Bees With Ben
126 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago -For any of you that know me, I love a good yarn. One the of the best things about my job is getting out and about with local people, sharing the knowledge I have about bees, the environment, produce, gardening and healthy living.
And I have lots of experience getting on my soapbox! For years now, I have been a representative at local and international conferences. I have appeared on popular TV and radio programs (including The Project, ABC radio, Network Ten News, and Channel Nine’s reality show, Dream Job). I have launched educational programs and am excited to launch my new podcast!
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Episodes
PODCAST EPSIODE 73: Nat and Shane, Beekeepers and Founders of Wondermazing Honeybees, Macedon Ranges, Victoria
September 19, 2021 21:35 - 33 minutes - 24.5 MBPODCAST EPSIODE 73: Nat and Shane, Beekeepers and Founders of Wondermazing Honeybees, Macedon Ranges, Victoria When you run a bee business, thinking up your business name is a big deal. For me, having a name starting with “B” was very helpful, and the sing-song nature of Ben’s Bees felt right from the start. However, if my name wasn’t Ben, and I was searching for a business name that could encapsulate all the incredibleness that bees offer humans and the planet, it would be a hard task. How...
PODCAST EPSIODE 72: Crispin Boxhall, Beekeeper and Beekeeping Educator, Petwood, South Australia
September 11, 2021 00:29 - 35 minutes - 27.2 MBPODCAST EPSIODE 72: Crispin Boxhall, Beekeeper and Beekeeping Educator, Petwood, South Australia As some of you know, the Almond Pollination and Beekeeping Field Day held annually (pre-COVID) at Renmark in South Australia is a real love of mine – it’s kind of a bee-nerd fest, if I am honest. Coming together with a group of passionate, dedicated beekeepers is an absolute delight; I find myself getting into deep and meaningful bee chats and coming home with incredible new information about be...
***Bonus Episode*** Hive Buddy Platform, Check It Out!
September 08, 2021 21:32 - 5 minutes - 4.71 MBHive Buddy is a new place for beekeepers to learn, contribute and grow together with their beekeeping. It has been put together by some Australian beekeepers with the hope to finally create a place where beekeepers can increase their confidence and competence in both an informal setting and through more organised mentorship groups. Hive Buddy is a really relaxed (and free) experience sharing platform that creates a positive culture that supports all types of beekeeping and any stage of a be...
PODCAST EPSIODE 71: Bron Barton, President of the South Gippsland Beekeeper Club, Korumburra
September 06, 2021 02:23 - 39 minutes - 30.1 MBPODCAST EPSIODE 71: Bron Barton, President of the South Gippsland Beekeeper Club, Korumburra With the rise of bees in the consciousness of the public as people come to realise their role as the world’s most vital pollinators, beekeeping clubs have also risen in popularity. Beekeeping clubs offer a range of amazing resources for new and professional beekeepers, but they are especially useful for those just starting out or traversing the early stages of their hobby or career. With COVID-19 br...
PODCAST EPISODE 70: Dr John Roberts, entomologist and bee expert at the CSIRO, Australia
August 24, 2021 02:41 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBPODCAST EPISODE 70: Dr John Roberts, entomologist and bee expert at the CSIRO, Australia There are amazing Australians working to keep the country and the planet healthy and disease-free. We have all seen the incredible work that healthcare workers are doing day in, day out, to test, and vaccinate people from catching COVID-19, as well as those nurses and doctors doing the tough job of treating patients with the virus in hospitals. Luckily, there are also incredible scientists and environme...
PODCAST EPISODE 69: Stan Taylor, beekeeper and author of Stan’s Bee Book, Western Australia
August 18, 2021 02:10 - 26 minutes - 15.5 MBPODCAST EPISODE 69: Stan Taylor, beekeeper and author of Stan’s Bee Book, Western Australia Ben’s Bees has given me so many incredible opportunities. I love the people I meet each and every day through running a business built on passion. This includes activists and entrepreneurs doing incredible work that helps the environment and makes living on this planet a more joyful and sustainable experience. But of course, it is the beekeepers themselves that hold an extra special place in my heart...
