“Two pounds and a queen,” said Richard Edwords, 59, Lakeside resident and a beekeeper, on how many bees a beginning beekeeper could start off with in creating a bee colony. And yes he relayed that a queen bee is around $20.
Edwords was on hand to lecture on the subject “All About Bees” as part of the County of San Diego Library’s Country Living Workshop Series at its Crest Branch on June 24.
“Two pounds and a queen,” said Richard Edwords, 59, Lakeside resident and a beekeeper, on how many bees a beginning beekeeper could start off with in creating a bee colony. And yes he relayed that a queen bee is around $20.
Edwords was on hand to lecture on the subject “All About Bees” as part of the County of San Diego Library’s Country Living Workshop Series at its Crest Branch on June 24.
With the colony collapse disorder (where workers bees abruptly disappear from a colony) you and your family may consider contributing to the rebuilding of the bee population in San Diego County. Although Edwords cautioned to check each city’s regulations on beekeeping before you start your adventure into beekeeping.
Plus beekeeping might even be made easier if the County of San Diego opens up county lands to create more opportunities for residents to create and maintain bee colonies. The County Board of Supervisors is studying the situation currently and should come back with recommendations and what county lands would be suitable in the near future.
Edword’s presentation was part bee history, bees, the many uses for honey, and history of beekeeping here.
John S. Harbison (of Harbison Canyon fame) became the largest producer of honey in the world and made San Diego County the greatest honey-producing county in California by 1874.
Big beekeeping shoes to fill but Edwords himself has been beekeeping since 1990, which is what his parents did as well.
Egyptian pharaohs had honey buried with them, Lewis & Clark used wax candles on their expeditions, and Native Americans according to Edwords once called bees, “The White Man’s Fly”.
Edwords said there are a couple of necessities for bee safety. First, carry an Epi-pen if you are allergic to bee stings. Have someone call 911 or call yourself if necessary, and run to a house or vehicle as soon as you can.
“Mentally block out getting stung and get out of the area,” said Edwords.
He also said that honey (for its medicinal properties) was used and saved lives during the Civil War when it was rubbed on amputee’s limbs. Medicinal uses aside Edwords even sells his honey to women who take honey baths.
Honey also reflects the taste of plants it pollinates and in turn derives different tastes such as the taste of eucalyptus due to groves of the trees around a bee colony. Avocadoes, orange trees, cherry trees or a myriad of tastes can show up in the honey depending on where the bees pollinate.
He noted that tupelo honey, or swamp honey, is widely known and liked for its flavor.
“Beekeeping is also knowing about pesticides, mites, and drought conditions,” he said. “Many beekeepers just use their bees to pollinate and not just to produce honey.”
