sustainable beekeeping ∙ baking ∙ chickens ∙ wildlife
This is a recipe I have adapted from River Cottage Fruit, where I have halved the quantity and substituted dried apricots for the sultanas. I thought apricots would work well with the marmalade, whisky and the apples...and I was right! I made a huge amount of marmalade this year, but I adore it both on …
As many of you will know, I am a huge fan of baking and just because my courses are now on Zoom, I still want to have an opportunity to make cakes. So, here is the recipe for the cake I will have on Saturday for my first online Introduction to Sustainable Beekeeping course. This …
Our insects and wildlife are suffering severe declines, but gardening and getting outside is the perfect opportunity to learn how we can help our bees and other insects and wildlife in these valuable spaces. If you're already a beekeeper and would like to know how best to increase the natural forage and biodiversity for your …
In January last year, I attended a conference on landscape use and sustainability at Sussex University, and I took away a strong, galvanising feeling of implementing necessary change. Then - bam - the pandemic hit which actually obliged me to pursue the avenues I had pledged to consider. I thought about putting my Introduction to …
I was invited to come and talk to the Year 6 children at Western Road Primary School in Lewes, East Sussex, about honey bees, as they have a feral colony living in the roof of their school building. They have been there at least a few years, and are not normally particularly noticeable, but since …
The second half of the conference started with a panel discussion and questions from delegates. Topics included: Carbon offsetting in the UK. Of course this doesn't address the issues at source, but for those activities that are not easily adapted such as essential flights or car use, at least having projects in the UK would …
Continue reading "Landscape Innovation Conference (Part II)"
This event was organised by Sussex Wildlife Trust, in conjunction with the University of Sussex, and held at the Jubilee Building at the campus in Falmer. After introductions from Fran Southgate of Sussex Wildlife Trust, and Chris Sandom, Senior Lecturer at the University, the conference started. I will highlight a few of my personal gems …
For me, keeping bees is about education: they are the most amazing ambassadors for insects, pollinators, the local environment, and relate to the current global situation regarding extinctions, climate change and other sobering issues. Sustainable beekeeping is about not only about how we keep bees, but also using them to regenerate and encourage other wildlife …
This was my third attempt at running this course as the weather was exceedingly unhelpful on previous occasions! Therein lies the problem with organising any outside event in the UK... The reason I run these courses is that as well as a beekeeper, I am an artist, and run a life drawing class each Monday …
Wayward Bee 