Growing Honey

Belinda, who recently joined the Food Garden Group, not only grows food the way most of us do, but she also 'grows honey'. When I found that out I invited her to tell us a bit more about her beekeeping activities. Here is the result.

What made you decide to keep bees?
I see beekeeping as an extension to my food garden.  The bees not only provide me with honey but also pollinate my plants and my hive is making a small contribution to maintain our important bee population.  I completed a course with the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association last year and then in April I purchased a hive from one of the older beekeepers who is downsizing.  Now I am attempting to get to know my bees and how to manage them.

The beehive Belinda bought

Do you have a lot of flowering plants on your property or would a beehive be successful in any garden?
It is interesting because having bees makes you see the garden a bit differently.  I try to grow flowers in my garden that I know the bees will enjoy, like Echiums.  I have learnt to appreciate weeds like cape weed as the bees especially like their flowers.   Bees will fly a few kilometres to seek out the best food, so a rough idea of the flowering plants in your area is helpful.  Here in Sandford my bees have access to blue gum, prickly box, cape weed and tea tree.

What tools and equipment do you need and what would the initial outlay be?
Beekeeping requires a significant initial outlay.  However, I figure I will now always be able to produce my own honey and have some to sell and give away.

• I bought my hive from an established beekeeper for about $300.
• You will need personal safety gear as well as some tools to help you construct and maintain a hive: gloves and veil, smoker, hive tool which is used to open and inspect hives, wire for constructing frames, wire embedder for attaching wax foundation to wire.  Altogether these cost around $250.
• When plenty of nectar and pollen are available, the hive must be monitored and made higher so the bees have room to store all the honey they produce.  This is done by adding a layer to the hive called an 'ideal'.  An ideal is a wooden box without top or bottom. The purple layer in the photo above is an ideal.  The materials for ideals come in parts and you need to learn a few basic skills in order to put them together.  An ideal costs around $50.  

Hollander Imports stock a good range of beekeeping needs or you can buy online.  You can purchase an established hive or you can request a swarm from one of the swarm collectors around Hobart, in which case you need to provide them with an empty hive and boxes.

What makes a good beekeeper?
Good beekeepers learn how to manage their hive(s).  This involves developing an understanding of the bees and the queen, checking the hive regularly during times of honey flow and knowing the nectar sources in your area.
When working with the bees you need to be calm and quiet.  Occasionally you will get stung, even through protective gear.  If this bothers you or if you are allergic to bee-stings, beekeeping may not suit you.

A beekeeper checking a frame

Do you need a permit to have a beehive and are beehives only allowed outside urban areas?
Every council has its own rules in regard to keeping bees, so please contact your local council.

• Hobart City Council, for example, allows people to have up to 2 beehives as long as they are located 50 metres or more from any dwelling.  Written permission from the General Manager must be sought. For more info see http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Environment/Animal_Management/Pests

• Glenorchy City Council has different rules that are outlined in Part 7 - Bees of their Animal Management By-Law.
  You can find it here: http://www.gcc.tas.gov.au/content/Licences___Permits.GCC?ActiveID=1173

Other councils don't have the rules regarding keeping bees on their web site.

You can register your hive with the Department of Primary Industry (DPIPWE) for a small fee.  It entitles you to access Forestry sites and a free honey test to check for American Foulbrood, a disease that can potentially infect your hive. This registration is not compulsory in Tasmania.


What is the process from beehive to 'honey in a jar'?
When I did my beekeeping course we extracted honey using an extractor which spins the honey off the frames.  An extractor can be hired from Hollander Imports for a small fee.  I am very new to this and I haven't harvested my own batch of honey yet, so I can't give you more details for now.

Where can people find out more about beekeeping?

• The Southern Beekeepers Association are a group of dedicated beekeepers who are more than happy to share their knowledge with those interested in starting out. The support of this organisation is invaluable. You can join for a small annual fee.  The most valuable benefit of membership for me is access to the bee hotline.  If I have any questions about my hive I am able to call an experienced beekeeper for advice.  A knowledgeable beekeeper is only a phone call away.  The Southern Beekeepers Association holds a free field day every November that runs through the basics of beekeeping.  They also run introductory courses that run over a couple of months.
• Bee Agskills is an excellent book about beekeeping.  It is produced by NSW Government Industry and Investment.  Hollander Imports sells it.
• Here is a good article about beekeeping: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2204613.htm

Many thanks Belinda for introducing us to this fascinating subject!