This week, we delve into the world of the urban beekeeper. Declines in bee populations around the world have been widely reported over the past several decades. Much of the attention has been focused on honey bees, which in turn, along with local legislative restrictions on backyard hives being lifted, has sparked an increase of hobbyist beekeeping in cities.
But the decision to keep bees in your backyard shouldn’t be taken lightly and there are a number of local associations, clubs and businesses to help those interested in the activity. We’re talking to two such businesses, Urban Honey Bee and Mueller Honey Bee, ahead of them hosting a Beginner Beekeeping Course in Akron starting February 21st.
Laura Urban (pictured above) manages and operates Urban Honey Bee which specializes in queens, nucs, hive products and equipment. Over the past several years Urban’s affiliation with urban beekeeping has expanded from a part-time hobby to a full-time business based on partnerships and education. Everything Urban Honey Bee does is an attempt to benefit bee health and culture.
Emily Mueller (pictured above) started Mueller Honey Bee as a way to increase honey bee population in Northeast Ohio. Locally known as the “Bee Whisperer”, her goal is to educate people on the importance of honey bees through advocacy and public demonstration.
Urban Honey Bee and Mueller Honey Bee are hosting the 2nd annual Beginner Beekeeping Course taught by the area’s leading beekeeping professionals starting February 21st through to March 21st.
Also on the podcast, we highlight new music from Cleveland’s Ray Flanagan. Ray Flanagan is at Visible Voice Books on Fri 2/15 and he released his first solo work called Passerby this month. Normally known for the more boisterous sound of Ray Flanagan & the Authorities, this collection of songs is a more intimate, inward look than we have seen in Flanagan’s recorded output thus far.
We also have music from Youngstown’s the Vindys — just one of the many local bands announced recently to perform at this year’s LaurelLive music festival on June 8-9. Sheryl Crow is headlining the Sunday but the festival also includes a number of local acts including the Shootouts, JD Eicher, Ashley Fulton, Front Porch Lights, Julia Thompson and Red Sun Rising.
