Hello Everyone,
My name is Paula Little. I am the Acting Chairperson at Fareham and District Beekeepers Association (FDBKA)
I considered I might want to keep bees when I was going out with my first boyfriend, way back in the day when flared trousers were a new thing. His dad kept bees. Everything about that glorious summer, first love, sunny days and happy memories blended into the idea of keeping bees.
Life has a sneaky way of getting in the way of dreams. It wasn't until 2005, when flares now called bootlegs, I actually began having fun with bees. Started out as a member of the New Forest Beekeepers Association before joining FDBKA in 2007/8.
My first set of equipment was gifted to me by my sister's sister in law, whom I had known since I was six years old. The thing I had never known was that she kept bees, until I told her that I was doing a beginner course, fifty years later!! She had spent a lifetime bee-keeping but was now giving up, so her veils, suit, honey buckets and extractor all came my way... Are all bee-keepers "good folks" or just the ones I've met?!
I love making things. The crafts associated with bee-keeping hold almost as much fascination as the bees themselves. I am an avid maker of mead. I enjoy being part of the Bees and Honey Weekend at Manor Farm where I provide a range of meads to allow the visitors to taste mead. I have run courses on mead making with my own Association, but I'm not sure I'll do it again! One of my students won first prize!!!! I make beeswax candles and flatter myself as it was part of the inspiration for my great nephew's to start up a candle business.. I'd love to say I make my my own skeps but have to admit my first attempt remains only half done over many years and it's hanging from the garage roof to keep it away from the mice... so I use a cardboard box to collect swarms.
Anyway, you can see over the years, I have derived a great deal of interest, pleasure and many good friends through bee-keeping. I accepted my nomination as Chair of FDBKA as I am grateful for the opportunity to support the hobby I love.
Paula
Fareham and District Beekeepers Association
In spring and summer we used to hold apiary meetings at different apiaries and held indoor meetings in autumn and winter in Stubbington, when we had special guest speakers on all different bee related topics. Since the Covit19 restrictions we temporarily stopped these meetings and we now organise monthly virtual talks on Zoom. The details of these can be found on our Events Page.
We are a
predominantly urban group of bee keepers numbering over 100 Registered, Partner and
Country members and now in our 102nd year. We are affiliated to Hampshire
Bee Keepers Association (HBA) and the British Bee Keepers Association (BBKA).
In spring and summer we used to hold apiary meetings at different apiaries and held indoor meetings in autumn and winter in Stubbington, when we had special guest speakers on all different bee related topics. Since the Covit19 restrictions we temporarily stopped these meetings and we now organise monthly virtual talks on Zoom. The details of these can be found on our Events Page.
We
also run a
training and educational apiary at Manor Farm, Bursledon, where we have
held Bees and Honey weekends for the last few years which has been a
fantastic
weekend for us and the general public.
We openly
welcome and encourage 'newcomers' to join us. We are more than happy to
invite members of the public along who may have a fear of bees or people who
really would like to know a little more about bees and bee keeping to one of
our Summer apiary meetings. We will loan you a bee suit and gloves (limited
numbers depending on the meeting) if you wish to know more please email the
secretary using the contact link, or look at the Membership page. Please visit the Education page if you are interested in taking up beekeeping.
Don't forget FDBKA members can borrow the following equipment via our equipment organiser Jamie Leeper. Ring Jamie on 07989745884.
1 x 4 Frame tangential manual honey extractor which is able to take up to 4 x 14x12/commercial brood frame or 8 super frames.
1 x 3 Frame tangential manual honey extractor which is able to take up to 3 x 14x12/commercial brood frames or 6 super frames.
