FoodAg W24 Portfolio for Fozzy

I had our initial meeting with the creation of the Apiculture Club, and I would say that there is about a 60% chance that we can make this happen. Firstly, I want to let everyone know that we have 10 persons beside myself that are interested in beekeeping and managing the bees on the Evergreen Farm and possibly the campus. This is more interest than has ever been given in what I am doing and what I want for the Evergreen community when it comes to the future of the bees.

When I talk with other students and educators about the club activities and student led programs on the farm there has been a lot of tumultuous history. Whether it be with lack of commitment, lack of communication, lack of support: the list goes on. I don’t want to leave a mess as my legacy. What I did discover is that policy is changing and its changing because of the other clubs. It was specifically stated that because of the shellfish garden and the loss of life due to mismanagement, that funding probably wouldn’t occur. I stated the case however. This has been established and cared for by me, that existing infrastructure sort of exists, but there are going to be some massive hurdles.

I need 4 individuals who are willing to commit an hour or 2 for training as coordinators and club leaders. And the last training is going to occur in March, so we have deadline. They do not establish clubs in Spring quarter unless there is a possibility of it being a summer club. Thankfully it’s our bees’ busiest season! There are still risks that this club won’t get off the ground, so we have to be considering the alternatives. How will we continue Bees on our campus and Farm?!? Can I intern to maintain them? Can I teach the farm students? Do I volunteer?!

My progress with the manuals has been all caught up in the gathering information from those on the farm as to what we want the bees to be for us. I can create a process based on my schema and my values and my mission, but that is not what the farm needs. So, I have transitioned into working with making food items out of bee products, as to provide either more funding for us at market stand: or educate in further using all of the bee byproducts. This quarter has been primarily gathering interest in the bee club, getting members involved, creating a mission statement, having meetings with S&A, creating and following recipes involving the honey harvested from Evergreen Organic Farm. The next steps are to present my findings and perhaps get those ideas from the masses when it comes to bees on the farm. I have to continue to remind myself that Im only doing 4 credits this quarter.

The next steps are finding those who are willing to commit. And this is no easy task. Having had the conversation with those who are in power, we have very little time and a lot of work to do. I’m encouraged and discouraged at the same time.

Yet another roadblock in the series of roadblocks. Where do we go from here? The main problem that is going to happen now is the lack of commitment. I don’t think we will have enough people read to commit in the next 5 weeks. What I think is the best option that we have is to prepare for Fall quarter as much as we can when it comes to the establishing of the club. As I have said in the past, I will give all my support and knowledge to this, but I can’t do it alone.

So it looks like things are coming together when it comes to the Apiculture Club. we have a meeting with S&A on Thursday after the presentation to the Foods Ways Class. We are going to lay out the need for the club with the loss of the program, and how beneficial bees are to our community.

Getting everyone on the same page has been very difficult: this is college after all, everyone with a competing schedule. I have messaged those who are interested and am hoping to have the lists that were created of those interested can be found!?!? The next steps are going to be creating this club from the ground up and finding out what our mission is going to be. As Iu have discussed in my previous posts, we need to have a community conscience on what bees mean for our campus and for our farm. Dave’s main focus was education and biology, (this is why we didn’t have product for market for over 5 years), this is something that I don’t want to focus on. I can do units on taxonomy, biology, etc. But I find practical knowledge where that education is applied PRACTICALLY. I still believe that we need to fully integrate the bees into the farm curriculum, just as the chickens, the figs, and wildflowers are taught.

I again reiterate that if desperation is truly the mother of invention, we will make this happen.

We cant move forward until we know what we want from our bees. Last week, I purposed to the class the question, “What do see as the future for bees on the Evergreen Farm, and do you wanna be a part of it?”

I have been getting a spattering of responses, mostly positive. What I have seen as MY project is no longer that. Do we want bees strictly for pollination? Do we want to utilize the honey and by product for profit of the farm? Do we want biological research hives, etc? We have to utilize the space as well as the resources, which we will have an overwhelming surplus of, in some regards. But there needs to be more of a democratic method in finding out what and how people want to interact with bees. And who will then become responsible. I’m willing to put all of my knowledge and support behind the group.

Ben and I have decided to do a mead making project in the SAL. We are able to use my left over honey supply and his beer making skills: to see if we can make a viable honey after product. This is going to add to the wonderful array of products that I am currently able to produce. Yet another project that works with the Food Ways and Farm programs. I will be trying a honey garlic as well. Yay for fermenting!

The next steps for the bees on the farm, is patience. We have to wait for the weather to be right to see if we had any hives survive, if they have. we can plan further. Though making arrangements for buying new bee packages should be considered. I know I will be purchasing hives for myself this year, but without a budget: We wont have bee this year on the farm unless we figure things out.

This week is gonna be a scary one for me as the bees caretaker. Cold Snap and wet, these are not the ideal conditions for the resident honey-makers. With the snow day on Friday, and the weather delay on Weds, there hasn’t been much time on the farm. The main problem with managing bees over the winter is we don’t know what going on inside the hive, and there is no safe way of doing so. Wintering is where we begin to see some issues of improper management. As with all farming, what we do 8 months before can determine the outcome of a crop or livestock.

Having been part of the panels that we have had about the legacy of the farm, where I was inspired to put ink to paper and throw out a sign up list for anyone interested in the bee club. Bria is going to the face of the underclasspersons for sure. Her gentle reminders of interest are keeping my resolve. 10 signatures were gathered and it looks like there were many who are interested who weren’t able to make the class period .

The next steps are setting up a meeting with Tyrone at S&A. I’m willing to put all my knowledge and support into this, but I feel I may somehow be tainted with my association with Dave. I, personally, have be neglected by S&A. So my hopes is we get the freshman and sophomores interested we can get some funding. Yet again, i will see if anyone want to table at the activities fair, or at least get a clipboard and walk around getting names!

After some consideration as to how I’m going to handle this quarter, I became introspective and reflective. I am coming to an end in my educational journey at Evergreen, and this is really no longer about me. or MY relationship with the bees. I get plenty of pats on the back, and atta-boys. Educators and Staff have my back in many situations, but they are following my lead, my overall plan. What is going to happen when that goes away?! Stewardship is key, but it is the elephant in the room. We love passing it on, and caring for the next generation, but we have to have a plan, that isn’t what I want, but what does the community want. As we focus on this transitional period on the farm, and here at Evergreen as a whole; we have to come together as a community and provide some input

I would love to see what the custodians of the farm are willing to consider and what they want to see as to the future of the bees at Evergreen. This is the first time in over 8 months that interest has been garnered in the bee club, and with absolutely no funding: we need to start planning for the future. We have some names and are making the meeting with S&A and starting to plan possible meeting times. It is not the greatest timing in as there won’t be much bee things to do, but now is the time to wade through the red tape and bureaucracy  I, myself, have an expiration date as a student here at Evergreen. 6 months and I graduate. Unless magically a contract appears for me to do this as a part time internship, or I quickly educate the new caretakers. Trisha, Beth, Sarah, Ben, and the students, I would love to hear from you. 

Before I create our management plan I need more input from the wants and needs of the farm and those who are willing to press forward with our amazing little pollinators.