PODCAST EPISODE 68: Simon Mildren, fire fighter, beekeeper, and CEO/founder of HiveKeepers, Australia
August 07, 2021 10:20 - 57 minutes - 43 MBPODCAST EPISODE 68: Simon Mildren, fire fighter, beekeeper, and CEO/founder of HiveKeepers, Australia Some people love hot-rods, while others get more excited over diamonds; high-end designer handbags; fine china; boats; the fanciest pair of sneakers. There are many lush collectables that people desire with all their heart and do whatever they have to do to get their hands on…. steal, even! Now we all know it’s a common and unfortunate occurrence that fancy cars and jewellery get swiped, bu...
PODCAST EPISODE 67: Trevor Weatherhead, beekeeper and chair of the AHBIC, Peak Crossing, Queensland
August 01, 2021 05:04 - 37 minutes - 30.8 MBPODCAST EPISODE 67: Trevor Weatherhead, beekeeper and chair of the AHBIC, Peak Crossing, Queensland As a baby of the 1970s, I have a sense of nostalgia and fondness for that era. The social change, the focus on environmental issues, the passion that people had for protesting for a more liberated and conscious society – not to mention the fashion! I often send my mind back to imagine what it would have been like to be a beekeeper at that time, and my dream is idyllic. While we have the unbel...
PODCAST EPISODE 66: Cate Burton, Founder and CEO of Queen B, Sydney, Australia
July 25, 2021 23:27 - 38 minutes - 27.9 MBPODCAST EPISODE 66: Cate Burton, Founder and CEO of Queen B, Sydney, Australia Anyone that knows me knows, even before I had a factory space to make all my bee-related products for Ben’s Bees, and even before I had the staff to help me make them, my home was overflowing with handmade bee products. In particular, the kitchen would transform into a candle-making workshop most nights of the week after dinner and candle making would happen late into the night. And although it was hard work, I l...
PODCAST EPISODE 65: Natalie Skovron, founder and CEO of DETOXDEN, Sydney and online
July 25, 2021 11:07 - 33 minutes - 25.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 65: Natalie Skovron, founder and CEO of DETOXDEN, Sydney and online Being a beekeeper has opened my mind and life up to healthy living and expanded my awareness of using natural materials whenever possible. One of the things I have deeply enjoyed about selling bee-related products over the past ten or more years, is watching the way in which consumers in Australia have leaned into buying locally made, environmentally friendly, health-conscious products for their bodies, thei...
PODCAST EPISODE 64: David Priddy from Sundew Solutions, Australia
July 18, 2021 08:44 - 37 minutes - 36.4 MBPODCAST EPISODE 64: David Priddy from Sundew Solutions, Australia As some of my many jobs include the rehoming of bee swarms and nests and the removal of dangerous wasp nests, I have done quite a bit of thinking about different methods of pest removal. Of course, when it comes to bees, the answer is to do what you can to always save the colony and rehome the bees safely and happily. However, the world of (real) pest removal is a broader field, and one that I continue to learn about. The dev...
PODCAST EPISODE 63: Ronnie Voigt, natural beekeeper and educator, Natural Beekeeping Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania
July 12, 2021 04:14 - 46 minutes - 33.9 MBPODCAST EPISODE 63: Ronnie Voigt, natural beekeeper and educator, Natural Beekeeping Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania One form of heaven involves two of my greatest loves: natural beekeeping and Tasmania. Most of you would know that Tasmania is an exquisite island situated off the mainland of Australia, home to diverse and pristine landscapes, and unique flora and fauna; also, from my experience, it is also home to many environmentally conscious humans, with huge hearts, doing what they can to sp...
