Bee There Or Bee Square

If the bees aren't happy, nobody's happy.

"It is said one of every three bites of food we enjoy are the direct result of pollinators' work -- of which the honey bee is the major contributor," said Ken Trimble, whose vocation is a heating and air conditioning business in Eureka Springs. "Also, honey bees propagate alfalfa crops, which feed our cattle herds. Crops such as cotton benefit from the foraging of honey bees. Lastly, honey is a miracle food having medicinal and healing properties we are still discovering. Can we afford to lose any of these enhancements to our quality of life?"

That's why Trimble works to pollinate minds with the idea that bees matter -- and why he'll be one of the speakers at the Moon Wave Expo this weekend in Eureka Springs. The first-ever event is being presented by musician John Two-Hawks and his wife, Peggy Hill. The two have been leading what they call Mending Medicine Retreats in the United States and Europe for some 15 years.

"People's lives were so disjointed and busy -- and it's way worse now than it was 15 years ago," Hill said. "People's souls and spirits were longing for some connections, and traditional religions just weren't connecting. The ancient teachings were easier for people to connect to; they could express themselves spiritually that way."

So Two-Hawks, who is Lakota Sioux, shared not only his music and his spirituality but his own experiences.

"When we can look at the things that have broken us, those things help us to be more humble, and humility is the kissing cousin of wisdom," he said. "And that leads us to to that place where we have something to share.

"It's really about how we not only heal -- healing is only part of the story -- but how we find our power in the most unexpected place, where our pain is," he added. "That's where we find our courage, our ability to face our fear, our ability to survive. We also find our ability to thrive, to rise up and be born anew. To me it's about coming from that place of healing -- it wasn't so much about me showing the way but being able to share my story and through that sharing giving my greatest strength."

About this time last year, the couple decided they needed to increase the scale of their workshops. They attended a "huge mind, body, spirit conference" in Dublin and "loved it."

"John and I started feeling the necessity to be able to reach out to more people -- and to find other people who had wonderful teachings. We grew up in our inclusiveness," Hill said. "No one has a lot of time here. We've got to start healing this planet, and we can't do it 20 or 30 people at a time. We can bring in thousands of people this weekend."

So they reached out to Buddhists, organic gardeners, yoga teachers, holistic healers, drummers, dousers, solar power experts and Trimble to come together at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center for two days of lessons in "balanced living."

And that brings the story back to bees.

"I originally became interested in beekeeping about eight years ago after noticing how few bees we were seeing in our area around Eureka Springs," Trimble said. "About the same time I saw a notice in our local newspaper (about) a beekeeping course being offered through the county Extension Office."

What he learned made Trimble passionate about bees. He said that in the last 10 years, changes in Northwest Arkansas have challenged bees' success and survival.

"Kept honey bees (as well as feral hives) have seen dramatic colony losses of over 30 percent each year compared to less than 10 percent losses before 2006," he said. "There has been much study and debate as to why this is happening. Evidence seems to point to several problems, some natural and some manmade.

"The verroa mite has affected the bees' vitality by introducing virus to the colonies. We have seen a loss of hardiness in our colonies due to a loss of diversity in the genetic stock caused by commercial queen bee rearing. And we have seen an increase in usage of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, which affect the bees in several ways but none of them good."

Trimble said it's easy to get involved in the well being of bees.

"People can help our bees by providing healthy foraging nourishment, which consists of pollen and nectar," he explained. "Lists of flowers that bees prefer can be found through groups such as the Rodale Institute. Bees require food throughout the growing season, so it is important to provide blooming flowers from early spring to late into the fall.

"Honey bees require a source of fresh water," he added. "During the heat of summer, bees will evaporate the water to keep the colony brood and wax comb cool. A container such as a birdbath with sticks or rocks will be much appreciated and visited by the bees.

"When buying flowering plants, seek out ones that have not been treated with pesticides," Trimble went on. "In the garden and around the home, refrain from using herbicides ... and bug sprays. One of the easiest ways to help is to let the natural clovers and dandelions flower. Either leave the mower parked an extra weekend or set it to mow higher when you just need to mow.

"I believe most people want to help and do what's right even for a little insect like a bee."

Hill hopes that after the Moon Wave Expo, more people will know what to do -- not just for the bees but "how to incorporate a little bit healthier diet with some local organic foods, have more fun in life, leave their cellphones and their Facebook behind, spend more time outside," she said. "There are so many little steps that can make you happier.

"We are pretty happy people," she said of her life with her husband. "I say to myself, 'You know what, Peggy, you could be gone tomorrow. John could be gone tomorrow. This is your time to embrace the beauty in your life.'"