Alison's Bee Class

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Bridgnorth News and Views

Following on from the Christmas Cake Kit and Beeswax Candles we presented to you on here earlier, we now have these Beeswax Christmas Tree Hangers at £5 a pair.

✨It is starting to look like you should be preparing your festive home decor and festive kitchen mixing & making.

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Alison's Bee Class

Natural, sustainable fire lighters 😍

Following a zero waste lifestyle (where possible) today I've made some fire lighters using the 'crud' from processing beeswax.

As you know, we use every gram of beeswax rendered from our colonies for our handmade product range. In the filtering and cleaning of the wax, we are left with a waxy 'crud'.

Steve collected a bag of pine cones from Bowring Park in Wellington a few weeks ago. I hand dipped them into the crud and, once cold, the wax will make them ingite perfectly as fire lighters.

DONT FORGET... all our products are available for UK delivery for a flat rate of just £2 🤩🤩🤩

Saturday 4th November

FROST FAIR - Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

Kicking off our Christmas events today in Craven Arms. FREE entry.

We will have our award-winning Shropshire honey as well as our usual range of fabulous products.

Hope to see you later 🤞😘🐝🍯🕯

Forget the Terracotta Warriers, what we have here is the Beeswax Gnome Gang!!

I've had to pen them in for control.

When they are released from the mould, they come out bum first, this is so their eyes adjust to the light. What eyes? I hear you ask... oh they have eyes (always watching) but drop their hats when they know you're about to look at them. They're like ninjas!!!

They also whisper a little 'weeeee', when escaping the mould too 🥰🥰🥰

Available to order £3.50 each. Flat rate of £2 postage. Why not buy a few Christmas gifts? See previous posts for current stock 😘😘

🥁🥁🥁 Introducing our new GNOME candle.

Not only did the beeswax melt today but my heart did too when I released the first one from the mould.

Oh my, how gorgeous is he? 😍😍

Standing at 8cm and priced at only £3.50 each, he's perfect for ethical, sustainable stocking fillers.

Available this Saturday at Frost Fayre Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre or direct via DM

Lavender Bags - how I process the lavender used.

I wish you could smell our kitchen this afternoon. It's amazing!!

Hopefully, like me, you like to know exactly where items you purchase actually come from??

Using the cotton salvage edge from the reusable beeswax food wraps, I make gorgeous lavender bags. Judging by how well they sell, our customers LOVE them too.

I don't buy in the lavender instead grow it all at home providing much needed pollen and nectar for the bees too.

Hopefully the photos below guide you through the lavender harvest. Next to sit down at the sewing machine!!!

Available to purchase at events we attend or direct. Priced at just £1.50 (or 4 for £5), why not add them to your wrap/candle order. Flat rate of £2 postage for orders above £20.

Solid Beeswax, Handpoured Candles.

These are all £5 each.

Flat rate postage of £2 for orders over £20.

Mix and Match our other products. Make great, ethical Christmas presents.

Solid Beeswax Tea Lights.

Handpoured. 6 for £5. Flat rate postage of just £2 for orders over £20.

Ethical Christmas Tree Hangers.

Handpoured, solid beeswax.

8cm x 8cm plus natural jute hangers.

£4 per pair. £2 flat rate postage on all orders over £20

Good afternoon you lovely lot. I'd started to feel you'd left me, as orders from the Shop had dried up.

Appears FB has deleted Shop sections on pages 😭

So, I'm going to try a new method. I'll post photos of our goodies, all handmade by us and if you're interested, just pop in comments and I'll DM you.

Let's try with this first selection of reusable beeswax food wraps. All measure 33x33cm and cost just £6 including postage.

Fingers crossed this works 💪

Oh no! 😱 Guess who's on the 'Naughty List'????... ME!!

In a rush to make stock ready for the numerous Christmas Fayres we've been invited to, I've broken Santa's leg 😱🎅🤣

Luckily pure beeswax is very forgiving. I just hope Santa is too 😔 🤭

Updated Shop page coming tomorrow. Please keep following 🙏 😘

** No Santa's were harmed for this post **

Mmmmmmm! Just feast your eyes on this delicious master piece created by our amazing honey bees 🐝 😍

This is a perfect example of a capped over 'super' frame ready for extraction. Once we've removed the beeswax caps, the frames go through an extractor, which uses centrifugal force to spin the honey from the individual cells.

