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Apiary Chronicles is the podcast where the world of beekeeping comes alive. Hosted by Cal Hardage, this show explores the personal journeys, challenges, and triumphs of beekeepers from all walks of life. From backyard enthusiasts to commercial apiarists, each episode dives into the unique stories and invaluable insights that make beekeeping both an art and a science.
Discover tips on hive management, pollinator health, and honey production while learning about the dedication and passion behind each beekeeper’s journey. Whether you’re an experienced apiarist, a beginner, or just curious about the buzzing world of bees, Apiary Chronicles offers inspiration, education, and community.
Join us weekly as we celebrate the people and pollinators shaping a sustainable future, one hive at a time. Subscribe now and step into the world of Apiary Chronicles!
On today's show we have Fred Dunn.
We talk about his beekeeping journey,
dive a little bit into photography.
And talked about his YouTube channel.
So let's jump into it with the fast five.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: What's your name?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
My name is Frederick Dunn.
I go by Fred.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: And
what's your apiaries name?
Do you have an apiary name?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Yeah,
the apiary area is called The Way to Be.
And of course it ties in with my name, but
that just seems like a good title for it.
So.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
Where are you located?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I am not going to be too specific
because I don't like people and I don't
want them to show up on my property,
but I'm in the northwest corner
of the state of Pennsylvania, so
in what's called the snow belt.
We just got in the running there for
the deepest snow in the country for the
last big snow storm that came through.
We have 51 inches of snow
already, so we're in an ag zone 4.
And it's part of Erie
County, Pennsylvania.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh Okay, and you
get so you're getting lake effect snow as
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
That's correct.
And the fact that the lake is
warmer than normal, this is
what the climatologists tell us.
that normally it would be frozen over by
now and it's not so it's carrying a lot
of moisture and if Erie is right at 500
feet above sea level I'm at 1300 feet so
we get that as it rises over that little
range there just that 700 foot rise caused
it to dump a lot of precipitation so.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, very good
What when did you start with bees?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Well I started, I got my own bees so
studying bees is one thing and actually
having bees and keeping them here
started in 2006 so that was kind of when.
Hackenberg is a member of our state
beekeepers association and David
Hackenberg, and he did a documentary
actually was participating in
it about the disappearing bees.
You may know,
he's the guy that came up with the term
colony collapse because he lost his
bees from his wintering station there.
So he's a big commercial guy.
And that's pretty much it.
When that happened, I started keeping bees
because I wanted to learn more about them.
It wasn't really so that I could
get honey or, or do pollination
services and things like that.
I study animals, like all kinds,
reptiles, you name it, spiders.
I'll go all over the
place to video and just.
Get my hands on them.
And so honeybees, the idea of
being able to keep them yourself,
that was pretty interesting to me.
I didn't even realize how easy it was
to have bees and in a designated area.
So that then you would have
them close to make a continuing
observations through all the seasons.
So that was kind of my start right there.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: And
how many hives do you manage?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I think there's 43 right now.
I'm pretty sure five of
those are dead already.
So, so
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
if we're counting, I don't,
I don't know for sure.
My grandson, if he were here, he would
tell you because he's the one I send out
in all weather to attend to the bees.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: And
I'm sure he does not get near
as cold out there as you do.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I don't mind the cold.
Part of the reason for that is I
suit up like I'm going to the Arctic
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
Cal: Welcome to Apiary Chronicles, where
we dive deep into the world of beekeeping
and the people who make it all happen.
I'm Cal Hardage your host
and fellow bee enthusiast.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
Earlier you mentioned that
why you kind of got into bees.
It wasn't so much for the honey, etc.
But you were the study of animals.
Do you have other animals as well?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Well we have chickens.
I'm also a Pennsylvania Department
of Ag poultry technician.
So we've had chickens here
on this property for 24 years
going into the 25th year.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: So,
made a pretty decent study of chickens
and published a video called Regarding
Chickens back when they still had DVDs.
And yeah.
It was in all the special interest
areas in your local library.
And so that was a lot of fun.
It took us seven months to make that.
So that was fun, but we've had
animals cycled through here.
You know, we've had the
Australian emus here.
We've had Tennessee fainting goats.
So we're apt to have almost anything
that I need to know about because
if it's something that we can put up
fencing for and keep so that I can
observe, critical stages of growth
and development, things like that.
I thought about, thought about
ostrich, but I mentioned earlier
to you about the buffalo.
There's a guy here that has buffalo.
He also has ostrich, and
he sells ostrich jerky, and
one of his big male ostriches broke his
femur, and had him up against a fence.
Emergency medical people
couldn't get there, so I thought,
huh, I'm gonna go with emu.
They're,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
that sounds like a good
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
they're friendlier.
They're only 6 feet tall.
They max out at about 120 pounds, so
that's a much more manageable bird
than a 7 foot, 300 pound ostrich.
So, yeah,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
I, I have to agree.
I, I think ostriches and emus
sound interesting, but I, I read
they can kick pretty powerfully.
So it kind of makes me nervous.
Of course, I get in a pen with,
you know, 1200 bigger animals,
cattle and other things.
So I don't know why a bird
worries me as more than the cattle
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Well,
you're, you're looking at a reptile.
You're looking at a dinosaur
and just look at those feet.
They are impressive.
And that middle toe on these big,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
they are, yeah, it's, you
really have to know what you're
doing and the idea of grabbing.
And so we could see, that's why as a
poultry technician, you would have to
go and draw blood from these things.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So you're supposed to go up with your
knee sock on your hand and you grab its
head, you invert the knee sock over its
head, and now you've got total control.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
now you can lead them around
because they're covered up.
But man, I tell you, it's impressive.
If you've ever been kicked by one,
it's not hard to figure out that
they can do incredible damage.
Yeah.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yes.
On that tangent just a little
bit more, I just discovered a
podcast called The Science of Birds
with Ivan, I can't think of his last
name, but very interesting podcast.
I've been going through his back catalog.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Okay.
Yeah.
Most of my bird knowledge just
comes from the Cornell University
Department of Ornithology.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: yeah.
And that's where I became a master
beekeeper is also through the
Dice Lab at Cornell University.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Let's
just go ahead and continue on that
because I had that down on my notes.
What was the process to become
a master beekeeper through them?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: the
process to become a master beekeeper
is pretty, actually it's pretty easy.
You have to first of all find to come,
you know, a college or university
or University of Florida has one.
They have their bee lab down there.
