Email is my lifeline – my umbilical cord if you will. I like hearing from you and will make every effort to respond to your message.
Drop me a line – kate(at)sacredbee(dot)net
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The Sacred Bee is me, Kate Ferry, the author of this blog. I am a beekeeper in Custer, Washington. My family lives about 10 miles south of the Canadian border and right smack dab next to the Pacific Ocean, in beautiful Custer!
I am the wife of my husband, Jacob, and the mother to three children; my young daughters, Beckett and Camden, and our dog, Tucker, who is 11 years old.
Where's the name ‘Sacred Bee’ come from?
Honeybees are incredible insects. They are responsible for the pollination of over half of the food that makes it onto your table and the chief pollinators for many foods, including almonds and raspberries.
I became fascinated with honeybees while studying anthropology in college and learned more about these amazing creatures after taking an intense six-week course on beekeeping in Surrey, B.C., Canada.
My love and respect for the sacred bee has grown and intensified as I have watched my own two hives bear hundreds of pounds of honey, my garden flourish with the bees' pollination, and through the trials and tribulations of watching my girls (a.k.a. the honeybees) live and die.
Sacred Bee. Honoring the honeybee, one of nature’s gardeners, and practicing beekeeping in Whatcom County, Washington.
Editor's Choice
Hi! 🙂 I stumbled upon your blog after googling beekeeping. I live in Lynden. I am so very interested in it. That is how far I have gone though. What is the first step? A course? Could you point me in the right direction?
Thanks!
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Welcome to the blog! First thing to get is the book Beekeeping for Dummies. It is a great overview on beekeeping and kind of sets the stage for you. It also goes in depth if you are more interested. I like the way that it lays out what you need and how to get started. You are little late for starting this year (most bees have already been sold), but you can get your ducks in a row for next year. It’s a wonderful hobby. I’ll keep you posted on beekeeping through this blog!
Thanks for checking in –
-Kate
Hi Kate, I’m glad your family had a great visit to our Whole Grain Store last weekend. Next time you come down this way try for a weekday and see how the actual mill operates on a factory tour (Monday – Friday at 10am).
Do you know my friend Grace, at Grace Harbor Farms in Custer? When you stop in for your goat milk soap and lotions, fresh milk and yoghurt tell her I said hi!
Christie, Bob’s Red Mill, tour director
Hi Kate,
Just wanted to remind you that this week is The Gardener’s Market. Thursday evening June 17th beginning at 6:30. I hope you can make it out.
Julie
Kate
I stumbled on to your page. I am a second year bee keeper. I was thinking of next year trying to collect pollen. I do not know how to do this do you have any helpful hints. We did well selling our honey at the local farmers market but I had a few inquires about pollen. I see pollen traps for sell but I don’t know how to collect and perserve it.
Hi Cheryl,
I don’t know much about collecting pollen because I have never done it. I have seen the traps for sale and from what I understand it’s pretty labor intensive (hence the high prices…). Storage seems like a cinch – just a glass jar or bottle with an airtight lid. I would recommend scouring the internet some more and checking out a great beekeeping book “Natural Beekeeping”. Thanks so much for swinging on in here and checking out the blog/project.
Thanks, Kate
I forgot to add I live in North Carolina.