I'm really into using embedded hardware to make and share projects. I couple of years ago I started playing around with counting honey bees.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Honey-Bee-Counter/
When dorkbotpdx was exhibiting at the Bay Area Maker Faire I met the largest cherry farmer in the world (from the Yakima Valley area)… We started developing more bee counting and mite killing technology collaborating with Oregon State University and University of Minnesota. It is a super fun topic that is a crowd pleaser…. full of technology and super organisms.