"Not just a different beehive, but a whole new way
of looking at beekeeping"
Don't miss this practical and inspiring talk by Phil Chandler. Phil is the Barefoot Beekeper, author of several books including "Learning from Bees", and the talk will be an introduction to natural beekeeping – a method which is "sustainable, as natural as possible, requires no heavy lifting, has very low costs, uses no synthetic chemicals, is easy to learn and is healthy for bees and for us".
"I started keeping bees in conventional hives, and learned about boxes and frames and foundation, and how to treat bees for mites and diseases, and how to use this and that shiny, stainless steel gadget, all the while thinking that this didn't seem like the best way to be looking after a creature as wild and free as the honeybee.
My search for simplicity led me towards the top bar hive, and I set about building one. It worked - more or less - and I could see that it needed some improvements. After years of trial-and-error experiments, I settled on a design that seemed to work consistently, and have since continued to develop a working method that is bee-friendly as well as being practical and sustainable."
You'll find lots of information on Phil's website: www.biobees.com.
Our food security is heavily dependent on bees and other pollinating insects, and as their populations are in catastrophic decline, we need more natural bee-keepers! Come and get the bug - or hear what the buzz is about!
Free, though donations to cover costs welcome.
Tuesday June 25th, 7.30pm - Methodist Church
Transition Town Totnes 