By Ian Mackley About 25 members spent a congenial afternoon tasting honey on a cold afternoon in December 2023. It was great fun. Thanks to the generosity (and possibly smuggling skills!) of Member donors, we… More
Integrated Pest Management by Graham Torrie
Thursday, 8 December 2022 at 7pm – Kinellar Hall, Fintray Rd, Blackburn, Aberdeen
Vital information for the wellbeing of your overwintering colonies and their ongoing health, and your honey harvest!
ADBKA Annual Convention 2022
5 November 2022
09:30 – 16:30
TECA Hilton Hotel, East Burn Road, Stoneywood, Aberdeen AB21 9FX
Booking: Eventbrite
A fascinating day is in prospect at this year’s members’ convention. The UK’s largest bee farmer, Murray McGregor, will talk about his life in beekeeping, and will highlight some of the differences in approach between hobbyists and professionals. Many members have previously visited Murray at his base in Coupar Angus or at one of his out-apiaries, and others have improved their stocks by purchasing “Jolanta’s queens”. Our second speaker is well known local beekeeper, Stephen Palmer, who will talk about the challenges of beekeeping in Aberdeenshire’s ‘arable desert’, and also about some of the special equipment that he has found useful in his 40 years’ practice of the craft. The day will be rounded off with a panel discussion, a quiz and a prize draw – the full programme will be available shortly. This is an opportunity to get together and discuss beekeeping with like-minded friends and experts in comfortable surroundings – the event will take place from 09:30 till 16:30 at the TECA Hilton hotel which is located beside the new P&J Live Conference Centre in Dyce. The Convention will cost £30 to attend. This rate is being subsidised by the Association, and includes lunch, refreshments throughout the day, and parking. It would help the committee if those wishing to attend could book early, so that numbers can be managed. To book your place please use this link to the Eventbrite system.
Honey, please don’t go
HONEY, PLEASE DON’T GO
In the beautiful opening passage of his epic poem The Song of Hiawatha, HW Longfellow has his subject waiting, watching from the doorway of his wigwam:
Continue reading “Honey, please don’t go”All the air was full of freshness, All the earth was bright and joyous, And before him, through the sunshine, Westward toward the neighboring forest, Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo, Passed the bees, the honey-makers, Burning, singing in the sunshine.
Ian Forbes and John Beedie Memorial Library
We are very pleased to be able to offer our members the opportunity to borrow a wide range of books on bees and beekeeping free of charge. Our library collection is approaching 200 titles, dating back as far as 1912. We also hold many up-to-date publications. Whether you’re studying for your beekeeping examinations or just seeking more information on our shared passion, there’s sure to be something here to meet your needs. Members can view the catalogue by following the link from the Members’ Index Page.
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2021 Convention
What a great day we had at our annual beekeeping convention, held on 6 November at the Aberdeen Airport Dyce Hotel. We were privileged to hear from two experts in their respective fields: Lead Bee Inspector for Scotland, Luis Molero, and BBKA Master Beekeeper, Graham Royle.
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2021 Honey Show
On the 9th of October, after a two-year hiatus, Aberdeen and District Beekeepers Association’s annual honey show came back with a bang. Having had to cancel last year’s show due to Covid restrictions, it was great to see our members gather again in a celebration of beekeeping and the products of the hive, after what has been for many of us a bumper season.
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Visit to Murray McGregor’s queen-rearing apiary
Every year Murray McGregor invites members of ADBKA to visit his queen-rearing apiary in Blairgowrie. This year, due to some Covid restrictions, only thirty lucky visitors were allowed to come. Most of us know Murray and his colleague, Jolanta, who is the “Chief” of the “queen-rearing factory”. This year we were pleased to also meet Murray’s daughter Linnet.
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2020 Review
We will probably look back at 2020 as one of the strangest years anyone can remember. It affected all our lives – for some more profoundly than for others.
As the world started to wake up to the emerging Covid pandemic, Association activities in the first couple of months of 2020 proceeded as usual with a demonstration and a talk. We held a normal AGM, but national lockdown restrictions were imposed shortly thereafter and the annual beginners’ course was suspended half way through. Meetings for the foreseeable future were reluctantly cancelled. The Apiary and its bees were maintained, but member visits were not possible.
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Ode to the Beekeepers
See Ode to the Beekeepers here.
January 21st saw the premiere of a new film about beekeeping in the North East called ‘Ode to the Beekeepers’. Unfortunately, there could be no red carpet or champagne, because to comply with social distancing requirements the event was held online.
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Jamie Evans
Meet the ADBKA Committee Members
I have been keeping bees since 2017. A few years prior to that I picked up a book on them at a friend’s house and was so fascinated I had no choice but to attend the winter lecture series and then get a few bees for myself. Since then it has got completely out of control with more than ten hives, and I’m not sure what I did with my time before bees.
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