There is a great buzz of excitement at the moment with the setting up of a new beekeeping association in East Donegal and West Tyrone.
The new association will be working with other beekeeping, gardening and farming groups to help sustain and increase the beekeeping stock in the local area
People have been keeping bees for thousands of years and it would not have been unusual in the early 1900’s for each house to have their own beehive.
Bees not only provide the beekeeper with honey, they also produce beeswax and royal jelly. They also collect pollen and propolis which are used in skin and health care products.
Their main function however is to pollinate a whole range of crops from apples. Tomatoes and strawberries to clover and rapeseed. In fact Honey bees pollinate an estimated one-third of all the food crops we consume. Albert Einstein is quoted by some sources as saying, “If the bee disappears off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left”.
The club will be working with Donegal rapeseed oil company by bringing hives to the rapeseed fields to help pollination. This gives dual benefits of increased pollination for the farmer and an early build up of bees for the beekeeper.
A spokesman said “The new association will help promote beekeeping within the Finn, Mourne and Derg valley area and we want to encourage anyone interested in beekeeping to come along on the night.
“We would especially encourage beginners and we will be starting a beginner’s beekeeping course in the near future. We have also ordered hives of bees for new beekeepers that will be ready in June.”
The meeting is taking place on the Monday 17th February at 8 P.M in Lifford old court house. For more information contact Daniel on 0863891490 or see Facebook by looking up Beekeeping Donegal/Tyrone.
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