For this in-class ILC, the student will expand on topics covered in the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters of the Terroir program. In an expanded case-study, the student will focus on the Carniolan honeybee. The study will include the bees’ lives, the relationship that Western food systems have with bees, the products that humans take from hives, and permaculture principles that include honeybees in their design. The final product of this case study will include a finished WordPress site with biweekly blog entries, videos, and longer research paper-like blog posts.

Learning Objectives: Activities: What my sponsor is evaluating:
Researching the Apis mellifera (honey bee) to discover more about the structure of colonies and small-scale beekeeping practices.

How is beekeeping being practiced today?

I will care for two new Carniolan hives and watch the development of their relationship with the land.

I will consult with long-time beekeepers (Mama G’s Bees and other club members from Omaha Bee Club) about their experience.

I will write about the care principles that I practice and record interviews from the beekeepers that I speak to.
Tasting the terroir of local honeys and exploring the perception of sweetness as experienced by human and honey bee.

How does location and nectar source impact sweetness of honey?

I will explore farmers’ markets and speciality bee shops in the area, such as It’s All About Bees, and taste different honeys flavored by the pollination from different types of flowers.

I will create traditional recipes from the bookHoneybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese

I will write blog entries on a WordPress website to describe different tastes and field studies that I engage in.

I will create a 2-5 minute video based on the recipes and tastings that I create.

Researching the honey bee’s relationship to pollination in capitalized Western food systems and their dying population.

What is the honeybee’s place in today’s world?

I will use online academic resources, books, and interviews to argue a researched thesis on this topic. I will write a blog post about the dying populations and the stressors affecting this dramatic change.