A Taste of the
Peak District
Problems of the declining honey bee population in the UK, Bee Keeping, Derbyshire, Peak District …
Save The Honey Bee!
Albert Einstein is alleged to have said that 50 years after the bees disappear, so will the human race. Perhaps it is true, perhaps not, who knows. But something that is an established fact is that bees are in decline. And since bees pollinate around 90% of food crops (allegedly) Einstein's statement may have some basis. We, the human race, can do something about it though, so whether you are from the Peak District, Derbyshire or elswhere, if you are in the vicinity of Youlgrave on 1st October 2009 about 40 people dropped into the Farmyard pub to find out a little more, here is the report from Sustainable Youlgrave ...
On 1st October Mike Cross of the Derbyshire Beekeepers’ Association gave an illustrated talk to villagers interested in keeping bees in Youlgrave. We held the event in the upper room of the Farmyard Inn and although we knew that there was a core interest, we were nevertheless delighted when over 40 people turned up, even though the room was a bit small for that number and it was standing room only. In spite of that, everyone stayed for the long and detailed talk which took us through the life cycle of bees, the art of bee keeping, the hives and hive management, bee pests and diseases and finances. It was all fascinating stuff and very well received.
The next step is a visit to Grindleford, where they already have a bee group
up and running. Anyone interested is invited to join us. We will meet at the
top of Holywell Lane in Youlgrave at 10am on Saturday 17th October, aiming
to arrive at the Grindleford allotments by 10.30am. If you are willing to car
share please contact Judith Orchard or Jeni Edwards before the day.
We hope to hear how they organised and financed it and to see the site and
set-up.
There will then be a meeting to establish the Youlgrave Bee Group properly on Wednesday 4th November, 7.30pm at the Farmyard Inn. It is hoped to have some hives up and running by next year, but the process will need commitment to regular help and training. Bee-keeping is a long-term process. Anyone who doesn’t want that kind of commitment is welcome to help with administration and in encouraging the community to cultivate bee-friendly plants.
For a copy of Mike Cross's paper on bee management please see the Sustainable
Youlgrave web site (link below the poem)
Recent news programmes have been exploring the implications of the rapidly decreasing honey bee population in Britain, largely because of pest and disease problems. It seems clear that no bees = no pollination = no seeds = no new plants = no food. That is "no bees = no humanity".
Size Matters
In 1962
Rachel Carson showed how time would bring
a "Silent Spring",
that nature and human cannot mix
with technofix,
and without more care the chain would break,
and we would make
a big mistake.
In 1973
E. Schumacher wrote "Small is Beautiful" -
it’s economical,
for as towns and businesses grow bigger
they lose vigour:
but maintaining life on a human scale
tells a happier tale,
and will not fail.
In 1978
larks were heard from my front door -
heard no more.
Six years ago lapwings flapped by the lane -
now sought in vain.
And it’s three years since the honey bee’s been,
no longer seen,
what can it mean?
Some thousand years BC,
the men of Babel thought they knew it all -
what a fall!
Do we repeat the patterns of the past?
Or learn at last
that the smallest things are priority -
save the honey bee,
save you and me!
Jeni Edwards, May 08
Youlgrave is a Peak District village that is working towards carbon
neutral. Why not visit their site and find out what else they are doing to
help the environment.