Help protect the planet with a beekeeping Class at Croan Cottages, Kilkenny

For as long as I can remember I have been very, very busy! My days are just packed with things I need to do, never ending lists and demands for my time. That is why, Beekeeping is such an excellent hobby for me.
It’s not that it’s easy (it’s not) or that it doesn’t require much time (it does) it’s because, while I am with the bees, I am forced to concentrate only on them. Focussing on just the task at hand is a rare luxury these days when even watching TV is often done with an eye on a second screen.
A hive of bees is a fascinating place. It’s a strictly matriarchal community with one Queen who sets the tone, thousands of female workers, each with a task to do and, for a few weeks every summer, there are a few males whose only task in life is to find a young Queen and mate with her.
For millions of years Bees have managed to thrive without our help but once we developed a taste for their Honey, we began to keep them in a way that made it easier for us to harvest it. These days, Honeybees and other pollinators need our help as their numbers plummet.
The reasons for the decline are pretty straight-forward. Humans have removed the plants that these insects live on, lay eggs on and eat. When we remove habitat and food, the creatures that rely on them die out.
So how can we help? The easiest way is to provide more food for the bees and that means flowers! You don’t have to plant vast beds of exotic flowers, simply let the ones that are already here grow by cutting your lawn less often. You’ll be amazed what will pop up when you stop cutting the grass.
If you would like a more hands-on approach to helping the Honeybee and maybe getting a little Honey for your efforts, you could try Beekeeping. To start out I’d recommend doing an introductory course that includes some time at the hives and joining a club to get advice and some help. The mid-Kilkenny Beekeepers meet on the first Wednesday of every month in Lavistown House at 8pm.
Francis Nesbitt is the owner of Croan Cottages, near Dunnamaggin where he runs a variety of Cookery and Lifestyle Courses. An Introduction to Beekeeping Class will take place at Croan on the 27th of July. Details on www.CroanCottages.com