 colonies brought in. Most of these colonies are from Georgia. These bees are really good at one thing, producing many bees. However there resistance level is extremely low. The USDA lab has conducted tests on these bees and shown that they have no genetic markings to deal with the current pests. These Beekeepers are able to keep their hives alive through using commercially available treatments and illegal treatments. Many forms of thinking have long said that this way of working with beehives is only a bandaid, a short term fix that will not last. Breeding honey bees to be resistant is the only long term solution for this problem.
What I am proposing is to show the community of Massachusetts that the old school way of beekeeping which has worked will continue to work. Breeding honey bees and selling honey comb is combing a product that humans have consumed for thousands of years with a practice of beekeeping that has been used for just as long. Your support will allow me to purchase the stock of honey bees which will allow me the further breed the honey bee towards resistance to these pests diseases. As well as, allowing me to purchase the correct equipment for the production of honey comb.
By supporting this project it will allow members of the community to continue to enjoy age old consumption of traditional honey comb which will also be an important revenue for my business. It will also give other beekeeping members of my community the ability to purchase honey bees colonies and queens that I have tested to increase the amount of pest resistant stock.
Honey bees have always been a fascination with all ages. By presenting honey bees to the community I will be able to be the bridge that connects the world of the bees with the general population. This will give people in the community a better insight into what goes on in a beehive. Education on this topic will be able to encourage a better relationship with honey bees which may increase peoples awareness of the environment and their surroundings. Through outreach programs, Hive Dives, and farmer markets a better understanding for such a niche facet of our ecosystem will enlighten our community.
Thank you for taking the time for reading this proposal
Ori Ben-Shir
Donation Levels (while supplies last)
$100 - 2 tea light candles and either a Lemon or Peppermint beeswax chapstick
$250 - My special honey bee gift sack
$500 - A live presentation on Honey bees
$2000 - 3 days of 1 on 1 beekeeping experience
Honey Bees are an essential part of our ecosystem and even more so in our food production.
Honeybees also have an important cultural significance and can engage a community in the deep inspiration of their diligent work. Far too often in the news these days we hear of so many disasters regarding the honey bees; honey production down, adulterated honey in the market, colony collapse disorder, and loss of habitat.
I have been involved in agriculture for the last 8 years and bees for the last 6. In that time I have focused on breeding the honey bee to be resistant to diseases and on producing comb honey. These two focuses have brought much inspiration into my own life and have been able to connect with my community as well.
Comb honey is honey in the raw. Without having to extract the honey it is cut into sections and sold as is for consumption. This delicious food has been the way that humans have eaten honey for thousands of years. Only recently has there been a change to extracted honey. Comb Honey has a very important significance to many cultures around the world. Much of the honey bought in stores are tainted with sucrose; a feed that many beekeepers use. Though the use of feed is necessary in apiculture it is disappointing that this adulterated honey is sold. This cultural significance is being lost with the commercialization of honey. To produce comb honey is much more difficult then one may think. There has to be an understanding of when the nectar flows are coming in and the ability to build a colony up to strength at the right time.
Breeding the honey bee has been done for thousands of years to make them more able to work with, to produce more honey, pollen and bees. Due to all the pests that have infiltrated our apiculture society we are facing an extremely tough time in keeping honey bee colonies alive. However, there is good news. The ability to breed honey bees to be resistant towards the current pests is being done, and in some operations has been shown to have bred them to be extremely resistant. In Massachusetts we have over 15,000 colonies brought in. Most of these colonies are from Georgia. These bees are really good at one thing, producing many bees. However there resistance level is extremely low. The USDA lab has conducted tests on these bees and shown that they have no genetic markings to deal with the current pests. These Beekeepers are able to keep their hives alive through using commercially available treatments and illegal treatments. Many forms of thinking have long said that this way of working with beehives is only a bandaid, a short term fix that will not last. Breeding honey bees to be resistant is the only long term solution for this problem.
What I am proposing is to show the community of Massachusetts that the old school way of beekeeping which has worked will continue to work. Breeding honey bees and selling honey comb is combing a product that humans have consumed for thousands of years with a practice of beekeeping that has been used for just as long. Your support will allow me to purchase the stock of honey bees which will allow me the further breed the honey bee towards resistance to these pests diseases. As well as, allowing me to purchase the correct equipment for the production of honey comb.
By supporting this project it will allow members of the community to continue to enjoy age old consumption of traditional honey comb which will also be an important revenue for my business. It will also give other beekeeping members of my community the ability to purchase honey bees colonies and queens that I have tested to increase the amount of pest resistant stock.
Honey bees have always been a fascination with all ages. By presenting honey bees to the community I will be able to be the bridge that connects the world of the bees with the general population. This will give people in the community a better insight into what goes on in a beehive. Education on this topic will be able to encourage a better relationship with honey bees which may increase peoples awareness of the environment and their surroundings. Through outreach programs, Hive Dives, and farmer markets a better understanding for such a niche facet of our ecosystem will enlighten our community.
Thank you for taking the time for reading this proposal
Ori Ben-Shir
Donation Levels (while supplies last)
$100 - 2 tea light candles and either a Lemon or Peppermint beeswax chapstick
$250 - My special honey bee gift sack
$500 - A live presentation on Honey bees
$2000 - 3 days of 1 on 1 beekeeping experience
Organizer
Ori Ben-Shir
Organizer
Greenfield, MA