Beekeeping Beginners Course

Are you interested in keeping bees?

Want to learn

more about

keeping bees?

Would like to attend a course on beekeeping?

The EESG is investigating the level of member interest to gauge if

running a course would be viable to do over the coming winter months

Course will be run by beekeepers 4 beekeepers!

Register your interest by emailing

events@eastessexsmallholders.org.uk

with your

name

address

preferred contact telephone number

email address

and how much you would consider paying for such a course

Swarm of Bees?

Do you have a problem with a swarm of bees?

Does the swarm look like this?

or this.....

need help....

then call your local beekeeper

Chelmsford 2011 Swarm Rota

Monday

Brian Bull

07957 493620

Tuesday

Paul Harris

07812 693961

Wednesday

Richard Alabone

07906 929730

Thursday

Paul Harris

07812 693961

Friday

Ian Grant 

07705 502137

Saturday

John Blanks

07979 708338

Sunday

Caroline Wheeler

07979 708338

for other areas in Essex 

contact the local co-ordiantor for advice

Braintree

Nobby Clarke: 01277 220561

Chelmsford

Jean Smye: 07731856361 Website 

Colchester

Lydia Geddes: 01206 392226 Email

Dengie Hundred & Maldon

Jean Smye: 07731856361 Email

Epping Forest Website 

Harlow

Eric Fenner: 01245 420622  Website  

Romford

Pat Allen: 01708 220897 Email  

Saffron Walden

Jane Ridler: 01279 718111 Email

Southend

Email:Mary Heyes 

Swarm Collection List: Swarms

for all other areas 

go to the 

British Beekeeping Swarm Co-ordinators page

or ring

Swarm Help Line
The BBKA swarm help line is manned Mon - Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm Tel: 07896 75120

HONEY LABELLING

UK HONEY LABELLING RUGULATIONS

Below is some simple advice on honey labelling. For more detailed information - go to the website of the Food Standards Agency.

The Word "HONEY" is required.

The weight must be on the label - and of legal size and 

format

You can specify the area where the honey is produced. For example,

Lincolnshire, Forest of Dean, Scottish Borders.

You can specify the type of honey. For example, Heather, Borage. The honey

must be at least 75% of that particular type.

If you are selling the honey, you must have your name and address on the 

label. It does not need to be complete but you should be able to be found 

from the information.

If you are selling the honey through a 

third party, you must have a lot 

number.

You must have a best before date on 

the jar. Suggest 2-5 years 

from now.

You must have a country of origin  on the jar.  For example - Produce of England, Product of Scotland, Harvested in Wales. 

Adding the country to the end of your address is not acceptable.

young beekeeper checking hive 2010

Honey For Sale

Beekeepers, Glenn and Thaine Mayes 

are pleased to still be able to supply a 

small amount of liquid Gold!

Only £3.50 a jar.  

Get yours now !!!

Contact:

07979 862952

Ulting Honey

Bees are dying in their Millions - what do we do?

Bees are dying in their millions. Martha Kearney, BBC 4, explores this worrying phenomenon.

It is an ecological crisis that threatens to bring global agriculture to a standstill. Introduced by Martha Kearney, this documentary explores the reasons behind the decline of bee colonies across the globe, investigating what might be at the root of this devastation. Honey bees are the number one insect pollinator on the planet, responsible for the production of over 90 crops. Apples, berries, cucumbers, nuts, cabbages and even cotton will struggle to be produced if bee colonies continue to decline at the current rate. Empty hives have been reported from as far afield as Taipei and Tennessee.

In England, the matter has caused beekeepers to march on parliament to call on the government to fund research into what they say is potentially a bigger threat to humanity than the current financial crisis. Investigating the problem from a global perspective, the programme makers travel from the farm belt of California to the flatlands of East Anglia to the outback of Australia. They talk to the beekeepers whose livelihoods are threatened by colony collapse disorder, the scientists entrusted with solving the problem, and the Australian beekeepers who are making a fortune replacing the planet's dying bees. They also look at some of the possible reasons for the declining numbers - is it down to a bee plague, pesticides, malnutrition, or is the answer something even more frightening?

Go to BBC 4 documentary - Bees are dying in their millions to watch this interesting and worrying documentary.

In a contrasting documentary, by the same author, Orlando Clark is an urban beekeeper, he keeps his bees in various locations around the city of London, from Brixton to King's Cross. His bee losses have been no higher in the last few years than they have been in any winter. In fact, last winter was better than ever before. Ironically in the city, there seems to be more and cleaner food for the bees to eat. London and a lot of urban environments are actually quite green, with an abundance of parks and gardens dotted all around. The diversity of the plants you have in the urban environment may help the bees, as there is almost always something in bloom all year round. In the countryside, particularly with modern agricultural practices, you have whole swathes of land supporting just one crop, which may bloom for only 2-3 weeks. The city is probably one of the best locations to keep bees at the moment, as there is plenty of forage for them and they don't have all the problems they have in the countryside with insecticide and pesticides being sprayed on them and their food.

Go to Urban Beekeeping

Also visit Ulting Beez for other information on Bee Keeping

POST YOUR COMMENTS!

Support the Bee Campaign

Sign up at

Bee Plan

To lobby the Government to do more and provide funds for research into Colony Collapse Disorder and why the number of honey bees are declining in the UK.