Find one that's close enough to you
because that was one of the things was I
wanted to make sure I could get to like
the Dice Lab for me, Cornell University.
Is that's only a four hour drive so I
can get there and it's not that you're
going there for all your classes.
It's that you're ultimately going
to go there for exams for practical
observations and things like that.
So part of that is you know, what's
the history of the group, you
know, who's doing research there?
Well, at the time Dr Samuel
Ramsey was part of Cornell.
Of course, Dr Thomas Sealy, Cornell.
And then Dr.
David Peck from Betterbee, Cornell.
So it all starts to stack up and I
thought, Huh, if I take that class, I'm
going to get to meet all these guys.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
to want to talk to me and we're going
to sit around in the Bee Lab and drink
coffee and we're going to talk about
entomological research and Tom Seeley
is going to bounce his ideas off of me.
And none of that is true.
So you, in fact, the closest
you get to me, although, you
know, I've spoken with Dr.
Sam Ramsey, he's fantastic.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And David Peck, he's a friend.
But like getting to Tom Seeley now
we met him through video, you know?
So, and he doesn't even come around
anymore to give live presentations
unless it's really local to him.
So you're only going to
meet him today through zoom.
But so I looked at research
that was done by the institution
and the background of it.
They were also billed as
the oldest and first master
beekeeping program in the United
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So that was another one.
And people talk about EAS.
EAS was another possibility, but I didn't
like the fact that they weren't going to
offer a bunch of academic courses, right?
So EAS was more testing exams,
but EAS was passing a board.
All are great.
They're modeled after the curriculum
from the Cornell University Department
of Entomology for the Dice Lab.
And there was a time there where
Cornell had shut down, so they
weren't even offering it, and
EAS basically picked that up.
So, the other thing was
a lot of people fail it.
So I like that idea.
I don't want to get in a
program where everybody passes.
Just take the course, right?
And so, for example, just
in our group, we had 150.
In my class it began and we finished 29.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So it can be hard on you.
I think a lot of, I didn't even think
about becoming a master beekeeper until
I had more than 15 years experience.
I know that there are people that
can become a master beekeeper
in five years, six years.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
again, depending on the institution,
how much prior experience do you need?
And then there are misunderstandings
about what a master beekeeper is.
Some people think, oh, well, they
don't just know everything about bees.
It's really not.
And if you get into these groups, you'll
realize fairly quickly that a lot of
them are still on the learn pretty heavy.
And they've, they've met the
requirements to get that credential.
But the point is you identify people that
will be good educators, good stewards
of beekeeping, and will of course, reach
out, do things like I'm doing right now.
We're going to talk about bees,
helping educate the public.
That should be at the core of
what a master beekeeper is.
And I think that's what blew a lot
of people kind of off the track.
They didn't realize they'd have to get
up in front of a whole room of people.
They didn't realize there would be
entomologists on the board that would
be very critical of, I don't know what
your experience is with academics,
but if you've ever had a professor or
somebody just flatly say, yeah, well,
you know what, come back next semester.
You'll probably do better just instead
of, Oh, you've spent so much time, you
studied so much, you did everything, but
you know, you really needed to score a
90 on this exam and you scored an 85.
So we'll see you next year.
That, that is frustrating and stressful.
And so programs like that, but if you
can get through, then it feels like a
much better achievement, so to speak.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: So
that's why, that's why I picked that one.
Proximity, the reputation of the
school, who hasn't heard of Cornell?
So,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: right exactly.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And it can run into a lot of money.
Some of these programs
are not very expensive.
Others can run into quite a lot.
And so I'm a veteran, so I definitely
took advantage of the veterans discount.
They offered that.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: So I
was, and, and that's, you know, we could
talk for a long time about that, but
that's why I chose the program that I did.
So many research papers, so many
publications have come from the Dice Lab.
So that's it.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
I, I look at those programs and
I think it's really interesting
or, and something to achieve.
Like I said I'm very much an
amateur and don't know enough.
And then, then the more
I know, the less I know.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Well, let me just, well, the more you
learn, the less, you know, and that's
because only the idiot knows everything.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
so, anybody that, you
know, you meet those people.
I learned when I was a teenager, never
raise your hand and say, you know, this
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, right.
Yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And so beekeeping in particular,
and that's the appeal of it.
Let me just say that I felt
like I had a handle on chickens.
from beak to toes in
the first year, right?
And I did take college curriculum.
I studied poultry science.
I did all that stuff.
Hugely disappointing, not very exciting,
mostly geared towards the industry
and biosecurity and all that stuff.
Super snooze as far as
the curriculum goes.
And but honey bees, if you meet
somebody that says that they know
it all about bees, you need to
just move on because Even Dr.
Sealy, some of the great
minds in animal behavior.
He doesn't pretend to know what he
is, is continues to be on the learn.
And those are the people
I want to be around.
I want, you know, I like people
that, that have a good grasp of
it, but they're also, as my uncle
would say, easily impressed, right?
In other words, I didn't know that.
Look what's going on over here.
So bees are, you know, just.
an endless resource of
finding out new things.
There's always something going on.
And we're dealing with an insect
that people have observed in detail,
you know, thousands of years.
So, I mean, bees have fascinated
people, just aside from the
utility aspect of having bees.
Just me as a person
interested in animal life.
They are extraordinary, just,
and that's the appeal forever,
and you'll never know it all, and
that's also why they're fantastic.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: I feel like
I took a step back from my beekeeping
the last six, seven years because my
job took a lot of time and last five
years, I'm just lost on some things.
I'm like, Whoa, what?
What's going on there?
I didn't know that.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
well, well, you know, part of that,
Cal, is look at the entomologists
that are doing research.
If you want to get a Ph.
D., you have to cut new ground.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
find something out that's new.
And I have given away audio recordings,
video of behaviors, right, to these
PhD candidates, and in some cases those
working on their master's programs.
I support them free.
Like, I will help.
But there's an ulterior motive to
that, so it's not completely generous.
I want in on what they're studying.
I want updates while they're doing it.
And so this creates a network.
It is disappointing to me
though, sometimes there'll be a
really brilliant entomologist.
That you feel like you're going to
develop this research relationship
with, but then they get snagged by some
pesticide company and they're gone.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And that's, I guess, that's
where the big money is.
Most of them are picked up
by pesticide big company.
Monsanto is no longer owned by
the, you know, it's not a U.
S.
entity anymore, but they used to harvest.
