21st BEE

11/05/2024

Everything still looking to be on track. Once all this patent paperwork is done being filed I can start letting out images and what not of the items that will be available in January. That could happen as early as next month. Stay tuned...

Send a message to learn more

10/10/2024

Progress on everything with the new product line seems to be on track so far. We plan to launch the initial 8 products on January 1st, 2025 at the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, KY; and online as well.

Send a message to learn more

09/23/2024

As some of you may already know, my family has been in the manufacturing business since 1988, producing products for a couple of different markets at the moment. I have been a hobby beekeeper since 2013; and while I went to college for zoology and love beekeeping, my day job has been manufacturing in the family business for a good part of my life now.

I have been making my own equipment, practicing non traditional beekeeping methods, and basically just doing my own thing for years. We have now decided to get into the beekeeping game and start up a beekeeping product line, with an emphasis on making modern day items to fit the 21st century beekeeper. I'm combining my beekeeping methodology with science, observation, and what works best for both the bees and beekeepers overall. Believe me, you haven't seen anything like what we plan to release at the end of the year.

I will slowly be transitioning over my personal beekeeping social media platforms to use for the new product line as I just don't have the time to do all of these at once. The new product line won't be released until the end of this year however. We plan on attending the North American Honeybee Expo the first few days of January 2025 and exhibit the products for the first time in person there.

I am giving all of my followers a heads up months in advance so you have time to come across this post, decide if you want to keep following, tell a friend or two, or decide you are not that interested and unfollow. My "The Bearded Bee" hobby pages are now starting the transitioning process over to our "21st BEE" business pages.

I'll update this page as the new websites and such are launched as well with all the relevant info.

Thanks for following all these years everyone. Hope you stick around for the new chapter to come!

05/30/2024

All of my queens have come back mated, and laying well... so I have to keep more honey back for them than I planned. I did pull a few gallons worth on Monday. I've already sold some, so less than 30 bottles left now. They are all in 1 lb plastic squeeze bottles and are $10 each as usual. Tastes super sweet and mostly of white clover. Send me a message through this page or text me if you would like any.

05/07/2024

Went out to give my monster hive some more space and maybe pull some extra supers off it as it was higher than my face. Ended up finding that it had in fact swarmed. I found more than 60 queen cells in various stages, on more than 12 frames, in at least 6 boxes. Still plenty of bees left. Ended up turning that one hive into 4 colonies, with plenty of honey and space for all to use. No pictures as I was a little busy sorting through 4 stacks of boxes and frames to make up the configurations I wanted in each.

05/06/2024

Day #2 of frame building... forgot how much I hate doing this part.

04/16/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/9sNHs8fU3jeNiuLm/?mibextid=Nif5oz

04/06/2024

Way too windy up here to normally work bees today, but haven't fully opened them since June last year... need to do a deep dive regardless of the wind today. Little honey water with some pro health in some feeders to help distract them too. Some empty "simply juice" containers make excellent easy to carry feed jugs fyi.

01/10/2024

How many people here would be interested in attending a beginning beekeeping class if I put one on in February?

03/22/2023

03/22/2023

It has started today!

03/17/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=688569263062597&id=100057285893366&sfnsn=mo&mibextid=DcJ9fc

This is what it looks like after taking out over 100 extra frames already just to try and get into the back of the 16 foot trailer I store extra bee stuff in. Empty boxes starting to be stacked up all around the yard. There is an extractor and more equipment back in there somewhere 😆 I am tempted to just sell some of these old dark comb frames for people to use in swarm traps. Cleaning them out to use empty again doesn't sound like much fun at the moment...

03/04/2023

If you are looking for a beekeeping event that's within a few hours driving range, The Big Bee Buzz in Tulsa is a good one to attend.

12/21/2022

Today is the Winter Solstice, so you know what that means... the bees are starting up their summer plans and swarming prep now. They will gradually start increasing their numbers over the next few months as well as prep for swarm season if they are healthy and large enough of a colony to do so. Consider yourself forewarned lol!

08/18/2022

It's Goldenrod Season !
Image: Gleanings in Bee Culture, October 15, 1915, Page 862 - Follow:
Historical Honeybee Articles - Beekeeping History

circa. 1915 - With one glance at the outside of a hive, an expert beekeeper can tell what is going on within, but in goldenrod season he don't need to look at all. - He Just smells 'em.

Source:
Gleanings in Bee Culture, October 15, 1915, Page 862
The Backlot Buzzer
by J. H. Donahky

07/20/2022

Heads up, new meeting location indoors!

06/22/2022

I have about a dozen bottles of honey available that I was planning on using for something, but likely not now after all. All in 1lb bottles, $10 a bottle.

06/20/2022

If it's been a while since you've washed your bee suits then you have all kinds of smoke scents, alarm pheromone, and of course sweat and dirt in there. It's no wonder the bees are after you immediately. After just one hand washing the labor we put into our beekeeping efforts can bee seen. Even after multiple washes the water never comes clean. Just save yourself the work and stop after 2x if still beekeeping season.

Warm water, heavy squeeze of dawn liquid soap and a scoop of oxiclean sterilizer if you want in your tub. Soak, agitate by hand, drain, rinse, repeat, then hand dry outside in the sun so the rays can further break down the smells. It will be "cleaner" now 😆