Classes Galore and No Bake Honey Drops

Sheri and Jennifer teaching kids about bees and beekeeping. 

I am a teacher by profession, and a beekeeper by accident. I have always enjoyed teaching. I know it's one of those things that you either like or you hate, and I happen to like it.  I started teaching preschoolers back in the 80's, then was a librarian for awhile, and then started teaching pre-kindergarteners for a bit.  In 2000 (I remember it well because it was a president-election year and the "hanging chad" debacle) I started teaching junior high health and did that for 10 years.  I enjoyed that teaching job immensely until the next presidential election, at which time that current president decided to cut my program and I was without a job.

I began helping David teach beekeeping classes just a couple of years ago when the classes became to get really large, and I have truly enjoyed it. I also taught Sunday school, vacation bible school and bible studies for nearly 3 decades. I've led reading groups and young mothers groups,  taught childbirth classes for a short time, and even taught young teens CPR and first aid for their babysitting jobs.   I am currently homeschooling Seth, and soon Christian. 

You'd think that means I'm a really smart person, but I'm really not.  Somehow when I was in school back in the psychedelic 70's, I learned how to ace a test, but quickly forgot whatever it was we were learning in school. But one thing I learned, and the one thing I teach my kids now is HOW to look up information--where to find it, how to search for it, who to ask. 

Our classes at Long Lane Honey Bee Farms are over for the year. We taught about 15 classes and short courses here at our farm (until they got so large we had to move the classes to a bigger facility) as well as taught at other clubs and colleges.  We had about 200 people go through one of our courses at the farm this year, and numbers unknown at the college courses, clubs, and associations that we taught at (but we're guessing about another 300 - 400) and without exception, we enjoyed everyone of them. 

At last week's Natural and Sustainable course, I made Honey Drops and leave you with the recipe here:

Honey Drops

1 cup honey

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powered milk

dash vanilla

1/2 c granola

1/4 c miniature chocolate chips (optional)

1/4 - 1/2 c powdered sugar

Cream honey and peanut butter together first, then add remaining ingredients.  Shape into balls and roll in powered sugar.  Keep in refrigerator.