They paid attention to some of the genius
entomologists out there because they
needed them to help develop pesticides.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Coming back to your bees, what
type of bees do you raise?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Well, they're just local.
You hear this a lot these days.
Local, survivor, stock,
you know, just bees.
More and more, I just cycle back my own
bees, but there again, I don't know.
We mentioned earlier that, you know,
we don't know who else has stock
in the area and bees are unlike.
You mentioned cattle earlier.
If you've got a fence, your
cattle are under control.
You know which bull is going
to be mating with your stock.
If only bees were that easy, they're
not, because we've got queens, maximum
flight distances up to nine miles.
You've got drones that leapfrog
from hive to hive to hive, which
extends their range exponentially.
So trying to control genetics
these days is next to impossible.
Of course, if I'm buying in stock, and
this is what I tell people, because,
you know, it's a very common question
people are starting out with bees.
What should I get?
What kind of stock should I have?
In other words, what they really
want is which bee is going to make
beekeeping the easiest for them
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
and which bee is gonna heal itself,
deflect all disease and chew up mites
and hand them to you in a tray, right?
So, I did, you know, a
lot of research on that.
In fact, one of our, in our course
material part of it was to list those,
like Purdue ankle biters and things
like that, these genetics that are
demonstrating that they have viability
in the face of diseases that are
vectored by varroa destructor mites.
We also got a little bit into tracheal
mites because you had to count those,
so we need a hemoglycometer, you know,
you had to have a slide and you had
to do all that under a microscope
and smash bee guts and all that.
Look at that.
But so I buy bee weaver bees.
They, they didn't make the Cornell
list, which I found interesting.
And I thought, why not?
These guys.
They're doing survivor stock.
They've got some butt
fast genetics in there.
So that became one of the things
that I tell people if you're going to
buy a queen, at least support those
that are doing the genetic research
and that are really working toward
a treatment free kind of future.
And that's, those people
strike home with me.
And so, if I can give them a
boost by sending them Customers
to buy their bees is what I do.
I don't have a large enough operation
here to do any genetics, really.
And so, when I see colonies that
aren't doing very well, I'm at my,
I'm at a number of colonies now
where it doesn't hurt my feelings.
This is, this will seem
callous, maybe to a listener.
But if a colony dies in winter,
you know, as I mentioned, I think
I'm down five colonies already.
Those are genetics that are not making it.
So I have my answer for that.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I'm also, I have a core group of
stock that now I can, I'm self
sustaining as far as an API goes.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So I'm going to, I can produce as
many colonies as I want in a year.
Which I don't want that many,
so then the stress is off.
People are stressing and wringing
their hands this time of year in the
United States because if you're in the
South, you're probably facing a dearth.
If you're here in the North, we're
facing weird weather, dramatic weather.
And then that's the proving ground.
Can your bees sustain themselves?
with minimal care in the environment
that you are keeping bees in, right?
So the more that they do that, the
more you observe a vibrant, vital
colony that's really successful,
then it becomes much easier.
Now I can just focus on, pun intended,
with my cameras, the the bees that are in
different styles of hives and things like
that, that give me better, better facility
when I want to get access to them.
And I'm finding healthy hives instead of
now I can take pictures of some disease.
I can take a picture of a sack bird.
Anybody need that?
Cause I can get you macro
pictures of disgusting bees.
So I'd much rather photograph healthy
bees doing interesting things.
So it kind of goes like, like that.
I know I'm probably giving you way
more than you're asking for, but
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: You know if I
was a Really good question interviewer.
I'd have a ton of questions.
We run out of time, but I'm not that good.
So no
worries But I do have a couple
questions on what you said there
First you mentioned your equipment.
What type of equipment are you using
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
When we say equipment, we're
talking about the hive designs.
Okay, so, well, there again, companies
that have new hive equipment, new hive
designs, new insulation or entrances
or bottom boards or feeding systems.
I'm one of the people
that they reach out to
first of all, to get ideas during
research and development, which
is very flattering for my end.
I do have a background in
material analytics, so I'm a
non destructive testing testing.
ASNT level three, which means I'm an
examiner as far as first of all, finding
out what the properties of materials
are, how to find out if they fail.
And then, of course, in
service, their degradation.
So I have a full background in that.
And now applying that material knowledge.
To what we're doing with bees works out
because I know how to evaluate something.
I guess this is the bottom line.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh Yes
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So, of course the Langstroth, we could
just say the Langstroth frame is at
the core of all the most popular hives.
So once you have the Langstroth
frame, and that's just because
it's the most available thing.
The feeders are designed for that.
You have your mark, the most options
with the foundation and everything else.
Anyone who's trying to make money.
In beekeeping today is going to
focus on the Langstroth design.
So now it is a matter of what's
the hive going to be made out of.
So now we've got purists that
really want only wood products.
They want everything to have some
cellulose base and organic material.
So that's one group.
And so we have those hives here.
So we do cedar, hoop pine, regular pine.
So we have all these
different woods as well.
And the reason we talk about things like.
Hoop pine is because those trees grow
really fast and it's a renewable resource.
So it's like slow
growing grass, basically.
So there you look at that too,
because as soon as you say cedar,
well, where's that harvested from?
Well, the Western United States and it's
all properly harvested and responsibly
harvested and things like that.
So then we get to the other
extreme, which are the plastics,
the insulated, the poly hives, which
people overseas call it the poly.
polystyrene, and those are clad
with more durable plastics.
So that's another group.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So, and again, we mentioned that
beekeeping is evolving and for some
people they think it's devolving because
we're using manmade products in a hive
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
and that bees won't be able to use it.
That's another thing we commonly hear
is that bees won't be able to use it.
You can put bees in a fish tank.
It's not allowed because you have to
have removable frames where I live
and you have to be inspected because
to be honest, if I didn't have to be
inspected, I would have bees in the wall.
This is really interesting.
I have friends here that have
bees in their house, and these are
farmhouses that are over 100 years old.
They like having them there.
They just want them checked up on every
now and again, and it's incredible.
They allow them to live in their wall.
And then you think, well,
what's the actual detriment
to having bees in your wall?
How about none?
That wall is warmer than the
rest of the walls in the house.
So, so anyway the Langstroth hives,
long Langstroth is kind of the future
for me because I plan on being old one
day and I don't want to lift boxes.
So Langstroth we have Lance hives here.
I have the ivory beehive,
which comes from Israel.
It was developed in a kibbutz there.
