Popular Post mysubtleascention Posted March 7, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted March 7, 2016 Nicolas Trainerbees, the Beekeeper That Has Managed to Get His Bees to Make Honey with Cannabis ResinThe French beekeeper has self-medicated with cannabis since a very early age and he defines himself as someone that is passionate about nature and training all kinds of animals. Both of these factors have led him to spend years researching how to combine the properties of the plant and the insects that he dedicated his life to. The result is “cannahoney”, a delicious nectar that has not gone unnoticed by anyone and that has to confront the restrictive laws of his country. 22/02/16He is an artisan, locksmith and above all a beekeeper, although he does not carry out the last profession like others. His more than 4300 Facebook followers and 700 Instagram followers are looking for something that nobody else can offer: marvellous photos where cannabis plants receive an agreeable visit. Although most of us would be scared to find bees on our crop, that is the main goal of this 39-year-old Frenchman who describes himself as an advocate of medical cannabis and of legalisation.He is called Nicolas, although he is known as Nicolas Trainerbees, a nickname that is not a mere coincidence. He has been using it for more than 20 years because he has always liked to spend time with all kinds of animals, especially insects, and above all, bees. He observes them, and according to him (although without revealing his tactics), he trains them so that they behave as he wishes.“I have trained bees to do several things, such as collect sugar from fruits, instead of using flowers”. In addition to beers, he has also worked with tarantulas, lizards and ants because, as he explains, he has “been passionate about nature since childhood". This has led him to learn about the world of animal biology, entomology, cannabis growing, improving all kinds of plants and everything related to the world of beehives.For a while now he has been working with bees that produce “cannahoney”, the name he decided to give to his peculiar cannabis honey. However, he modestly says that he has not created honey, “but rather a training technique whereby the bees collect the resin and use it in the beehive”. Afterwards, the final substance is the sole work of the little insects.How did a beekeeper decide that his bees should obtain nectar from cannabis? Firstly, due to personal experience. Nicolas has been hyperactive since the age of 7, and that along with an educational system that labelled him as “unsuitable”, soon led him to leave school. At a young age he discovered that the plant helped him to channel the problem and, therefore, “I began consuming before the age of 10”, he states.Years later, many people that know about his abilities raising and training bees began to ask him why he would not start applying them to the world of cannabis, and get the insects to create a kind of honey with the cannabis plants. He had realised that, by uniting the properties of both things, and if the animals managed to use the resin correctly, he would obtain a great result: “For some time I had known about the health benefits of bee products such as honey, propolis, pollen, wax and royal jelly and also about the benefits of cannabis”, and so he decided to take notice of the requests.Also, “everything that passes through the body of a bee is improved”, he says, given that their enzymes make the nectar turn into the desired honey. The resin obtained from willows, poplars and other trees is turned into propolis, which is an antiseptic, antibiotic, antifungal, antibacterial and also has healing properties. “So if the bee took the resin from cannabis it would also be very beneficial”. “The aim arose for me to get the bees to obtain this resin”, he comments.From that moment onwards (back in 2006) he spent time observing them, examining the hives and the behaviour of their members and thinking that there had to be a way of attracting a good group of insects to the resin. “That was the starting point for my investigation”, he explains. When he began his inquiries he found that up until then nobody had brought together both worlds, and the most sceptical people even told him that cannabis was not a typical plant for obtaining honey, therefore it would be impossible to get the bees to go by themselves to collect its particular pollen. Nicolas has shown the most simple-minded people that they were wrong.Following several tests and lots of observation he managed to get results from his training in 2013, “with the enormous surprise that the bees used the resin as propolis” and also to create honey with the same effects as cannabis. Its terpenes have “a delicious and pleasant taste” that are reminiscent of the fresh plant, although its taste changes slightly from one crop to another.“Cannahoney” normally has “quite a floral” aroma and a colour that slightly changes depending on the varieties, although it usually ranges from light green to white or yellow. The substance “is not smoked, it is ingested and it is good for health”, explains the creator.Nicolas uses varieties of cannabis that he has created. He says that, “the bees accept any strain”, therefore he also uses already existing types. In fact, the last batch of honey was created using Californian Orange.Before he obtained his first results, some people dared to say that cannabis was harmful for bees. He was totally convinced that was not the case, but he had to wait two years until the project was well consolidated and he was able to demonstrate that the plants had no negative impact on the insects. “The bees that produce the cannahoney are not affected by cannabinoids because they do not have an endocannabinoid system”, he explains.He now has 30 beehives, and he uses many of them for his cannabis honey project. However, he faces difficulties living in a country that puts up a lot of barriers in relation to all cannabis matters, therefore he is forced to grow his plants in open air spaces, far from his home. In this situation he takes a lot of risks, especially trying to transport his plants close to the hives during the necessary time so that the bees can take advantage of their new “pollen".His situation does not prevent him interacting with his followers over social networks, where he normally publishes lots of research studies that back the medical properties of cannabis that he himself experiments with. The photographs that he publishes speak for themselves; in them it is possible to see not only the plants accompanied by the bees, but also, for example, crepes created by him and served with his