Beekeeper Confidential | Bees & Beekeeping

In the latest installment of Beekeeper Confidential, Mandy speaks with Stephanie & Jake Pullen of Campbell, TX. With their 3 children in tow, Stephanie and Jake own and operate Zane & James Apiary. They offer a range of pollination services, varietal honeys, and skincare products. Their experience as cattle farmers led them to bees and they haven't looked back! Beekeeping has brought them the delight of learning new things daily, and a way of life that brings them even closer as a family. A family that keeps bees together stays together!

Mandy chats (in person!) with master gardener and mason beekeeper, Debbie Thomas. Mason bees are a wonderful way to get into beekeeping, and just about anyone can do it. We talk about mason bee housing, nesting tubes, plants for bees, BEE SEX and more!

Mandy chats with Kyle Maio, a veteran of the marine corps who has found a second career in beekeeping. After joining the marines at a young age and serving 2 deployments in Iraq, he discovered the balance and peace that working with bees can bring. His family saw how working with bees had a positive impact on his life and in 2017 he and his brother took the leap and created Brothers in Bees, a cause based organization that aims to make beekeeping accessible to veterans. 

Mandy talks with historical novelist Lois Leveen about how researching the greatest love story of all time brought bees into her life, and how she used her voice to make life easier for Portland beekeepers.  

What's the BUZZ? Mandy visits with Thor Hanson, conservation biologist and author who has written a delightfully whimsical book that highlights the importance of bees (ALL BEES) in the environment. They discuss Thor's work, and play a game of Celebrity Bee Mash Up! 

It is inspiring to see how beekeepers can use their passion for bees to engage their community and grow a legacy of education, service, and activism. Angela is a fascinating beekeeper who does all of this and more. Their work also includes queen rearing, writing, using the hive as a model for personal and professional growth, ongoing efforts to enhance local food systems, and facilitating an inclusive platform for the trans & queer community to be involved in beekeeping and farming. In my opinion, Angela is a super hero.