Robin Morris
YABeeP Web Editor:
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Bees and Tolstoy
Just reading 'Honey and Dust' by Piers Moore-Ede and was struck by this quote from Tolstoy (an avid beekeeper):
Tolstoy by Repin 1901 (picture Wikipedia) |
Tolstoy in War and Peace (First Epilogue ch. 1)
Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year.
Emma
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Jonathan's response:
Emma
That is a great quote. While writing the course I have been thinking very hard about what is natural beekeeping? It seems very clear to me that it is when we are supportive of the bee bien#1 (here I use the
German word which covers the undividable bee organism which includes the three castes, comb, shelter, micro bacteria local flower environment etc). So natural beekeeping requires us to understand what that is first before we can be supportive.
Your quote reminds me that humans can see something and have so many different views of the same thing, and true insight on what the bien is probably requires years of not only study (because we are not
bees!) but also reflection on what our motives are and how that might colour our views.
So, if we say that bees are not greedy (they share their food equally and all die together when they run out, they feed the drones and heater bees, they fly to exhaustion in summer) then if we take honey we should remember that the bien is not greedy.
If we say the bien is without delusion (they will eat their own brood when there is no food, they supercede the queen when she starts to fail, they kick out drones when they are of no further use, they dump sick bees away from the hive) then perhaps we should not try reverse situations which are beyond hope and not be afraid of the bold decisions for the good of the bien.
Do we support the bee environment with our shopping choices? Do we use weed killers?
Is what I am doing best done by the bien - after all they have been doing this stuff for 20 million years ?
The bien has no hierarchy - so is bee KEEPER the correct approach?
There are so many aspects we could consider and apply that to what we do.
I think we can slip in and out of being a natural beekeeper depending on our understanding of the bien. When I take a flight, I'm not being a natural beekeeper as I'm not supportive of the environment - it's a
choice I have made. I personally think that following the bee bien is very good for humans - it gives us great insight. For others they may think that its just an insect that gives us honey. Going back to your quote - it depends on your view point.
Jonathan
That is a great quote. While writing the course I have been thinking very hard about what is natural beekeeping? It seems very clear to me that it is when we are supportive of the bee bien#1 (here I use the
German word which covers the undividable bee organism which includes the three castes, comb, shelter, micro bacteria local flower environment etc). So natural beekeeping requires us to understand what that is first before we can be supportive.
Your quote reminds me that humans can see something and have so many different views of the same thing, and true insight on what the bien is probably requires years of not only study (because we are not
bees!) but also reflection on what our motives are and how that might colour our views.
So, if we say that bees are not greedy (they share their food equally and all die together when they run out, they feed the drones and heater bees, they fly to exhaustion in summer) then if we take honey we should remember that the bien is not greedy.
If we say the bien is without delusion (they will eat their own brood when there is no food, they supercede the queen when she starts to fail, they kick out drones when they are of no further use, they dump sick bees away from the hive) then perhaps we should not try reverse situations which are beyond hope and not be afraid of the bold decisions for the good of the bien.
Do we support the bee environment with our shopping choices? Do we use weed killers?
Is what I am doing best done by the bien - after all they have been doing this stuff for 20 million years ?
The bien has no hierarchy - so is bee KEEPER the correct approach?
There are so many aspects we could consider and apply that to what we do.
I think we can slip in and out of being a natural beekeeper depending on our understanding of the bien. When I take a flight, I'm not being a natural beekeeper as I'm not supportive of the environment - it's a
choice I have made. I personally think that following the bee bien is very good for humans - it gives us great insight. For others they may think that its just an insect that gives us honey. Going back to your quote - it depends on your view point.
Jonathan
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Editor's comment:
Contact details of the Frome & Bruton natural beekeeping group can be found under "Other local natural beekeeping groups:" in the right hand column.
Dare I suggest that the second beekeeper in Tolstoy's quote describes a natural beekeeper?
#1Bien is a German word (pronounced bean) meaning the whole being of the colony - see this page from Gaia Bees for a fuller explanation.Contact details of the Frome & Bruton natural beekeeping group can be found under "Other local natural beekeeping groups:" in the right hand column.
Dare I suggest that the second beekeeper in Tolstoy's quote describes a natural beekeeper?
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