A Helping Hand

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A Helping Hand

By: Stephen Bishop

A few years ago, at a beekeeper’s meeting, we experienced a medical emergency when a speaker from out of town fainted, and we had to call an ambulance. It turned out to be an issue with low blood sugar, but at the time, we didn’t know what was happening. Luckily, several doctors and nurses in attendance rushed to his aid and cared for him until the ambulance arrived. While we waited, it took several minutes to track down a sugary substance to help raise his blood sugar — yes, in a room full of beekeepers, no one had any honey. This incident made me think about the importance of knowing where emergency items are located in our meeting spaces. First aid kits, fire extinguishers, and defibrillators are of no use if we can’t find them quickly. Even something as simple as a piece of candy could save a life, as long as we can locate it in time.

The episode also reminded me that sometimes we have to depend on the benevolence of others. Relying on others doesn’t always come easily. Personally, I cherish my farming and beekeeping pursuits because they provide me with alone time — just me, myself and my stupidity. But doing foolish things while alone only compounds the issue, especially when there’s no one around for emergency care and transport. And engaging in reckless behavior without your cell phone is perhaps the peak of foolishness.

So if you’re a beekeeper with various bee yards, remember to carry your cell phone. You should probably also carry a first aid kit, Benadryl and an EpiPen, even if you’re not allergic to stings. Years ago, my mentor, who was in his 70s and had kept bees for decades, suddenly went into anaphylactic shock from a sting. Fortunately, his wife was with him and was able to call an ambulance. There seems to be no rhyme or reason why people can suddenly develop a severe allergy to something. Indeed, severe adult-onset allergies can happen to anyone. It happened to me with shellfish, and until that point in my life, my favorite food had been shrimp and grits. The older I get, the more I realize how unpredictable life is and how nice it is to have a helping hand when the unexpected occurs, despite my independent streak.

Many parts of western North Carolina had significant damage from Hurricane Helene last Fall. Although the damage wasn’t nearly as bad on our farm as areas further west, we had 10 to 12 large trees down. One huge oak tree fell within five feet of wiping out about twenty hives (for once, I felt like a lucky beekeeper). More importantly, several large trees fell across the road, blocking traffic in both directions. It didn’t take long before neighbors (even before the rain had stopped) descended with chainsaws in hand to quickly clear the blockage. Neighbors helped one another; strangers helped one another; foreigners helped one another — a week later, our power was restored by a power crew all the way from Canada. And that same spirit of community occurred across western North Carolina and served as a small silver lining in what was otherwise a devastating event for many.

Whether we need help now or will need it eventually, we’re all in this together. Literally, we’re all floating around together on a giant rock in the vastness of space. In that sense, we’re all neighbors. So remember the words of Wendell Berry: “You might know, or find out, what it is to need help. So help people.”