PODCAST EPISODE 62: Vearna Gloster, beekeeper, poet and author, Trinidad and Tobago, South America
July 09, 2021 00:21 - 32 minutes - 22.1 MBPODCAST EPISODE 62: Vearna Gloster, beekeeper, poet and author, Trinidad and Tobago, South America Beekeeping is an ancient and expansive practice that continues to be part of cultures from all over the world. This is one of the aspects of beekeeping that I am most humbled and excited by; also, it means that I have the privilege and joy of meeting people like long-time beekeeper, educator, poet and author, Vearna Gloster of Trinidad and Tobago – a dual-island Caribbean nation near Venezuela...
PODCAST EPISODE 61: Beekeeper, entrepreneur and founder of Whale Labs, James Watts, Brisbane, Quee
July 03, 2021 05:32 - 34 minutes - 28 MBPODCAST EPISODE 61: Beekeeper, entrepreneur and founder of Whale Labs, James Watts, Brisbane, Queensland Beekeeping is an everchanging and exciting practice and industry. With so much still not known about bees and the incredible properties of honey and other bee-related substances, apiary and beekeeping are areas that engage constantly with science and business as new revelations come to light. We already know that bees are vital for the survival of humans and the planet, and that honey, w...
PODCAST EPISODE 60: Liz Frost, Technical Specialist of Bees and co-manager of Plan B, Hunter region, New South Wales, Australia
June 27, 2021 06:11 - 40 minutes - 28.5 MBPODCAST EPISODE 60: Liz Frost, Technical Specialist of Bees and co-manager of Plan B, Hunter region, New South Wales, Australia There are a lot of people in the bee world who do amazing work, but every now and then you come across someone who truly blows you away. Liz Frost is undoubtedly one of those humans and I am thrilled to introduce her to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode 60. Hailing from California, now residing in the Hunter region of NSW, Liz has worked in the Unite...
PODCAST EPISODE 59: Andrew Wilson, founder of Sydney Bee Rescue and Snives Hives, Sydney, Australia
June 23, 2021 07:45 - 41 minutes - 31.1 MBPODCAST EPISODE 59: Andrew Wilson, founder of Sydney Bee Rescue and Snives Hives, Sydney, Australia The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes across the globe. We have all felt it, some much more than others. My heart goes out to those people that have been rocked by the illness and its side effects, be they emotional, mental, or financial. Andrew Wilson, the founder of Sydney Bee Rescue and Snives Hives, is someone who was affected considerably by the pandemic, losing his job. However, bees...
PODCAST EPISODE 58: Daniel Wood from Monsons Honey and Pollination, Mildura, Australia
June 16, 2021 08:29 - 46 minutes - 35.1 MBPODCAST EPISODE 58: Daniel Wood from Monsons Honey and Pollination, Mildura, Australia It’s amazing where life takes you if you let it. Originally from Blackpool in the UK, Daniel Wood did not expect to fall into the profession of beekeeping when he came to Australia almost 11 years ago. Coming from an army background, it was romance that led Daniel to bees— when he met one of beekeeper Trevor Monson’s daughters Shiree, he fell in love, and he also fell into the family business! These days,...
PODCAST EPISODE 57: Jack Shick of Lord Howe Island Tours, Lord Howe Island, Australia
June 11, 2021 07:45 - 36 minutes - 31.1 MBPODCAST EPISODE 57: Jack Shick of Lord Howe Island Tours, Lord Howe Island, Australia Australia is still so mysterious to me, as I feel it is to many people who now call Australia home. Across this vast land, there is incredible diversity, many paradises, many isolated landscapes, abundant in unique flora and fauna. And as we move in and out of lockdowns due to COVID-19, my mind wanders to the many places I long to visit. One of these places at the top of my list is Lord Howe Island, and wh...
