Queen of the Sun – What are the Bees Telling Us?

I requested the movie, Queen of the Sun, through our interlibrary loan system to bring to this months beekeeping meeting to share. We were all quite moved by this  profound, film about the global bee crisis from Taggart Siegel, director of The Real Dirt on Farmer John. 

Queen of the Sun

The gentleman in the blue shirt you see at the beginning of the trailer is Gunther Hauk, a biodynamic beekeeper. He and his wife own Spikenard Farm and Honeybee Sanctuary in Virginia in the US. I really enjoyed his view. “ Colony Collapse Disorder is the bill we are getting for all we have done to the honeybee.. It is just a name we give the phenomenon where a a hive is found empty. There is food and honey but the bees are gone… The problem will not be solved by killing a virus, or a bacteria, or fungi because the problem is an inner one…. I am grateful for a crisis. The crisis will give us the possibility to learn something if we are willing. If the heart opens enough to tell the mind something…”
Grateful?! What a wonderful way to view this problem! I am so inspired by him as I am constantly trying to do this myself, find the positive in the negative. He is right. We have been determinedly moving toward destruction with our agricultural practices, and other non earth friendly activities,  but if we can all stand together, as a hive functions, as one super organism, we can instigate change to save the bees and ourselves. Each of our own individual choices and actions can contribute to the good of our planet.
Yvon Achard, a beekeeper and Bee Historian in Grenoble, France, is the gentleman who is beekeeping shirtless and tickling them with his moustache. Michael Pollan, who wrote the Omnivore’s Dilemma, Carlo Petrini, president of Slow Food, and Michael Thiele of The Melissa Garden Honeybee Sanctuary are amongst some of the people interviewed in this film.

queen of the sun

I suggest this as an excellent film for everyone to watch. It is not about just preaching to the choir for all of us who are concerned and trying to instigate change for the bees, it is also an uplifting, positive, forward thinking movie with excellent ideas, photography, interviews, and positivity! On the main website there is a link for instant viewing and suggestions to host a viewing party. I encourage you all to do either or both of those ideas!
Last night as I lay sleeping
I dreamt-marvelous error!
That I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.
Antonio Machado (1875- 1939)


On the Queen of the Sun webpage, they have links for several ways to watch this movie instantly online using Amazon, !Tunes or Vudu. Click here to be taken to that page.


Honey and Herbal Hugs to all who visit Comfrey Cottages xx