Woman At Work: Apicultural Educator + Beelieve Hawaii Founder Jasmine Joy
Original post at dovetailworkwear.com
These photos are un-Beelievable… Sorry for that pun. Forgive us, and tell us about Beelieve Hawaii’s work.
We specialize in the protection of honeybees and are devoted to the livelihood of pollinators.
Honeybees are the most important managed pollinators in the US. A third of food humans consume is possible because of them. Other biotic pollen vectors like butterflies, birds, and bats also assist in the diversity of our food system. Without these creatures, familiar flavors of today would be considered scarce tomorrow.
Since 2012, we have been on a wild adventure of saving feral honeybee colonies from extermination. We are conservationists and educators providing a service that is an alternative solution to pest control.
Feral honeybee colonies sound cute and terrifying. What does caring for them entail?
I have 40+ hives on the island of Oahu that require inspection every two weeks. Each colony is examined to make sure the bees are bringing in enough nectar and pollen to perpetuate their livelihood. We also observe the consistency of a queen bee's brood (offspring) pattern to determine how healthy she is.
Tell us about the cultural context of honeybee wisdom, and its importance now.
The honeybee is considered sacred across many cultures since ancient times. There is a deep correlation of Mother Earth and the matriarchy within a hive that symbolizes mindfulness, balance, and reverence. All of these qualities are currently needed on this planet more than ever.
Over two-thirds of American beekeepers are men. How do you encourage other women to explore apiculture?
Find a beekeeping mentor that has similar beliefs and practices you resonate with. Learn as much as you can from this expert. Tune in to your intuition on how to approach this ancient craft with honor.
We’re all especially stoked for the new year. What’s the buzz at the Beelieve Hawaii hive?
Beelieve University is a new mentorship program we’ll kick off in 2021.
"Intro to Ethical Beekeeping" will be the introductory course running from March 4 to June 24.
We are accepting applications until February 1st for a small cohort of six students.
What are the top five things that are always in your pockets?
My Coco Cacao Bee Balm (C2B) Stick
A pocket knife
Beeswax flakes
Sawdust
Sand
Over here in rainy Portland, we are dreaming of just a day in Oahu. What are you doing when you’re not working hard?
Surfing or immersed in a spiritual practice like Qi Gong or Yoga.
Follow Jasmine + Beelieve Hawaii on Instagram for more honeybee wisdom.
Photos of Jasmine at the hive by Gretchen Powers
Jasmine's pronouns are she + her.
