Lectures are available for schools, clubs, organizations and professional groups.
Master Beekeeper, Marlin Athearn and his wife, Donna have been in the beekeeping business for over 17 years in New Smyrna Beach. What started out as a fun hobby has turned into something much more.
The hive colonies are located 684 Corbin Park, New Smyrna Beach and in several out yards at the north and west side of New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater.
Both have served as President and Vice President of the Beekeepers of Volusia County. Their bees’ products have been judged in Welsh Honey Shows and earned the level of first place and best of show awards.
Both bring the story of the honey bees to the public for area schools, clubs and organizations, to help people understand this insect. The goal is to teach about honey bee biology, how bees make honey and what they need from us to survive on this continent.
The presentations include:
“A TASTE OF HONEY–How Do They Do It” (Part One) – This presentation touches a little history, some biology, a bit of plant pollens and some about the honeybees create. 30 minutes. (Can be reduced to 20 minutes)
“A TASTE OF HONEY–How Do They Do It” (Part Two) – This covers more biology and plant qualities that contribute to the honey making it unique at different times of year. We also set up a full room tasting of several different collections of honey. (30-minute presentation. Can be reduced to 20 minutes)
“HONEYBEES HISTORY – HOW DID THEY GET HERE?” – Honey bees are not native to the USA; they came from other places in the works, and they were used for several different things. This presentation covered how Honeybees became so valuable to our lives. (30-minute presentation can be reduced to 20 minutes)
“HONEYBEES AND THEIR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT–SURVIVAL?”–This presentation explores how the honeybees have adapted to the chemicals we have thrown at them, the pests we have introduced, and the lives we have made for them in the commercial world of beekeeping. (25-minute presentation)
“WOMEN AND BEES” – THEIR HOLD ON SOCIETY” – Though women are not the major beekeeper gender in today’s world as they were in past history, they are a significant player in the international market. Women have had a large part of honeybee research and in putting women in third world nations and how they have made a mark in beekeeping techniques and honey production. (can be reduced to 20 minutes)
“BEES AND POLLINATION”–What They Need in The Environment – Honey bees are not the only pollinators in the environment, and they work closely with some of the other players in the world of pollination. This presentation covers plants and pollens from a Florida environment. (Can be reduced to 20 minutes)
“HONEYBEES AND THE NATIVES”–This presentation covers a large part of backyard beekeeping with some of Florida’s local native bees and the variety of native plants that make up their environment. (20-minute presentation)
“HONEYBEES AND MEDICINE – Who’s Curing Who?” — When honeybees were first introduced into medicine, they found that there is a value to the venom they produced. Today, our medical fields have returned to the archaic ways used in the 2nd century.
“Who’s at the Market? Get Curious…”- How do you know that you are buying the real deal? This lecture underscores who is selling honey in opened markets, what the rules are for selling products under the Florida Cottage Laws, and the requirements that qualifies products to be sold under those laws that protect the public safety.