Our speaker on May 14 is Denice Garell-Teti with “Beauty and the Bees”.
Denice’s interest in honeybees peaked when she attended a workshop that was offered locally as an introduction to beekeeping. She was fascinated, and as her interest increased, the learning curve began! She purchased her first hive and placed it on a friend’s property in the Hamilton region. That first hive has grown into 8 hives, with the goal of adding more hives each year!
“I love opening my hives and watching the hard work of the bees, the different roles they play, and their commitment to survival, which inspires me. Beekeeping brings an awareness of how bees can create the extraordinary, whether it be in the beauty of a honeycomb or the exquisite taste of honey.”
Denice is a member of the Ontario Beekeeping Association and volunteers her time with them as part of several committees. She also belongs to the Ontario Women’s Beekeeping Network. This group’s “joy in sharing knowledge” encourages Denice to stay engaged and continue her passion for lifelong learning. A strong supporter of women in beekeeping, Denice’s future goal is to pay it forward to mentor female beekeepers at her apiary.
Denice has had prize-winning success entering her honey at many Ontario Fairs. In addition to producing honey for family, friends, and honey aficionados, Denice enjoys creating interesting hive products from beeswax and experimenting with honey in recipes. She is currently writing a children’s colouring book on bees.
Bringing awareness to the importance of honeybees and other pollinators and the value of honey as a product is part of the reward of being a beekeeper. With an M.Ed. combined with extensive teaching/training and leadership experiences, Denice enjoys speaking to people about her bees, and through storytelling, helping them understand more about the need to work together for a more sustainable earth for humankind.
“Bees are important teachers. What I observe about their fascinating and complex behaviours can help us learn more about ourselves.”