The Barefoot Beekeeper, by Philip Chandler

Philip Chandler's "The Barefoot Beekeeper" possesses a certain dry wit that I appreciate in anything I read.

I don't usually read DIY books; I'm more into elves than adzes. Still, Chandler's timely environmental message is delivered with a spoonful of honey, and a wheelbarrow of information.

I appreciate the fact that Chandler doesn't preach; he draws you immediately into the world of beekeeping with charm and ease. His tone is instantly recognizable to the true hobbyist. If you're crazy about D&D, M:TG, fashion, cars, cooking, open source software, film--ANYTHING at all, you'll hear a fellow geek expounding!

Bee geek. Philip Chandler is a BEE GEEK.

Ok, moving on. I had no idea that beehives stayed at 94 degrees F constantly. How strange is that? I guess I'd always supposed that bees hibernated when it got cold or something. Truthfully, I'm allergic to bees, so the closest I generally get to them is the jeweled bee earrings I own. I like bug jewelry; sue me. Frankly, I'd as lief Chandler had NOT told me that there is such a thing as feral honeybees. I'm going to have nightmares, I can tell.

On a more serious note, one of the most important messages brought across is that the commercialization of bees for honey in the US has caused the rapid spread of disease and parasites that can only be controlled by the use of chemicals and antibiotics. Hell, we just found out that cow parts are dang near poisonous when they've been treated in that fashion; I'm not thrilled to find that bees are being dosed too

I grew up on a farm, and the natural approach described by Chandler is familiar. He advocates working WITH the bees to harvest over time instead of smashing the hive open to harvest all the bee's winter food--meaning all the honey. When you are at the mercy of animals or weather or crops that you cannot control, you learn either the patience to work with the land, or the arrogance to attempt to impose order. Chandler obviously trends towards the first approach. Though he claims little scientific training, I actually AM a scientist, and I recognize the orderliness and experimentation he's employed to present the best approach to small scale beekeeping.

There are beautiful and interesting pictures of honeycombs; I will note that the quality of some of the candid beekeeper shots is poorer than could be desired.

The most fascinating fact? When you're combining two swarms of bees, you dust them all with powdered sugar to distract them from the strange scents. Who knew?

Finally, though I don't have the space for a hive now, I'm fascinated by the process. I make mead (honeywine, for those of you not in the Society for Creative Anachronism), and it would be wonderful to see the whole process of meadmaking from flower to goblet. I can say this: after listening with pleasure to Chandler's message, I am going to support my local honey suppliers.

I'll never buy another Honee Bear again.

PS: The old English word for candlemaker is chandler--someone who makes beeswax candles. Yes, I know too much useless stuff, but I think the coincidence here is humorous.