Our beekeeping journey so far
Our beekeeping journey began in 2021 after reading an article about unconventional places to keep bees, like apartment rooftops and back gardens. Until then, I’d always assumed beekeeping was limited to remote, rural areas, so I hadn’t explored it beyond casual interest. That changed in spring 2022, when my employer generously sponsored my introduction to beekeeping as part of a biodiversity initiative within the company. I completed a short course with the Shropshire branch of the British Beekeeping Association and supplemented it with plenty of self-study. In May 2022, I welcomed my first nuc of bees — an experience equal parts thrilling and nerve-wracking, especially the first time I opened a hive teeming with around 50,000 bees. Over time, initial nerves gave way to genuine excitement, and the passion has only grown. Now, thanks to an early warm spell and a successful colony split, I’m proud to be managing our sixth hive and looking forward to what the season brings!
Benefits of beekeeping
- Bees pollinate up to 75% of the main food crops consumed by humans globally and it is a massive privilege to be able to contribute to their hard work!
- Beekeeping helps boost local biodiversity by improving pollination which in turn assists creatures such as insects, birds and other wildlife. In the UK, wild bees and honeybees pollinate over £600 Million worth of crops every year.
- One hive can produce up to 13.5kg of extra honey to harvest per season when the conditions are right. There is nothing like harvesting natural, untreated honey! It is also a natural antimicrobial and can help relieve seasonal hay fever symptoms by providing microdoses of local pollen.
- Although when the season is in full swing there can be a fair bit of labour and stress associated with beekeeping, it also creates a sense of mindfulness, observation, and patience. It’s not unusual to find a beekeeper pulling up a chair in the evening sun and watching the bees go about their duties!
Our beekeeping plans for the future
Keep growing our apiary and hopefully create strong, resilient colonies. We are hoping to able to provide a bit more local support in the way of catching stray swarms over the next few years also!
How can you help?
You don’t need to be a beekeeper to be able to help the bee population in meaningful ways! Planting bee friendly flowers is a low effort and passive way to assist your local bees! This article has a great guide on how to make your garden bee friendly in all seasons:
Creating a bee-friendly garden: what bees need, best plants & seasonal jobs — The Bonnie Gardener
Also making no effort in your garden can be a massive help! It’s suggested to leave some parts of your garden untidy as bees love patches of bare soil and long grass as well as wild growing flowers like dandelions and daisies. For solitary bees like mason and leafcutters, you can install bee hotels around your garden to provide them with a safe home.
Adding shallow water sources such as a dish of water with pebbles can help them have somewhere to land and get a refreshing drink during their busy work day, especially during the warmer weather!
Buying local honey! You can always support your local beekeepers by buying honey that is locally sourced.
Supporting conservation charities such as Bumblebee Conservation Trust or Friends of the Earth with a small donation can help fund their bee campaigns and assist in building habitat projects.