U.S. Honey: A Taste for Every Preference

The taste and color on honey varies according to the flowers where the nectar originates. Each different type of plant will yield honey with a different taste. The same plants, growing in different soils and climates, can yield different honey. The 4-H’ers are encouraged to investigate the local/regional honeys of the United States and see how they differ in taste and color. Is a honey dark with a rich flavor, or light in color and mild-tasting? Actual access to the honey for tasting is not required – just find out about some of the characteristics and write about them.

Students interested in writing should contact their local 4-H offices for contest details. The state selection must be done through the 4-H system. Beekeepers are encouraged to contact their local 4-H offices to see that the essay contest information has been distributed in their states.

The complete announcement and rules are available for download in Adobe PDF format.

May 1, 2010

Essayists Ask: ‘Is My Community Bee-Friendly?’

Beekeepers go about their business, making allowances for a farmer who favors frequent insecticide sprays, or the county road department that mows roadsides, or neighbors who know little or nothing about bees. But, how do all these factors add up? Is your community bee-friendly?

That was the question for the 2010 4-H Beekeeping Essay Contest, sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees. Essayists were to survey their communities to see what is being done, or could be done to help honey bees. Are there classes to attract new beekeepers – or laws that prohibit beekeeping? Entries were received from 22 states.

The top essayist, Shelby Kilpatrick, 16, of Copper Canyon, Texas, did just as suggested: she created a survey form and circulated it around her community, drawing 135 responses. She concluded her essay, entitled, “For Bee or Not For Bee,” saying, “There is no doubt that my community is ‘For Bee’ and wants to be even more bee!” She plans to “reward survey responders with educational tips enabling them to become more honey bee friendly.”

Shelby is a beekeeper herself and a member of the local and state beekeeper groups. Her first place prize is a cash award of $750.00.

The second place essay came from Sean Huss, 15, of Spencer, Ind., who receives $500.00 for his efforts. Sean is also a beekeeper and was named “Young beekeeper of the Year” for 2009 by the Indiana Beekeepers Association. He developed a definition for a bee-friendly community and decided that his fits the bill. His definition is a community “that (1) does not discourage beekeeping and has no legal restrictions to keeping bees; (2) contains good bee habitat – a diverse range of native plants and wildflowers and cultivated crops, fruits and vegetables that can be used by bees as sources of nectar and pollen; (3) has people who care about the environment and limit their uses of pesticides; and (4) has good sources of help and education for farmers and beekeepers.”

There was a tie for third place. Abby Lyons, 11, of Dwight, Neb., and Ann Barlow, 14, of Milford, N.H., each receive $250.00. Abby decided that her community is bee-friendly, while Ann resolved to help her community improve. Abby is a beekeeper and Ann’s 4-H club has bee, giving all four national winners first-hand exposure to honey bees.

Each state winner, including the national winners, will receive a copy of a book about beekeeping.

The essay topic for 2011 is “U.S. Honey: A Taste for Every Preference.” The 4-H’ers are encouraged to investigate the local/regional honeys of the United States and see how they differ in taste and color.

Students interested in writing should contact their local 4-H offices for contest details. The state selection must be done through the 4-H system.

Complete list of the winners (including all the state winners)

First Place - Shelby Kilpatrick, Texas [ read the essay ]

Second Place - Sean Huss, Indiana [ read the essay ]

Third Place (tied) - Abby Lyons, Nebraska [ read the essay ]

Third Place (tied) - Anna Barlow, New Hampshire [ read the essay ]

State Winners

• Rachel Ricchiuto, California
• Kyle Spillane, Delaware
• Mary-Thomas Hart, Florida
• Jessica Jackson, Idaho
• Brooke Lee, Kentucky
• Sarah Theall, Louisiana
• Allison Kaiser, Michigan
• Merry Johnson, Mississippi
• Kalee Emery, New Jersey
• Tevyn Driever, New Mexico
• Liam Sayward, New York
• Matthew Griffis, North Carolina
• Eric Glaze, Ohio
• Sandie Shelton, Oregon
• Dalton Driver, Tennessee
• Jacob Wright, Virginia
• Tynan Gosset, Washington
• Tori Fletcher, Wyoming

Is My Community Honey-Bee Friendly?

Honey bees and other pollinators have been in the news lately. Many beekeepers have experienced colony losses to the yet-unexplained Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. These unexplained losses have caused some people to wonder: What can I do to help? For this essay, you should survey your community to see what is being done, or could be done to help honey bees. Perhaps there are classes to attract new beekeepers – or laws that probibit beekeeping. Does your community allow roadsides and open land to grow up in blooming plants in the spring – or not? Are there resources to help home gardeners make bee-friendly choices? When insecticides are required for pests (for example, mosquito control), are the insecticides chosen or applied with bee protection in mind. Include your state in your survey if there is some reason; for example, your state may have declared the honey bee your state insect, or your state highway department may have a wildflower seeding program.

Students interested in writing should contact their local 4-H offices for contest details. The state selection must be done through the 4-H system. Beekeepers are encouraged to contact their local 4-H offices to see that the essay contest information has been distributed in their states.

The complete announcement and rules are available for download in Adobe PDF format.

May 1, 2009

Essayists Dance with the Honey Bee

Honey bees don’t do the Electric Slide, admits Helen Coats in her first place essay in the 4-H Beekeeping Essay Contest, but their Honey Bee Dance makes them successful at producing honey – “So let’s hear a round of applause for our little friends, who communicate through circles, wiggles, and waggles…in order to create one of the world’s favorite sweeteners – honey.”

The 2009 essay contest, sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, drew state-winning essays from 27 states. The assigned topic was “The Dance Language of Honey Bees.” Essayists were to learn about the honey bee’s dance language, how it was discovered, how it works and how it provides colonies the ability to find and exploit floral resources.

