As the beekeeping season gets underway once again, the Sherborne Beekeeping Association jumps into action…
by Judy Easdale.

The Sherborne Beekeeping Association (SBKA) is an active branch of the British Beekeeping Association.
We are extremely fortunate to have an apiary site on a cider farm just outside Sherborne, which is wonderful for the bees as it provides shade, sun and protection from most of the wind.
An enthusiastic committee presides over proceedings, consisting of weekly meetings at the apiary during the active summer period, management of three or four colonies of bees over the year, winter talks and an introduction to beekeeping course in the spring.

The management of the bees (who are what we call Dorset Mongrels: bees that have evolved for the conditions in Dorset, mainly of the Buckfast strain) consists of checking their health, trying to mitigate swarming, taking off of some honey at peak times of the year and making sure that the bees have adequate stock of food for winter.

The practice of apiculture is absolutely fascinating, and there are many different ways of doing any one task. It might be confusing at first, but you will adopt your own style of beekeeping, which suits both you and the bees, as you grow in confidence. Our seasonal bee inspector is very approachable. Each year we go on a bee safari with him, visiting a few different apiaries, which is as much a practical learning session as it is a social occasion – there’s tea and cake at the end!
Our bee management sessions are open to any beekeeper that is registered with us and wishes to take part. They are a reassuring reminder of the seasonal beekeeping tasks, as well as a reminder of what to look for in terms of health or disease. This is really important in inspiring confidence in one’s practice.
The SBKA’s beekeepers are keen to collect swarms locally, which our members then rehome. It’s a great way to expand your apiary without spending a fortune!
The winter meetings, AGM and theory sessions for the course are held at Mill Farm, Bradford Abbas. The course consists of six theory sessions and a minimum of three practical sessions. The start date has not been decided yet, but hopefully will be in late April.

Anyone interested should email the membership secretary on sherbornebees@org.uk or call 07719 578209.
Find out more about the club online www.sherbornebees.org.