Growing a Greener World Season 5 Episode 12 A Year in the Life of a Beginning Beekeeper: Atlanta, GA

A Year in the Life of a Beginning Beekeeper: Atlanta, GA is the 12th episode of the 5th season of the show Growing a Greener World. In this episode, the host Joe Lamp'l visits an urban beekeeper in Atlanta, Georgia to learn about the basics of beekeeping and the importance of bees to our food system.

The episode begins with Joe meeting with the beekeeper, Ted McFall, who is also a high school science teacher. Ted explains the importance of bees as pollinators in our food system and the decline in bee populations due to habitat loss, pesticides, and disease. He also describes his own journey into beekeeping and the challenges and rewards of keeping bees.

Joe then joins Ted in his backyard where he has several beehives. Ted demonstrates the basics of beekeeping equipment and the different types of bees in a hive. He explains the different roles of the queen bee, worker bees, and drones and how they work together to keep the hive functioning.

Ted also shows Joe how to inspect a beehive and what to look for, including signs of disease or pests. He also demonstrates how to extract honey from the combs and the importance of leaving enough honey for the bees over the winter.

As the episode continues, Joe and Ted visit a community garden in Atlanta where they discuss the importance of urban beekeeping and how honeybees can thrive in an urban environment. They also talk about the challenges of keeping bees in a city, such as pollution and limited foraging opportunities.

The episode concludes with Ted and Joe reflecting on the experience and the importance of raising awareness about the role of bees in our food system and the need for more people to take up beekeeping. Ted encourages viewers to support their local beekeepers and to plant pollinator-friendly gardens and habitats in their own communities.

Overall, A Year in the Life of a Beginning Beekeeper: Atlanta, GA is an informative and inspiring episode that highlights the importance of bees and the joys and challenges of beekeeping. It provides valuable insights for anyone interested in starting their own hive or supporting local beekeepers.