with Arif Ullah & Justin Butts
July 23, 2020, 5:00 pm – 6:30 p.m EST / 2:00 – 3:30 p.m PST
In this virtual workshop, together we will explore:
- A very brief history of beekeeping
- Bees as pollinators
- Threat to honey bees
- Factors to consider in deciding if beekeeping is right for you
- Getting started with beekeeping
- Hive inspections
- Fencing
- Hive Anatomy
- Pests and diseases
- Feeding and honey collection
Presenter Bios:
Arif Ullah (he/him/his) is a community gardener, beekeeper, activist, and immigrant. He has over 15 years of experience leading and shaping programming that provides capacity-building for grassroots groups and facilitates the power of such groups to become organizers and advocates for their community’s needs. He also designs and leads workshops focused on community organizing, advocacy, and organizational development. Arif lives in Jackson Heights, Queens, the borough in which he grew up after migrating from Bangladesh.
Justin Butts (he/him) is a farmer, culinarian, artisan, U.S. Navy veteran, and small business owner. After four years serving in the Navy, Justin was given the opportunity to run a 10-acre farm in Saylorsburg, PA. Although he had grown up gardening and had previously worked on a farm, he turned to The Seed Farm for training in farm business ownership and organic vegetable production, learning a wide variety of skills in production, marketing, business planning, and equipment operation. Though already raising 500 chickens and 30 ducks, Justin added KuneKune pigs to his operation while attending the program. With farmer training complete and farm management experience under his belt, Justin recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Food Business Management and a concentration in Farm-to-Table cooking from the Culinary Institute of America. Justin believes that, “Drive and passion for what you do are a must for any farmer. If you don’t love it, you won’t do it.” After subsequent research led him to the art of soap making, Justin mastered hot process soap making and began creating his own soap recipes. He launched Butts Bros Handmade Lard Soap in Fall of 2018. Justin continues to raise and breed his KuneKune pigs at Soul Fire.