If you’re considering beekeeping then you will be about to or have spent many months reading the internet to gain the confidence to house your own bees. The conclusion many newcomers and in fact a growing number of traditional beekeepers are reaching is natural beekeeping is the way forward for a sustainable healthy bee population.
The Warre beehive and Top Bar Horizontal beehive are endorsed by several experts, in particular Heidi Herrmann, Davis Heaf and Phil Chandler as the more natural hive choices. Their deliberate hands off natural beekeeping methodology making it suitable for a new generation of beekeepers; smallholders, gardeners, busy city commuters, second home owners… anyone with a good sized garden that can have an area set aside for the bees.
Therefore, as we are following a similar path, please share in the joys of natural beekeeping with us – Ask us questions, call for reassurance, check what equipment is required, obtain your own Warre hive or Top Bar Horizontal hive.
Our blog tells our story. Please use this website for reference and don’t forget our Natural Beekeeping Helpline – just pick up the telephone – it has saved the day many times I have been told. We are here to help.
Beekeeping courses
Melanie and I discussed bees when we first met in 2004, our new home stimulating us into a decision to become beekeepers in 2009.
We read as much as we could regarding bee husbandry.
In addition, Melanie attended a six week beekeeping introductory course over the winter, our work commitments and young family not really allowing us to guarantee regular attendance at the recommended 22 week British Beekeeping Association standard bee course.
What Mel experienced and we discovered at our local monthly Bee association meetings is the teachings focus is what I would term as “traditional” Victorian beekeeping methods, manipulation of a National or WBC hive to increase your honey yield. That’s what’s beekeeping is about, well traditionally!
From these readily available standard beekeeping courses you will learn about inventions like frames to determine the bee’s cone sizing, queen excluders and be encouraged to carry out weekly intrusive beehive inspections, marking the queen and even the possibility of clipping her wings. Some of this is definitely questionable!
If you have the time, obviously you’re going to learn a lot from these courses, including about diseases such as the Varroa mite, Also it gives you the opportunity to be informed and allow you to confidently make your own choice as to the methodology of beekeeping you wish to follow.
For those of us inclined towards natural beekeeping you will find excellent training courses run by:
- Phil Chandlet – www.biobees.com
- Heidi Herrmann – www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org
We also have our own Natural Beekeeping courses, focusing on both the Warre beehive and the Top Bar Horizontal beehive.
Please see our course section for more details on availability of one day courses and correspondence / telephone courses.
