The first course of the season was a great success with 5 attendees. It’s so interesting to hear why people want to come on the course or keep bees and interestingly, two were vegan and concerned as to the commercial beekeeping practises. Industrial farming has to make compromises in order to maintain profits but thankfully these are not necessary in small-scale, garden beekeeping.

We looked at how the colony works and how we can maximise the bees’ productivity without excessive intervention. By operating a low-input, low-output system, costs and equipment can be kept to a minimum and the bees benefit from fewer disturbances. Observation is key of course; the bees are still managed, but by observing and assessing their behaviour on a daily basis, much of the information as to the colony’s health can be obtained.

If you’d like to come on one of the Introductory courses, please contact me on waywardbeecourses@gmail.com for dates and more information.