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Ian Campbell, Newcastle & District BKA and BBKA Social Media Manager
September is a turning point. It’s a time to slow down after a busy season and an opportunity to take stock and make those final winter preparations. By next month nature is largely in the driving seat!
Pixabay/Larson9236
And relax, well almost…
In honesty, this is a month when there’s a chance to take a well-earned break. Beekeepers don’t holiday much from April to August. If you do get away, then this can mean some rushing around once you’re back.
Honey
Harvest any remaining honey. Do leave the bees enough for themselves though! 20kg is normally recommended. A brood frame weighs about 2.5kg, a super frame about 1kg. Feed if required.
Inspections
Reduce inspection frequency but do check for signs of pests or disease.
Varroa
Have you monitored your Varroa drop? If high, above 10 per day, have you considered a treatment?...
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"My Honeyed Tarte Tartin celebrates the gloriousness of British honey"; Nigella Lawson
Servings: 6 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
750g (approx. 6) Braeburn apples, peeled, quartered and cored 60g unsalted butter, soft and sliced 75g honey 1 pinch fine sea salt 1 ready-rolled disc puff pastry (from a 250g pack), defrosted to pack instructions 2–3 sprigs thyme
Tip: Allow extra time for standing (if you can bear to wait to taste it)!
Method
Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200°C fan/gas 7. You could do this once the apples are cooking, but I like to make sure the oven’s really hot when the Tarte Tatin goes in.
Put the apple...
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In memory of Margaret Johnson – A personal memoir
In April 2024 I attended the funeral of Margaret Johnson.
Margaret was one of the founder members of Meridian, along with her husband Alan. Margaret took up beekeeping when they first moved to Dean, having studied beekeeping at Sparsholt college. She had met Alan at a very young age through their parents as both fathers were in the Naval Corp of Constructors. They reconnected when Margaret was studying Maths at Royal Holloway in the days before most women were awarded their degrees. She told me she always felt comfortable with and valued by Alan and his friends as they did not query her interest in scientific knowledge.
On retirement Alan and Margaret attended Rothamsted Research for 6 weeks (?) studying honeybees. They invested in a beekeeping shed at their home in Dean. Margaret supported Alan in their visions for beekeeping as Meridian was born from Meon Valley Association. Alan became a President of BBKA in 1998 as...
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'Our dear Howard passed away on Tuesday 25th June at home surrounded by family. I know how much he enjoyed his nine years on the Board, meeting so many wonderful and interesting people while lending his expertise to the financial wellbeing of the BBKA. He continued to be a keen beekeeper while his health allowed, still learning but also imparting wisdom to our family, one of whom is taking up where he left off.' Sally Pool
Howard was married with four grown children and it was his granddaughter who re-sparked his interest in beekeeping. He joined the 'Introduction to Beekeeping' course run by the High Wycombe branch of the BBKA in 2013 and kept his own bees from March 2014.
Howard served three terms of office as a BBKA Trustee and Chair of the Finance Committee. He became a Trustee at the January 2015 ADM and in November Chair of the Finance Committee. He worked hard to generate improved reporting, control, simplicity and transparency withi...
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Ocado enlists Nigella Lawson to help create a buzz about Britain's back garden beekeepers
The BBKA has been working with online supermarket Ocado and celebrity cook Nigella Lawson to champion honeys produced by small-scale beekeepers and to discover an outstanding British Honey. Over 60 honey entries were received, which were judged recently by a team of BBKA show judges, with those shortlisted also judged by Nigella. The BBKA Congratulates the winner, Carol Gunn, who produces honey under the ‘Scottish Honey’ label, which stood out for its silky texture and deep, rich floral notes. Many thanks to all who entered and provided such interesting honeys to be judged. Carol Gunn, Winning Beekeeper said: "I am truly delighted and stunned at the same time. To be named as Britain’s finest small scale honey producer following judgement by the honey experts from the BBKA and Nigella Lawson too, is an amazing feeling.” Nigella’s latest Ocado recipe also celebra...
