The Rooftop Beekeeper

I just received my advance copy of 'The Rooftop Beekeeper: A Scrappy Guide to Keeping Urban Honeybees' which features my photographs. I started working on this project with my beekeeper and author friend Meg Paska back in 2011. It has been a long and enjoyable journey during which I have made many new friends and I am proud to finally see it in print. It is is published by Chronicle Books and now available to buy on Amazon.com. 

Organic Heirloom Tomatoes

These late season organic heirloom tomatoes were grown in Brooklyn. On the left and right are examples of the Purple Calabash (Solanum lycopersicum). An open pollinated variety which is believed to have originated in Mexico and has a rich, almost wine-like flavor. In the middle is the Green Zebra tomato. It was developed in the 1980s by tomato breeder Tom Wagner in Everett, Washington and is actually the result of combining four different heirloom varieties.

Brooklyn Woods @ The Factory Floor

Display panel for the Brooklyn Woods booth at The Factory Floor, a 22,000 square foot pop-up market running from October 19th - 27th to support local manufacturers in Brooklyn.

Gowanus Canal

Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn 2013.

Urban Beekeeping

Beekeepers performing a routine inspection of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy's bee hives in Brooklyn, New York. 

White Tiger

Brooklyn, 2013.

Shrine

Brooklyn, 2013.

Brooklyn Grange Bees

 

Installation of 20 new hives at the Brooklyn Grange Apiary on the roof of Building 292 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, April 2013. The nucleus hives, each containing around 10,000 bees, were driven up from Florida by beekeeper Mark Negley and installed in their new homes. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

Brooklyn Woods

CNC Machine, Brooklyn Woods, December 2012

This is a sneak preview of a new photo story I have been working on. Brooklyn Woods is a nonprofit organization that provides training to help unemployed and low-income New Yorkers start careers in skilled woodworking and cabinet making. 

Ground Cherry

The Nectar Of Brooklyn: Inside Brooklyn Grange Bees, The City’s First Commercial Apiary

Nona Brooklyn just ran a great story featuring my photographs on the Brooklyn Grange Apiary. Please CLICK HERE to read the full article.

Ghost Bees

Varroa mites are parasites that attach themselves to honey bees and feed on their blood as well as larvae in the hive. Powdered sugar is one chemical pesticide free method to control a varroa infestation. The fine sugar clogs up the suction feet of the mites so that they are no longer able to cling to the bees' bodies and fall off.

Man Down

If you keep bees sometimes you get stung. To reduce the effects of any allergic reaction to the bee venom it is best to remove the stinger a soon as possible.

Brooklyn Grange Apiary Update

Chocolate Stripes

                                                      

Chocolate Stripes organic, heirloom tomato grown in Brooklyn, 2012.

Reisetomate aus Siebenburgen

Reisetomate aus Siebenburgen, organic heirloom tomato grown in Brooklyn 2012

Reisetomate aus Siebenburgen, which translates from German as "travel tomato from Transylvania" actually has roots in Central America. Native Indians would take this unusual variety on trips and break off the individual lobes to eat without the use of a knife.

Indigo Rose

Indigo Rose tomato, grown in Brooklyn, 2012

The Indigo Rose, developed by Jim Meyers at Oregon State University using traditional plant breeding techniques, is the first variety of tomato that contains anthocyanins. These are powerful antioxidants that only develop where the fruit comes into direct contact with sunlight giving it a distinctive purple color. Parts that are shaded remain green.

Mountain Dew?

Bees are resourceful creatures, so when there is a dearth in nectar supply they look for alternative sources like discarded soda cans. Could the green cell shown above be a result of a bee drinking Mountain Dew?

First Tomato Harvest

A beautiful organic Ananas Noire tomato developed by the Belgian horticulturist Pascal Moreau.

Grown in Brooklyn, 2012

Fire Hydrant Hive

A few weeks ago, I was there to document the apprentices at The Brooklyn Grange Apiary removing a feral bee hive from inside a fire hydrant at The Brooklyn Navy Yard.