This October, yes I know it seems a long time away, Dorset Beekeepers Association is hosting a Bee Convention in Dorchester.
When? Saturday 11th October
What time? All day - starting at 9:15 and finishing after tea and cakes at 4pm
Where? The Dorford Centre DT1 1RR in Dorchester - opposite Top Of Town carpark entrance.
Who will be there?
- Kevin Pope on his recent work in Thailand on Tropilaelaps.
- Ken Basterfield on honey marketing.
- Dan Basterfield on Apidea Queen Rearing
- Maggie North will run a workshop on making wax flowers
- Ron Briggs will discuss how to set up a "honey house".
- Steve riley will talk about varroa resistance.
What is the cost?
- For member of Dorset Beekeeepers - which includes all those who are members of any of our divisions - the cost is £5.00
- For others the cost is £10
- Tickets can be obtained from https://buytickets.at/northdorsetbka/1793471
More details of the event are given below:
Dorset Beekeepers Association Convention
Dorset Beekeepers Association invites you to their convention on 11th October at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester.
There will be a full day of talks and demonstrations covering everything from wax flowers to Tropilaelaps research, Apidea queen rearing to varroa resistance in bees and much more.
Details of trade stands will be released nearer the date.
The price will be £5.00 for members of DBKA and £10.00 for non-members.
Booking and payment can be made using Ticket Tailor hosted by North Dorset Beekeepers Association. The URL for bookings is:
https://buytickets.at/northdorsetbka/1793471
Members rates can be reached by adding the discount code DBKAC2025 when making a booking.
Date: 11th October
Venue: Dorford Centre, 2 Bridport Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RR.
Parking: Top O’ Town car park.
Agenda:
9.15 am Welcome
9.30 am Kevin Pope
Kevin will be talking about his visit to Thailand with Maggie Gill from PHIRA Science to study Tropilaelaps. If he has time he will also review the latest information on disease outbreaks in Dorset.
Kevin was a respected seasonal bee inspector for many years in our area. And still keeps 20 hives.
10.30 am Coffee. Time to browse the stands
11.00 am Ken Basterfield
Ken will be talking about marketing honey
Ken Basterfield NDB has been keeping bees for over 40 years, and in addition to running Blackberry Farm in East Devon, is an examiner for the BBKA and a member of the BBKA Husbandry & Education Committee.
11.45 am Break
12,00 pm Dan Basterfield
Dan will be talking about his book on Apidea queen rearing.
Queen raising is one of the most rewarding aspects of beekeeping, allowing beekeepers to propagate the desirable characteristics of their best colonies throughout their apiaries.
Father and son commercial beekeepers Ken and Dan Basterfield, both holders of the National Diploma in Beekeeping, have been using Apideas to raise their own queens for forty years.
12.45 pm Lunch
Bring your own or pop into town.
2.00 pm Two workshops will run at the same time, take your pick.
Maggie North will be demonstrating making wax flowers
Ron Briggs will be discussing setting up a honey house
3.00 pm Steve Riley will be talking about varroa resistance.
Many of us have been working towards our bees becoming resistant to varroa. Steve has published a book “The honey bee solution to varroa ”
Steve is the current Chair and Education Officer for Westerham Beekeepers. A group of like-minded beekeepers started a project in 2017 to select for Varroa resistant traits in honey bees, identified from research on long established, naturally resistant colonies and from their own data.
4.00pm Tea and Cake!