Our association apiary has continued to develop steadily over the past year, though not without its fair share of challenges and triumphs along the way. Last year, we set a budget to fund essential groundwork and purchase new equipment, and those investments have certainly paid off. However, as the site grows in activity and purpose, we will need to agree on a further budget for the coming year. Both Ivor and I have once again had to loan equipment to keep everything running smoothly, so expanding our own stock remains a clear priority.
The bees certainly kept us on our toes this season. The sudden and sometimes intense honey flows brought a unique set of challenges – chief among them, managing space and ensuring colonies had enough room. Ivor and I seemed to spend half the summer extracting honey just to stay ahead of them! Still, the effort was well worth it; we ended the season with a very healthy surplus of honey.
Not everything went to plan, of course. Like many beekeepers this year, we encountered several queen problems, including drone layers and queen losses, which required additional work and close monitoring.
I want to take this opportunity to extend a very big thank you to Ivor, whose dedication, knowledge, and sheer hard work have been invaluable. His commitment to the apiary has been extraordinary, and without his expertise, we simply wouldn’t have such a thriving and productive setup.
The apiary has continued to serve as a key training and assessment site throughout the season. Alongside its role in supporting our beginners’ sessions, it has also hosted official bee assessments:
- 15 July: Bee Health Assessments (for candidates from Barnsley)
- 27 July: Basic Assessments
It’s been rewarding to see the apiary used in this way, reinforcing our association’s contribution to education and good practice across the region.
On the honey sales front, our apiary honey has done extremely well. We sold at both of the key events mentioned earlier, and I’ve continued to supply CHATs throughout the season. The Brigg has kindly sold honey on our behalf, and I’ve also supplied some to council staff working in Thornes Park, with a few small donations made to partners associated with the site.
I’d also like to give special thanks to several members whose help has been instrumental:
- Jon Newell, one of our newer members, who took the association extractor home and kindly processed a couple of supers for us.
- Jo and Bracken, who bottled a large quantity of honey for the Emley Show – some of which is still selling well.
- Gerard Moore and Deborah Minshall, who have also sold association honey and helped keep everything moving.
It’s been a demanding season but a highly productive one, and the teamwork, commitment, and enthusiasm shown by everyone involved continue to make our apiary a true credit to the association.