Rick Fink, owner of Bandera Bees, provided the program at the meeting last Wednesday.
Rick retired from a previous career in medical equipment sales, and now concentrates his time on his bee business. In addition to providing bees to persons wanting a hive on the their 5-20 acre property to qualify for the "Ag" tax exemption, Rick routinely helps home owners by removing unwanted bees from their property.
There is art depicting early Egyptians attempts to domesticate bees for their honey, and hives were found in their tombs and pyramids.
Bees provide an invaluable service in pollinating many foods we consume. Bee hives from Texas are trucked to California to assist the farmers there in the production of their almond and other crops.
There are about 30,000 bees in a typical hive, and 30-40% of them are foraging in a given day. However, about 30% of hives are lost each year to disease or other issues, so beekeepers are constantly working to replace the hives. Honey color and flavor is directly affected by the pollen the bees consume. The Hill Country has some of the best tasting honey, as evidenced by the honey jars he brought disappearing quickly. The honey is also helpful for seasonal allergy relief.