Living Our Purpose: Listen to the Hive
By Cyn Whitfield, Senior Marketing Specialist
Dan Hanner, Safety/Project Manager, has always been in awe of nature. He grew up in the country and spent a lot of time outdoors hunting, fishing, setting trap lines or playing in the creek. Some of his chores were to tend the animals, garden (unwillingly), fix fences and whatever his dad told him to do. One day Dan found a hive in a hollow tree and always wondered about the hive structure and the honey inside. He didn’t know then that this experience would serve him well at TREKK.
“Bee keeping is a relationship with nature. You can leave the bees alone, and most likely they would be ok. The hive would grow, and half would swarm to make a new queen and hive,” explains Dan. “There are things that you can do to help the hive stay strong and flourish, such as planting flowers, growing a chemical-free garden, treating for Verona mites during the month of June, and providing shade during the hot summer months.”
“This is the same approach that’s fostered within TREKK and with our clients. We strive to be helpful and kind. Sometimes that means staying out of the way. But most of all, listen to the hive. Really listen to the person talking to you, stop, watch to learn the behaviors, and know when they’re stressed.” At times Dan may not know exactly what to do, but he can be there and try.
Six years ago, Dan and his wife, Robin, found a swarm of bees in their blackberry patch. He drove to a local farm store and bought a beehive kit. Once he got home the swarm had moved to the ground, and he couldn’t resist a closer inspection. Dan knelt down and slid his hand under the swarm to feel the fluttering of the wings.
He was stung once because he put his hand on one of the bees. This caused the bees to rise into the air and fly around them like a tornado. It was such an amazing experience for Dan and his wife with the bees flying around. They could feel the beat of the wings on their faces.
Dan now has two hives; both have two deep supers (broad chambers) and one honey super. His first harvest was June of this year, as he did not harvest any honey the first year to strengthen the hive free of manmade feed. The 10 frames produced 36 pounds which is equivalent to 3.5 gallons of honey.
“It has been fun sharing the first honey harvest with everyone at the TREKK office,” said Dan. “I get a kick out sharing the things that my wife and I do at home and sometimes things turn out right!”