PODCAST EPISODE 56: Simon Mulvany, Founder of Save the Bees, Blairgowrie, Australia
June 07, 2021 07:06 - 41 minutes - 32.4 MBPODCAST EPISODE 56: Simon Mulvany, Founder of Save the Bees, Blairgowrie, Australia As many of you know, Founder and CEO of Save the Bees Simon Mulvany and I go way back. Save the Bees is an outstanding Australian organisation that aims to galvanise a community of like-minded people who would put their energy into saving bees from unethical and damaging processes. This has included (but is not limited to) incredible feats of activism (most famously against honey giant, Capilano) and the dev...
PODCAST EPISODE 55: Brenna Quinlan, permaculture illustrator, co-author of the Bee Detectives, Melliodora, Australia.
June 01, 2021 02:27 - 29 minutes - 23.8 MBPODCAST EPISODE 55: Brenna Quinlan, permaculture illustrator, co-author of the Bee Detectives, Western Australia. I like art that is joyful. Playful. Often childlike. The kind of work where the artist’s hand lightly brings people, objects, animals and places to life in a way that seems completely effortless. I like colour, too. The kind of combining of colour that sparks energy, vivacity, and shows a certain sensitivity shared between the artist and the world. Artists, in my experience, ha...
PODCAST EPISODE 54: Chris Monaghan, Holy Cross Retreat, Templestowe, Victoria, Australia
May 26, 2021 10:44 - 34 minutes - 28.4 MBPODCAST EPISODE 54: Chris Monaghan, Holy Cross Retreat, Templestowe, Victoria, Australia Spirituality means different things for different people. But in challenging times, like the one we have been experiencing since COVID-19 hit, I have noticed a real need—in myself and other people—for meaning. A seeking out of what’s important. Looking deeper into how spirituality might be invited into everyday life, tasks and duties as a way to keep in touch with hope and positivity for the future. For...
PODCAST EPISODE 53: Luke De Laeter, qualified beekeeper and entrepreneur, Buzz Ed, Perth, Western Australia
May 25, 2021 06:40 - 38 minutes - 33.3 MBPODCAST EPISODE 53: Luke De Laeter, qualified beekeeper and entrepreneur, Buzz Ed, Perth, Western Australia I always knew I loved bees, right from the moment I found a wild bee nest down at the creek in the bush near my parents’ place. It was a fast realisation – yes, love at first sight. But, for me, it was a slow trajectory into beekeeping, first as a hobby and then a profession. Although I have no regrets about the various paths I took, and my time pursuing cheffing among other things be...
PODCAST EPISODE 52: Robert Owen, author, beekeeper, and former owner of Bob’s Beekeeping Supplies in Eltham, now living in Thailand
May 19, 2021 06:21 - 41 minutes - 32.7 MBPODCAST EPISODE 52: Robert Owen, author, beekeeper, and former owner of Bob’s Beekeeping Supplies in Eltham, now living in Thailand I feel like most people with hands-on jobs or hobbies have one of those stores where they LOVE to go, where every new tool and material fills them with joy and a sense of possibility. And perhaps, if you are lucky, the person behind the counter is a wealth of knowledge and is willing to offer some real pearlers of advice. For me, this was Bob’s Beekeeping Suppl...
PODCAST EPISODE 51: Skye Blackburn AKA the Bug Lady of Circle Harvest, Sydney, Australia
May 13, 2021 06:44 - 28 minutes - 22.8 MBPODCAST EPISODE 51: Skye Blackburn AKA the Bug Lady of Circle Harvest, Sydney, Australia When you think of your perfect afternoon snack, it’s highly possible that edible bugs may not come to mind. However, Skye Blackburn, also known as The Bug Lady from Circle Harvest, is about to change your ideas about consuming bugs. Not only should they not be feared, but you can even enjoy the delicious crispy legs and hands and bits and bobs of 100% sustainably sourced Australian crickets in chip, pow...
