Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Tamworth’s The Bee Spot was buzzing with activity on June 15 as owner Nadine Rochette hosted several of her peers from the surrounding area.
Some 45 members of the Quinte Beekeepers Association as well as the Limestone Beekeepers Guild met at the Tamworth honey farm for an interactive workshop. Along with sharing industry tips and tricks, the gathering was a chance to learn about mite management, queen rearing, inspecting a hive and how to mark a queen.
“We try within the Beekeeper Association to share those best practices and encourage beekeepers to use some best practices that are supported by the Ontario Beekeeper Association,” said Rochette. “Both of these guilds that were here are really focused on education and specifically the Limestone Beekeepers Association has an amazing mentorship program that gets people into the field every year. The Quinte Beekeeper Association has a very science based approach so it was very good to see both of these approaches being shared and brought together.”
Given the struggles of their industry, apiarists are more than willing to compare notes as they try to navigate the challenges of pesticides, climate change and reduced food sources for bees.
“We feel that we have to congregate to learn from each other and keep getting our survival rates higher,” added Rochette.
A mild winter has made for uncharted territory as such, meaning bee farmers try to find the perfect balance on when to start feeding their livestock. Rochette says she has been studying the tactics of U.S. based farmers are she attempts to find the perfect solution following the early spring.
With over 10 years experience in the beekeeping field, Rochette has expanded the family-run business from a hobby farm to now a full-time business, selling honey and candles to more recently offering farm tours.
The workshop coincided with Pollinator Week Canada, which ran June 17-23. The annual celebration aims to raise awareness of pollinator health and how to protect the creatures that play a crucial role in food production.
Under the inspiring theme ‘Vision 2040: Thriving ecosystems, economies, and agriculture,’ this year’s event urges people to envision a future where pollinators not only survive but thrive. Not just focused on bees, pollinators also include butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, and hummingbirds.