Beekeeping
Bees are crucial members of our ecovillage. The Bee Team currently manage six hives, which are sited in the garden. We have four Langstrath hives, which are the more familiar boxy hives, and two top bar hives. Top bar beekeeping replicates the conditions of the wild hive, where the primary purpose is the health of the honeybees rather than honey production. Proponents of the top bar style of hive believe this method encourages healthy and strong bees. Some characteristics of top bar hives:
- use captured wild bee swarms rather than commercially purchased bees.
- allow bees to draw out their own honeycomb rather than fitting it onto a square foundation
- bees are minimally disturbed and never smoked.
- no use of chemicals or medications since the conditions in the hive allow the honeybees to fend off disease and pests themselves.
- bees depend entirely upon their own honey stores to overwinter
- a window into the hive encourages more observation as well as less disruption of the hive by the beekeeper.
Beekeeping