Recently I attended the first Natural Beekeeping Conference. Unknown to me at the time, you can see me in the David Heaf Video; I am the person with the red jumper. I would like to say I am not standing up-straight because my head was touching the tent roof! See the Biobee website- www.biobees.com.
The conference itself was excellent and well attended- beginners, experienced beekeepers, bee farmer and academics. Certainly it was an excellent stage for voicing a variety of view points and bee husbandry methodologies that arguably are encompassed by the banner natural beekeeping.
Speakers included Heidi Herrmann of the Natural Beekeeping Trust who inspired us with her hive and biodynamics presentation, David Heaf discussed Apicentric beekeeping, the Warre beehive, a leaning towards sustainability and Phil Chandler passed on his leading practical natural beekeeping skills, guidance and vision.
I now look forward to the next Natural beekeeping event. Until then I leave you with Phil Chandlers encompassing natural beekeeping guidelines-
- Interference in the natural lives of the bees is kept to a minimum.
- Nothing is put into the hive that is known to be, or likely to be harmful either to the bees, to us or to the wider environment and nothing is taken out that the bees cannot afford to lose.
- The bees know what they are doing: our job is to listen to them and provide the optimum conditions for their well-being.
Best wishes, David.
