Cody and Christy Kerr, avid swing dancers from Kentucky, came as a couple for our summer 2013 internship. Our top bar beekeeping training is part of their self-designed sustainable agriculture program that includes a permaculture certificate program in Costa Rica and forest farming and nutrient dense food preparation in New Zealand.
At our farm, along with our other summer interns, the Kerrs were able to build hives with different materials, comb saver frames, pollen traps, foundation molds and more. They made and installed hive stands, rendered wax, raised queens, helped with a mite survey to check the varroa mite levels in the apiary (less than 1%), removed a wild hive, attended our summer trainer Tom Hebert’s trainings for professional Bee Farmers Associations around the island, and led workshops for the children in our Robins Bay Bee Club. With other interns, the Kerrs racked up hours and hours of top bar hive management with colonies at different stages and with differing needs. Our summer interns made two batches of hemp soap: honey orange and honey peppermint – so nice!
We wish the Kerrs all the best as they move on to New Zealand and, eventually, their own farm/homestead! You can read their blog here.
Yerba Buena Farm Jamaica 