Helen, 10, lives in Rock Hill, S.C. She combines music with her love of nature and hopes to become an accomplished violinist and singer. She titled her essay: “The Bee Dance – Not Exactly the ‘Electric Slide’!” As first place winner, she receives a $750.00 cash award.

“BZZZZT! BZZZZZT! A honey bee buzzes wildly while walking on the honeycomb. Becoming suddenly quiet, she circles left and downward…” Leslie Pike,11, of Hodgenville, Ky., began her essay with a word-picture of the dance. She won second place and a $500.00 cash prize.

The third place essay earned a cash award of $250.00 for Traci Sirotiak, 18, of Newberg, Ore., who plans to continue in 4-H as a volunteer in her adult years. Because the four best essays were of such good quality, the judges are awarding an honorable mention prize of $100.00 to Solly Burton, 17, of Sullivan, Ind. He has taken beekeeping in 4-H for eight years.

Each state winner, including the national winners, will receive a copy of a book about beekeeping.

Complete list of the winners (including all the state winners)

First Place - Helen Coats, South Carolina [ read the essay ]

Second Place - Leslie Pike, Kentucky [ read the essay ]

Third Place - Traci Sirotiak, Oregon [ read the essay ]

Fourth Place – Honorable Mention - Solly Burton, Indiana [ read the essay ]

State Winners

• Joseph Coleman, Arizona
• Emily Pigeon, Arkansas
• Peter Schafhalter, California
• Brandon Hamon, Colorado
• Ryan Cutts, Florida
• Jessica Jackson, Idaho
• Carlie Calais, Louisiana
• Michael Buscemi, Maryland
• Hannah Miller, Mississippi
• Trevor Koger, Nebraska
• Bailey Jennings, New Hampshire
• Corey Burrows, New Mexico
• Chester Mills, New York
• Sam Christensen, North Carolina
• Casondra Rutschke, North Dakota
• Eric Glaze, Ohio
• Jared Wade, Oklahoma
• Shawn Applegate, Pennsylvania
• Kiera Leddy, South Dakota
• Phillip Adams, Tennessee
• Carlie Shirk, Texas
• Lydia Davis, Virginia
• Kelsey Schoeppler, Wisconsin

Honey bees possess the ability to communicate the distance and direction of resources to their nest-mates. They employ a symbolic dance language in which the position of the sun is symbolically represented by gravity, and a trained observer can watch their dances and predict where they are foraging. The use of symbolic language by an insect has made them one of the most studied animals. This year’s essay contest invites participants to learn about the honey bee’s dance language, how it was discovered, how it works and how it provides colonies the ability to find and exploit floral resources.

Students interested in writing should contact their local 4-H
offices for contest details. The state selection must be done through
the 4-H system.

For more information on the 2009 Essay Contest, including the rules and deadline information, please visit the 2009 4-H Essay Information Page.

The 2008 essay contest, sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, drew state-winning essays from 19 states. The assigned topic was “The Results of Honey Bee Pollination in My Community.” Essayists were to become familiar with pollination activities and, then, survey their communities to see what examples they could find.

Jessica, 11, lives in Houston and hopes to become a veterinarian. She defined her community as a 5-mile radius of her home. She titled her essay: “The Most Valuable Insect on Earth.” As first place winner, she receives a $250.00 cash award. [ read the essay ]

“The Value of Honey Bee Pollinators in Daviess County” brought second place honors to Danielle Jarboe, a high school junior in Utica, Daviess County, Ky. She interviewed a blueberry grower and a pumpkin farmer, both of whom hire beekeepers to bring honey bees to their farms. Her prize is $100.00. [ read the essay ]

The third place essay earned a cash award of $50.00 for Shiloh Thomas, 13, of Broad Brook, Conn. “Without honey bee pollination, our town would not have an apple orchard,” she wrote. “We wouldn’t be able to pick our own blueberries at the farm near us. There would be no local pumpkins, raspberries…. or as many of the local vegetables and fruits at the farmer’s market….” [ read the essay ]

Each state winner, including the national winners, will receive a copy of a book about beekeeping.

Students interested in writing should contact their local 4-H offices for contest details. The state selection must be done through the 4-H system.

The 2007 essay contest, sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, drew state-winning essays from 18 states. The subject was “Pollinator Conservation.” Essayists were to explore measures being used – or needed – to protect and conserve pollinating insects, especially honey bees, and to reduce the factors that negatively affect pollinating insects.

Kelton, 13, lives on a small farm in the mountains near Applegate, Ore. As first place winner, he receives a $250.00 cash award. In addition to bees, he raises Dexter cows, which he milks. The judges noted that Kelton proposes original ideas on how to approach the pollination conservation problem. He titled his essay: “Stay-at-Home Bees: Some Thoughts on Conserving Pollinators.”

Sage Mijares, 10, of Canon, N.M., wrote the second place essay. She wrote from the vantage point of her family’s bees placed most of the blame for the decline of honey bees on varroa mites. She began her essay: “I am a girl with varroa mites;” and concluded it with, “I look forward to the day I will be able to say, ‘I am a girl without varroa mites!’” Her second place prize is $100.00.

The third place essay was written by Elizabeth Lawrence, 17, of Sandy Creek, N.Y. She gets a cash award of $50.00. She wrote about the dangers crop pesticides have for honey bees and suggest the use of alternative biological controls. If biological controls are used, she wrote, “the honey bees can continue its main purpose (to pollinate plants) without being impaired by the pesticides normally used to control these nuisance insects.”

Each state winner, including the national winners, will receive a copy of a book about beekeeping.