So you want to 'B' a Beekeeper?

By David/Max Curtis

Thrills and Spills of a beekeeping family. First volume of a trilogy, this volume covers the family beginning beekeeping years between 1960-1972. Located in Southern Oregon, during a time of innocence and wild natural bounty,in a backwoods environment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David/Max Curtis
• Release date: Feb 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301278602

David/Max Curtis

Born and raised in Southern Oregon. Father of two grown sons. Have worked professionally in many fields. Strong artistic background. Maintain a French residency. Focused on helping our honey bees, wild pollinators, beekeepers and local community.

Book preview

So, You Want to ‘B’ a Beekeeper?

By David M. J. Curtis

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2013 David M. J. Curtis

All Rights Reserved

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

Wild Bee Honey Farm

Eagle Point, Oregon

Established – 1964

‘Thrills And Spills’ Of A ‘Beekeeping’ Family

Short Stories and Memories

Ones Bee Biography

‘The Early Years’

(1960-1974)

The bees are to the earth; as the plankton is to the sea. Their value as Pollinators is the starting block of our food chains helping insure the survival of the human species.

—D. M. Curtis

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

Forward

CHAPTER 1. THE EARLY YEARS

Black Widow

Church

Football

CHAPTER 2. BUILDING UP

Dodge Bridge

Hospital

Rattler

Critters

Encroaching

Wax Moth

Swing Boom

Town Run

CHAPTER 3. POLLINATION

Pears

Onions

First Catastrophe

Mike and Gang

Eastern Oregon

CHAPTER 4. HONEY

Ants

Orange Cove

Mushrooms

Acknowledgements

This one sided accounting of the Wild Bee Honey Farm is in homage to all beekeepers. An accounting of difficulties experienced by them all, all with their own similar or different stories, all giving and showing their love and dedication to the bees.

Special appreciation goes to a departed family friend, fellow Beekeeper, Delmar Smith. A man who never tired of the Bees, or helping others with them.

Special Thanks to the local Beekeepers Association; and all the beekeepers involved, through the years, with Wild Bee Honey Farm.

Great Thanks to all our friends, and to the local community.

A thank you to the growers, who took the time to learn about the bees.

Pictures really are a thousand words. I give great thanks to the following photographers who allowed me the use of their pictures in this book. John Miktuk, Kathy Keatley Garvey, Catkin Krieger/Lawrence family, Christy Hemenway, Ami Reist, Ted Roger Karson.

Dedication of this work goes to my parents. It wasn’t until my time at the university and through to this day, that I realized how blessed I was to be brought up by them. In Oregon, with the Bees.

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Preface

Bees are a direct window; allowing us to see the diversity and complexities of Mother Nature. Beekeepers and biologists were the front runners discovering the effects on our planet earth from ‘Global Warming’. Moreover, beekeepers were the first to feel the financial effects of climate change.

This book is not intended to teach anyone about becoming a beekeeper. Nor is it an effort to either encourage or discourage them. Rather, it is this author’s insight and experiences in the field of Beekeeping, exposing the common situations that can and often occur. As such, there is good information available for those with an interest beekeeping.

During the beginning of my convalescence from ocular melanoma, I began writing these short stories as memoires for my two sons. Over time, as more and more stories were written, a simple preoccupation turned into a larger desire to write this first book of a series. This first book covers the years between 1960 and 1974; the following book Middle Years 1974-1995, followed by Latter Years 1995 to present 2012. Without the assistance and encouragement from many friends, family and members of my community it never would have reached this point.

This book is a private endeavor. However, it is my dream is that it will provide a financial base to return my gratitude to those who’ve supported me, and aid in creating a platform for ongoing training, research, and development in the fields of Beekeeping and sustainable farming. In addition, this undertaking will allow me to assist our youth in trying to turn back the tide of environmental degradation. Wild Bee International is my current project for doing this. As a non-profit entity, Wild Bee International is dedicated to the good of our local and world community.

CREDITS: The following are those of my inner cluster who are responsible in enabling me not just to finish this book, but to achieve its original creative design as an audio-visual book which can be found at Wild Bee International.com.

Ivan Raffalli; my longtime friend and neighbor who was responsible for finding me my little place to heal in Lezan, France.

My sons; Matthieu and Jason Julien Curtis and all their friends, who supported me and gave me reason to fight through my hardships.

Youdi; humoring me and helping me put the book in its first inter-active phase, thereby allowing others to see what I wanted to do.

Chris Serres; my book master, who was able to see and add his own creativity in making the dream real.

Richard Sheridan; our webmaster, who also has visualized my dream.

Those who participated in the books critiquing; a valued old family friend Lois Wilson, Bob and Susan Labozetta, Rick Mori.

Readers who encouraged me; Teryl and Claudia Chapel, Fred and Louise Cuozzo, Sharon Hayes, Pricilia Breinig.

Spanish Translator- Isabel Monterrosa

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Forward

When it all began. It was around 1960; when Dad started talking to Mom about raising a few hives. Times had been, and were, real tough. The Timber industry was the bread and butter of the valley. Hard winters, and a slow economy, had the local industry shut down, the valley community pretty much with it.

Besides our ability to live off the land, military food rations from the government were all that kept us and others alive. Survival required everyone in the community working and living together. Dad said grandpa had raised honey bees when he was young. He proposed the idea for the same reason: to help provide food, and supplemental income, for the family.

Mom wasn’t real keen on the idea. She liked honey, besides the fact that sugar was expensive. With all the canning and jellies she made for the family, the honey would be a big money saver. The problem however, was that she is deadly allergic to bee stings.

Somehow Dad managed to convince her, assuring her he could help build up her resistance to bee stings. Dad also assured her that he wouldn’t have the hives on the place most of the time, and that the bees wouldn’t be a real threat to her or to us boys.

One day Dad got in contact with Delmar Smith, president of the local beekeepers association, and the valley’s largest