How are beekeeping and sock-knitting related?
So glad you asked!
I have a very short attention span, and am more than a bit dyslexic. Focusing on one project at a time can be the most difficult task. That’s why I have lots and lots of lists – to help keep me focused.
I love to knit – hats, scarves, mittens, socks, and of course the occasional larger projects like shawls and sweaters. Wool, bamboo, tencel, silk, acrylic, I’m not a fiber snob. Most items are donated to a homeless shelter, but I enjoy knitting – focuses the brain and hands. I recently heard a story about how great knitting socks was for someone with a short attention span, and I thought-- that could easily describe beekeeping. Basic sock knitting can be broken down into toe, arch, heel, and ankle. You gotta knit them when you make a sock, no matter whether toe-up or top-down. By the time you are getting bored with one part, you are one to the next! The secret is, there’s very little dullness when knitting socks because each pair is different: you change a needle size, yarn type, and knit/purl pattern. Each sock is a unique work of art. By the way, I’d like to send a big “thanks” to the ladies of the Dayton Knitting Guild for helping me to become a more dynamic knitter. They provide knitted garments to local charities, and lap afghans to the VA. Check out their website at www.daytonknittingguild.com.
The tactile sense of knitting and the smell of the wool as it moves from the skein, through your fingers and into the final garment are similar to the unique sensory experiences of beekeeping: The smell of honey in the air, the wafts from the smoker, the scent of propolis, and naturally, the taste of honey fresh from the frame.
So, each month brings its own beekeeping tasks, and by the time you’re getting a bit bored, the next month arrives and there are different to-dos that need to be done. Each year creates it own challenges and experiences. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall - basic seasons that require different bee agendas. Sometimes the weather cooperates, but most often not. Last year’s Spring was damp and yucky. Bees and beekeepers alike were cramped in their homes awaiting the warm weather, and the queens were dutifully laying eggs. So, when the warm weather hit, bam-o, the hives were congested and bees naturally reacted by swarming. Couldn’t keep track of how many S-O-S calls we received from homeowners with bees in trees, bushes, picnic tables, etc. During a normal season, a beekeeper can try to stay ahead of the hives and provide extra space in order to limit swarming. When bees swarm, the queen and most of the worker population (girls) leave the hive. Queen cells, lots of larvae and eggs, nursery bees, and a small contingent of worker bees remain at home. The worker bees are the nectar/pollen collectors. Yep, no workers, no honey crop! Once a new queen emerges and the nursery population matures, the hive will start back to honey and pollen. It can set back the hive by quite a few weeks.
The rain stopped mid-summer. If beekeepers didn’t spin off their honey before July, they were mostly out of luck! And then, the great windstorm of Sept 14th! Although I was out of town, I received tons of calls about beehives in trees that had been damaged during the wind. Unfortunately, while most beekeepers will try anything to collect feral bees, colonies whose homes are damaged late in the year are probably goners. Queen probably smooshed, comb extensively damaged, winter supplies leaking to the ground, not to mention, the hive is about 30 feet off the ground! Not elements that are an easy remedy for even an experienced beekeeper. Never a dull moment in beekeeping.
Speaking of beekeeping – why not consider a hive for your backyard? You’ll be rewarded with wonderful pollination, maybe some honey for your diet, and working with the girls is, well, hard to describe. I find that time spent in the apiary is like time knitting…..the world disappears and you live in the moment. Knit, purl, knit, purl, repeat…..open the hive, inspect the frame, look for eggs, sample some comb, close up the hive, repeat. This winter you will have the opportunity to enroll in some local beekeeping classes. More on that in a later column.