Conwy Beekeepers – Gwenynwyr Conwy

Our summer season of apiary meetings at Tal y Cafn ended yesterday.  Many thanks to Apiary Manager Chris Clarke and the team of instructors. Thank you to everybody who attended the sessions, all of them keen to become better beekeepers.

The Henfaes basic beekeeping evening course, which is filling up quickly, starts on Tuesday 11th September. See www.beeswales.co.uk to book a place.

Thursday 13th September—Conwy Honey Fair

Thirteen honey stalls booked so far, more are welcome.  Over 50 stalls booked altogether.  See our stallholder page if you are a producer or our visitor page if you would like to visit.

AARGH…I’ve been stung! It got me on the…

Thursday 25th September—Stings and anaphylaxis

A talk by Dr. Steve Kelly at Craig y Don Community Centre.

Enjoy your beekeeping.
Peter McFadden

Skep making workshop

Saturday’s Skep making Workshop at Capel Curig was greatly oversubscribed. Over 50 people applied for the 15 places. We learned about the different types of skeps and the best straw to use, and we spent the day quietly engrossed in converting a large pile of straw into various useful skeps.

Many thanks to Martin Buckle who led the workshop, and to the Snowdonia Society Ty Hyll Honeybee Initiative, which works with the National Beekeeping Centre Wales to promote honeybees and beekeeping. The Skep Workshop was generously funded by the Countryside Council for Wales. Click here and scroll right down to see more pictures of the Skep Workshop. We hope to organize another skep workshop next year.

Saturday 1st September—Apiary meeting

Tal y Cafn at 2.30pm
Our last meeting of the summer. Treating the bees with Apiguard. Contact Chris Clarke for supplies of Apiguard.

Queens and nucs

Mated queens and end of season nucs for sale Please email Peter McFadden for contact details.

More apiary sessions

Apiary sessions at Furnace Farm, Tal y Cafn will run regularly through September, weather permitting. See the Bees Wales Facebook page. More volunteers are wanted at NBCW, in the Visitor Centre or as Apiary Makers. Contact lucy@beeswales.co.uk or just call in at Furnace Farm.

National Beekeeping Centre for Wales evening classes for beginners start on 11th September 2012 at Henfaes Abergwyngregyn. See this Beekeeping for Beginners poster for more details.

Hallo bee people,

Saturday 18th August—Skep making workshop

Capel Curig Community Centre

Martin Buckle in his copy of a beekeeper’s clothing from a Breughel painting.

A full-day event led by Martin Buckle and funded by Countryside Council for Wales, as part of Snowdonia Society Ty Hyll honeybee initiative. Take home your own skep. No charge for the workshop, small charge for optional lunch.

Note: Places are limited, and will fill up quickly. Please contact David Archer to book your place and lunch. Ty Hyll honeybee centre and Pot Mel tearoom near Capel Curig are open Tuesday to Sunday, 10.30am to 5pm.

See websites:

• Capel Curig Community Centre
• Snowdonia Society

Wednesday 25th July—Farmers’ Market

Conwy RSPB 9am to 1pm.

Saturday 28th July—Car Boot Sale

Tal y Bont Playing Field, Conwy Valley starts at 1pm. The best in the Conwy Valley.

Saturday 4th August—Apiary meeting

Tal y Cafn Apiguard available, contact Chris to place your order.

Beekeeping for beginners Winter course starts at Henfaes on 11th September, booking now. See www.beeswales.co.uk for details and booking form.

Enjoy the sunshine.
Peter McFadden

The Welsh Honeybee Centre at Ty Hyll (The Ugly House) near Capel Curig was opened today by Iolo Williams.

See details http://www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/news.php?n_id=296

The Centre consists of…

• Pot Mel tearoom downstairs.  Highly recommended.
• Exhibition on Bees and beekeeping upstairs.
• One acre wildlife garden planted with bee-friendly plants.
• Composting toilet.
• Next year…Queen mating hives in the 4-acre woodland.

The Centre has been set up by the Snowdonia Society, with the support of the National Beekeeping Centre Wales and members of Conwy BKA, and is well worth a visit.

Hallo beekeepers,

Prince of Wales at Bodnant Welsh Food

A great day at the opening of Bodnant Welsh Food and the National Beekeeping Centre Wales Visitor Centre at Furnace Farm near Tal y Cafn.

You really must visit Furnace Farm. It’s a superb conversion of near-derelict 18th century farm buildings. It has a reasonably-priced farm shop, large tea room, restaurant, cookery school, butchery, and a dairy making ice cream and cheese, using milk from cows less than a mile away.

National Beekeeping Centre for Wales – Exhibition

The Beekeeping Visitor Centre occupies one corner of the courtyard. The new hive site down in Apiary Lane (See separate email for pics) has a video link from a hive entrance to a large screen in the beekeeping centre. You can clearly see the bees bringing in different colour pollen, with no risk of getting stung. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see bees fanning the entrance one sunny day. A great educational tool.

