Demonstration: Encaustic Painting
Encaustic painting is a mixed media technique that involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments have been added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a surface — usually prepared wood, although canvas and other materials are often used.
Report on Current Research Funded by Project Apis m.
Project Apis m. or PAm is the go-to organization at the interface of honey bees and pollinated crops. Project Apis m.’s mission is to fund and direct research to enhance the health and vitality of honey bee colonies while improving crop production. Our name comes from Apis mellifera, the scientific name for the honey bee. We’ve infused over $8.5 Million into bee research and $2.9 Million in forage programs since our inception in 2006 to provide growers with healthier bees resulting in better pollination and increased crop yields. We have personal relationships with the nation’s commercial beekeepers and with the top bee scientists in the country. We fund research studies, purchase equipment for bee research labs at universities, support graduate students, and provide scholarships to develop bee scientists and encourage their pursuit of science-based solutions to the honey bee challenges we face today,—and also for the future.
After a short six years long career as a public-school teacher, George Hansen transformed a hobby beekeeping operation into a commercial endeavor. Starting from a few swarms and a collection of retrieved nuisance hives, the company now runs 7,000 colonies in three states. Although the name Foothills Honey Company LLC never changed, the focus of the beekeeping is now primarily pollination service, with honey and wax making up no more than 15 percent of gross revenues. It is often referenced that at least thirty percent of the American diet is dependent on pollinators and especially honey bees. The reason bees are so critical to us is because of this food, and the other pollination in the landscape that the bees provide. Many of these seed and fruit crops pollinations are not well paid, and put bees at risk. Concentrating on a succession of pollinations throughout the year has required the Foothills Honey Company to develop targeted management strategies to keep the hives in good pollinating condition from January to October. In the past few years, with the increased interest in beekeeping, sales of starter colonies have become an important part of the business as well. George and his wife Susan are currently transitioning their business to their sons Matt and Joe. George is an active member of the beekeeping community, promoting the industry’s interests as past president of the American Beekeeping Federation and formerly as a long-time producer representative on the National Honey Board. He hosts an annual Bee Day workshop and orientation at the Foothills Honey Company home site. Currently, George represents the ABF on the Honey Bee Health Coalition, participating on the steering committee as well as work groups tackling forage, nutrition, crop pest control, and beekeeping management issues. He serves on the boards of the Bee Informed Partnership and Project Apis m, as well as the steering committee for the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund. George and Susan maintain an overlarge garden, both vegetable and landscape, and enjoy developing and crafting theme spaces in the gardens. Both George and Susan have painting studios.