Those guys were at the North
American Honeybee Expo two years ago.
So we've had that through the second
winter and it's a fantastic hive for
bees, terrible hive for the keeper.
So what I'm doing is evaluating hives
that we find that middle ground, great
for the bees and offers facility for the
beekeeper so that we can access them.
So now we go to another kind
of newer hive that they just
finished their Indiegogo campaign.
Which is for the Keeper's Hive, and
that's out of, I hope I don't get
it wrong, but I think they're out of
the Philadelphia area, or New Jersey,
you know who I'm talking about?
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: I do
because I heard it when you were
talking about it so I had to look it
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Okay,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: and see about it.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
so George, a lot of people don't
know, George and the guys that
got together that came up with the
Keeper's Hive, he's a physician.
He never says that.
You just think it's some
guy that had a great idea.
He's not just a physician, he's one of
the, the guys that teach us physicians.
So he understands again
how to put together a plan
and how to work things out.
And so he's come up with
the keeper's hive, which is
keeping bees from your seat.
I just ran into them randomly at
the Pennsylvania state conference.
Oh yeah.
So he's gotta be outside Philadelphia
cause he was at the PA state conference.
And the idea of being able to pull frames
from the brood area to the side and
then having all your honeysupers offset
above that seems really appealing to me.
And they're doing some material
experimentation and things like that,
and they're upgrading all the time.
So that's one of the ones that's
new that I'm paying attention to.
Apimaye it's a Turkish company,
but they're, they're producing
them here in the United States.
And so you see them at
other big bee conferences.
And but as far as tools, like my
wife was out yesterday trying to
clean entrances on hives, and she
thought I was just being negligent,
and she was pretty upset with me.
And she said, those, those
apame hives are the worst.
Beehives I've ever seen and she
goes the bees are just dead like
they're all stuck in the front
And you can't even get them out.
I says, okay.
There's one thing you
never say to your wife.
You don't say Don't say calm down,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: No you don't.
Yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: I'm
like, why are you even in the beard?
She thinks it's an emergency So
I said, okay, let's go and take
a look at the apame hive Have you
noticed there are plastic dials,
two on the front, two on the back?
Do you know what those are?
Watch this because we had a warmup
and so I just turned the dial.
It has an entrance now that's three
and a half inches off the bottom.
And Oh, look, they're coming out.
You didn't even have to clean it.
And you know, what's cool about
this hive that you hate right now?
They thought ahead and that's part of it.
Let me show you something else.
We go behind it.
It has a removable tray.
We pull this out.
We dump the dead bees out.
We put it right back.
The entrances are clear.
Now, if you use that tone of voice, you
need to run away right after you say it.
So,
but the point is they've put a lot
of thought into these things and made
them very versatile for the beekeeper.
As well as for the bees, but it's plastic.
So you're going to have people that
are never going to take a look at it.
As soon as they find out
it has plastic components.
So I test the full spectrum types of
insulation from Lambswool all the
way to polystyrene to no insulation.
And so we see how they're going to work
out in this weather dynamic where I live.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, very good.
Now, one thing you mentioned earlier
was you got into it to kind of study
bees, to learn more about them.
And you've also talked about photography.
So, do you have a
background in photography?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Yes, I have certificates in
cinematography and photography.
My dad graduated from the New York
Institute of Photography in 1960, and
I graduated from the same institute.
It's the largest and oldest school of
photography in the United States, so
there again good professional curriculum.
I know that today, people just
grab a camera, somebody says the
pictures are awesome, next thing
you know they're doing weddings.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
that is entertaining to me forever.
So because I know I'm going to hear from
them again and they're going to be in
a desperate situation and I'm going to
hear about how terrible their day was.
And I get those messages where
I'm never doing another wedding.
I hated those people, you know, well,
you kind of launched yourself too early.
So, yeah.
So I, again, why be a master beekeeper?
It's if you want to take
all the boxes, right.
We're not processing film anymore.
So I wanted to be a photographer
because digital came along.
I knew because my dad was a
photographer, never wanted to be one.
He lived in the dark room.
There's a color film dark room over here.
There's a black and white
dark room over there.
He's retouching by hand in
front of retouching machines.
And that's just not a life I wanted.
He was incredibly successful.
He was, everybody knew who he was.
He was a fantastic photographer,
but until digital made it immediate,
that's when I became a photographer.
And that's when I went to school,
even after I've shot, you know,
I've taken pictures my whole life.
I used even, you know,
super eight video cameras.
And then I was there at the expo in
Tokyo when VHS cameras came out and I
bought a Panasonic VHS unit that hung
over my shoulder and big thing that was
up here on top and they were separate.
And so the idea of the immediacy
of digital imaging cinema or
still photography just made that
perfect because so often you
go places where it's just you.
You're gonna come home and tell a
tall tale about something that you saw
and people are gonna not believe it.
Oh, yeah?
What if I have a picture?
What if I have a video?
I mean, I can think of a lot of stories
I heard as a kid that came from old
timers that I really wish I could
hear the sound they're describing
or see this giant fish or the snake
that was as long as their canoe.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So today, you know, the cameras,
the digital equipment, there
are witnesses to what goes on.
It says, in the moment, They're
also teaching tools because now
we can share with everybody.
conference you go to, you're
going to see PowerPoints.
You're going to fall out of your chair
and pass out and spill your coffee.
Unless it's a cinematic presentation
that does not include charts and graphs,
that is not heavy with scientific
analysis, those things have their place.
But for me personally, if, if I come to
a conference and I'm talking to someone,
There's going to be a lot of pictures
because that takes the pressure off
of me to provide a lot of dialogue.
And as you can tell from this
interview, I don't like to talk.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
Exactly.
What is your equipment of
choice for your photography?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
That depends on what I'm doing.
So part of it is primacies, which
is first you're going to stick with.
I was in the Navy, so I retired from the
Navy and we had experimental research
and development with underwater imaging.
So that exposed me to early computer
groups like Hewlett Packard.
They did all of our computer stuff.
So they, we met engineers that
develop stuff just for us.
So
Hewlett Packard became an early thing.
And then Nikon was the imaging system.
So we had, and Nikon has a long
history for underwater equipment.
So there are even sport divers that
use the Nikon is line of 35 millimeter.
You know, underwater cameras.
And so they have a history and the
transition into digital was really good.
A digital, you might imagine from a
military aspect becomes incredibly handy
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
if you, back in the day I don't
know if you know anything about
photographer's mates in the Navy.
