Country Parson Honey

07/26/2026

Which friend needs a seed intervention? 🌱😂

07/26/2026

07/26/2026

Big shout out to my new rising fans!

Ondřej As, Alsu Mingazova, Tyy Bruno, Farmer Saso, Bill Yauney, Redo Abae, Habib Abbasi

07/26/2026

Why Else Might Your Bees Be "Spicy" or Defensive?

Beyond being hungry, there are other reasons your bees might act defensive.
As beekeepers, we need to listen to our bees—their behavior is their way of telling us something important!

Other reasons why your bees may be spicy:
🐝Protecting Their Stores: They are just protecting their hard-earned honey and pollen. If you approach, they see you as a threat.
🐝Heat Stress: On hot days, they are working hard to cool the hive. They don't want you opening the lid and "screwing up" their air conditioning!
🐝Queenless Colonies: If they’ve lost their queen, they get anxious and defensive because they don't have the pheromones that keep them calm.
🐝They’ve Been Bothered: If a "beast"—like a bear, skunk, or even a curious pet—has messed with them, they stay on high alert.
🐝Pesticides: These can affect their nervous systems and make them act a bit erratic.
🐝Weather Changes: High winds, heavy rain, or sudden pressure shifts make them agitated.
🐝Mite Overload: High levels of Varroa mites make them weak, stressed, and more likely to sting.
🐝Time of Day: They are often grumpier in the late afternoon when more bees are home and the light is fading.
🐝Genetics: Sometimes, it’s just the queen's personality! Some hives are naturally more defensive than others.
Bee Haven 2026
In my opinion. it’s our job as beekeepers to watch for these signs and change how we handle the hives to keep them happy and calm.

07/25/2026

07/25/2026

07/24/2026

WHAT IS AN EMPTY BOWLS DINNER? Here is what you need to know...

Background/General:
Empty Bowls is an international grassroots fundraising initiative founded in 1990 by art educators John Hartom and Lisa Blackburn in Michigan to fight hunger and raise awareness about food insecurity. The event combines art, community, and service by inviting guests to a dinner featuring soup and bread served in handcrafted ceramic or wooden bowls donated by local artists and students.

Participants pay a donation to attend the meal and are allowed to keep the handmade bowl as a personal reminder of the empty bowls belonging to those who are hungry in their community. All proceeds from the ticket sales are donated to local food banks, soup kitchens, and organizations dedicated to providing food and critical supplies to those in need. For more information on the international organization, please go https://emptybowls.com

Empty Bowls Garrett County:
Lorie and Ron Skidmore of Deep Creek Pottery decided to bring an Empty Bowls event to Garrett County and raise money to support food security in our community. They reached out to Judy Carbone of Community Works Garrett County who jumped on their initiative and reached out to Chris Mullett of Garrett County Community Action Committee. Chris brought in several of his staff members, including Liz Williams, to help coordinate the event, and reached out to Wisp Resort to see if they would host the event. Larissa Meyers from the Wisp readily agreed to be a sponsor, and the Planning Team was finalized and quickly moved into action. Proceeds from the inaugural event in Garrett County will support nutrition programs at Community Action.

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE:
Our inaugural Empty Bowls Dinner will be held on Sunday, September 20, 2026, 11 AM-3 PM, at Wisp Resort. Details on how to donate, sponsor, and/or purchase tickets are coming soon! In the meantime, if you have any questions, please DM us here! Thank you!

Photo: Taken at the March 2026 Community Works Garrett County Bowl Painting event at Deep Creek Pottery, where almost 40 bowls were painted for and donated to the Empty Bowls Dinner.

07/24/2026

07/24/2026

Tag a friend who finds peace in nature's music 🌻

07/23/2026