Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[frost]

Just finished a 2 day course run by Phil Chandler here in Glenealy Co Wicklow Ireland, at Carraig Dulra organic & permaculture farm (http://www.dulra.org).

It seems to me that there is a growing critical mass of natural beekeepers in Ireland, I know Aoife has a group in Co Donegal, we had a group trained in Biodynamic Beekeeping by Michael Weiler a few years ago, and now the 15 people who attended this weekend's course in Co Wicklow.

I set up www.bees.ie for Irish beekeepers after attending the Biiodynamic beekeeping course a few years ago. There's a small forum area including an area specifically for natural beekeeping:
http://bees.ie/forum/natural-beekeeping

There is also a dedicated area for beekeeping groups and associations, including natural beekeepers here:
http://bees.ie/groups/natural-beekeeping

The site is there to support Irish natural beekeepers to communicate and learn from and share with each other, so if you want more features please post your suggestions there.

Mike Cahn
Carraig Dulra organic & permaculture farm
Co Wicklow, IRELAND

[AnthonyD]

Your site looks good, hopefully it will grow in the coming months after the success of the course.
I had planned to come up for the course with a few others beekeepers (some of us have HTBs and Warres) down here in Kerry but sadly it wasnt possible. I enjoyed listening to Phils podcast of the day though.
I hope some sort of event can be organised in the coming years to facilitate networking and communication between natural beekeepers around Ireland it would be most beneficial for all of us I think - a sort of natural/sustainable/permaculture alternative to Gormanstown summer school. There a rising tide of beekeepers who are beginning to question modern beekeeping methods in Ireland, in no small part due to the economic state of the country and the ridiclous costs involved in modern beekeeping, its pretty much cheaper now for the majority of beekeepers here to buy your honey from a beekeeper than to produce it yourself using modern beekeeping equipment. And thats only the economic side of things, nevermind all of the honey-bee health issues and honey-quality issues.

I myself know of beekeepers like this in Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Clare and Athlone, I can only imagine the real numbers out there. It is definitely necessary to create some sort of network. People are coming from all different sort of beekeeping backgrounds - some with nationals, commericals or langs and who want to keep a TBH or two or some who have transitioned all there colonies to TBHs and some who favour warres over htbhs or vice versa. Im sure if some sort of network can be established we can all learn from eachother. We certainly are not going to get any support from our local associations, as I learned the hard way myself.

If I might make a small suggestion for your site (bees.ie) - it is in real need of graphical improvement and perhaps a more user-friendly interface, but besides that most excellent - will be joining up myself asap.

[biobee]

I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and would be happy to come back to Ireland if invited.

A volunteer in has offered to co-ordinate Friends of the Bees RoI so hopefully that can become a focus for activity. It would be great to see some Bee Friendly Zones appearing on the Emerald Isle!

[AnthonyD]

[biobee]

[frost]

[AnthonyD]

Hi Frost, I think some sort of association should be set up (a bit more formal than what you have on your site if you dont mind me saying) but first obviously a national conference type event (perhaps in a hotel) - guest speakers etc, with a dedicated effort on our own parts to secure as many beekeepers of like mind to attend, some sort of colourful leaflet in the post would be a good idea to start.
Perhaps at such an event, a constitution could be drawn up, a set of goals and aims set down and elected officers appointed (chairperson, secretary, education etc) and perhaps similar meetings set for once or twice a year in some central city/town - not Dublin...lol

But thats obviously just a few ideas. Im sure there are much better ones out there.

Theres obviously a lot of problems with another national association. Fibka obviously have things like insurance cover etc, and that small buckfast association apparently has insurance from some german crowd - weird site if you ever come across it, half the site is in german (the owner/founder is german) you should see the attacks she/he makes on fibka....wow

Anyways I digress, you can PM me for contact details if you like, like I say I know a few beekeepers who might be interested and many more who are interested in starting beekeeping, but in a more sustainable, bee- friendly fashion.

And I suppose it goes without saying that all this has to come from core-group of dedicated people or one very dedicated person, for it to work, so we will have to take it to the next level if we decide to go ahead with it.

[biobee]

Friends of the Bees Ireland will be launched from its RoI base fairly soon and could become a focus if you want it to. We may be able to negotiate insurance using the UK policy as leverage. I will announce more when I know it, but PM me if you want to discuss.

[AnthonyD]

[triscleeire]

Hello Mike,
there is not much happening on your site yet. I have sent out a mailer to members of the Banner Beekeepers in Co Clare to see if there is any interest in the hTBH.
I will mention your website for sure.
Thanks for your efforts and I hope there will be a few likeminded beeks in Ireland soon that can network and help others.
Stiofan

[chook-in-eire]

This spring the Chairman of the Banner Beeks was here to buy some hatching eggs (of chickens!) and by chance beekeeping came up. He offered to do a split from our National (broodbox only) into the Warré, so I think there may be fertile ground alright.
Incidentally he was also quite taken by the brimming health and fat bees of the completely unmanaged colony.

Re Mike's forum: To be quite honest, fora need critical mass and between this forum and the Warré list (and perhaps there are other TBH lists out there?) I wonder is an Irish forum going to gather momentum, especially since there are many UK beeks present here and conditions are so similar and given that it is difficult to achieve critical mass for anything at all on this small isle
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To Bee.

[AnthonyD]

[Cie]

[triscleeire]

We could create a Yahoo group which would allow anyone to email all members and which can be used as a platform to exchange files, pictures, event info, etc.
I am happy to set one up and moderate it. Please anybody interested send me a PM with your email address and I will send an email back with an invitation to that group.

Would Irish Natural Beek be a good name? Any other suggestions?

[AnthonyD]

Sounds good triscleeire!

Irish Natural Beekeepers sounds great, or you could use a derivation of it whatever you like. e.g natural beekeepers of Ireland, natural beekeeping Ireland, Irish Natural beekeeping

Although we might end up branded like that American fellow(although he is self-branded) 'backwards beekeepers Ireland'

Ill pm you later.

[biobee]

May I suggest you cluster around the about-to-be launched Friends of the Bees Ireland? If only because that way I can channel some funding into getting things moving over there.

It would be a community-owned thing, not a centrally-dictated agenda.

You could have a sub-domain of your own on the FotB site and co-ordinate activities from there.

Just a suggestion.

[chook-in-eire]

I think that's a marvellous idea, Phil.
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To Bee.

[triscleeire]

I know it is very short notice but a few likeminded beeks are meeting at Irish Seed Savers in Feakle, East Clare tomorrow, Tuesday August 21st at 6 p.m.
Just in case anybody in the vicinity was interested.
Stiofan

[chook-in-eire]

Thanks Stiofan, can't make it but will be there in spirit. Say 'Hi' please.
Ute
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To Bee.

[biobee]

The plan for Friends of the Bees Ireland did not materialize as hoped, but may yet do so at a different location. TBA

[Beeblebrox]

Ireland is famous for having lots of pure Amm (Black Bee) enthusiasts, which overlaps natural beekeeping principles, so you will probably get a lot of interest. The trick will be, though, not just building numbers but getting people who will do stuff!

About 2/3 of the natural beekeeping groups seem to sputter out eventually, largely because one person is key and they have a lifestyle change (job move, etc) and can no longer do the admin.