Once through the sieve, we place in jars. We do not heat treat or adulterate our honey whatsoever. And the honey we produce is only from our own hives located in and around Telford. Pure as nature intended 🍯🍯🍯

FORK HANDLES!!! 🤣🤣

Here's the lovely Steve instructing another happy candle roller.

Fancy a roll yourself? Find us Eccleshall Show tomorrow and finally a fabulous weather forecast 😊

Steve Wakeman

Oooooooo bee quick... get your Early Bird tickets ready for Saturday.

Look forward to seeing you there 😀 😊 🐝🐝

Rea Valley Tractors Ltd loading up ready for Eccleshall Show… spot the ones the kids can have a go on!!! 🚜🚜😊😆
LAST 24 hours to get discounted advanced tickets… https://www.eccleshallshow.co.uk/tickets/

Yay.... got a 'photo' mention Shropshire Star Weston Park

Was a fab day seeing some regular bee fans as well as meeting lots of new ones too 😍😍

Same again tomorrow and better weather forecast too 🙃 🙂 🐝🐝🐝

Thousands turn out for Summer Fiesta despite weather Thousands of people turned up for a Summer Fiesta event despite the mixed weather.

Here's me, very busy at work looking for Abeegail Stingbottom ready for two exciting days Weston Park Summer Fiesta

Who's in? Can't wait to chat with you. Your last chance to secure your place on our amazing Beekeeping for Beginners Class 2024 🤞🤞🐝🐝

Great photos 📷 👏

Woo hoo!! 🍯🍯 Sold out!!

One of our favourite events... been coming here for years... lots of repeat customers.

Huge thank you for your support 😘😘

MOD Donnington Rescue - Update!!

Exactly four weeks to the day, the colony rehomed from the empty ammunition box is thriving. The two photos (taken 2 weeks apart) show how much comb they've drawn down (built) from the pieces I originally 'tied' onto entry brood frames.

Queen laying well and they're busy preparing for winter survival. They will remain in the polystyrene nucleus hive now until next spring.

The other two RAF swarm rescues are equally doing very well 😀 👍

From a marquee full of 'BEE-enthusiasts' on Sunday to an office full of 'B'EE'arristers' at Higgs LLP (Solicitors) today. My change of audience certainly keeps me on my toes.

I hope I 'executed' to everyones 'agreement' and today's audience didn't 'judge' me too much, otherwise I may bee 'liable' !!!!

On that note, I'll share a link to an interesting, historial article The Law of Bees...

**** sadly, the link didn't work. Google it, it's an interesting!!!

It's so lovely to receive feedback, especially when so positive. I've just received this message from the Far Forest Horticultural Show organisers...

"Hi Alison I am sorry I didn't catch you at the end of the show yesterday but would like to thank you most sincerely for your contribution. Your talk was very entertaining and enjoyable as well as very informative.
The link with your stand worked perfectly to achieve the bee keeping focus we were aiming for and I am very grateful to you and Steve for giving up your time to support our Show.
I will be recommending your talks locally and hope that we can work together again at future shows and other events.
I did take on board your comments about the exhibits and we awarded a joint first for your very intricate sheep study and will be including some further guidance on the entry form to include a description of special techniques used.
I hope you both found the weekend enjoyable and worthwhile. Best wishes Calne & Ben"

Awwwwww how wonderful. We LOVE what we do as we feel it is so important to get the message across to people of all ages...

(a) Why they should not fear bees
(b) Why bees are SO important and
(c) What people can do to help bees (and other pollinators)

And finally a HUGE thank you to all you fabulous 'followers' who read my posts, it sure means the world to me and keeps me going. Alison xx

(Next event - Saturday 19th at Minsterley Show)

Did you know that in history, at some battles, skeps full of honey bees were catapulted at the enemy.