National Beekeeping Centre for Wales – Apiary

Apiary visits for the public coming soon. The surrounding site will be planted up with bee-friendly plants.

Furnace Farm is open seven days, free entry. See www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk.

Enjoy your visit!

Peter McFadden

Saturday 7th July—Apiary meeting

Tal y Cafn at 2.30pmPreparing for the main honey flow, and mid/late summer inspections.

Saturday 8th July—Moelyci open day

Moelyci Farm, Tregarth, from midday.

Tuesday 10th July—National Beekeeping Centre Wales opens

Furnace Farm, Bodnant
Bodnant Welsh Food / National Beekeeping Centre Wales visitor centre opens to the public, with over 40 new jobs straight away. See Bodnant Welsh Food Centre and National Beekeeping Centre for Wales.

Wednesday 11th July—Farmers’ Market

Conwy Quay, 9am to 1pm

Barry Griffiths took these pictures of yesterday’s very useful Disease Recognition Workshop at Henfaes. Many thanks to RBI Frank Gellatly, and SBI’s Jonathan Garratt and Peter Haywood.

Wednesday 13th June—Farmers’ Market

Conwy Quay, 9am to 2pm.

Saturday 16th June–Beekeeping Taster Day

Rowen and Tal y Cafn. A few spaces still available. See here for details

Saturday 7th July—Apiary meeting

Tal y Cafn at 2.30pm. Open to all members, not just new beekeepers. New hives, six colonies, small groups with three or four instructors, a hands-on experience for all.

Basic Beekeeping for Beginners winter evening course

Henfaes. Season seven starts in September, now booking. Highly recommended. See www.beeswales.co.uk.

Out-Apiary site available

We’ve been offered space for beehives in a field between Betws y Coed and Capel Garmon, 650 ft. ASL, drive-in access to field, good shelter, gentle slope, no public rights of way, just a few sheep in the field. Please contact the secretary if you are interested in using this site.

Much rain

I recorded 42mm of rain near Rowen on Friday, and member Jenny Buels recorded 84mm at Nant Gwynant, the highest one-day rainfall there in eleven years. Can you beat these figures?

Peter McFadden

Saturday 2nd June—Jubilee Apiary meeting

Tal y Cafn at 2.30pm
Checking for queen cells (they’re sure to be there) and making a nuc. Contact Chris Clarke for frames and foundation Tel: 01745 832812.
Please note that dress code at apiary meetings is clean beesuit, clean gloves, clean wellies.

Sunday 10th June—Bee Diseases Recognition Workshop

Henfaes, near Abergwyngregyn, 10am to 1pm
With Frank Gellatly, RBI for Wales. Free of charge. Spaces still available. This is your one-off chance (we hope) to see AFB and EFB in the flesh.
Are you serious about beekeeping and your bees’ welfare? If so, why miss it? See attached details.

Saturday 16th June—Beekeeping Taster Day

Rowen Memorial Hall and Tal y Cafn
See this page for details and booking form.

Nucleus hives for hire

We have 15 new 6-frame nuc hives from Yorkshire Beehives for hire to members @ £10 each for the summer, plus £25 cash deposit. The deposit is returnable if the hive is returned clean and in good condition by 1st September. Collect from Rowen, maximum two per person.

Buying and selling nucs

Do you want to order a local nuc or raise nucs for sale? Please contact Mike Kyle, Nuc Coordinator More details are on our buying and selling nucs of bees page.

Getting stung

See this page by new beekeeper Barry Griffiths for some bright insights!

We’d welcome your contributions to the website: Articles, pictures, honey recipes, anecdotes, tips and hints etc.

Enjoy the lovely weather and enjoy your beekeeping!

Peter McFadden

Tuesday 24th April—Getting the best from your bees

Craig y Don Community Centre
A talk by Jonathan Garratt our Seasonal Bee Inspector, at Craig y Don Community Centre. Welcome tea and coffee from 7.20pm. Talk starts at 7.40pm.

So, your bees have come through the winter and they are building up well.  What steps should we be taking now to increase the chances of a bumper honey harvest?  Come to the talk and find out, or stay at home and be happy with half-filled supers.

Plus… an update on Exotic Pests—Asian Hornets and Small hive beetle.

See here for directions.

This talk replaces one by Frank Gellatly, RBI for Wales, who will now be visiting us in June.

Asian Hornets

Click here to see FERA’s Action Plan for dealing with Asian Hornets. This link provides masses of information.  Asian Hornets are expected to arrive in the UK within the next two years. Be prepared!

Saturday 5th May—Apiary meeting

Tal y Cafn at 2.30pm.

Coming soon—Sycamore honey.

Be in time with your supers.  Sycamore is the best honey for drawing out supers of new foundation.

Contact Chris Clarke for supplies of frames and foundation, or if you wish to move hives to the oil seed rape at Bodelwyddan, now in flower.

Enjoy your beekeeping!

Peter McFadden