Next meeting: Sunday, September 30

Thinking about becoming a beekeeper but have no idea how to start?

Want to meet a bunch of friendly beekeepers ready to share their knowledge?

Come to the next meeting of the Backwards Beekeepers!

Backwards Beekeepers meetings take place on the last Sunday of every month.

The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 30 at 11am. As always, we'll be at the Atwater Crossing arts complex.

Please note: it's Carmageddon II! Information here.

Here's what we have planned for the meeting:

–Kirk takes questions from new & aspiring beekeepers

–Update on the Michael Bush speaking event happening in October

–Lots of experienced beekeepers answer your questions about all things bee!

Location:
Atwater Crossing
3265-3191 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039-2205

There is ample free parking in the complex parking lot  - PLEASE park in the lot so the residents of the neighborhood can park near their homes.

The Atwater Crossing Cafe now serves a full breakfast! Come early and make a morning of it.

Map link

Closest freeway exit is Fletcher off the 2 freeway
Casitas is between Minneapolis St & Silver Lake Blvd…
1 long block SW of N. San Fernando Road (across the railroad tracks)
1 ½ blocks NW of Fletcher Drive
2 ½ blocks SE of Glendale Blvd

Upcoming meetings (mark your calendar!):

•October 28

See you there!
Anne & Gwen

Saving a hive and making a new beekeeper

We love stories about making new beekeepers! Here's the latest one.

LA Backwards Beekeeper Tyson writes:

Mark V. attended his first Backwards Beekeepers meeting in August. He had bees that had made a home inside the front wall of his family’s house. He wanted them removed, but not killed—he was ready to become a beekeeper!

After talking to him for a while I decided that I’d help him get those bees out and into a new home. He was enthusiastic and insisted on helping and I was grateful for an extra hand.

The hive had been building for several months, and had lots of
healthy brood and several pounds of capped honey as well.

Mark is ready to go!

This cut out was ideal in that it was at chest height, in the shade and made up of beautiful long thin combs for easy measurement.

After some practice Mark worked like a pro, carefully sizing and aligning
the comb upright without damaging the nurse bees with the rubber bands.

Over half done!

Urban beekeeping is expanding fast

Sebastian and Kirk with Michael (center) from Green Tree Landscaping.

Kirk and Sebastian have been hired by a local landscaping company whose clients love having bees in their yards. Money quote from Kirk:

I just keep getting amazed at how many people want to have bees in their yards…you can be an urban beekeeper in Los Angeles and maybe start making a living at it!

Sebastian checks a healthy hive.

Hear more from Kirk below:

Silver Lake compound is bee paradise

Primary colors hive, Silver Lake.

Kirk writes:

I went to Walker's house to drop off some honey for an art project she and her husband are doing. She lives on a hilltop in Silver Lake. She and five of her neighboors have joined their places into a community.

She has twenty hives up there and her neighbors have some hives also.

She has hives she calls "Home Depot hives" that she and her husband make. She has some Warre hives. There's a hive in a cabinet. And Japanese hives!

Hives on the roof!

Outdoor kitchen.

It's a beekeeper's Paradise up there. You can keep bees in the city, have good neighboors and build a community also.

—kirkobeeo

But wait! You've got to hear how fired up Kirk is as he tells the story. Plenty more details follow:

The honey keeps coming

Kirk writes:

It's been a good year for honey. Best one in a long time.

Today I went to two hives and took two buckets. I have harvested five 5-gallon buckets so far this year and have five or six more stops to make.

—Kirkobeeo