"The Vintage Bee Company"

Please feel free to visit our new website at: http://www.thevintagebeecompany.vpweb.com/

"Certified Beekeepers"

deWayne and I recently completed our University of Georgia Certification in Beekeeping held at Young Harris College in North Georgia.

CERTIFIED BEEKEEPER'S

REQUIREMENTS

•Must have had beekeeping experience prior to the Institute.

•Must pass a written and practical test.

•The practical test includes being able to:

◦describe the parts of a beehive;

◦light and properly use a smoker;

◦recognize the various stages of brood, different castes of bees, and find or at least describe the queen;

◦differentiate between brood, pollen, capped honey;

◦recognize propolis and describe its functions; and

◦describe the layout of a brood nest, i.e., placement of honey, pollen and brood.

•The written test includes materials covered during Institute lectures and labs, as well as outside readings.

Official text for the program is the 2007 edition of First Lessons in Beekeeping, Dadant & Sons.

deWayne and I intend to further our education through the University of Georgia until we reach the highest Degree of Master Craftsman Beekeeper. 

Faith Jaudon

"An Eye For The Queen"

deWayne and I take great pride in our apiary.  We've worked really hard this past year and have gained a great deal of information with lots more to learn.  As for myself, I enjoy researching, writing,  and assisting my husband in the care of these sweet little creatures.  Often times he will summons me to come help him search for the queen or their cells.

I snapped the photo above in an effort to capture a queen cell in the making....I am a very tender-hearted soul and can't comprehend aborting these potential queens.  Several beekeepers will suggest you rid your hives of such cells and replace any queen that's not a "producing" queen.  However, they don't bother to give suggestions of how to do this and since I am a newbie I made the mistake of inquiring.  The response was not a favorable one to say the least.  "Decapitate" the head of the queen that's not putting out and as far as the queen cells, rip them open and remove its contents!

Are you serious?  I could never do that!  My husband gets so frustrated with me at times when I don't want to comply with these instructions.  My argument is always the same, "everyone deserves a chance at life, including bees!"

Nonetheless, we do our part to further the bee kingdom just as we do our part to further God's kingdom...one life at a time.

Esther 4:14 (New International Version)

14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Deliver your people, Oh God...set us free in Jesus name...

Faith Jaudon