There are Bees in the White House

There are bees in the White house, well they really live on the South Lawn, and it’s not just for show. Last year the bee keeper harvested an impressive 170 pounds of honey!

Bee Culture Magazine November 2010.

It never really dawned on me that places like the White House and Buckingham Palace would have bee hives in residence, but it does make since. Really, all gardens would fair much better with just a neighbor bee hive. It wouldn’t have to be very close – considering that bees can travel seven miles from the hive while foraging. I bet that is one of the reasons some gardens seem to have much more going on that others.

I checked my hive out today and it is just a busy super highway of coming and going, I opened it to just take a little peak, replacing the inner cover – minus the mold that had grown on it during the winter. The girls were so busy; they never really seemed to notice me. Either that or I’m becoming a little better at moving so carefully around that they don’t care. Some day I’ll have to post an article about the Zen of bee keeping. It’s all about moving gently in their space and sending the girls all the love you can muster, while tearing apart their little world to inspect the brood, Queen, and honey flow. Starting now till winter, I will be checking in every ten days.

So my heart leaps to read about the South Lawn White House bees. It makes me realize in chaotic times, there are some things that always follow order and peace in the world.