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Honey makes the world go round
The plight of the honey bee is becoming well known, but what can we do about it? If you fancy taking up beekeeping, but have no idea how to go about it, Saga Holidays' new 'Beekeeping for Beginners' experience could be for you
Few creatures in the world are as useful to humans as bees – 25% of all food we eat depends on the humble honeybee. But they are in trouble and honey production has dropped by 50% this year. Dwindling supplies have meant prices have rocketed to dizzying heights. For those who think it makes no difference to them? Bees bumbling along and buzzing from flower to flower perform a free and very valuable service for the economy.
So we've come up with plans for spring 2009 to help the nation out of a potential crisis - a 'Beekeeping for Beginners' experience.
In Britain, home-produced honey will soon be a luxury. If nothing is done and things don't change, there will be no British honey bees within 10 years.
Saga Holidays, in association with Warner Leisure Hotels have designed three week-long courses, hosted by expert apiarist Rosemary Proud, to introduce customers to this hobby. It’s time to make a beeline for Littlecote House in Berkshire to learn the art of beekeeping and honey harvesting while also playing a vital role in caring for the environment.
The ‘Beekeeping for Beginners’ Experience, will show you the basics of beekeeping. This includes the construction of a hive and selecting a queen. The course gives an insight into beeswax and candle making. Honey, wax and other useful products such as pollen and royal jelly are extracted from the hive during the course and customers can learn in detail how to deal with a swarm. There are demonstrations of honey extraction through to ‘jarring’ of the honey, including tastings of different types of honey.
Current early-bird booking prices offer 7 nights for the price of 5 from £406 per person, including a full English breakfast and three-course dinner, entertainment, sports and leisure facilities, and bee-keeping activities. Prices are based on two people sharing a twin or double room.
But more than that – since bees have helped nurture much of the food we eat; a crisis in the bee population could sooner or later be a crisis for the rest of us, so save a bee, enjoy a holiday and have an extra bit of sweetness in life.
For further details please call 0800 072 3418 - or click here
- Terry Walton's allotment blog: the plight of the humble bee
- The Plight of the Honey Bee - read Saga Magazine's in-depth feature
- Garden wildlife - all creatures great and small
- Creature comforts: encouraging biodiversity in your garden
- Join the debate about honey bees at Saga Zone
- Chat about the environment here
