Bee Careful

Have you heard about the birds and the bees? That some birds eat bees so it is recommended to have a beehive or a birdhouse in your backyard, but never both…

Both of my siblings have beehives (controlled ones, not need to get a baseball bat and a garbage bag type beehives). It sounds like a lot of work for them, but tasty for me. 

I do think the whole idea of bee keeping is interesting and important. Not to mention, the white bee suits are very fashionable, but I prefer to see videos of the process rather than actually be a part of it. 

After visiting the Chinook Honey Farm, I learned a lot more about beehives and their process.  I also learned that bees actually buzz around a bee farm…

I enjoy spending time in the outdoors, but as I made it clear in A Hole in Wrong One, I sometimes overlook small details.  

When I was a recreation therapy student, part of my learning experience entailed organizing a bus trip. My preceptor suggested the Chinook Honey Farm as a possible candidate. Being the efficient student that I was, I jumped on the idea rather than searching for something else (first mistake). 

I called in advance to verify tour time, pricing, accessibility and most importantly, the probability of receiving complimentary honey.

During the conversation, I snuck in the fact that I am deathly allergic to bees and wasps (second mistake). The staff member assured me that we would only see bees in an enclosed hive during the presentation. 

My throat won’t close, but my skin will crawl. 

A week later, we pulled up to the farm to what I thought was a black garage door. As we drove closer, it was clear that the garage door was actually white underneath thousands of swarming bees (third mistake). 

I felt like Macaulay Culkin approaching the forest in My Girl. We all know how that turned out for him so I remained on the bus gripping my EpiPen while my preceptor looked into the situation regarding my bus outing.

She was informed  that it was harvest time, so the honey was located in the garage and the bees were not happy about it.

That must have slipped the staff’s mind when I called and shared my possible fate. 

Therefore, my supervisor made it very clear that I was to remain on the bus until told otherwise.

I felt like a child being sent to my room for bad behaviour (not that I ever was…). 

After what felt like an eternity in a hot, sticky bus swarmed by bees, the bus driver was able to drop me off at a safer location of the farm. I was able to somewhat enjoy the presentation while my eyes darted all around me. 

I don’t know if we would call this outing successful, but I came back alive so I think that’s a success story in itself. 

Afterwards, not only did my preceptor pass me, but she also advocated for me to work with her. 

We continue to plan many community outings together, but we have not returned to the honey farm.