Stéphanie Bruneau - The Benevolent Bee

Capture the bounty of History, Home Remedies, and Craft

STEPHANIE BRUNEAU

2017 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

Text and Photography 2017 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

First Published in 2017 by Quarry Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group,

100 Cummings Center, Suite 265-D, Beverly, MA 01915, USA.

T (978) 282-9590 F (978) 283-2742 QuartoKnows.com

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Digital edition: 978-1-63159-437-3

Softcover edition: 978-1-63159-286-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available

Design: Blent Yksel

Page Layout: Laia Albaladejo

Photography: Coolburns & Co., except: Shutterstock, (top).

This publication is designed to provide useful information to readers about hobby beekeeping. The publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book. Readers should protect themselves by following instructions on all beekeeping equipment and products before taking up this hobby. The publisher and author assume no responsibility, legal or otherwise, for an individuals injuries, damages, or losses which may be claimed or incurred as a result, directly or indirectly, of the use of the contents of this publication.

Dedication

For Emile. I am so happy at home in our hive.

H i! Im Stephanie, the Benevolent Bee. Im a beekeeper, environmental educator, amateur herbalist, artist, homemaker, and mama to two junior beekeepers in training. Im passionate about bees, natural living, and raising healthy, creative, and happy kids.

People always ask me, Why bees? The answer is, I dont really know! Its just part of who I am, and I feel so lucky to have discovered my passion. Just like an artist is drawn to a canvas or a musician to an instrument, I have always been drawn to the natural world, and bees in particular. When I am working with the bees I feel calm and happy, hopeful, completely centered, and at peace. Ten years ago when my husband and I set up our first backyard hive, I knew immediately that beekeeping would be part of our life forever. That first summer we set up lawn chairs at the side of the hive and spent hours just watching the bees fly in and out.

My interest in the products of the hive came later. As our one hive became two, and then four, and then more, we soon had more honey than we could handle, plus a growing stockpile of beeswax with which to experiment. I started making simple candles and quickly fell in love with the honeyed scent and golden glow of homemade beeswax at the family dining table. Then, just after my daughter Clara turned one, she came down with a horrible cough that kept the whole family up for several nights in a row. The doctor recommended a spoonful of honey before bed, citing a well-respected study demonstrating that honey is more effective at calming coughs than the main ingredient in most cough syrups, dextromethorphan. He also suggested a vapor chest rub, adding, You keep bees, right? If you have beeswax, you could easily make your own instead of buying the petroleum-based brand from the pharmacy. The idea of using our own bee products to help heal Clara was empowering and exciting. I found recipes for an herbal chest rub online and made a batch that evening, combining our own beeswax with organic olive oil and eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary essential oils. Rubbing it gently into Claras chest and feet that night felt like an expression of love and caretaking that was deeply satisfying. We all slept through the night.

T hese days, we sell our honey, handcrafted candles, and beeswax-based body products at local farmers markets and craft fairs, and we use bee products daily to support our familys health and wellness. We put pollen in our breakfast cereal, boosting its nutritional value immensely. Propolis throat spray and honey citrus syrups carry us safely through cold season, and the energy boost of royal jelly powers me through long runs and tired mornings alike. Ever since I discovered that I am actually highly allergic to honeybee stings, I receive weekly doses of bee venom to reduce my bodys sensitivity, and I have learned a lot about the benefits of the bees healing sting. (No, Im not kidding! Much more about my allergy and the benefits of bee venom later.)

I t turns out that there is a long documented use of the products of the honeybee hive for their delicious, healthful, and practical properties, reaching back centuries and circling the globe. Honey never spoilsthe honey found in the tomb of King Tut (dating from around 1330 BCE) is just as sweet and delicious, nourishing, and fresh as the honey we harvested from our bees here in Philadelphia this past spring. Similarly, the healthful benefits of hive products, appreciated for centuries in communities around the world, are just as useful today as they were in ancient Egypt. The use of bee products has withstood the test of time, and they have been used for much longer than any scientific study or trial.

I n this book, well explore the six main hive products: propolis, pollen, honey, royal jelly, bee venom, and beeswax. Together, we will investigate how and why bees produce these products, how theyve been used by humans all over the world throughout the ages, and how todays beekeepers harvest the products. Ill also share the hive-derived recipes I use for health, wellness, and nutrition, as well as simple instructions for some of our favorite bee-based and family-friendly craft projects.