The Vital Energy of Young Beekeepers

The Vital Energy of Young Beekeepers 

I recently introduced you to the miraculous group of young people based near Richmond in Tasmania, the Tasmanian Junior Beekeepers. They are a force to be reckoned with; they are smart, caring, positive, and they know how to get their hands dirty (or sticky with honey, either way). As each year passes, I realise more and more that kids are where it’s at! Kids are smarter than ever (Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg is now a household name and has undoubtedly changed the entire world and continues to). They know how to find information. They know that information is often biased, and they know how to seek out alternatives. That know that the way we have always done things has some good points and some points that need a shake-up! For example, some old ways teach us to do things with care, simplicity, and a connection to nature. But there are some old ways and thoughts that may be based on misinformation or a fear of change. Kids can see through all this somehow, and they now have the tools to educate themselves and others and act on what they know is best for the world at large. 

Young people have always been at the forefront of rebellion and activism. Some of these acts have been more passive (we can sign petitions from the comfort of our loungerooms now), to tying ourselves to trees, writing books, hosting lectures, camping out on important sites, and mass protests in the streets. There are many ways young people have shown their love for the Australian environment, and this, according to Sarah Scopelianos and Keri Philips (ABC Radio National), spans back to the 1860s. And even though beekeeping isn’t an act of anarchy or nonconformity, it IS an act of activism in some ways. Beekeeping is one of those activities that many good things sprout from; it is like the bee is this cute-little-yellow-bundle-of-love at the centre of food for people, flowers and plants growing, animals having a meal at the end of the day, and the world having the resources needed for life as we know it. Kids who keep bees are brave and smart and kind – they understand that happy bees are at the epicentre of a healthy environment. I bow down, young beekeepers, keep up the good work!