PODCAST EPISODE 50: Geoff Ball, beekeeper from Ballan, Victoria (and many other places), Australia
May 06, 2021 21:39 - 30 minutes - 24.5 MBPODCAST EPISODE 50: Geoff Ball, beekeeper from Ballan, Victoria (and many other places), Australia Can you believe it has been one whole year since the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast released its inaugural episode? Me neither! What a journey! Both fast and slow (when you think of all the incredible, frightening, life-changing, existentially rocking things that have happened during that time), the past year has been a whirlwind with huge consequences. I have done more thinking, reflecting,...
Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!
May 04, 2021 04:23 - 10 minutes - 8.68 MBThank you, Thank you, THANK YOU! It's been 1 year since starting this Podcast and I want to say a really big appreciation to all those that have been on and you the listeners! Thank you!
PODCAST EPISODE 49: Michael Church, The Roo Keepers, Melbourne and Regional Victoria
May 03, 2021 02:03 - 31 minutes - 24.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 49: Michael Church, The Roo Keepers, Melbourne and Regional Victoria I don’t know about you, but if there was one thing I couldn’t get enough of as a kid it was animal-related activities. Excursions to wildlife sanctuaries, touch tanks at the aquarium where you could pick up starfish and anemones, trips out to the farm to hang out with cows and chooks, and last but never least, wandering in the spectacular and always surprising Australian bush. My schoolbooks were filled wit...
PODCAST EPISODE 48: Peter Debicki, The Polish Beekeeper, from Burrumbeet, Victoria, Australia
April 29, 2021 08:47 - 39 minutes - 30.7 MBPODCAST EPISODE 48: Peter Debicki, The Polish Beekeeper, from Burrumbeet, Victoria, Australia It’s a strange phenomenon, but sometimes in life you repeatedly get drawn to a place and you are unsure why. People from that country or city seem to enter your life, time and again. And each of them feels strangely comfortable, as do their stories, their foods, their ways and mannerisms. Poland is one of those places for me. It pops up time and again, calling out to me, reminding me of the marvels...
PODCAST EPISODE 47: Phil Lester, Author and Professor of Ecology and Entomology, Wellington, New Zealand
April 20, 2021 08:37 - 29 minutes - 23 MBPODCAST EPISODE 47: Phil Lester, Author and Professor of Ecology and Entomology, Wellington, New Zealand A German proverb reads: “God made the bee, but the Devil made the wasp.” Anyone who knows me knows, I am not a wasp fan in the slightest, especially not of the nasty European wasp. As Australia’s warm climate extends the life cycle of the introduced species, and a lack of predators increases its chance of survival, European wasps have become notorious in the antipodes. Reaping the benefi...
PODCAST EPISODE 46: John Winkles from Pure Peninsula Honey, Victoria, Australia
April 14, 2021 07:26 - 34 minutes - 26.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 46: John Winkles from Pure Peninsula Honey, Victoria, Australia Like many Melbournites, I love to escape to the Mornington Peninsula when I have time to spare. I love the winding roads that meander between deep set willowy gum trees. I love the small communities hidden in the bush. I love the skies filled with the sounds of galahs and cockatoos. A day spent visiting the Peninsulas glorious beaches, wineries, and farms is a true delight. I am therefore a little jealous of our...
PODCAST EPISODE 45: Paul Valkenburg from Valkenburg Apiaries, South Australia
April 08, 2021 00:54 - 44 minutes - 35.8 MBPODCAST EPISODE 45: Paul Valkenburg from Valkenburg Apiaries, South Australia What a ride the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast has been so far. Looking all the way back to episode 1 – which was almost a complete year ago now – we chatted to the lovely Simeon Valkenburg from Valkenburg Apiaries. Twelve months later, I am thrilled to introduce you to Simeon’s equally fantastic brother younger brother, who is also a dear friend of mine, Paul Valkenburg. As you may recall, I met the brothers f...
