# News from the White House



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

From Paul Bedard, in The Washington Examiner, Today.



The keeper of the first-ever White House beehive officially retired from the government this week, but his 70,000 bees wonât be buzzing June Carter Cashâs âWill you miss me when Iâm gone?â

Thatâs because Charlie Brandts, who was a White House carpenter when the first familyâs chef Sam Kass tapped him to establish a hive near the Michelle Obamaâs veggie garden in March 2009, plans to devote his retirement to beekeeping and will continue to oversee the multi-colored hive on the South Lawn.

While honey bees donât need daily attention, the White House reveals that they have established a backup team to help Brandts or tak
e care of any emergency: pastry chefs Susie Morrison and Bill Yosses. âThe hive doesnât really need day-to-day care, so Charlie will still be doing the primary work on it with Susie and Bill helping,â says a White House aide.

Kim Flottum, the editor of the industry publication Bee Culture, said that the new beekeeping arrangement should work just fine. âThey work close together,â he tells Secrets. Brandts agrees. âWeâre like in a partnership,â he says.
Brandts, 55, worked at the White House for 28 years, starting during the Reagan years, and is a 35-year federal employee.

Spring and summer are the most intensive time to tend bees during which the hives expand after winter and begin making babies and honey.

Over the three years, Brandts says the White House hive has been an all-star honey producer, giving up 340 pounds, easily twice what a typical hobby hive makes. The reason, he explains, is the country-like setting around the White House which is populated with trees, annuals and ponds. âItâs like a Shangri La for bees.â

When the Obamas arrived at the White House and began talk about establishing a garden, Brandts was approached by Kass and the idea took 
off fast. Brandts, who tends bees in neighboring Maryland, brought an established hive to the South Lawn where it has thrived ever since.

The honey has been used as gifts, to make beer and in daily meals for the first family as well as fancier formal dinners.

Surprisingly, there hasnât ever been a major problem with having so many bees in such a public place. Just consider events like the 
Easter Egg Roll, when thousands of people swarm the South Lawn. On days like that, the hive is closed up and the bees kept cool with screens on the top and entrance, and occasional squirts of water, a typical beekeeping practice.


 Al


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

While I think it's great that the White House has bees, I can guarantee you that those people "helping" out with the bees are the most highly paid beekeepers around!!

But it at least will teach the public that not all bees are "killer bees" like the tv shows.


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