Today I had the pleasure of joining veteran beekeeper, Ted Workman, in his bee yard. Ted is the Admin of the facebook group: North Idaho Bee Keepers Association.

It was way different than what I've experienced thus far and it was awesome.

The down though? I forgot to borrow Lacey's bee suit, so I wasn't able to really get into the hives with Ted. Dang it! I was so excited that I dressed like I do to go to Lacey's house- obviously it's a different ballgame with 30ish hives!

I think it's time to buy a bee suit, even a cheap one for now. The one I borrow with Lacey is a jacket with an attached veil hood, I think that's where I need to start. I would have learned so much more!

But, it was still awesome.

Being out in a big open gravel field like that is different than what I will do as a backyard beekeeper, but there's still so much to learn about beekeeping in general.

Ted told me that there's a commercial apiculturist (beekeeper) in the next field, I could see the hives when standing in the middle of the bee yard.

He said he's aware of 2 others close nearby, so there are setups to his north, east, and south. I guess it's a good area to set pollinating hives that travel to places like California for the almond trees. There are alfalfa fields all around and when the farmers let it go to bloom, the bees LOVE it. Plus the river is close, so the bees have plenty of water.

But without any natural protection from the elements, the temperatures are amplified both ways compared to we experience in the city.

Ted's main tasks today were to give the bees food (no alfalfa in bloom currently), and create a distraction source for the robbers.

When bees and wasps from outside colonies take nectar and honey from a hive that is not their own, it's called robbing.

Each hive has what they call guard bees to prohibit outsiders, but if the guards are outnumbered or the outsider it big/strong enough, they will steal the resources inside.

Ted fed his hives, then a quarter mile away he set up a bin of nicely accessible sugar water and old honeycomb as community property.

His girls have access also, but they won't have as much need since they'll be fed. The other bees and wasps in the area will naturally go where they can get food easily.

Being out there with Ted reminded me a bit of being on the Circle C Ranch growing up.

Most people don't know this about me, but my Dad's family were cattle ranchers. I guess a few generations ago it was one of the biggest in the area, and that's how my Dad grew up. I would spend some time there when I was a girl, mostly checking cattle with Grandpa and his dog on the 4-wheeler. Good memories!

Maybe if this community center thing doesn't work out, I'll just become a bee farmer!

...that spends an hour putting on makeup every day... I'll think s'more on that one. 😳

Anyway, it was still a great experience and I can't wait for the next one.

Photo by J. Steven Robertson of Emmisoure Photography and https://bees.photo