PODCAST EPISODE 44: Dara Scott from Hive Alive, Galway, Ireland
March 31, 2021 02:36 - 34 minutes - 27.1 MBPODCAST EPISODE 44: Dara Scott from Hive Alive, Galway, Ireland Since COVID hit, the world has been forced to look at health in a whole new way. For many of us, time in lockdown has provided some space to adopt some new healthy habits — be that eating, exercise, or practicing mindfulness. Personally, I have adopted a bunch of new recipes, learning what specific ingredients might help me feel better, lighter and more productive. Of course, this interest in healthy eating for general wellbein...
PODCAST EPISODE 43: Anika Molesworth, farmer, scientist, storyteller, Wilyakali Country and Melbourne, Australia
March 24, 2021 05:15 - 31 minutes - 24.3 MBPODCAST EPISODE 43: Anika Molesworth, farmer, scientist, storyteller, Wilyakali Country and Melbourne, Australia Anika Molesworth – farmer, scientist, storyteller, soon to be author – is a truly inspirational force. With an agricultural science career in that has taken her around the globe, and many awards, degrees and accolades under her belt, Anika is fighting the good fight against climate change. Her motivation is personal, and stems from her life experience growing up on a farm in rura...
PODCAST EPISODE 42: SezzaJai Sykes, beekeeper and poet, Alice Springs, Australia
March 16, 2021 07:08 - 31 minutes - 24.7 MBPODCAST EPISODE 42: SezzaJai Sykes, beekeeper and poet, Alice Springs, Australia A poem called ‘Exquisite Sensitivity’ by poet and beekeeper SezzaJai Sykes reads: We all notice different things Our pleasure and discomfort so personal. I am Bee I am orientated to the dark light center And my edges are unique I like my hive warm I like the toffee honies I prefer guard duty I notice the dead pass out I have 10,000 lovers And long for points of balance. Beekeepers are usually much m...
PODCAST EPISODE 41: Drew Maddison, beekeeper and co-owner of Ministry of Chocolate, Croydon, Australia
March 11, 2021 06:50 - 34 minutes - 27.2 MBPODCAST EPISODE 41: Drew Maddison, beekeeper and co-owner of Ministry of Chocolate, Croydon, Australia Other than bees and honey of course, there are two other things that I love dearly – small business and CHOCOLATE! Ministry of Chocolate is a family-owned and run business based on Croydon, Victoria, producing high-quality chocolate made on-site and supplied to a number of businesses across Melbourne, including luxury hotels, wineries and specialty chocolate stores. The Ministry started ou...
PODCAST EPISODE 40: James Dorey, scientist, PhD candidate, and re-discoverer of the native Pharohylaeus lactiferous bee species
March 06, 2021 22:10 - 38 minutes - 29.9 MBPODCAST EPISODE 40: James Dorey, scientist, PhD candidate, and re-discoverer of the native Pharohylaeus lactiferous bee species We do a lot of talking about the wonderous, superhero honeybee. However, Australia is home to a huge 1654 species of native bees that don’t get anywhere near the attention they deserve. Coming in all shapes, sizes and colours, with a range of behaviours and living habits, native bees are fascinating, nuanced and mystifying creatures, even for beekeepers. In some gr...
PODCAST EPISODE 39: Jean Tikram, beekeeper and business co-owner of Waitika Farm,Wairuku, Rakiraki, Fiji
March 04, 2021 02:43 - 33 minutes - 26.2 MBPODCAST EPISODE 39: Jean Tikram, beekeeper and business co-owner of Waitika Farm,Wairuku, Rakiraki, Fiji COVID-19 has sparked many questions about why we do the things we do. For some of us, this has meant reassessing some pretty big stuff in our lives, including our careers. With redundancies and a lack of certainty around employment for some, maybe this is the time to ask ourselves what we really want to be doing, and why. For Jean and Anil Tikram of Waitika Farm in Wairuku, Rakiraki, Fij...
