Gunther Hauk

History

Gunther Hauk has been a teacher, lecturer, biodynamic gardener, and beekeeper for more than 35 years. He co-founded the Pfeiffer Center in Chestnut Ridge, New York in 1996 and, together with his wife Vivian, Spikenard Farm, Inc., a non-profit honeybee sanctuary in 2006. Over these decades, he has given many workshops on the successful use of biodynamic principles in gardening and naturally harmonious beekeeping methods throughout the U.S. and Canada. In his book Toward Saving the Honeybee (2002) he calls for a radical change from current approaches to beekeeping. The Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary is now located in Floyd, Virginia.

Profile

Movies

Queen of the Sun

Self

In 1923, Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian scientist, philosopher & social innovator, predicted that in 80 to 100 years honeybees would collapse. Now, beekeepers around the United States and around the world are reporting an incredible loss of honeybees, a phenomenon deemed "Colony Collapse Disorder." This "pandemic" is indicated by bees disappearing in mass numbers from their hives with no clear single explanation. The queen is there, honey is there, but the bees are gone. For the first time, in an alarming inquiry into the insights behind Steiner's prediction QUEEN OF THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? investigates the long-term causes behind the dire global bee crisis through the eyes of biodynamic beekeepers, commercial beekeepers, scientists and philosophers.

Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?

Bees have existed in the world for 150 million years. They are essential helpers for the growth of plants and crops that serve as food for other animals. During their development, people realized the importance of bees and have been involved in beekeeping since ancient times. Recently, however, bees have begun to die excessively for no apparent reason. The film addresses the dramatically deteriorating health of bee colonies and the unforeseeable consequences that bee mortality can have for our very existence. It seeks answers to the questions of what bees actually want to tell us and what significance bees have in the broader context of sustainability of life on Earth. To prevent such a catastrophe, our approach to beekeeping must be fundamentally changed. In this regard, the film offers many stimuli and inspiring examples from around the world.