The White House Bees

On April 22, take your child to work day, my sister Audrey and I were given a extraordinary opportunity to go to the White House. We visited with the White House bees as well as teaching the hundred or so children who came about bees with Charlie Brandts, the White House beekeeper who we loved meeting, and my mentor Toni Burnham. This was an extremely exciting experience and we got to see first hand the enjoyment the children took at trying the honey and the interest many showed to pursue this knowledge further. We also got an added bonus-- Charlie was kind enough to give us a fantastic tour of the White House.

Environmental Urban Living Classes

This is a wonderful opportunity DC is putting forward to learn about beekeeping, or start your own hives. We'll have a number of area speakers, and Toni is a fantastic teacher!

URBAN BEEKEEPING
February 22nd, March 1st , 8th and 15th 6:30pm-9:00pm
Sherwood Recreation Center 640 10th St. NE

Toni Burnham, DC’s own beekeeper extraordinaire will be teaching the basics of urban beekeeping in this
four session series. Upon completion of the class students are encouraged to volunteer at one of DPR’s bee
hives. (Pre– registration required at Kelly.melsted@dc.gov)

A Few Days of Spring!

The warm weather last week was an exciting time for the bees to get out of the home they
hadn't left since early December. I took the opportunity to feed the bees fondant- which uses the
same recipe as the special icing for cakes- so that they could replenish their stores. There is still at
least another month until nectar flow, and the girls are going through their winter food fast. I also
took some pictures of them enjoying their freedom! The upper two pictures are the bees feeding on
fresh fondant. As you can see, they were overjoyed!!

Hives in the "Blizzard of '09"

Winter is certainly a beautiful season, especially in the large snowstorm we had over the weekend when the hives' roofs got a hat. Winter can also be a tough time for the bees, however. This season is the real trial when the beekeeper sees whether the bees have stored enough to eat, have been treated sufficiently for disease and pests, and are genetically predisposed for getting through the winter. Colony Collapse disorder has also become an issue during the winter, although its severity is declining since its spike in 2007. Many times the hive will not make it-- last year there was a 25% loss reported.

First Batch of Honey

The story of 'Backyard Honey'

"Alison's honey is produced in Washington, DC. It is unfiltered and still contains the clean, edible, and very nutritious products of the hive-- wax and propolis."

CBS Evening News

This fall, I was interviewed by the Washington correspondent for the CBS Evening News about the urban beekeeping movement of Washington DC.
They were curious about me as the youngest beekeeper in DC, but they were especially interested by how the neighbors and my parents have responded to my interest in the bees--they are very supportive, and my whole family share responsibility of the hives.

Getting Started

Welcome to Alison's Bees! Obviously, I'm just getting started on this blog. I'm a sophomore at Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC, and I have two hives in my backyard. I'd like this to become a resource for caring for bees as I go through my experiences as a beekeeper. This spring I will have had my hives for 2 years, which isn't very long compared to the older and wiser beekeepers who are all over the area. Right now, urban beekeeping is becoming an increasingly large phenomenon, especially as more people realize how our existence relies on pollinators, which have primarily become honeybees, and how the population can be affected by the changes we humans are making to our environment. However, beekeeping is still illegal in DC, despite the many wonderful outspoken beekeepers in the district and changes around the country to legalize it. So as I discuss what I've gone through, I'd like to be helpful to anyone who is looking to start a hive and help others understand what it means to be a backyard beekeeper. Hopefully anyone who may read this blog can come to find something here, whether it be education or entertainment!
-Alison-