PODCAST EPISODE 38: Cindy Moore from Sweet Cindy’s Honey, New York and Florida, USA
February 24, 2021 09:39 - 31 minutes - 24.8 MBPODCAST EPISODE 38: Cindy Moore from Sweet Cindy’s Honey, New York and Florida, USA It is obvious when talking to Cindy Moore from Sweet Cindy’s Honey that bees hold a very special place in her heart. Not only do they provide one of the greatest services on earth by pollinating the crops that we eat, they also bring great love and joy – quite literally for this US-based beekeeper: “I met Charles [Moore] in 2005 at an organic farm where I was working. He was pollinating the farmers fruits an...
PODCAST EPISODE 37: Ben Moore’s 99 Astonishing Bee Facts
February 20, 2021 07:43 - 33 minutes - 28.1 MBPODCAST EPISODE 37: Ben Moore’s 99 Astonishing Bee Facts Can you tell me, what is the size of a bee brain? How many BILLIONS of dollars do bees bring to the world economy each year? How do bees keep their hives at 34 degrees Celsius? How is that bees “dance for their dinner”? Do bees need shut eye, just like humans? In ancient Greece, which famous god was known for beekeeping? Is “piping” music to a beekeeper’s ears? Bees can be gynandromorphic, but what does that mean? In summer, w...
PODCAST EPISODE 36: Pam Vroland from Silvan Estate Raspberry Farm, Victoria
February 17, 2021 07:32 - 41 minutes - 32.3 MBPODCAST EPISODE 36: Pam Vroland from Silvan Estate Raspberry Farm, Victoria What is bulbous like a bee, but any number of pinks or reds or blues? What tastes like heaven, or maybe makes your face squish up with exhilarating tartness? What stains your fingertips, your tongue, and sometimes your t-shirt? What makes the best edible summer treasure hunt? What turns your smoothies fluorescent, is packed with antioxidants, and makes your cakes/breakfasts/desserts the most delightful little bundle...
PODCAST EPISODE 35: Vanessa Kwiatkowski, Melbourne City Rooftop Honey, Melbourne, Australia
February 11, 2021 05:25 - 38 minutes - 29.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 35: Vanessa Kwiatkowski, Melbourne City Rooftop Honey, Melbourne, Australia I remember when I was travelling in Europe, especially while in Paris and London, I visited a number of rooftop bee gardens. It was magical to be gazing over a new city, full of the dreaminess that comes with travel, surrounded by the buzzing of happy bees. Here, environmentally minded keepers, who understood the necessity of bees living in the world’s cities, were resourceful and passionate: finding...
PODCAST EPISODE 34: Sam Lockwood, Lockwood Beekeeping Supplies, Vittoria, New South Wales.
February 05, 2021 08:52 - 34 minutes - 26.9 MBGoldfields Honey, Bee and Pollination Services Pty Ltd and its sister company Goldfield Honey Australia are producers and packers of 100% pure Australian Honey. The founder Grant Lockwood (1958 – 2017) started beekeeping as an apprentice in 1974 and remained in the industry until his death in 2017. Together with his wife Vicki, he established Goldfields Honey in 2000 and had a natural gift for beekeeping which he has passed onto his son Jon who is now the principal beekeeper. His expertise a...
PODCAST EPISODE 33: Weronika Wasiak, beekeeper, Miód Wasiaka, Krobia, Poland
January 28, 2021 07:38 - 32 minutes - 25.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 33: Weronika Wasiak, beekeeper, Miód Wasiaka, Krobia, Poland “Bees are making things which, for me, are an absolute miracle of nature. This is the constant fascination of their lives.” This statement belongs to my Polish friend and former colleague Weronika Wasiak; it shows the inspiration she takes from bees and her deep passion for beekeeping – one that spans a century. Based in Krobia, Poland, Wero (as she is affectionately named) came to tour Australia and New Zealand t...
