Volunteers Are Buzzing About Honey Bees

The Voelker Orth Museum in Queens, New York, has many unique historical exhibits, but it also has another unique characteristic. It may be the only history museum with a resident beekeeper.

Scheadle and her cheerful, all-female group of volunteers began harvesting homegrown honey at the history museum this week. She estimates that she has more than 50,000 bees living in her 5-year-old hive. That's a lot of bees. Scheadle's educational demonstrations are held in the museum's garden area.

Trapasso points out in her story that beekeeping may be illegal in the city. It's a safety issue. Up to 50,000 bees could make much mischief in a crowd. So far, though, the police haven't showed up to make a bust.

Donning her heavy beekeeper's suit, Scheadle uses a special smoker to calm the bees down before she starts harvesting the honey. Originally from Germany, Scheadle learned beekeeping from her father, a master beekeeper. She was beekeeper at the Queens Botanical Gardens before practicing her craft at Voelker Orth.

"It's wonderful," volunteer Arlene Farrell, of Flushing, told Trapasso. "I never knew what was involved in getting the honey from the hive into the jar you pay for."

And starting next week at the Voelker Orth Museum, jars of Voelker Orth honey will be going on sale for $6.

Photo courtesy of wwarby, via Flickr