As winter temperatures set in, apiarists and beekeepers are turning to innovative solutions to ensure the well-being of their colonies.
One such breakthrough is the “Hive Hugger,” a non-ventilation design that not only preserves moisture but also effectively insulates beehives to reduce winter weather stress and decrease honey consumption.
Created by Peggy DeSanto, the Hive Hugger has undergone preliminary studies in collaboration with the University of Minnesota Bee Lab, showing remarkable results. Compared to traditional tar paper hives, the product maintains hive temperatures 15 to 50 degrees warmer.
“The Hive Hugger hives ran 15 to 50° warmer and required 30- to 50-percent less honey consumption by the bees during winter,” noted
DeSanto.
This solution could help address the critical issue of winter losses while promoting resource efficiency. In regions with harsh winters, where approximately 55 percent of bee colonies are lost, this new product could potentially cut that percentage down to about 27 percent.
Nebraska cattle rancher Joe Van Newkirk joins us to discuss wildfire recovery in Nebraska’s Sandhills athe challenges ranchers face restoring basic infrastructure after the fire.
Reliance on vegetable imports remains uneven, with domestic production still anchoring several major categories.
Just like cows, kids experience ups and downs—from small frustrations to unexpected moments—but there is still good in every day.
Utah Senator John Curtis joins us for “Champions of Rural America” to discuss new legislation to improve forest management and wildfire prevention and its broader implications for rural communities and infrastructure.
NRECA CEO Jim Matheson joins us to discuss rural electric co-ops’ push for expanded USDA loan programs, rising energy demand from data center expansion, wildfire mitigation and other policy priorities impacting rural power infrastructure.
Chad Fiechter joins us to discuss Purdue’s precision ag study, challenges in capturing value from technology, and what farmers should consider when investing in and adopting these tools.
April 30, 2026 04:40 PM
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