We have photographer's mates.
They all have top secret clearances.
So you would give your film to them.
They would process everything
and then it had to be mailed,
but it had to be courier.
So if there's any kind of, you know,
Sensitive information or images when it
went digital, now encryption was possible
and immediate transmission was possible.
So that was all exciting to me.
I was just.
killing people to get close
to any program like that.
And so that was my history with Nikon.
So then when I came out and digital,
you know, as a civilian, just there's
the Nikon and the Canon people.
The Canon people are the
meanest people you'll ever meet.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I don't care who's watching.
And because anytime somebody
comes up and goes, what kind of
photographic equipment are you using?
It's going to be somebody with a Canon.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
It's never the Nikon guy.
And so,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
and I have a friend from high
school, Chris and he shoots for
NASA and he shoots all Nikon.
So I just thought, huh,
good enough for NASA.
I've had people actually say, well, you're
not a professional if you use a Nikon.
Okay, we're not having this discussion,
which is exactly why Cal, I don't
have a photography channel on YouTube
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
because the infighting and the
fan base for each brand, I'll use
anything that gets me what I need in
the environment that I'm working in.
So there are hybrids of lenses now because
Nikon doesn't make every lens I need.
So there are other companies
that make unique lenses.
And so I used to study when
studying cinematography.
I realized there were directors that
had lenses made just so they could
get the scenes that they needed to
get in concert with their, of course,
person who is in charge of photography.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So these creative types were also
using equipment astronomically.
expensive.
Just you and I could not get it.
So, the capability of what's in
your hand or what's on your phone
right now is way ahead of what
Spielberg used to shoot Star Wars.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: So
we need to think in those terms, you
know, and it's, and it's inexpensive.
You can't shoot 70 millimeter film.
Could you imagine shooting a
movie with 70 millimeter film
of a bee emerging from a cell?
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
just blew 500 in processing,
especially anything in slow
motion, because the reel just goes.
So, digital imaging, cinema, stills, and
now your cameras that do one can do both.
What I'm looking at you through
right now is actually a cinematic
camera that's a Sony, and it's video
only, and I know that people have
vlogging cameras and everything else,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
It's a matter of what do I use?
Whatever gets me the best possible image.
So, and that includes lenses.
Leiawa, if people are, you know,
if there's people that want to get
really close your camera, first of
all, your phone, pick your phone
by the camera capability, they
have incredible macro capability.
It's no secret.
Apple, Samsung, Galaxy Ultras are, if
you're picking by cameras, those are.
you know, the companies that make them.
And but Layowa makes fantastic lenses.
The people are fantastic.
You can reach out to them,
talk about custom lensing.
If there's some unique situation, if
you need your lens to go under water,
if you need your lens to handle all
environments so, we're at an age, this
is the age of image making, and it's
embarrassing how little people are
using what's out there because they're
using what they know, and they want
it all user friendly, they want a GUI,
which is the Graphic User Interface,
and they want it to tell them how to
use the piece of gear in their hand.
And it should be intuitive.
And if it isn't, they're never digging
into all of the menus and everything
that that's why people just don't know
what their phones can even do until they
really get into the menu, but it does
what they need and that's good enough.
So,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
everybody's so busy.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
to answer your question, yes, I have
formal training, both in cinematography,
cause I was going to make movies.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: And I
wanted to make a, I like scary movies, so
I was going to make a scary movie about a
beekeeper that went, I'm saying this
because I'm not going to make the movie.
But I wanted it to be a beekeeper that
was studying genetics, that developed
this line that could be weaponized,
and you could send your bees, and you
could, pheromone, attach your targets,
and, and that would go after them.
And then, but the thing is, I think about
Jaws, and I think about Spielberg, and
the reaction from the public to sharks all
over the world, when that movie came out,
was to kill every shark they came across.
And I don't need people killing bees and
being terrified that that bee is somehow
genetically modified to go after you.
I know it's unbelievable today
that there could be any kind of
narrative that people would buy
into that isn't founded in science.
But let's just take that leap and
say, let's not feed that fire.
So,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: right.
Yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: so
I will not make my movie about the bee
geneticist, which would have started me.
Of course, I'd have to be in it.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: right, right,
which I, I think that's interesting.
I use my phone to take pictures.
So, I'm not even an amateur on that.
I probably ought to dive into some
of those menus and see what I can do
because I, I look at those different
photos and I'm amazed by what people
can do even with just their phone.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: yep.
Until you get them big.
If you're trying to print
something, you'll see the,
it degrades pretty fast, but
most of the images today, you
know, live in the digital realm.
So people just want them for their
Pinterest and their Instagram.
You know, Facebook or
whatever they're using.
And so we're not in the age anymore of
large scale print, silver halide, you
know, on the walls, which is, you know, I
guess problem is the best picture is the
next one that's, they're always looking
at the next shot, the next shot, the next
shot, well, what else are you going to do?
You know, that looks good, but
what else are you going to do?
So can we not be in the
moment for a second?
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Continuing
on social media, you mentioned that
a little bit ago, and we'll go beyond
the buzz and talk about your YouTube
channel and how it got started.
What, what brought you to YouTube?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Well, YouTube, I, I did, I
think I joined YouTube in 2007.
So a year after I started
beekeeping, but it wasn't for bees.
So I joined, I joined YouTube for
somebody else because they needed to have
me vote on something they were doing.
And it was tied in with Home Depot.
And so I had to have a YouTube channel.
But then I thought, huh, people
are going to want to see my
artwork cause I'm also a painter.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So I posted videos of my artwork
and I don't know what you know about
the beginnings of YouTube, but they,
they confined you to 720 by 480.
That was the resolution.
You were limited to 10 minutes,
which can force you to do something
in 10 minutes, you know, so much
today we can do a The longest
video you can do is 12 hours today.
So, but back then, so that's how
I started out was I thought it
would be cool to do lessons because
I was teaching art and design.
I thought, yeah, we'll do some demos
and I'll just set all the kids down in
class and we'll make them all log in.
They all had computers
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
we'll all log in and I'll do a lesson
that way I can do it from home.
And then I thought, huh, I can
make all these students log in and
increase my, they can't, they can't
subscribe, but it's view counts.
So it was basically viral.
I would get like 30 or
40 counts on a video.
So I knew it was a big deal.
And it was just, it went from there
and then it was the same old thing.
