Beekeeping services

Pollination

Our bees are available to hire for pollination of any crop, however we try to avoid particular circumstances which we feel will harm the bees.  We also stay within a reasonable distance of home as it doesn't make sense for us all to be driving here and there when we can probably recommend someone close to you that can help.  

Colonies are available for special projects in gardens or parkland and for vegetables and top fruit.  A charge is made depending on the size of the job and the distance from our home base.  Any honey that is surplus to the bees needs is extracted and can be available for purchase if stock allows.  More often than not, yields from pollination are disappointing and it is important to have realistic expectations going into a project; every year and site is different.

Bees for bees sake

Colonies of bees are bred for sale in the late spring going into the summer months.  AI Queens will be available dependant on the surplus after our own demands for replacements.  

Bees are available

• In a nucleus of 5 frames in a transport box headed by a fresh laying queen.  With a frame of stores.
• As a complete colony with a laying queen in a 11/12 frame hive with a ventilated floor, national brood box, crown board and roof.  Usually these will be inhabited by more bees of a greater mixture of ages, more honey and pollen stores to see them by. A complete colony is easier to get started with, just requiring a suitable site and simply opening up on arrival to get started.
• Queen bees.  Laying or virgin queens for installing in your own hive or starting new colonies from spits.  We won't post bees to you but if you are able to collect them then we can help.

Being a small outfit makes us flexible, more often than not we are able to accommodate special requests.  Maybe you already have a hive and can drop it off to us to fill with bees or maybe you need a little help deciding if bees are for you before you commit.  We can work something out just drop us a line.  

Keeper support

Got a colony, not too sure what to do next? Maybe you're thinking about getting one and you don't know if you'll get along?  A starter day or one-to-one mentoring might help.  Again we are flexible and can offer a place on one of our basic introduction sessions to suit you and the time you have available.

If you are planning on buying a colony from us why not take a package to include instruction on hive assembly, apiary site selection, basic handling and husbandry and then take home a complete colony and the basics to get you going confidently.

Bee CSA.... hive shares, adopt a hive and more

"Bee CSA, what are you on about?" I know, sorry!

CSA stands for community supported agriculture.  It's a way of each of us helping one another out.  For example; maybe you really fancy keeping bees but don't have anywhere to do it or maybe you don't have the time.  Well we have both of those things and would be happy to share with you - for a one off or monthly fee.  It's a model of farming that helps small business' out and links producers with people who are interested in what is going on.   

In a hive share model four shares are made of each hive.  The parties involved get allocated a hive and told its location.  At a time which is convenient to as many as is possible in the group and if the weather is kind we will all don bee suits and delve into the world of apis melifera.  Without causing unnecessary stress to the bees we will go through your hive and discuss beekeeping and all who are interested can handle a frame of bees and get up close to these fascinating insects.  Just this alone is enough to fill a morning or afternoon of questions and often lively discussion.  This way a simple meal is usually involved to foster conversation and give everyone more time to ask questions and get to know one another.  The hive share also comes with four pots of honey from the same apiary.   A hive share is a wonderful way to learn about bees as an individual or a family in a very relaxed atmosphere.  Hive notes from your colony will be uploaded on our CSA area of the website so you can stay abreast of how the season is progressing and hopefully get a feel for beekeeping and a better connection with the seasons and the environment.

If you'd rather not handle the bees but wouldn't mind coming out to meet us have a cuppa and enjoy the site, do a honey tasting, learn about bees, take home some honey and stay connected via the hive notes from your colony, then maybe adopting a hive would be better for you?  Again, it's a great way to connect with the cycles around you and feel a part of something that might have interested you for quite a while but you didn't know what to do next.  Maybe it will be the gateway to keeping your own bees or joining in the hive share later on.

Corporate bees! "Is that even a thing?". Can be, depends on you!  You may have heard of businesses keeping a hive on the roof or in their grounds, well this is similar but different.

Are you a company who would like your own bees but don't have the skills or space to do so?  Maybe we have something for you then.  We house the bees in one of our apiaries, you fund it and enjoy it much as you would in the usual business/ beekeeping interface.  Basically you can talk about them with your customers and know that you are helping to support pollinators, whose numbers are sadly in decline.  As well as this, on a day which is mutually agreeable bring along any staff who are keen and we can acquaint you and the bees.  Then if there is surplus honey to harvest we will pull it, extract it and jar it up for you to collect.  If you are interested in the wax, this will be available but not on a yearly basis.  

Backyard bees.  In certain circumstances and within a reasonable travelling distance for a negotiable fee we are able to locate bees in your own garden.  The bees and their output remains our property but you get to enjoy having bees in your garden, to observe and to pollinate your garden or veg patch.  We do all the work, inspect them and feed them for winter and if surplus honey is available we will harvest it and make it available to you at special rates as one of our backyard beeks.