Upcoming urban beekeeping classes :
Show me the honey
January 28, 11:07 AM NY Green Culture Examiner Jodi Doff
photo by Jodi Sh. Doff
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Honey do! : The simple truth about bees
Honey bees are the hardest working insects in the food business. As a matter of fact,
honey bees are the only insect that produces food eaten by man. Worker bees are all
female and in their short lives (6 weeks) they do all the work, each producing about half a
teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.
Honey don't! : NYC's beekeeping ban
Along with Tasmanian devils, hippos and those cute little ferrets, it's currently illegal to
keep honey bees in New York City, but things are about to change.
The New York City Health Code, Section 161.01 prohibits the keeping or selling of “wild
animals.” "For the purposes of this Code, wild animals are deemed to be any animals
which are naturally inclined to do harm and capable of inflicting harm upon human
beings"
However, there's been a grass roots campaign to legalize urban beekeeping and this
coming Wednesday, February 3rd, a public hearing is scheduled to review this section of
the code. You can sign the ongoing petition to legalize beekeeping here.
Honey, I'm home! : Upcoming Urban Beekeeping Classes
If you're curious about what it takes to raise your own bees and provide yourself and your
neighbors with sweet local honey the New York City Beekeeping Association (NYCBA)
is the place to go. They're offering two courses in 2010 for beginner and novice
beekeepers. Classes are led by volunteer instructors, themselves professional beekeepers
with a collective half century of experience. Each course is $100 for 12 hours of
instruction spread over four consecutive Sundays from noon to 3pm. Classes will meet at
University Settlement at the Houston Street Center located at 273 Bowery, NYC, NY
10002 (212-475-5008).
February course:
Sundays, February 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th
12:00 - 3:00 pm
March course:
Sundays, March 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th
12:00 - 3:00 pm
During this twelve-hour course expect to learn everything you need to know to safely
start and maintain a beehive starting with basic construction and safe placement of a bee
hive, colony lifecycles and diseases and their treatments. You'll understand how to
invigorate your vegetables and fortify your flowers while ensuring yourself as much as
120 lbs of pure raw honey per year per hive. Click here to find out how to become an
urban beekeeper.
How Sweet it is : The health benefits of honey
Energy: A teaspoon of honey before your next workout or run will help maintain your
energy level during exercise. Not a morning person? Hitting a mid-day slump? Instead of
carbonated, canned energy drinks, try honey in your tea or on buttered toast.
Immunity builder: Honey can help improve digestion, help you stay healthy and fight
disease. BenefitsofHoney.com recommends a drinking a simple morning cleanse of a
spoonful of honey and juice from half a lemon mixed into a cup of warm water.
Home remedy: For thousands of years medics and healers have used raw honey directly
on burns and wounds. It has antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Loosely translated, that means it inhibits certain bacterial growth, helps prevent infection
and reduces swelling. Honey's been known to help everything from yeast infections and
athletes foot to arthritis pain and constipation.
Sleep Aid: For nutritional and chemical reasons that are too complex to go into, honey
can give you energy when you need it, but it can also help you sleep when that's what's
called for. A glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey helps you wind down and get
ready for bed. Maybe it's the tryptophan in the milk, or maybe not, because a few
teaspoons of honey in a cup of chamomile tea have the same effect
For more info on Honey for your Health:
Honey as Home Remedy: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/home-remedy.html
Home remedies with Honey : http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/honey.html