Oh, so the emus that I spoke to you about,
I have videos of those hatching the eggs.
I have videos about chickens,
all the different breeds, like 13
different nations, breeds, things.
So it just became a way to
not answer everyone's cause
at the time it was chicken.
So I don't have to answer everyone's
questions a hundred times over.
We make a video, refer them to the video.
And that's why even today,
if you go to the way to be.
org.
which is my YouTube.
It's where I do all my stuff for bees.
But as people get surprised because,
Oh, this thing says fredsfeinfowl.
com.
I don't trust that.
Well, that's because I
started as a chicken guy.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And so it still is free range chickens.
org.
That's mine.
Fred's fine foul.
That's mine.
And they all lead you to
the same place because it's
expensive to maintain a website.
And so that's how YouTube started.
And then the bees, of course,
just eventually picked up.
But early on I got significant views
just with the free ranging chickens.
So, yeah.
And today there's a million chicken
channels and today there's, I don't even
know how many beekeeping YouTube channels
out there, so I think about this a lot.
If you are starting right now.
and you're going to
make a YouTube channel.
And who doesn't get
excited about beekeeping?
Who doesn't get excited about their,
their flow hive?
And here's the honey coming
right out of the flow hive.
This is the first time anybody
will have seen this on YouTube.
That's what they're thinking.
So they put it out there and they're
very upset that they get 300 views or
200 views because the market is full.
Everybody, everybody knows if you
want to make it in YouTube today,
you need to be producing cat videos.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
it's not any of these.
Yeah,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: I heard numbers.
The numbers on YouTube
channels is just staggering.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
it's and it's worldwide.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
the exciting part of that is
you are connecting with people.
Think of communication.
I have to give an upcoming lecture
to a communications department at
a local university, and mine is
going to be about B communications.
There was a time when you only
communicated with people that were
within the sound of your voice and then
later that was enhanced by a telephone
and then later you could communicate by
mail you'd write a letter and send it
out And so when I lived in Italy, that
was a 14 day turnaround seven days one
way seven days back And so the idea of
immediate communication didn't exist.
Today we can see people anywhere in
the world, just about, unless it's a
YouTube blackout, you're not going to
be talking to your, what would be a pen
pal, but a YouTube, YouTube pal in North
Korea, you're not going to get that.
So, but today we're immediately
communicating with people and
they feel like they know you.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: can,
to some degree, get to know them, but
this is kind of one way communication.
I'm producing a video, other
people are consuming the video.
So, and then you get to
see where you're popular.
So you get analytics that say, wow,
they're watching me in Belgium.
What's going on?
Oh, I need to start putting CC in Hindi
because there are a bunch of people
in India that are watching my videos.
And so that's the other
thing is translated.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
an auto translate function, so
you just have to pick it out.
So let's translate it to French.
Oh, is it France?
French?
Or is it Canadian?
French?
Or is it?
They have all these sub
dialects of French even.
So we're in an age of immediate
communication that's more versatile and
more agile than it ever has been before.
And I don't even know what's
going on in the future, but
nothing beats in person meetings.
And that's why I like conferences.
I like going to those.
But if you've been doing this for a long
time, as I have, people meet you that
think they just know everything about you.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And you've never seen them before.
And it's a weird moment, which you
can under, I mean, it's friendly and
everything, but to them, you're familiar
to, to you, they are a complete surprise.
So, which is funny.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: right.
I had someone text me just the other
day and they said they had to hunt
all over and they finally found a
number that they thought might be
mine to tell me something that I
had I had brought up on the podcast.
And And I in fact talked to
this person on the phone.
He's like, I just feel
like I know you well,
yeah
I I don't know you but
he's super nice, but That's a
interesting phenomenon that Relationship
building that's really one way Yeah
now with your your YouTube channel
you start out with your photography,
painting, got some chickens on there.
When did you incorporate
or bring the bees onto it?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I think the bees right around 2008.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
yeah, so just shortly after
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Yeah.
So here's what's funny.
If you go to, and I recommend
people do this, not to my channel,
but on other people's channels.
Go and when you do your search
on their YouTube channel, go to
the oldest video they have first.
of all, it's a time capsule so you
can see how young you used to be
and you can also See that it's it is
you're seeing them through the years.
There are children growing up on YouTube
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
so when you go back one of them is a
beekeeper named Natalie Summers and it's
called beekeeping with Natalie and I don't
know if you have a plan to interview her
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: I
actually emailed her just the other
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
You did.
Okay.
Because it's really funny to see
her at 12, I think she's like
starting out at 12 and her parents
of course facilitated everything.
And today she's got her driver's license.
She's 16.
So just think of that, you know, if
somebody spanned five or six years, but
you're in your late fifties and early
sixties, the changes aren't that great.
But when you have this young teenager
growing into her role as a honeybee
educator it's very interesting to
see how she's changed both in what
she even used to call her channel,
but how she keeps bees, how she
communicates, and how she's evolved.
in the public eye.
So there's, that's the other
thing you can over communicate.
You can make people too familiar
and that's not good either.
So I think this is where
parents are critical.
If you've got a kid that's a
young teen that you need to,
Limit what they're sharing.
Like it should be topic, topic specific.
Don't talk about your day in
school and what your school
is and what activities you do.
And you know, so there are some
safety issues with YouTube.
So, but for older people who
cares, just don't never video
the interior of your home.
Don't show all your doors.
Don't do videos about your
latest security updates.
Don't
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
where your cameras are placed
and what camera system you use.
Don't make it easy for the perpetrators.
And I could teach a whole class, like,
you have a background in teaching.
I would, I love to teach, and one
of my favorite things that I used to
teach in the Navy was anti terrorism.
Thank you.
Most of it was it's for force protection.
So most of it was lowering
your profile and making sure
that you're never the target.
So, and all of that was changing up
your, your schedule, changing up.
Where you go, where you park, where
you walk, what door you go through.
If there's multiple doors, change it up.
Don't eat at the same time every day.
Don't shop at the same store.
Don't, you know, so all these things
think, and maybe I'm overreacting, but if
you do this on YouTube, don't divulge too
much about other members of your family.
And the in, and it always bothers it.
'cause I'll see a video and I'll
think, oh, that's a mistake.
You know, don't show everything
inside your house, you know, and
don't tell everybody, Hey, by the
way, next week, we're going to be
gone for two weeks because we're
going to go, you know what I mean?
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: I do.
You see it on social media.
