Dear Kennet Beekeeper,
The summer seems to have flown by and we are now almost into September. I am sending this a few days early to remind you all, if you need reminding, that the Wiltshire Bee Health Day is this Saturday (1st Sept) from 10.00 am at Bromham Social Centre, New Road, Bromham, SN15 2JB. Do try and come to this as I know every beekeeper will find the day interesting and very informative. All you need is a pen and paper to take notes and your picnic lunch – It is FREE to you all. I will be there in my role as your Bee Inspector and giving one of the talks. We also have one of the country’s experts on Asian hornet, and I also have some nasty diseased combs for you all to look at!
We are nearing our own Association Honey Show and AGM on Friday 5th October so now is the time to get your honey ready. Not only that but the day after 6th October we have the County Honey Show. Go on, put something in and be best of both shows!
At out AGM on 5th October we have to elect the new officers or reelect the present officers for the KBKA committee. I have heard that our marvellous secretary, John Barber, is sadly going to be standing down. This is one of the most important roles in the Association and I ask you all to think if you could take on this major role for KBKA. It would be great to hear from you if you feel you can be our new secretary.
Our first Autumn talk is from one of our members, Mark Fife, on “The science behind understanding bee disease and behaviour“. If you want to really know what Mark does, go to https://www.pirbright.ac.uk/news/2018/07/pirbright-institutedr-mark-fife-committed-bee-conservation – you will find it really interesting and well worth looking at. So, be there on Friday-week, 7th September for Mark’s talk at Bishops Cannings Village Hall SN10 2LA at 7.30
At the apiary! You will be pleased to hear that the Bee Inspector came and checked the Caen Hill Apiary and found it all in perfect order. My idea is that we establish the bees at Caen Hill and get the approval of the Canals and River Trust – which I feel we have now done – and then ask the Trust to give us some form of tenure on the site. We can then apply to the National Lottery for a grant to build ourselves a proper apiary clubhouse, bee equipment store, and make this site our main apiary. At our present main apiary the Old Farm Yard Apiary at Bishops Cannings we have no security and the Crown Estate may throw us off at anytime. Ideally, I’d like to keep both apiary sites. So, watch this space next year for exciting developments on the apiary front.
Finally, if you have ten minutes you will really enjoy “Pollination in the USA” from the New York Times. Great photos and really tells you a lot about beekeeping in the country with a Special Relationship with the UK! It even says that Trump policies may help beekeeping decline in the USA. Go to and enjoy https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/15/magazine/the-super-bowl-of-beekeeping.html.
All best wishes to all members
Robert Carpenter Turner
Chairman Kennet Beekeepers
Tel: – 01672 852265 email:- chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk