In his wonderful book Honey and Dust: Travels in Search of Sweetness
Piers Moore Ede searches for a fresh start after a horrific hit and run. He finds it with Gunter, a bio-dynamic small holder and his bees. When Gunter is asked if he thinks beekeepers feel like God, he replies:
Piers Moore Ede searches for a fresh start after a horrific hit and run. He finds it with Gunter, a bio-dynamic small holder and his bees. When Gunter is asked if he thinks beekeepers feel like God, he replies:
"Simpler than that. We feel like there is a God." - Piers is totally inspired.
Before embarking on a quest to taste honey around the world he visits the elderly Eva Crane, a doyen of scientific beekeeping, for further inspiration and advice. Asked if there is such a thing as a man or woman who has an affinity with bees, she replied:
"Poppycock, I'm afraid my dear. A good beekeeper is someone who has achieved a sound scientific knowledge of the job," - Piers has the wind taken from his sails.
Eva and Gunter operate from different sides of the brain.
When science is separated from compassion in beekeeping, one can abusively control the hive and totally misunderstand the essence and metaphor of the bee. Aiming to be objective while also related, we can be inspired by the spirit of bees while quickly recognizing damaging practices such as the brutal artificial insemination of queens.