Bonus Short - 2026 Midwest Honey Bee Expo – Part 3

Honey show judging and beekeeper education take center stage in this final installment from the 2026 Midwest Honey Bee Expo. In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman bring together conversations from the show floor, featuring Stephanie Slater and members of the University of Minnesota bee lab.

Stephanie shares what it takes to organize a successful honey show, from publishing rules months in advance to building categories that encourage broad participation. With entries nearly doubling from the previous year, the Midwest Honey Bee Expo honey show continues to grow, reflecting strong interest in both presentation and flavor-based competition. The discussion includes preparation strategies for exhibitors and an inside look at the black jar category, where honey is judged solely on taste.

The episode also features conversations with Jessica Helgen and Isabell Dyrbye-Wright from the University of Minnesota bee lab. They discuss outreach efforts through the Bee Squad, beekeeper education, and the importance of making research-based resources accessible to beekeepers at all levels.

From honey judging to field-based education, this episode highlights the role of preparation, community, and applied science in modern beekeeping.

This episode concludes the three-part 2026 Midwest Honey Bee Expo series. Be sure to listen to Part 1 and Part 2 for additional conversations from the show floor.

This is Part 2 of a multi-episode series recorded at the 2026 Midwest Honey Bee Expo.

Featured Guests

Stephanie Slater - American Honey Show Training Council, Honey Show Judge
Jessica Helgen - University of Minnesota Bee Squad
Isabell Dyrbey-Wright - University of Minnesota Bee Squad

______________

Brought to you by Betterbee – your partners in better beekeeping.

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Bolero de la Fontero by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(464)

AI in the Bee Yard: Getting Started with AI for Beekeepers

Artificial intelligence is rapidly finding its way into everyday tools—but where does it fit in the bee yard? In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman begin exploring how b...

23 Syys 19min

The U.S. Beekeeping Survey: Colony Losses, Varroa, and Better Data (403)

What can nearly two decades of beekeeper-reported data tell us about colony health—and what can it not tell us? In this episode, Jeff Ott and Becky Masterman welcome Dr. Geoff Williams, Dr. Nathalie S...

21 Syys 55min

Bee Science with Dewey Caron: Honey Bees and Smoke

Why do we smoke honey bees—and how much smoke do they really need? In this installment of his Bee Science mini-series on Beekeeping Today, Dr. Dewey Caron sends an audio postcard from Portland, Oregon...

16 Syys 24min

From Spacecraft to Beehives: Dan Seitz and ApisNode (402)

What happens when a spacecraft engineer becomes fascinated with honey bees? In this episode, Jeff and Becky welcome Dan Seitz, an engineer from Los Alamos, New Mexico, whose career designing instrumen...

14 Syys 53min

Varroa Treatment: Api-Bioxal RTU

The Varroa Treatment Series continues with another oxalic acid option: Api-Bioxal RTU, a ready-to-use liquid formulation designed for dribble application. Dr. David Peck of Betterbee joins Jeff and Be...

9 Syys 20min

A Conversation with Beekeepers Quarterly (401)

Beekeeping challenges rarely stop at national borders. This week, Jeff and Becky cross the Atlantic for a conversation with Dr. Andrea Quigley and Norman Carreck, co-editors of the UK-based Beekeepers...

7 Syys 51min

Inside Premier Bee Products: From Bee Yard Ideas to Manufacturing

What does it look like when beekeeping equipment moves from an idea in the bee yard to full-scale manufacturing? In this Beekeeping Today Podcast Short, Jeff Ott takes listeners onto the production fl...

3 Syys 17min

Winning at Honey with Stephanie: Preparing Pollen for Competition

This month on Winning at Honey with Stephanie, Stephanie Slater turns her attention to a honey show category that doesn't appear at every competition: pollen. Preparing pollen for competition requires...

2 Syys 12min