(Original Air Date: April 22nd 2021) Continuing over from the main segment episode where Tara taught us about the uses of Propolis, this bonus episode contains all the random tangents that the group got sidetracked with during the interview process. Needless to say, these were originally cut from the main episode in order to keep it under an hour long. So… tune in now to hear more about Tara’s baby news, Ken’s future cooking episode ideas, moving 25 hives across the state of Texas, desperate sto...
Dec 31, 2022•54 min
(Original Air Date: April 15th 201) Today the guys talk about Ken’s Topbar that had a massive beard on the front. Could this be showing signs of swarming, or were they just trying to cool down? John discusses queen cups vs queen cells, and where they can be found for swarm purposes, as well as entrance discs being left on Queen Exclude. Ever heard of Drone Berries? Well, you will know what they are if you have a Topbar with an excluder and John explains why that occurs. The guys also discuss the...
Dec 30, 2022•29 min
(Original Air Date: Jan 21st 201) In this episode Ken and John discuss a few things to consider this mid-winter, as well as tackling a listener question about what to consider when looking to expand your apiary into multiple locations. Tune in now to hear how the guy’s hives are doing and maybe you will find a thing or two that you can consider as well.
Dec 29, 2022•37 min
(Original Air Date: Dec 17th, 2020) Can you guess the theme of this episode? John and Ken discuss bees using feces as a deterrent against giant hornets, they also discuss a bad book review, and have a brief talk about Ken's procrastination about combining colonies for winter prep. Put on your wading boots, cause this one might get a bit messy.
Dec 28, 2022•51 min
(Original Air Date: Nov19th, 2020) John discusses the pros, cons, and potential pitfalls of laying the groundwork for a future notification system to beekeepers in the state of TX for when pesticides are going to be utilized in their area. Part of this comes back to hive locations technically being considered trade secrets, or proprietary information. Does volunteering to participate in such a list invalidate your right to keep your hive locations a secret? The guys also discuss some of the othe...
Dec 27, 2022•38 min
(Original Air Date: Nov12th, 2020) The guys discuss more about bees being prone to robbing this time of year, as well as clearing up some confusion about which comb/bees should be used when doing mite checks. Oh, and Hats are now a thing!
Dec 26, 2022•31 min
(Original Air Date: Nov 5th, 2020) In this episode John details how he "Almost" won the 2020 Honey Show with the exception of one small oversite. Minor details are key, as are major ones when entering into a true honey show. The guys also discuss a few more thoughts on their recent honey tasting, plus cautions about late fall robbing!
Dec 25, 2022•36 min
(Original Air Date: Dec 24th, 2020) Ken and John are joined by a surprise guest, Max Milam, Ken's Son! (It was a surprise for Max as he had no idea he was about to be dragged into the show.) The guys talk about some recent developments in their lives, and Max and John poke fun at Ken's front porch beekeeping. Hope you have a very Happy Holiday Season!
Dec 24, 2022•31 min
(Original Air Date: Oct 22nd, 2020) In this episode John discusses how prolific honey adulteration really is in today's marketplace and how it affects us all. It can be difficult for backyard beekeepers to feel like they even have a chance to compete with the prices they see in the supermarkets, but the key is to shift the focus and better educate your consumers... one at a time. Ken also give some updates on his ongoing efforts to combine colonies to help ensure they successfully overwinter thi...
Dec 23, 2022•30 min
(Original Air Date: Oct 8th, 2020 with Updated Content from Dec 22rd, 2022) In the old school style of the season one bonus episodes, this segment covers a lot of ground... The guys talk about their thoughts from their Honey Tasting episode, the challenges (or advantages) of open mated genetics and how they can influence the bee despite the queen type, how some social media people might be running a long con in order to gain followers with shock value at the expense of innocent peoples safety, a...
Dec 22, 2022•45 min
(Original Air Date: Sept 24th, 2020) After a hard spring and summer, Ken has finally come to the conclusion that next season it might be a better idea to focus on the quality of his remaining hives as opposed to the overall number of hives he can accumulate.
Dec 21, 2022•39 min
(Original Air Date: Sept 10th, 2020) The world has really gone bananas. Or at least some of the beekeepers sure have! Every so many years there are these miracle cures and wonder elixirs that make their rounds on the internet. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in them as we all would love a simple cure all solution to life’s problems. Rarely, though, is that the case. Bananas are one such magical cure all that is seeing its time in the spotlight again. But, this isn’t for us… no. It’s for our...
Dec 20, 2022•41 min
John has a few things he would like to share with you before we round out 2022. Tune in now to hear his podcast recommendation, updates about The Hive Jive itself, and what to expect in the coming weeks.
Dec 19, 2022•19 min•Ep. 166
For this month's Natural Beekeeping Corner, Nathalie breaks down the first two stages of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) for natural beekeeping and goes into detail about how each stage can be implemented into your own natural practices.
Sep 07, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 165
Welcome to a grizzly tail from the forest... ok, so not really grizzly (though the bees would beg to differ), but it does involve a bear. A Black Bear to be specific! Tune in now and listen along as John details his first encounter with a Black Bear and the path of devastation it left behind.
