Bees in the News

The Obama household will be hosting two colonies of bees on the White House grounds, it has been reported in the NYT.

Evidently there is a fellow on staff named Charlie Brandts who works as a carpenter, who is also a beekeeper. When the family resolved to have extensive gardens on the White House south lawn, to be used for educational and well as culinary purposes, he volunteered to take care of a couple hives.

This whole administration just keeps getting better and better. Minneapolis is looking at repealing its ban on beekeeping, and as more people understand the necessity of fostering these pollinators, perhaps other bans will fall as well.

I was disappointed to learn that in the city where we are househunting, their beekeeping ordinance limits the property owner to one per parcel, and only if it is at least 500 feet from the property line - well, none of the city lots are much more then 200 feet long or wide, so it amounts to a ban. We want to live in town, but I also want to live with my bees. I wish I didn't have to make this choice...