Friends with honey

Your first impression of this dainty, perfectly formed white flower might simply be beautiful.

But shrink yourself down to insect size and you’d see this plant in a very different light — an insect-eating monster!

This is Drosera aberrans, the scented sundew, and I’m completely mesmerised by its Jekyll-and-Hyde personality: perfectly pure and delicate above ground, but a ravenous trap underneath.

They’re putting on a spectacular display on the farm at the moment — one of the little signs that early spring has arrived.

The bees are too big to become a meal and can safely visit the flowers to pollinate them. But for tiny flies, gnats, ants and midges, those glistening, sticky leaf tentacles are a very different story. Once an unsuspecting insect brushes against them, it can become a rather succulent little meal.

It’s been a little while since my last blog post, so I thought it was time to write something sweet - quite literally!
Winter is finally coming to an end (YAY! 🌸), and this can be an important time for beekeepers. As the days warm up, our colonies are gearing up for their big Spring population boom - but sometimes there isn't quite enough natural food around to keep everyone well fed.
So, in my latest blog post, I answer the question - Can I feed the bees?

I’m also sharing the bee fondant recipe I’ve been making for my own colonies. 🐝

If you love bees, keep bees, grow flowers for bees - or simply enjoy making food for anyone who will appreciate it - I think you’ll enjoy this one!

👉 Read the full blog post here: https://wix.to/Iunsw9M
AND remember that Spring is just around the corner!
th

Can I Feed the Bees? A Beginner’s Guide to Honey Bee Nutrition & Bee Fondant I am a feeder.There, I’ve said it.Human or animal, I am one of those people who is always making something delicious to nourish another creature. Walk past my front door and you will be hypnotised by aromas of home-cooked deliciousness. Feeding others is, in my opinion, one of the great joys of li...

One of the simplest ways to reduce packaging waste is to bake a few things from scratch. I LOVE baking. This homemade raisin bread has become a favourite in our house. It's packed with Australian sultanas from the Sunraysia region, and whenever I can, I choose ingredients that are grown or made here in Victoria.

There's something special about slicing into a warm loaf that you've made yourself - especially when it's spread with local honey (of course!) or peanut butter.

I also store my homemade bread in reusable bread bags, which helps me avoid single-use plastic and keeps the loaf fresh for days.

Sustainability doesn't always have to mean making huge changes. Sometimes it's as simple as baking a loaf of bread, supporting Australian growers, and enjoying seasonal food made with care.

I've shared the recipe below -- enjoy!

Beetroot, fungi and spider webs - nature was showing off this morning! 😍

🐝 Happy World Bee Day, Friends! 🐝

Just a simple message from me this year: in this busy and sometimes crazy world, take a moment to care for nature and always Bee Kind

Every flower planted, every pollinator protected, and every act of kindness makes a difference.

World Bee Day fun for Kinder & Preschool Kids!
You can't have a party without music 🐝
Free Resources & Music Album 🎵

World Bee Day – Music, Dancing, and Free Teacher's Resources! On Wednesday 20th May, the world celebrates our all-important pollinator friends - the bees! And you know what they say... you can’t have a party without MUSIC Get ready to crank up... 5 Fun & Simple Ideas for World Bee Day: Dress up in colourful, flower-patterned clothes - and chat about why bees need flowers to survive! Enjoy a picnic with pollinator fruits and veggies - and thank the bees for their hard work! Plant seeds in biodegradable cups - cornflowers, native daisies and l...

It’s always a little bittersweet saying goodbye to these magnificent giants 🌻

All summer long they’ve brought so much joy - not just to me, but to the countless insects that call our farm home. I’ve loved watching the steady stream of visitors: blue-banded bees, true bugs, ants, and of course my own honey bees from the apiary, all busy at work.

And just look at what they’ve created… every single seed here was once a flower, pollinated with purpose. Back in the hive, that effort lives on too - stored as bee bread (pollen mixed with nectar), helping sustain the colony through the cooler months ahead.

Nature never stops amazing me. Cycles within cycles, all connected.

I can’t wait to plant these very seeds when spring comes around again.

Super excited to be at the CRES Harvest Festival. Today we’ll be singing, dancing and learning about our friends the bees! It’s a hive of activity inside the red train - come and join the BUZZ 🐝

I’m super excited to be one of the expert presenters at this year’s Pets in the Park event at Central Park, Malvern on Sunday 22 March!

The question I’ll be answering is… “Are Bees Pets?” — and trust me, it’s going to be a cracker!

During my presentation we’ll:
👀 Close our eyes and use our imagination
😲 Discover some surprising facts about bees
💃 Learn about the famous waggle dance (and yes… there may be a waggle dance competition for humans and their fur children)

Aside from the presentation, we’ll have a market stall including:
🐝 A live observation hive so you can see real bees at work
🌼 A colourful and educational Friends with Honey display
🍯 Plenty of fun bee facts and pollinator inspiration

So if you’re free, come along and join the fun!
It’s a FREE event and it’s shaping up to be the purrfect day out for you and your animal-loving friends and family. 🐶🐱🐝
📍 Central Park, Malvern
📅 Sunday 22 March
Come and say hello — I’d love to see you there!