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Ian Campbell, Newcastle & District BKA and BBKA Social Media Manager
A wise phrase goes – there are two beekeeping seasons in the UK: winter and preparing for winter!
The fundamentals
Getting a colony through winter requires the colony to be queenright – ideally with a strong, young queen (some suggest maximum of two years old). The colony should have a large number of bees, plenty of stores and should be healthy. Winter preparation starts about now and here are things to think about.
The National Bee Unit (NBU) leaflet Preparing Honeybee colonies for Winter is well worth a read, although the very last section about opening hives is something I’ve avoided doing. https://tinyurl.com/45w8w7zu
Inspections
Continue while the weather holds, although the frequency can be reduced with many colonies.
Continue to add supers if needed.
Possibly take strong colonies to heather if you have the opportunity. Specific preparat...
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This sweet and crunchy icy treat is just moments of effort away – a perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up or a simple and refreshing end to dinner. The kick from black pepper really complements the juicy watermelon flavour and makes your mouth tingle with a hot and cold combination. Icy flakes are made by regularly ‘fluffing’ the mixture as it freezes, and honey helps to keep the texture light, preventing the granita from freezing too solid.
Servings: Makes enough for 6 Preparation: 15 minutes + 5 hours to freeze
Ingredients
1kg Watermelon flesh 75g Honey 30ml Lime juice ½ tsp Black pepper
Tip: Fresh mint or basil also work well if you don’t fancy the heat of black pepper.
Method
1. Cut the rind from your watermelon and remove as many seeds as you can.
2. Blend the melon, h...
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The International Meeting of Young Beekeepers (IMYB) is an annual competitive and cultural event for teams of three teen Beeks sent by their national beekeeping associations. Last summer the 2023 IMYB was held in the beautiful green fields and forests of rural Slovenia. During the event we heard exciting rumours that there might be a possibility of the 2024 IMYB being held for the first-time outside Europe in the UAE. In March 2024 we got the news that this year’s IMYB would indeed be held in Dubai which looks to be an amazing event.
The UAE as a whole has been planning its transition for years away from its previous reliance on income from oil and gas towards a more sustainable future. This includes massively expanding the agricultural sector to produce locally sourced foodstuffs and so they are also focusing on promoting local pollinators which of course includes bees.
This region has a very long history of beekeeping and honey production using cyli...
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The BBKA recently took the opportunity to join the European Beekeeping Association (EBA).
This will provide a good opportunity for the BBKA to work alongside its counterparts on areas of mutual interest and to evaluate long term participation.
The three primary goals of the European Beekeeping Association are:
The fight against counterfeit honey that has flooded the European market
The fight for the introduction of special subsidies per beehive based on the contribution to the pollination of cultivated and uncultivated plants and the improvement of ecology
The fight against the improper use of pesticides which are toxic to bees
Further details can be found in the EBA brochure or on the EBA website.
The EBA also have an electronic monthly magazine, “NO BEES, NO LIFE”, which is completely free and available to download from the EBA website.
June 2024
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The BBKA are putting on a series of Zoom talks for beekeepers which will also be streamed to YouTube for those unable to watch live.
Next Talk:
'Pests & Diseases' - Tuesday 20th September 2024 at 7pm
This talk will also be streamed to YouTube.
Dates for the Diary - Future Talks:
15th October and 19th November 2024: Pests and Diseases
21st January, 18th February and 18th March 2025: Towards the Basic Assessment
Further details for each talk will be available nearer the time.
Previous Talks:
"Preparing for Winter" with Dave Bonner; Master Beekeeper, Ex Bee Inspector on Tuesday 20th August 2024
YouTube recording available here.
"Food Safety for Beekeepers" with Andy Pedley on Tuesday 18th June 2024
YouTube recording available here Handout links: Andy's handout FSA Food Handler
"Comb Change - the Essentials" with Jane Medwell, Master Beekeeper, on 21st May 2024.
YouTube recording availabl...