I know that would certainly have me running for the hills!! 🤣🤣

Want to hear more interesting facts? Pop along to Far Forest Countryside Show today. Free park and ride on a historical double decker. Follow the signs 😁🐝🍯

Open now (and tomorrow) 🤩🤩🤩

Come into the Far Forest Horticultural Show tent to find Abeegail Stingbottom 🐝🐝🐝

Also entered a few classes myself. Rather chuffed with results too 💪💪

Far Forest Countryside Show incorporating Far Forest Horticultural Show all weekend.

We'll bee Buzzing in the Horticultural Marquee with our award-winning educational stall.

Looks absolutely amazing and we were invited as this year's theme is BEES!!! 🐝🐝🐝

I'm booked in the Home & Garden section to deliver a talk on Sunday morning. Ever wanted to hear me drone on? Now's your chance!!!

Far Forest Countryside Show Far Forest Horticultural Show

RAF Cosford 'swarm' - Update!

A brief sunny spell on Monday gave me the opportunity to check progress on this colony, with excellent results 😀

To recap... we collected two tiny clusters of bees from the ground at The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands on 9th July. We're talking only enough bees to fill a pint jug 😱

But where there's life, there's hope. Having given them gentle nurturing and a frame of eggs/young larvae from a strong (good tempered) colony, they created a new Queen, who has successfully mated 😉🤭 and is now laying well herself.

All this in one month. Bees and their will to survive is truly amazing. We humans could learn much from their behaviour 😍

Keep following for more updates about the MOD Donnington ammunition box colony coming soon.

Woooooo hoooooo, can't wait to Buzz off to the show tomorrow!!!!

Wellington Green Festival - CANCELLED

Sadly, due to the dreadful weather, the organisers of the above event have decided to cancel. So sad after all the amazing work put in to organise it 🥺😢

With regards to our fab stall, all being well we'll be at the brilliant Weston Under Redcastle Village Show tomorrow. It's a great day out and one we're proud to bee part of for many years 🥰🥰

Lots of events coming too and hopefully this weather will 'do one', very soon 😡

Please keep following for updates 😘

(Photo shows the latest on my latest big embroidery project. The words are sew meaningful 😊)

Burwarton Show

All set up and ready to go!!

Sun has got his hat on too 🌞🌞🌞

Find us in the Conservation Area (behind the tractor section) 🐝🐝🐝

Woooo hoooo.... brilliant news...

On Sunday 9th July I shared a sad tale about two tiny queenless swarms we collected either side of the Hercules plane based at RAF Cosford.

As I'd suspected at the time, they were queenless as they chose particular larvae from the 'test' frame I gave them from 'Mr Tickle' colony 🤭 in order to 'make' a new Queen.

The Nurse Bees secrete a very special substance called Royal Jelly, which is fed to chosen female larvae for 6 days (as opposed to only 3 if destined to become a Worker bee)

I had checked the test frame after a week and observed there was a Queen cell under construction. I then left the colony in peace to get on with Queen rearing.

This lunchtime I noticed copious amounts of fresh pollen being taken into the hive by foragers, a total change from previous days. This is a VERY positive sign.... therefore I jumped into my beesuit and guess who I found??? Our brand, spanking, new Queen. Mated too... maybe a good omen collecting the test frame from Mr Tickle 🤔 😉 😀

Royal Air Force Cosford
The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fyw87j

In case you missed my waffle yesterday on BBC Shropshire, please click on link!!!

Also... just a quick Heads Up... we have numerous events ahead of us in the next few weeks, recommencing this Thursday Burwarton Show

Hope to see you there, or if not...

Saturday 5th August - Wellington Green Festival
Sunday 6th August - Weston Under Redcastle Show

Then many MANY more ahead. Your chance to pop along, find Abeegail Stingbottom, buy some pure Shropshire Honey etc etc

Jim Hawkins - Mark Elliott sits in (31/07/2023) - BBC Sounds Have your say on what's happening in Shropshire through mid-morning. Call 0808 100 9696.