People announcing,
Hey, I'm going to be gone.
Well, thank you.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Right.
And so that's okay.
If you're going to be gone,
if somebody is going to be
around to watch your stuff, but
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
It's happening with
professional sports right now.
You know, you just hear about these
athletes and people don't feel
bad for them because they're multi
millionaires and they're being robbed,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
but they're losing memorabilia and
things, but they really have, you
know, they're going to be at the game.
They're
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
Yeah, there's schedules out
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
yeah, be security minded.
So kind of a message to people
that are starting YouTube
channels and things like that.
Don't give too much personal information.
Try to be, you know, on
topic with what you're doing.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Right.
During your journal journey with
YouTube, you also made the leap to
podcasting and releasing podcasts.
Are you, what caused you to
jump into the podcast realm
and how has that worked for you?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
the whole reason, and I, I went to pod
B and by the way, that costs me money.
I want people to know I don't
charge anybody anything for like
my podcast or my YouTube channel.
I don't have a membership,
you know, schedule for that.
Yeah.
And the thing is, people wanted
to hear what I had to say, like,
especially the Friday Q and A's.
But they had data restrictions on
their phones and things like that.
So they did not want to listen to a full
YouTube because they're just listening.
So they don't want all
the data being used.
And so they asked if I would
consider doing a podcast.
So I looked into that.
Podbean, I think it costs me 150 a
year or something like that to have
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: oh Yeah,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
podbean, which is not terrible, but
there again you get an opportunity
to monetize it, just like you
do YouTube, which I did not do.
And it was so that people, there were
truck drivers that reached out to me
and said, Hey, I listen to every Friday.
That also, it's interesting you ask,
because it also figures into when I
release a video, I try on Fridays to
get it out before five o'clock, Eastern
Standard Time, because that's when
these truckers are doing their commutes.
And the ones that were the most
vocal were out in California.
And one guy was like, you can
get me all the way from Anaheim
to San Diego and like, cause
that's 90 minutes or something.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So that also explains the timeframe.
So my target zone is
right around 90 minutes.
And so what I'm doing is I'm
satisfying what probably just a
handful of people have asked for.
And then cause it's not, my
podcast is not like viral.
Like there's only,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
there's only been like 150, 000 downloads.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
but that's throughout the whole thing.
If you compare that to YouTube, we
get 300,000 views every 28 days.
So all I'm doing is satisfying
someone else who just wants to
listen while they work, so to speak.
And then if there was something
that was visual, they can come back
to it and, and go look at that.
But that's why we do the podcast.
But if we're looking at, you
know, comparing it to other
beekeeping or be related.
Mine is not like way up there
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
just a Friday Q& A that I'm just
answering people's email questions.
Usually
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: yeah But
on podcast you mentioned something
there that's that really appeals to
me on podcast you get I know there's
a certain podcast I listen every
Monday morning because it's released,
and when I drive to town on Monday,
that's my that's what I listen to.
And And each day has its own
schedule of what I'm listening
to because of the release.
So, so it falls into that and
I can listen to it in the car.
Of course, Spotify is going all
in on video, wanting you to upload
video on their platform, which
just means another step for, for a
podcaster if they want to do that.
Yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Oh yeah.
And the other, and the Friday Q& A is
there's a high school biology, one biology
teacher in particular, if the kids have
been good, they play it in the background,
but it's the previous Friday's.
Podcast because it doesn't
come out early enough
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: and
so and then they've reached out Sometimes
for a personal zoom to the classroom.
So the ultimate so I really
like stuff like that Those are
surprises that kind of work out.
I'm like you can get high school
kids to listen to that I think I
don't know if that's the teacher.
I don't know what's going on But
i'm trying to put myself in that
seat as a high school student.
Do I want to listen to this guy?
I don't know
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Well,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I don't know.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: to be honest,
so, so my wife teaches kindergarten and
she purchased a, Oh, it's a dog training
tool, tool, button that you press and
you record something, you press it.
And she had me record her
sentence for this week that
the kids were having to use.
And she's like, They got it in no time
this week because it's a different voice.
They hear yours all the time.
Now this is a different voice.
Makes a big difference.
I'm sure those high school kids,
part of it was like, I don't
have to listen to my teacher now.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: Or,
yeah, I, I don't know if they, and some
people think I'm funny and so I have a dry
humor and if that translates and you're,
you have some smart alecky kid that thinks
that's funny and they use that to launch
some other humor off of, I'm, I'm good
with that too, because I, I have kind
of just made fun of people throughout my
life, just in a dry, non aggressive way.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
But I'm always surprised when
teenagers can relate to the way
I'm responding to something.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
Yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Yeah, it's, it's fun.
I'm not gonna lie.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: You list
there something that surprised
you about having the podcast.
What else has surprised you about the
podcast and YouTube with your bees?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Oh, well, I can, I can
definitely list benefits.
When it comes to the YouTube
channel, every YouTuber kind of
draws their own group, right?
Especially if they're repeaters, right?
So
you can use your viewers
to get you deeper into a topic.
I'm often absolutely amazed.
There are people watching that
or listening, but mostly it's the
YouTube channel that will reach
out and they already, they know
something that will benefit you.
So what you get from your viewing
audience can be really a resolution
to something that you've been
pondering for a long time.
So it's a, it's a feedback.
And then you wonder, man, with
that knowledge and, and with that
background and with these resources,
why aren't you doing like a YouTube?
But you'll find out that these
people do not want to engage.
They'll even say, don't mention my name.
Don't refer to where I live.
And so I'm very respectful of that.
And that's another way, like how I
set up, how people can ask a question.
They can go to the website
and they fill out a form.
It doesn't require you to use your
email and it doesn't require you.
You can make a fictitious name.
And I've actually made the mistake,
Cal, where I thought it was a fictitious
name, but it's really their name.
So I said, Oh, well, I know this is
a, this is a made up name and I'll,
and I'll say it, and then the guy will
write me and go, that's my actual name.
So, but the thing of it is the surprising
aspect is again, these connections.
You connect with people in Ireland.
I have an Irish last name,
but I've never been there.
And then you get some really funny
communications also that, that are
just kind of, we'll keep those tight
to the vest, but they're hilarious.
Like somebody decides they like
you, like they really like you and
the way they say it is hilarious.
But so yeah, the feedback from your
viewers can be incredibly beneficial.
So that's another thing.
We're collaborating with people
that we never would have met.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh,
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: And
and that, and that again, they just,
they want to, they want to support, they
don't want to be the face of something.
