Home Sweet Home

Apiary at Offshoots

Yesterday was the last day of my 6 day weekend beekeeping course, I have enjoyed it thoroughly and learnt so much, not only about bee husbandry, but also a little about botany, meteorology and ecology.  Our final two days tied up the bee calender ending with a group quiz, another chance to ask questions and a certificate I shall hang proudly on my wall.

Offshoots Permaculture Garden

Ignorance and fear of an unknown species and obtaining the right advice had prevented me from embarking on bee keeping, but now I feel confident that I have the basic knowledge at least to realise my ambition.

Back in the first week Dave informed us the basic element of beekeeping to 'respect the bee' - to treat bees as we want to be treated, calmly and with consideration.  If someone came into our house, moved furniture around and messed around with the contents of our home we would not be happy. 



Coincidentally, and you may not believe this, but over the last 3 weeks whilst I've been at work during the week and attending my course at weekends, I think this has happened to my house!

Stove fitted

Whilst I was learning to build and nurture a house of bees, on Saturday John was talking to first time buyers at a new build development in Sabden and then yesterday renovating our own home.  We discovered a few weeks ago that our fireplace was cracked and as it is cast metal and irrepairable we've had to replace it.  I returned from my course to a cute woodburning stove to keep us cosy (not quite at the 35 degree temperature required by a colony of bees) during the winter while we plan the location and menu for our 60,000 new neighbours next June.