Hive Mind: Stories about beekeeping

Happy National Honey Month! In honor of Honey Month, we wanted to celebrate beekeepers and the humble honey bees. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their adventures with beekeeping.

Part 1: When Julie Carrick Dalton goes to check on her bees one day, she notices something isn’t right.

This story was shared at the Urban Waggle, a live storytelling event in support of the mission and programs at the Urban Bee Lab, in Somerville, MA in November 2023.

Part 2: Jon Schulz thinks rescuing a neglected apiary is the perfect opportunity to expand his beekeeping business.

Julie Carrick Dalton is the Boston-based author of The Last Beekeeper and Waiting for the Night Song, a CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, and Parade Most Anticipated novel. A former farmer and beekeeper, she is a frequent speaker and teacher on the topic of fiction in the age of climate crisis. When she isn't writing, you can probably find Julie kayaking, skiing, or tending her pollinator garden. Her next novel, The Forest Becomes Her, hits shelves in May of 2025.

Meet Jon Schulz, a data center architect turned beekeeper. In his day job, Jon works to merge high tech subsystems to deliver consistent, reliable and secure solutions for his global customers. As a beekeeper, his fascination lies in the autonomous functions of honeybees that combine collectively to create a thriving colony. Recently, Jon and his wife Amanda launched Blackland Bees, an apiculture business focusing on honeybee rescue, education, conservation and pollination services. Jon and Amanda can be found managing beehives at local community gardens, designing pollinator landscapes for schools and churches, rescuing and rehabilitating bee colonies and supporting Blackland Prairie restoration projects. Jon received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science, while also studying business and Spanish, at the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently pursuing his Texas Master Beekeeper certification, through Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. Jon and Amanda both grew up in the Dallas area and returned in 2012, after living in Austin, San Antonio and Houston. They presently reside in East Dallas, along with their two children, and manage an apiary of nearly 2 million honeybees!

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