So that's, that's a huge, huge, and these,
these friendships have spanned years now.
So it's, that's probably just
a huge, huge benefit is you
do actually make connections.
You do actually build friendships and you
do collaborate in very meaningful ways.
when it comes to research and
development and things like that.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah.
Very good, Fred.
It's time that we move on to
our famous four questions.
I say they're famous
maybe just in my mind.
But our, our first question, What is your
favorite beekeeping book or resource?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
have a library of beekeeping books,
but I'm gonna say, if I had to say one
book, well, right behind me is A to Z.
ABC and XYZ of bee culture from 1929.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
I'm gonna, this way I'm not picking a
living author, so I'm not having fights.
I'm taking the coward's way out, Cal,
and I'm gonna say, hey, I root that book.
And you'll find out, if you can get
one of these old books, that one
was published, as I said, in 1929.
It's amazing how many new things aren't.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
think we're doing something cool.
We've modified this hive.
We've made something really interesting.
And then you look in this book and,
you know, in 1929, the exact same thing
existed, but it got tossed aside because
commercial beekeeping wasn't having it.
So, yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna
save that book right there.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
Oh, and I love that book.
Now, I do not have a copy as old as that.
I don't have an edition that's from 1929.
But that was one of the first books I
was introduced to because my dad had it.
So, very interesting.
I love the cover on that.
I think I saw some newer
versions of it that
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Oh, there are.
Yeah.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: So, some updated
covers and stuff and I'm like,
I don't like that at all.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Oh, yeah.
There's another.
There's a massive volume which
is after Langstroth's book, you
know, The Hive and the Honeybee.
Trying to get a really old
version of Honeybee, not easy.
The new one is like an encyclopedia
and it's been updated and it's
not from Langstroth anymore.
So to me,
it doesn't, you know, they try to make
it an everything in one volume book.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
And that does not appeal to me.
So, I like old, you know, my
grandfather instilled in me
an appreciation for old books.
And so, that's why I like that one.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Yeah.
Well, very good.
Our second question, what is your
favorite tool for the apiary?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Well, I want to say in my eyes,
but what's my favorite tool?
I don't have a single favorite tool.
I'm, you know, It's going to be
the hive tool, I guess, because you
couldn't do anything without it.
And when it comes to hive tools,
I like the everything hive tool.
I've got all kinds of hive tools
around here, like this one, right?
Oh, by the way, talking about
hive tools, this is, people
see this design everywhere.
This is the Kent Williams hive tool.
Kent Williams is a master beekeeper,
and I was talking with him at a
conference, and he invented this.
But it's just
sold everywhere and people don't realize
he's the one that put the thumb on
this thing and the little nail puller.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
he's very modest about it, but I guess
it's too simple to be patented, but
people better be honoring Kent Williams.
This is my favorite, this hive tool
with the narrow lifting side and.
This has everything you need in a hive
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: This
particular one just comes from Hive Life.
Yeah, Hive Life put this out.
They didn't mention Kent Williams.
This is supposed to be so when you
drop it in the grass, you can see it.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh
yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
So finding a hive tool with
your lawnmower, not good.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Not good.
No.
Our third question.
What advice would you give to someone
just getting started beekeeping?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
Just getting started beekeeping.
That comes up a lot.
Beekeepers that are just starting out.
I highly recommend you find somebody
willing to talk with you about bees.
I highly recommend you find someone
local to go and visit their apiary
and find out if it's really for you.
Make sure members in your
family are not allergic to bees.
If you are in rural America, you
don't want to set up a bunch of
beehives right next to a horse corral.
And so realizing where you're going to be.
So one of the things, aside from
that, find a mentor, slow down.
People get excited,
especially this time of year.
I'm going to keep these.
They're online.
I just ordered a package of bees.
They're going to be delivered
May 1st, whatever it is.
Please don't do that.
If you've never kept these book,
I know there's people that have the
t shirts, bees don't read books.
I get it.
I'm a bookie.
I'm into research.
I'm into science and it does not replace
that interpersonal experience that
you're going to have with a real book.
beekeeper, finding a beekeeper
that will talk to you.
That's important.
That has people skills.
So that would be a very good thing.
The other thing is don't jump on a hive
design based on just what that beekeeper
keeps unless it really appeals to you
because you'll find that there are groups
and associations that close the door on
every style of beehive except theirs.
I would recommend that you find a group
that's inclusive, that allows you to
ask questions, that talks about, they're
an eclectic group of beekeepers, got
a top bar person over here, we got a
person over here that's laying strong
commercial, we got one over here,
Langstroth, the backyard beekeeper, really
savvy, because that's the other thing,
somehow a commercial beekeeper knows more
and a backyard beekeeper not so much.
Well, there are genius
backyard beekeepers out there.
So that's not always
synonymous with a beginner.
So just find out what kind of experience,
how many years they've kept bees, where
they are, and just be as on the go,
on the learn, and probably do that for
a year before you get your own bees.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yes.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: So
yeah, I'm going to say that pretty much.
Look for inclusive people, open minded
people that are on the learn, and try not
to join a club that's owned by somebody
who sells packaged bees and queens.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Oh, yeah
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: It's,
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642:
Excellent advice there.
And lastly Fred, where can
others find out more about you?
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
You can just Google Frederick
Dunn, F R E D E R I C K D U N N,
and it leads you to everything.
Sometimes I seem like multiple
people, so don't be surprised if it
ties in with Getty Images and things
like that, because that's me also.
But that's the best way, and the YouTube
channel, of course, is Frederick Dunn.
And also, if you just Google the way to
be, you'll find out, again, So, yeah.
I'm very easy to find.
That's the good news about the
years that I've been doing this.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: the way to
be, you'll end up at Fred's Fine Fowls.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
the way to be.
org is fredsfindfile.
com.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Yeah.
Yeah.
I know the first time I visited your
website, I was like a little confused.
Then I figured it out.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
yeah, yeah.
Well, I've had people say,
please change the name on it.
Yeah, but I can't.
Cause that's the primary
and that's blah, blah.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: yeah.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642: And
obviously it's a really old website too.
So
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Yeah, it works.
Well, Fred, I appreciate you coming
on and sharing with us today.
frederick-dunn_1_12-11-2024_125642:
thanks Cal.
Appreciate you having me.
It's been a lot of fun.
cal_1_12-11-2024_115642: Thank you.