honey. Nicolas dedicates almost all of his time to this profession; therefore he has no website or blogs: “I work alone with my wife and I do not have time or money to do much else".Such attractive photos ensure that many users ask him endlessly when they will be able to get hold of the substance, although he admits that he still requires a more detailed analysis in order to determine all of its properties. Despite this, he states that three people with anxiety tried a few spoonfuls “and felt a lot better”.His progress is now an example to follow for many other beekeepers. Now, his main aim is to leave France in order to treat his illness legally and also to work with more freedom and get professionals in the sector to analyse his work. His next destination, if everything goes as he hopes, will be Spain. Source: https://www.dinafem.org/en/blog/trainerbees-beekeeper-honey-cannabis/ 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbleKay Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 thats pretty awesome 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anodyne Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Since the cannabis actives are in the resin, shouldn't they be eating the propolis, rather than the honey? Quote The photographs that he publishes speak for themselves; in them it is possible to see not only the plants accompanied by the bees, but also, for example, crepes created by him and served with his honey Oh well say no more then! If he has pictures of bees crawling on buds then of course his honey must be magical! Shit, and he can pick locks and make pancakes as well? He is clearly a multi-talented polymath genius! Someone correct me if I'm wrong about this, but I didn't think that cannabis pollen had anything psychoactive in it - so how exactly are the cannabinoids getting from the plant into the honey? It's a cool idea, but I feel like he probably could've made a better product just by stirring some hash oil into his honey... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sallubrious Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 11 hours ago, Anodyne said: It's a cool idea, but I feel like he probably could've made a better product just by stirring some hash oil into his honey... Maybe that's all he is doing, it would explain the cheeky smile he had on his face in this pic https://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=https://www.dinafem.org/media/photologue/photos/cache/IMG_20150614_110436_hdr_blog_cdn.jpg&key=6964bdf9f070c7717063335bd351e9f66897a5291de5263aa701483a777daef1 It would complicate things for anyone trying to prosecute him for manufacturing hash, first they'd have to prove that he made it and not the bees. The are some contradictions in the linked article, early on he said Quote However, he modestly says that he has not created honey, “but rather a training technique whereby the bees collect the resin and use it in the beehive”. Afterwards, the final substance is the sole work of the little insects. Which would suggest it is in the propolis, but then later on they talk about honey oil and show a pic with a spoonful of something that doesn't look like honey to me. https://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=https://www.dinafem.org/media/photologue/photos/cache/foto%25207_4_blog_cdn.jpg&key=681bfebac51afd1f7e69a8b05e52e0aa6f05d90ac72bd2ac09ca62a8c87b69bd Who knows, it could all be smoke and mirrors. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Change Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 This all got me thinking, what is pollen, is it made from sugar, if so how is it transformed into honey, all adding to my current fascination with bees anyways, after a brief search around it appears that bees use nectar as a source of carbohydrates, and pollen as a source of proteins and fats, however it should be noted i read this in a blog and dont have a peer reviewed citation. I think its only the male mj plants that produce pollen, and the female produces nectar/resin, above pictures appear to be female flower 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slocombe Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Wonder if you could just lock a beehive in a largish greenhouse with only flowering Cannabis and no other food source. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-RC- Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 3 hours ago, Slocombe said: Wonder if you could just lock a beehive in a largish greenhouse with only flowering Cannabis and no other food source. My thoughts exactly. As a soon-to-bee beekeeper I would've thought you would've had to make it so the bees have absolutely no choice. As far as the propolis, honey and wax containing cannabioids I can't see how that could be avoided, because their lipid nature would surely provide some adhesion, which means they would be covered in trichs when they return to the hive. I guess it depends on whether the bees decide they will tolerate the presence of the trichomes in the hive then? If they do, then you would definitely find them in said products, but as far as guaranteeing potency, surely that's another thing altogether more difficult. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterboy 2.0 Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 (edited) There are sugars in trichomes in general (acylsugars and probably others).... I presume cannabis trichs are the same?. Most commercial honeys are "clarified"(dunno the full process), I've seen a few cloudy/creamy honeys from some specific flowering plants straight from the beekeepers. When they collect pollen they "comb" themselves in the hive to shed the polen and make themselves more efficient at picking it up "next run", dunno maybe they are combing resin off? as for honey all I know is its kinda nectar and bee spit...lol EDIT - also think the colour of different honeys comes from the pollen type, I can be corrected there though. I'll ask the beekeepers that do crop pollination round here next time I catch them. Edited October 14, 2016 by waterboy 2.0 cause I'm offtap 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anodyne Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Raw honey can crystallise faster than regular heated honey (they heat it to make it runny - easier to extract outta the comb that way I think? I don't know if this is the same as the "clarification" process you mentioned WB), which can give it a cloudy/opaque look like the stuff in the picture. You also just get alot of variation in the appearance of honeys from different plant sources as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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