Category: Birmingham Bees

Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens – Bee Heaven

Usually our members are out and about at events talking about how amazing bees are and their importance as pollinators. However, this year has been like no other!

Finally though we got the opportunity to visit the amazingly beautiful baroque gardens at Castle Bromwich. Re-discovered in and brought back to life in the 1980s the gardens are well worth a visit.

Over two weekends Sam, Diana, Jan, Jane and an observation hive of around 3,000 bees visited the 350 year-old garden.  In the late summer sunshine we talked to lots of visitors who were eager to find out more about bees. We enjoyed the ‘afternoon tea in a box’, the amazing apple orchards, enormous pumpkins and marvelled at the bee friendly borders.

A perfect day and we hope to be invited back next year.

National Honey Show 2020 – A New Online Experience!

This year’s National Honey Show, 22nd to 24th October 2020, will be a professional, online conference – the first event of its kind in the UK beekeeping world!
Everyone is welcome to attend the event, free of charge. Registration will go live in early October.

Attendees will be able to attend lectures, demonstrations, visit the trade hall and take part in other exciting activities. Planning for the virtual conference is evolving so visit the National Honey Show website and Facebook page for more news as content is added to the show over the coming weeks.

The show will feature a series of lectures and demonstrations, followed by live online Q&A sessions, with the opportunity to ask questions via the ‘chat’ facility.

Live Lectures:
Michael Palmer, A year at French Hill Apiaries
Etienne Bruneau, The honey market in turmoil
Jeff Pettis, Long live the queen, please! Why are queens failing?
Live Demonstrations:
Gwyn Marsh, Making Beeswax Wraps
Chris Park, Skep Making
Sara Robb, Making Beeswax Soap
John Goodwin, Showing Honey
Evening events will be hosted on Thursday by The Central Association of Bee-Keepers, with a live lecture by Medhat Nasr from the Canadian Prairies; and on Friday, Bees for Development welcome you to their live online Quiz evening.
Trade Hall:
All your favourite traders will be represented in the Trade Hall, where you will be able to keep in touch with their latest offerings.
We know the lack of a physical Show will be disappointing, as it is for us all, but we hope to offer an exciting armchair event, where the National Honey Show Community can come together online.