Last Sunday we traveled about three hours to attend a bee workshop at Jembella Farm. We went down the night before and stayed in a caravan park for an early start on Sunday morning.
Thirteen eager bee enthusiast were in attendance and they were a wonderful group to be learning alongside of.
We all gathered in Brian and Sally's shearing shed, and after all the introductions, we discussed a few important subjects regarding bee keeping, and a few questions were answered before moving up to the house for a smoko break. After a cup of tea and yummy cake, we returned back to the shearing shed for a few outside demonstrations.
Here Brian is teaching how to light a smoker. A smoker is used to calm bees when you want to inspect a hive.
Next we learned how to make frames that go into the hives.
After a lovely lunch prepared by Sally, it was time to suit up.
And head down toward the hives...Ill let the photos tell the story...
Next we learned how to extract the honey from the frames.
Beeswax.
Beautiful views...
And the baby frizzles were too cute.
I really enjoyed our day at Brian and Sally's. It was wonderful to catch up with like minded people and learn a common interest together.
If at all possible I encourage anyone who is interested, to have a go at keeping bees. They really are fascinating little creatures, and we need them to survive here on our earth. The more bees the better.
No bee, no me...
Have a lovely weekend and I will see you soon.
xTania
I kept four for a few years. I enjoyed them.
ReplyDeleteWe have become quite attached to our new little friends :)
DeleteSounds like a lovely weekend getting away and learning something you are interested about. I look forward to more honey posts in the future. Kathy
ReplyDeleteOur bees are doing really well, and we are loving them. It will be interesting to see if the pollination rate picks up on my plants.
DeletexTania
Fantastic, Tania! I just made some lotion bars with beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil. I have so many bees in my potager garden. They seem to love the wild sunflowers, zucchini flowers, zinnias, and hollyhocks. The backyard orchard seems to attract them, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Stephenie for letting me know what flowers the bees love. I know they love my sunflowers a lot!
DeleteThey also love our indigenous plants that grow in this area, so we are looking at planting more of those. Gum tree flowers are another they seem to like.
xTania
I think that would be wonderful to learn. I love watching the bees in my garden.
ReplyDeleteBees are really amazing, and the more we learn about them the more amazed we are. Very hard workers and all females of course lol! We have plenty to watch at our birdbaths now, love wacthing them come and go. They drink a LOT of water as it is needed for the hive and to keep it cool.
DeletexTania
Gosh Tania = what an interesting & informative workshop that was. Its wonderful you were able to attend. My daughter in law wanted to keep a couple of hives on their small rural block but unfortunately my son is allergic to them. When I saw that beeswax all I could think of was making wax wraps!! Have a great week ahead Tania xx
ReplyDeleteI know! All that beeswax for wraps lol!
DeleteSally makes wraps and sells them at her farm-gate located at the front of their property. I was tempted to buy some, but I really want to make my own. I have wax here and made some wraps for my daughter to give as Christmas presents last year. I cant wait until our bees have some of their own. Good for making salves and balms also.
xTania
I used to have a bee hive but due to circumstances beyond my control
ReplyDeleteIe interference from someone who though they knew better than me
It got put on the grown and when the next rains came it got very very wet.
So the bees moved.
Before that, I had it on an old coffee table we had the bees for years
I didNot want the honey. So every year the hive would split and half would fly away. I figured I was helping repopulate the area with bees.
It must of worked at we have lots around here. So that’s really good
That is sad news about your bees Angela. Our hives are elevated off the ground as we were concerned about the heat, rain and ants destroying the hives.
DeleteWe try and help our bees as much as we can, to make their life here a pleasant experience, so hopefully they don't want to leave. We provide lots of water, shade in the heat, and keep the ants at bay. This means our hives are very healthy and working flat out at the moment. Its not about the honey or wax, our whole purpose is to help the bees.
So glad to hear there are plenty of bees in your area.
xTania
How fascinating to learn about bees and beekeeping, Tania. Especially from Brian and Sally. I wish I lived closer so I could go to one of their workshops too. We have a hive of native bees in our garden and thankfully they survived the horrid heat we've had all Summer long. It gladdens my heart to see bees of all kinds working away in the gardens and in the flowering trees of our neighbourhood. You are so right, we need bees and have to do all we can to help them. Meg:)
ReplyDeleteWe love our bees. Before we had the hives, there weren't many bees around, now they are everywhere, I think my plants are going to be very happy.
DeletexTania
This was a lovely post to read. I am heartened to see so many people starting to take an interest in bee keeping. Though not a keeper myself, I always ensure there is water for them and try to plant flowers that will attract them.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
DeleteI am thankful for your comment. We must all work together to keep the bees in our world. Even doing what you do, is very helpful. Good on you for thinking of the bees.
xTania