Just to prove I do have other 'interests' other than bees... I entered Vron Gate Show Handicraft Section today and got a 1st and 2nd 💪🏆

It was our first time taking Abeegail Stingbottom and our stall to the show. So lovely to see some familiar faces as well as make new friends 🥰

Of course the photogenic Steve 🤭🤭 did a sterling job whilst Bumble and I had fun in the Dog Show 🐕

Rescued bees - Update!

MOD Donnington troop have certainly been busy since we did the 'cut out' and 'tie in' on Friday.

As you can see from the photos, all is good and the Builder Bees are secreting beeswax in order to join/brace the pieces of comb I secured onto frames using fishing line and elastic bands 🥰

A female 'Worker' honeybee only lives around six weeks in the summer. During this very short life, she progresses through nine varying job roles. When she is about 7/10 days old she becomes a Builder Bee. Underneath her abdomen (the stripy bit) she develops 4 pairs of wax glands and has the ability the secrete little flakes of beeswax. It looks like soap flakes. The bees group together to create heat in order to soften then build (draw out) hexagonal cells (comb).

As Beekeepers when we lift frames from the brood box, if we notice bees 'chaining' together we know they're comb building. It's rather cute as the bees are all linked together like paper-chains we cut out as kids 😊

So... our little Squad are happily settling into their new 'mess', although it looks rather tidy to me 🤭🤭 Even the Queen made an appearance for 'inspection!'

I hope you enjoy my ramblings, certainly has caught the eye of BBC Radio Shropshire who called to book me in for a little drone on about bees next Monday 💪🥰🐝

Another colony of honey bees SAVED! 😍 (Read on for an exciting tale...)

Last week I received a call from MOD Donnington about a colony of honey bees happily living in an empty (phew!) ammunition box 😱 They were saved by a keen eyed pest controller called in, thinking they were wasps.

Due to the pants weather at the moment, Friday was the best day to start the job... 'Cut Out and Tie In'.

Having signed in, we were then escorted to a VERY secure area with double check-in and the highest level of security imaginable 🤫

The ammunition box was at the top of a large stack, which (once suited) Steve and myself struggled to physically lift down. The box was large, wet and made of tough stuff (bit like me) 💪💪

Once on the ground, we had to remove dozens of screws in order to lift the lid so we could see what we faced. Worse case... box full of comb and angry bees OR tiny piece of comb with handful of bees.

As I prized up the lid, it became quickly apparent the nest was a good, manageable size. To make my work of cutting out easier, we placed boxes either side of the lid to prop up. All very Heath Robinson you know 😅

I then removed the first couple of combs, checked for Queen and/or brood. All ok, so Steve placed in bucket. This continued until the first comb of brood was noticed. Great sign, meaning they had a Queen. These combs were kept upright. See photo showing a baby bee which hatched whilst Steve was checking the cells!

Each comb was checked, then eureka! Steve spotted the Queen. Carefully caught, marked & placed away from working area, I could relax into getting the job done!!

I selected 3/4 good sized pieces of comb containing brood, then using fishing line and large rubber bands, carefully secured onto two empty brood frames, making sure they were upright as they were under the lid. These were placed into a polystyrene Nuc (pronounced nuke.... shush my 3rd MOD base in as many weeks 🤭🤣) with four frames of foundation.

Once all the bees were shook in the Nuc, I carefully reintroduced the Queen with her colony and we placed it (Nuc) back up high on the original stack. This allows flyers to find their new home.

Due to work shifts on-site, it was decided to leave in-situ until yesterday (Monday).

Their manners were impeccable and although the smoker was lit (yes the on-site police were informed we would be lighting it 🤭) no aggressive behaviour at all 😊

Yesterday we collected our new 'troops' and pleased to say they were all in their Nuc barracks ready for redeployment on their next tour of duty (see what I did there?! 🤣🤣🤣)

More updates to follow....... p.s. RAF Shawbury colony = doing great 👍. RAF Cosford = still good but far more 'needy' at the moment as they're creating a new Queen 🤞🤞

Thank you for reading. Please share if you enjoyed it. Alison 😘😘