2016 Adopt-a-Beehive News

Spring Donor Event at Panaʻewa Farm

On February 26, 2016, the Adopt-a-Beehive with Alan Wong program put on its annual Spring appreciation donor event. It was a chance for our program donors to meet their student beekeepers and taste food samples made by Chef Alan Wong and Dr. Lorna Tsutsumi. They also got a chance to view educational displays, tour the bee garden and the apiary, and even create their own encaustic paintings.

Encaustic PaintingDonors creating their own artwork at the encaustic painting station. Honey Gloazed Smoked SalmonJay's Honey Glazed Salmon on a Housemade Crostini w/ am Opal Basil Remoulade, made by Sodexo.

We also recognized the recipients of the Adopt-a-Beehive with Alan Wong scholarship, which benefits beekeeping students at UH Hilo. This year four students were awarded scholarships.

Scholarship recipients2016 Scholarship recipients with Chef Alan Wong (far left) and UH Hilo Chancellor Donald Straney (far right), Britni Schock, Ellison Montgomery, Damon Ewen, Miguel Bravo Escobar.

Road to Sustainability

Doctor Lorna Tsutsumi's students showcased their work at this year's "Road to Sustainability" event on April 21, 2016. The event was held at the AG Breezeway at the College of Agriculture. Students from her Value-Added Agriculture Products class (AG 205 Value Ad Prod & Post Harv Hand (3) ) showcased their final products, which were either created from a bee-related product (beeswax, honey, propolis) or other agricultural products. Her Advanced Beekeeping (ENTO 350 Advanced Beekeeping (3) ) students served honey comb samples and other foods that were prepared with honey.

Watercolor Paints RTS EventLindsey Stevens (left), AG 205 student, created Color-the-Earth all-natural watercolor paints made with honey. Koa Hive RTS EventMike Doswett, AG 205 student and Beekeeping student, talks about his top bar hive that he constructed. The hive is made from koa and ʻōhiʻa wood. Kodie ProjectAG 205 student, Kodie Solis-Kalani created an eyebrow pomade with beeswax. Britni ProjectAG 205 student, Britni Schock, talks about her

Unveiling the Life-Size Hive

May 6th, 2016 marked a special day for the Beekeeping Program at UH Hilo. Several students in Dr. Tsustumi's Advanced Beekeeping class built a life-size Langstroth hive complete with movable frames and a queen excluder. This hive was placed across the Bee Garden at the UH Hilo Farm and will serve as an educational tool for the community and those who tour the farm. It will allow for people to get an inside look at the home of the honeybee. Those who venture inside of the hive are able to experience the dark environment that honeybees like to work in. Dr. Tsutsumi also recognized five seniors who completed the requirements to receive the Beekeeping Certificate this Spring 2016 semester. Each student was gifted with a J-hook hive tool.

Life Size HiveBeekeeping students unveil the life-size hive and allow people to enter. Kawehi Life Size HiveKawehi Lopez poses between a regular Langstroth hive and the life-size version. Beekeeping certificate recipientsFive seniors were recognized as recipients of the Beekeeping Certificate and were each gifted a J-hook hive tool.

Taste of the Hawaiian Range

The Adopt-a-Beehive program participated in this years “A Taste of the Hawaiian Range” Agriculture Festival in Waikoloa on September 9th, 2016. This festival brings together food producers, processors, chefs, and consumers and encourages local food production. This year marked the 21th anniversary of the event. We gave out honey straws at the event and talked about the importance of pollination.

Cheryl Yara and Lissa Tsutsumi displaying honey combCheryl Yara and Lissa Tsutsumi displaying honey comb. looking at displayOne of the many Taste of the Hawaiian Range guests learning about bees. ABH at Taste of the Hawaiian RangeUH Hilo Beekeeping Student, Kawehi Lopez, at the table display.

Keiki in the Kitchen at the Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival

On October 29, 2016, the Adopt-a-Beehive with Alan Wong program here hit the road to Ko Olina Resort on Oʻahu for Keiki in the Kitchen. The event is part of the Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival and promotes healthy food, fitness and fun for children (and adults too!). The program provided free comb honey samples and educated the public on the importance of honey bees for both their pollination services for agricultural crops and the usable products from the hive such as honey and wax. Over 1,000 attendees enjoyed the day. Also attending the day to watch his granddaughter participate in the keiki cooking contest was Mike Crowell, a cooperating farmer with program.

Adopt-a-Beehive samples tableDr. Lorna Tsutsumi (standing), Mike Crowell of Wailea Agricultural Group, and technician Cheryl Yara at the program exhibit.

Trick or Treat?

On October 31, 2016, seventy-five Haili Christian Elementary students, ranging from kindergarten to 5th grade visited the UH Hilo Farm Laboratory in Panaʻewa. In addition to seeing the farm animals and planting seeds, the students got to visit the giant hive to experience feeling like a bee, toured the bee friendly garden to learn about what type of plants are needed to encourage healthy bee populations year round, and got to use beeswax crayons to color bee educational cards.

young children exploring a giant hiveHaili Christian students exiting the giant hive at the UH Hilo farm.