Do you have a space on a piece of land/garden and want to contribute to the environment and help your local beekeeping association? We have a lot of new members and we are always glad to welcome more, as a result some of our members may struggle to find some one kind enough to offer them an area suitable to keep bees on.
What happens if I offer a piece of land? We will advertise your offer to association members only via our newsletter and by email. If you provide your contact details, we can then leave members to get in contact with you.
How often does a beekeeper need to visit? This varies depending on the month, during the winter a visit would typically be 5-10 mins just to check the hive is secure. During the spring and summer approx 30 mins per hive per week.
What do I need to provide? Most beekeepers are looking for an area of land which has close access by car and is secluded from the houses and public walk ways. The surrounding flora is not of concern as bees fly up to three miles and will visit hundreds of local plants and flowers. If you are in doubt about the site, let us know and we can take a look. Even if the site needs a little weeding to get access, we can deal with that.
What do I get out it? Well, you help the environment as bees are valuable pollinators for local plants. You may also wish to negotiate a rent amount but a typical agreement would be one to two jars of honey per hive per year. Plus a chance to learn more and even take a look inside a hive as most beekeepers would be very happy to explain what is happening.
What if the bees cause a problem? Within our association are many experienced Beekeepers and most problems can be resolved quickly, but if you are unhappy at any time we will remove the hives.
What about insurance? Membership of FDBKA includes a subscription to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) and this includes insurance. All of our members have this insurance and so all parties would be covered.
So if you have a large, medium or small area you think may be suitable please feel free to let us know and we will be very glad to pass on your offer.