Aug 22, 2022•37 min•Ep. 164
Today John gives us an update on the current state of his health, and poses a question based on one of his current COVID related symptoms. What would beekeeping be like without the sense of smell?
Aug 19, 2022•15 min•Ep. 163
For the 13th installment of the Natural Beekeeping Corner, Nathalie sits down with Les Crowder to discuss the current events that are unfolding in Australia with the introduction of Varroa Destructor. The pair offer up some natural beekeeping solutions that can be used to both help check for and reduce mite populations in an effort to provide a little bit of hope to our fiends Down Under. Tune in now to learn more...
Jul 12, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 162
(Original Air Date: Sept 3rd, 2020) Some listeners recently shared an article about a 17-year-old young lady who has invented a new entrance portal that will help treat bees for mites as they pass through the portal. John and Ken discuss the potential pros and cons of this concept. The guys also talk more about Ken’s swarms and if he should be combining his hives, and if so, which queens to keep and which to say goodbye to. Plus, some updates and sneak peeks about things to come!
Jun 20, 2022•26 min•Ep. 161
(Original Air Date: Aug 27th, 2020) Apparently, based solely on the sounds of their voices and their redneck speak, someone thought that John and Ken both had long thick beards. Think, Duck Dynasty! LOL Of course, we couldn’t let such a thing just pass on by without comment. The guys also discuss some of the exciting changes and additions that are currently in the works for The Hive Jive. Tune in now to find out more!
Jun 16, 2022•24 min•Ep. 160
(Original Air Date: Aug 20th, 2020) A little while back, a listener commented on a social media post and asked if we were ever going to discuss the single box method. To which, John has responded by staring at the screen and scratching his head in confusion... for weeks on end. "What exactly do you mean?" he wonders to himself. Is this a reference to a literal single box of bees, no expansions, nothing else? Or is this just a way to refer to raising bees in a single brood box with a queen exclud...
Jun 13, 2022•22 min•Ep. 159
(Original Air Date: Aug 13, 2020) In this episode, John and Ken learn about one of the oldest intact Apiaries to ever be discovered on an archaeological dig in Israel. They guys also discuss the bizarre possibility of bees making a hive out of an active underground septic system, and talk about some culturally sensitive and possibly inappropriate naming conventions.
Jun 03, 2022•31 min•Ep. 158
(Original Air Date: Aug 6, 2020) In this bonus episode, John learns a startling revelation about the infamous (and still not assembled) Flow Hive. The guys also discuss the appearance of late season swarms, and whether they are worth the effort or not.
Jun 02, 2022•19 min•Ep. 157
(Original Air Date: July 30, 2020) In what is a rather quick episode, we talk about going slow and steady. Ha! Ken discusses his most recent bee removal from a water meter box, how Max’s beekeeping diligence differs from his own, as well as a new swarm caught out at his brother's property. John tries to remind Ken that there is truth to Max’s methods and that going slow and steady in all aspects of beekeeping is how you win the race.
Jun 01, 2022•14 min•Ep. 156
(Original Air Date: July 9, 2020) In this bonus episode, John continues his talk with Steve Jimenez from Hives for Heroes. This conversation picks up directly from where the main podcast episode left off. Despite the main episode being completed, the mics kept recording and the camera kept rolling as the discussion carried on.
May 31, 2022•31 min•Ep. 155
(Original Air Date: July 2, 2020) From horse and cow manure to misrepresented TP and even a few crappy people, this episode sure does have a lot of toilet talk. There’s also a few bad words too… Well poo!
May 30, 2022•31 min•Ep. 154
(Original Air Date: June 25, 2020) The colonies have divided and sent out multiple potential new colonies as Swarmageddon sets in out at Ken's place. Could this be a repeat of last year’s crazy swarms that Ken and John experienced at the lake? Only time will tell, but it sure had Ken all riled up as they start to run out of swarm traps.
May 29, 2022•27 min•Ep. 153
(Original Air Date: June 18, 2020) John recounts a recent bee removal with some really testy bees and their shady neighbors. Plus, we take another shot at identifying the difference between Swarm Cells vs Supersedure Cells vs Emergency Cells.
May 28, 2022•36 min•Ep. 152
(Original Air Date: June 11, 2020) It is now June and for many regions the nectar flow is now at its peak, but it won’t last forever. In fact, for some of us, we are running out of time to maximize this year’s honey crop! Is Ken going to be ready? Will he get any honey? Does he know how to count his boxes? Tune in to find out these burning questions and more…
May 27, 2022•32 min•Ep. 151
For the 12th installment of the Natural Beekeeping Corner, Nathalie sits down with Fonta Molyneaux from Wild Everlasting Farm to discuss Brood Dynamics and how to optimize your natural beekeeping for your own specific region. This is a great conversation to help lead you down the path to becoming a more intuitive and instinctual beekeeper. Tune in now to learn more…
May 02, 2022•45 min•Ep. 150
Today John poses a challenge to any interested beekeeper out there who might be willing to do a little research. We've always heard how much honey it takes for the bees to make wax. But, we never hear how much wax a colony actually needs. Someone should really figure this out to help fill in the gap of knowledge and understand of our bee statistics. Are you up for the challenge?
Apr 18, 2022•8 min•Ep. 149
