176 - Gemma Astley

John and Nathalie sit down with The Girl Next door herself, Hilary Kearney, to talk about her new book “The Heart of the Hive,” as well as what it has been like building her bee business and unique brand.  Tune in now to learn more…

John and Nathalie take a jaunt across the pond to talk with Steve Riley and discuss his new book “The Honey Bee Solution to Varroa.”  Steve, along with the Westerham Beekeepers in the UK, have done a lot of research into how Varroa was affecting their bees, and how the bees responded when they were not treated.  They have combined their observations along with research from respected sources all over the world to come up with a more comprehensive overview of the traits that better indicate when bees truly are displaying varroa sensitive hygienic behaviors.  This information could greatly improve your own beekeeping and quest for better genetic qualities in our own bees.  Tune in now to learn more…

Nathalie and John sit down with Niki Backes, Supporter Manager for Bees Abroad, to discuss what got her interested in Beekeeping, and how she came to be involved with Bees Abroad.  Plus, what is Bees Abroad, how are they making a difference in other countries, and what can you do to help?  Tune in now to learn more… Link: https://www.beesabroad.org/  

Nathalie and John sit down with long-time friend of the show, Tara Chapman, to discuss her new book "For the Bees: A Handbook for Happy Beekeeping."  Plus, the gang catch up on life changes that have caused Tara to have to re-evaluate how she runs aspects of her day-to-day business.  Tune in now to learn more... To purchase a copy of Tara's new book, you can visit: https://www.twohiveshoney.com/book/ *And be sure to use the code "JIVE" to save 15%   And if you are interested in joining one of her classes, you can see all the details and fill out an application by clicking Here!  

This week John and Nathalie sit down with Randy McCaffrey of 628 Dirt Rooster YouTube Fame to discuss how he got started in bees, and what all it took to build his YouTube channel up to nearly 40 Million Views!  Tune in now to learn more…

This week John finally got to fulfill a podcast-long goal of sitting down with the creator of Bella Beek and host of Beekeeper Confidential… the one and only… Mandy Shaw!   Join us as John and Nathalie catch up with Mandy and learn what her journey has been like thus far, as well as what she has planned for the future.  Tune in now to learn more…

Nathalie and John recap a few topics from the recent interviews with Tracy, Tucka, Gemma, and Peggy.  Are mites really the line in the sand that beekeepers make it out to be today?  Plus, it’s time for another Ken’s Cooking Corner where he continues his Sourdough addiction with some Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies made with Honey.

This week John and Nathalie sat down with Peggy DeSanto, co-founder of Bee the Change and The Hive Hugger.  The group discusses how Peggy got started in Beekeeping, what inspired her to create the Hive Hugger, and how important it is to make sure your hives are properly insulated.  Plus, how does Peggy feel about the current state of beekeeping?  Tune in now to learn more…

This week John and Nathalie sit down with Gemma Astley from Homestead Hens and Honey to catch up on all things Homesteading, Chicken Keeping, and Bees!  The group covers a wide range of topics including if Gemma has changed her opinions on Hive Styles, a discussion on queen mysteries, and how Gemma feels about the current state of beekeeping.  Tune in now to learn more…

This week John and Nathalie sit down with the one and only Tucka Saville to learn what it was like keeping bees between New York and Florida, as well as catching up on the latest changes in the world of Tucka Bee as she dips her toes into the commercial world of contracted beekeeping in Florida.