Unlocking the Buzz:
Why Honeybee Education is Vital for Our Environment and Future Generations

Honeybee education is of utmost importance in today’s world and to my family. These tiny creatures play a crucial role in pollination, which is essential for the growth  and reproduction of plants. Pollinators contribute to every third bite you take. Without  bees, much of the world’s biodiversity would vanish with them. Entire species would die  out; entire ecosystems would disappear. Honeybees pollinate $15 billion worth of crops  in the United States each year according to the USDA, including more than 130 types of  fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Honeybees on the outside of the Mallee near the almond groves in Australia. Almond production is a huge income for commercial beekeepers. 

Though with all of that said, bees and their keepers were once deemed  insignificant within the realm of the agricultural industry and even a minor nuisance to  some according to the “old heads”. Their rapid decline due to various adversities gave  the harsh reality to the world that the lack of appreciation was misplaced. My  grandfather, Laurence Cutts, was coined as the grandfather of South-Eastern  beekeeping and is the only beekeeper in Florida’s AG Hall of Fame, he would say in his  later years, “Bees were once the red-headed stepchild at the ball, but now they are  Cinderella.”

Three Generations of bee-beards.

I must thank one of the pests, the tracheal mite, as without it, the family wouldn’t  have moved to Gainesville, Florida, and my parents wouldn’t have met each other.  Because of a bee pest, my brother and I came to existence. 

The general populace varies on their stance as they either chant with us to “save  the bees” or they want all stinging insects to die within a four-mile radius of their home.  Granddaddy had another saying that went like this, “a bee’s biggest enemy is  ignorance.” Educating ourselves about honeybees, can help better our understanding of  their significance and provide us with the wisdom to be more diligent from where we find  our “good” sources of knowledge to protect their populations, as well as ourselves  around them with the proper etiquette. Honeybee education can also help us appreciate  the value of honey and other bee products, which have numerous health benefits and  specialty honeys such as the “diabetic” honey of Tupelo. Moreover, learning about  honeybees can inspire us to become better stewards of this world even if we are not  beekeepers. We can contribute to conservation efforts of native pollinators and native  flora causing a butterfly-effect… pun intended… to promote a better ecosystem. By  spreading awareness about honeybees, we can raise public consciousness and  encourage sustainable practices that support not only their survival but the world’s.

Exchanging knowledge with a bee equipment supplier in Enu, Kenya

If you are a beekeeper or want to become one soon, I can assure you that you  have found the right place. There is a lot of bad information on the internet and a lot of  novice beekeepers that are Facebook professors. Here at the Green Jean Foundation, we are dedicated to the promotion of sustainable, tried-and-true science-based  agriculture, this is the key to bees’ success. With an Asian mite, African beetle, and a  Middle Eastern moth these nonnative semi-domestic honeybees that we have need us  to be responsible and be educated in their care. My dad says you can ask ten  beekeepers a question and get eleven answers. The best method is to try things out  and do what works for your apiary. This includes the bees themselves, location, surrounding flowers, pest levels, etc. I look forward to helping you all through your  journey as a beekeeper, as well as, promoting beekeeping education in our schools. I  am surrounded by people exclaiming their favorite memory in school was my  Granddaddy with his honeybee belt buckle teaching them about bees, and I want to  keep that legacy going.

We have taught over 550 little ones in Florida about bees from January to May  already.

In conclusion, I am blessed to be honored to be a part of this team. Thank you for  letting me teach you about my family’s passion and build a better future for the next  generations of both people and bees. Honeybee education is vital for the well-being of  our environment, agriculture, and our own health. Do you want to help save the bees for  tomorrow too? Teach your neighbor their importance today.

My name is Logan Cutts, and I am a 5th generational beekeeper and one of the largest beekeeping consultants on the East Coast consulting over 2,000 hives within the state of Florida, as well as being an international beekeeping instructor. I serve as a board member on my counties Florida Farm Bureau Board. The proudest titles I hold are Christian, father and husband.