Ashing, Bee Teas &
Biodynamic Beekeeping
BEE TEAS:
Humans drink herbal teas to help nourish their bodies.
Why not give herbal teas to bees to help nourish their bodies?
Sound wild?
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Well, Gunther Hauk of Spikenard Farm doesn't think so.
He has been working with bees for over 40 years and has developed several recipes to give herbal teas to bees to help nourish their bodies.
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Here is the link to the recipes:
https://spikenardfarm.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/HealingTeaHoneybees.pdf
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I have made these for the bees and they taste amazingly delicious.
The bees just love it.
What a fabulous way to show our love for the bees.
BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE:
Bees are only as healthy as the food they eat - nectar and pollen from flowers.
Flowers are only as healthy as the soil they are grown in.
Soil is only as healthy as the amount of living microbes in ..... since the microbes break down sub soil/plant materials into nutritious soil substances.
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The structure of healthy soil is a complex topic.
But what if the soil and Mother Earth needed to take in energy from our solar system to be healthy too?
Is it possible that certain plants can absorb the Love from the planet Venus?
Is is possible that each planet sends a specific energy to Mother Earth .... like sisters taking care of one another?
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According to Rudolf Steiner, the answers are YES.
We live in a Universe teaming with life and each part contributes a beneficial energy to the whole....just like the cells of your body all contribute health to the whole.
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Would the bees benefit from a healthier Earth? Absolutely.
So how do we enliven the soils and make this planet super healthy for all life?
Using biodynamic principles outlined by Rudolf Steiner almost 100 years ago.
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Biodynamic agriculture is something you can do on a farm, on your land around your house, or on a balcony of an apartment.
It will take some time to learn, but the benefits are well worth the investment.
Steiner wrote over 30 books in his life time but the one I like the best, the best beginners book is this one, written by Monty Waldin:
This book is super practical.
It has a ton of step by step pictures and simple explanations of Steiner's work.
You can start today and do something practical to enhance the soil and plants in your life.
Then, if you want, you can continue to read the other books of Steiner over time.
This is a true journey.
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BIODYNAMIC BEEKEEPING:
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If you want to take your knowledge to another level, Gunther Hauk of Spikenard Farms offers biodynamic beekeeping courses and general biodynamic courses. Gunther has been immersed in Steiner's work for over 40 years and he is a fabulous teacher. He is able to take this large body of knowledge and simplify it for us beginners..... a true skill done with humor.
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Gunther,Vivian and Alex run many courses.
Check them out at:
The setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains is breathtaking.
The courses are practical with hands-on work at the hives.
Watching these masters work with their bees is a true joy as they do it with such gentleness.
It will truly help you see/feel/experience how sustainable beekeeping can be done.
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Ashing:
Ashing was taught by Rudolf Steiner as a method to rid pests and weeds from agricultural fields. One needs to collect the bugs (varroa and small hive beetles) from your hives and store them dry until the sun and moon are in the astrological sign of Taurus. Then they are burned and the ashes are introduced into the hive.
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There are 3 ways that I know of to learn how to do this:
1. https://spikenardfarm.org/store/category/classes/
Zoom Recording entitled: The Varroa Mite Ashing, Treatments, and Research (Recording)
04/17/2021 Cost: $55.00 USD
Alex Tuchman does an amazing job explaining the life cycle of varroa, how biodynamic theory is to encourage bees' health naturally, and how to ash.
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2,3. There are two books that are amazing to learn about biodynamic beekeeping and how to use ashing for varroa and small hive beetle.
