Bee Log

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 is a journal of my first year as a beekeeper, which I  documented with a variety of digital media and a scrawly handwritten log.There was drama at Mud Farm! Our first queen was D.O.A., and our second one swarmed. We never saw any of the 11 or so princesses that were raised to replace her. We ended up with a great new queen, who made a lot of babies, and they made it  through the winter!
This project was made possible through help and collaboration of many friends and mentors. Sarah Lewison lent her home, catching the buzz and becoming a beekeeper and co-conspirator along with me; Matt Lind helped me build the hive, including a fancy window, almost entirely from scrap; Alexa Nutile took pictures and kept me calm when bees got under my veil; Scott Martin, Angie, and Doug Leedle were all invaluable mentors; and The Southern Illinois Beekeeping Association was a welcoming and supportive community to be part of. Big Thank yous! This adventure was part of my MFA thesis project Honeybee Collectives.