PODCAST EPISODE 32: Summer Catch Up with Ben Moore (Me!), Ben’s Bees, Australia
January 24, 2021 06:18 - 23 minutes - 19.5 MBPODCAST EPISODE 32: Summer Catch Up with Ben Moore (Me!), Ben’s Bees, Australia The hangover of months of isolation and curfews and mask wearing and zooming still hasn’t subsided for me. Like any decent hangover, it’s lingering – part headache, part fuzzy recollection, part low mood. Like many extroverts with a need for other people and chats and yarning and faces and real interaction, I am STILL feeling a bit odd, unsettled, and even de-socialised from all that alone time! Has anyone else ...
PODCAST EPISODE 31: Daniel Curless, Curless Aussie Apiaries, Lockyer Valley, Queensland
January 22, 2021 07:19 - 29 minutes - 23.7 MBPODCAST EPISODE 31: Daniel Curless, Curless Aussie Apiaries, Lockyer Valley, Queensland. In a remarkable initiation into beekeeping, Queensland-based beekeeper Daniel Curless obtained his first ever hives in an unusual circumstance: “My first hives were found abandoned in a dry creek bed, it took a while to clean them up and get them ready to move. When we were ready to move them, we had two adults and about a million bees in the back of a Honda CRV. We left the back window open just in ca...
PODCAST EPISODE 30: Peter Gatehouse from Hill Top Hives, South Gippsland, Australia
January 13, 2021 10:14 - 30 minutes - 25.2 MBPODCAST EPISODE 30: Peter Gatehouse from Hill Top Hives, South Gippsland, Australia It’s quite uncanny, but there are many remarkable stories of transformation that centre on bees. It seems to me that bees often enter someone’s life and a change in perspective, even career, ensues that is fulfilling in a way that person needed quite deeply. These stories – which are told quite often – give me goosebumps. Of course, there are logical explanations that might lead a person to fall in love with...
PODCAST EPISODE 29: Ian Steppler, co-owner of Steppler Farms and founder of 'A Canadian Beekeeper's Blog’ YouTube channel, Canada
January 06, 2021 21:50 - 32 minutes - 28 MBPODCAST EPISODE 29: Ian Steppler, co-owner of Steppler Farms and founder of 'A Canadian Beekeeper's Blog’ YouTube channel, Canada In the past year, I have grown to appreciate the internet as a tool of knowledge, of skill sharing, of learning and fun. During Melbourne’s strict lockdown, this infinite ether of information became completely vital to the community – a place where we worked, learnt, and caught up with the people we love. Of all the online platforms, YouTube has the power to capt...
PODCAST EPISODE 28: Sanjay Kafle from Mad Honey, Nepal
December 30, 2020 11:28 - 32 minutes - 25.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 28: Sanjay Kafle from Mad Honey, Nepal As we farewell what has been a completely life-changing year, I am starting to dream again. These final days of 2020 have me envisioning new horizons and perspectives – they remind me of the travel we are yearned and are yearning for and the different ways we have found to find peace and escape in this strange and isolating time. For that reason, it is the perfect timing for this special episode of the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast, ...
PODCAST EPISODE 27: Michael Haddad from Sparkke Natural Brewery, Adelaide.
December 23, 2020 08:21 - 32 minutes - 25.7 MBPODCAST EPISODE 27: Michael Haddad from Sparkke Natural Brewery, Adelaide. As the summer starts to slowly warm up in Melbourne, and Christmas bells are ringing after a very long year of challenges, people across Australia (and the world) are finding ways to celebrate the things that really matter in life. There have been many dark moments in 2020, and we understand the fight is not over yet. However, these moments have provided one thing – the space to think about the social, cultural, envi...
PODCAST EPISODE 26: Adrian O’Hagan from The Bearded Bee, Melbourne
December 22, 2020 04:34 - 47 minutes - 39.6 MBPODCAST EPISODE 26: Adrian O’Hagan from The Bearded Bee, Melbourne When I first came across natural beekeeping, I knew I had found my place in the world. I love technology (when used for good and not evil) and new ways of adapting and doing things; I also love small business and being fortunate enough to make a living via and as a result of bees; however, I believe that beekeeping should be done always with the best interests of these incredible insects in mind. With that said, I am delight...