I was just reading an article in the Kingston Whig Standard about beekeepers and Ontario’s proposed restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Beeks are happy and hopeful, but the corn and soybean industry is in a frothing panic. According to a Conference Board of Canada report, paid for by the Grain Farmers of Ontario and industry group CropLife Canada, …
Pesticide linked to bee deaths to be restricted in Ontario – The Globe and Mail
Hit off the Globe & Mail’ presses comes word that Ontario is planning to do something about the rampany overuse of neonicotinoid pesticides: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/pesticide-linked-to-bee-deaths-to-be-restricted-in-ontario/article19480431/?service=mobile It’s not a ban, but it’s a step in the right direction. Hopefully, whatever kind of permit scheme they come up with will make a difference.
A top-bar split too!
5 years ago (I think), we received an email from a gentleman North of Kingston requesting that we place a hive in his yard. The previous year had been so bad for pollinators in his area that Tim hand-pollinated his 20mx40m vegetable garden. Hand-pollinated it. Yeah. Out we went with a top-bar hive. Found a nice spot for it and installed …
Tomorrow’s the day for splits!
The weather’s been absolutely beautiful for bees around here since that pathetic excuse for a Spring gave up and left: nice and hot, enough rain (well, more than enough rain) to keep everything growing and blooming. It’s been glorious. We’ve been planning to get working on our breeding program this year and had set tomorrow for the first step: setting …
June 21/2014 Sustainable Beekeeping Course CANCELLED
Due to apparent low interest, tomorrow’s workshop/course has been cancelled. We’ll be contacting registrants in the next day or say to refund their payments. We’re working on some new material and hope to have something new going in the Fall. Thank you for your support.
Introduction to Sustainable Beekeeping Course
NOTE: Course has been cancelled. Saturday June 21, 2014 Introduction to Sustainable Beekeeping being hosted by Seldom Fools Apiculture. Time: 9:30 AM – 3:30pm Place: Kingston Unitarian Fellowship -206 Concession St, Kingston, ON We are offering our successful and fun introductory course on sustainable beekeeping. The day is broken down into 4 talks with lots of time for questions, discussions, …
Cub Scouts and Beekeeping
Cub Scouts have two “Specialty” badges: Individual and Pack. What that means is the requirements aren’t set out by Scouts Canada. The individual specialty is a badge designed by the Cub. They figure out a topic, set some requirements, have the leaders approve it then go to work. Pack specialty is designed by the leaders for the whole Pack. Greg …
Next workshop/course date has been set
Mark your calendar! If you’ve been dying to hear Greg’s words of wisdom first-hand and learn everything that we can cram into 4 hours or so, pencil us in for Saturday, June 21. Kind of fitting to be talking about bees and sustainability on the solstice, don’t you think? 😎 Details will be posted here as they’re nailed down, but …
One-time compensation for hive losses coming to Ontario
There’s word from the Ontario Beekeeper’s Association this morning that the next Ontario budget will include provisions for a one-time compensation payment to beekeepers suffering large losses in 2014. It’s $105 per hive and available to beekeepers with 10 or more hives who have lost more than 40% of their hives between January 1 and October 31, 2014. It won’t …
Follow the Honey: 7 ways pesticide companies are spinning the bee crisis to protect profits
Depending on how you view things, the pesticide giants are either straight from the 7th circle of hell or they’re simply poor multinational corporations trying to do a vital job who caught by the law of unintended consequences. I tend to view things in more shades of grey. I think that their behaviour around the revelations of problems with their products …