Events

Sunday 8th September 2024 – HBKA Honey Show

The Honey Show is planned for 8th September in Hinchingbrooke Country Park .  See here for more information.

This show is really all about our members. It is a chance to show the produce from your bees in what we hope to make a fun and informal event with lots of participation from our members. 

With over 12 classes, there is a category for everyone and your level of expertise really doesn’t matter. Even if you haven’t got your own bees yet, there will be categories in which you can place an entry; for example, my own favourite, the Honey Cake class. The recipe for this will be put on the website so that keen bakers can give it a whirl before the event. There are also various classes for honey and wax, and miscellaneous classes for other bee related items. We are also hoping to have a children’s entry section for any bee related craft or “make”, be it a picture, a drawing, a story, whatever really! The show will also be a chance to sell your own produce. It will be held in the country park and it usually attracts quite a bit of public attention, and, although not aimed at the public, they invariably come and have a look and want to buy honey. 

A lot more information will be coming out about the event and how to enter, and we will certainly be needing a few willing souls to help with some of the tasks, for example setting up the gazebo and taking entries. 

So folks, I hope you will put the date in your diaries and look out for more information by email and on the website.   

Wednesday 14th August 2024 – Nature Warriors’ Day, St Ives

Chrissie and Jackie were at St. Ives Methodist church on the 14th Aug to showcase bees as part of the ‘Nature Warriors’ Day organized by Claire Hardy, with wildlife crafts and games in support of biodiversity being held at The Norris Museum and Holt Island as well.
A fun day was had by all.

Saturday 29th June 2024 – The Association Barbeque

This year, the annual barbeque, which is very kindly hosted by Paul and Stuart, will take place on Saturday 29th June at their smallholding at Birchtree House, Jones Drove, Cock Bank, Whittlesey , PE7 2HW.

The BBQ runs from 12 noon onwards, and we look to eat around 1 o’clock. Tickets are £9.00 for adults and £4.50 for children to cover all that you can eat and drink . Payment will be collected on the day so all you need to bring is a good appetite! Could you send expressions of interest to me please, so that we can get an idea of numbers for Paul and Stuart, and please also let me know if you have any dietary requirements. Email: events@huntsbka.org.uk

This event has deservedly become something of a highlight in the Association’s social calendar, so please save the date and I will sort the weather out. 🙂 

Sunday 2nd June 2024 – Honey Extraction Day

The beekeeping year is now in full swing  and our first honey extraction day is nearly upon us.

If you would like to participate  we will meet outside the Country Centre at 9.30 on 2 June.

You don’t need to have your bee suit but you will need a clean apron and you will be required to wear nitrile gloves. If you have an extracting fork please bring it. 

Because the honey is sold on in the Country Park shop, hygiene is obviously stringent so , sorry , if you find yourself with a cold on the day, sadly you won’t be able to take part but there will be another chance in September.

Parking will be available in the pay car parks but you can claim reimbursement of your parking costs.

To our newer members who have not done honey extraction before, it is a really enjoyable event, not to mention a very sticky one! You will be shown how to uncap the combs and use the extractor for removing the honey. Is also a very sociable occasion and an opportunity to chat bees to other members .

There are 10 spaces available so if you would like to take part, please email Moira  at apiary@huntsbka.org.uk.

As mentioned earlier , there will be another opportunity to take part in honey extraction in September. If you feel you could help with jarring up, again, let Moira know.

Best wishes for a productive beekeeping season!

Wednesday 24th April 2024 – Queen Rearing Talk – Online

Several members have expressed an interest in learning about Queen rearing so this online talk would be ideal.  Please use the link below to access the invitation and further information. 
Link

Saturday 29th April 2023 – Peterborough & District Beekeepers’ Association Auction

Just giving you the heads up for those interested or with equipment to sell – it’s the Peterborough association auction day this Saturday. It’s held at the Riverford food site at Sacrewell farm (beyond the visitor centre at the end of the single track farm road rhs in the barn buildings). It’s a fairly relaxed affair but again a chance for folks to mingle and chat bees.

Saturday 15th April 2023 – Cambridgeshire Beekeepers’ Association Seminar

Cambridgeshire Beekeepers’ Association are delighted to be holding our One Day Seminar on Saturday April 15th and HBKA members are most welcome. It will be run as a hybrid event from Chesterton Community College in Cambridge.

The theme for the day is ‘Healthy bees and happy beekeepers’ and we will have 5 speakers giving 4 talks, all in person, and a film.  There will be trade stands and lots of opportunities to talk to other beekeepers.
We believe we have a most interesting line up of speakers including: 

Marin Anastanov:  Honey 130 million years in the making 

Professor Robert Pickard:  Nutrition in honey bees and humans – Life in the balance 

Lynne Ingram:  Honey adulteration – The truth about honey 

Clare Densley & Martin Hann:  How and when to feed the bees – Remember we are responsible for their welfare 

We are also thrilled that we have been given permission to show the film My garden of a thousand bees’ by the renowned wildlife film maker Martin Dohrn.

The in-person tickets cost £35 for the day to include a light buffet style lunch and refreshments throughout the day. Tickets available on Eventbrite here   . 

The on-line tickets cost £15 and allow access via zoom to all the talks as well as to the film.  Tickets available on Eventbrite here 

Please go to www.cbka.org.uk for more information. 

Videos of the talks and access to the film will be available to all ticket holders for 2 weeks following the event. 

Saturday 14th January 2023 – Apiary Clean-up

We will gather for 10am (finish 12ish) for a couple of hours to clean up the apiary area, some painting, and cleaning of brood boxes too. Refreshments provided and a chance to catch up.

10th December 2022 – Christmas Social

Jackie Taylor-Baldwin and her husband Ian would like to invite you to a Christmas Social at her house in Ramsey on the 10th December from 6pm. Jackie will be making chilli and members are asked to contribute additional food/desserts and bring their own drinks. Christmas themed jumpers are optional – event is undercover but please bring warm clothing. Further details will be provided nearer the date. Numbers are limited to about 30 people so if you would like to attend, please contact events@huntsbka.org.uk putting ‘Christmas’ in the subject line. Please specify dietary requirements.

17th November 2022 – Information about the BBKA – Jane Medwell

Peterborough BKA has extended an invitation to members of HBKA:

We have invited Jane Medwell, a BBKA Trustee, to talk to our members on Thursday 17th November. We would like to invite any of your members who may be interested in what the BBKA does.

Location: St Marks Hall, 82 Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2SN

Time: 7.00 pm (will probably last an hour)

Any queries are to be directed to: Yvonne Banke, Secretary Peterborough BBKA
(peterboroughbees@hotmail.co.uk )

12th November 2022 – Talks and Workshops Day – Report on the day

The lecture and workshop day held on the 12th November was well attended with all places fully booked. HBKA members and  non members enjoyed several presentations on the day. The first was a thought provoking talk by Jack Silberrad, our Regional Bee Inspector, about identifying European Foulbrood and the steps to take in preventing it. Jack also told us about the local Cambridge variant that is becoming prolific in the region, spreading out towards Huntingdon, bordering counties and the Fens.
Mike Ramsey used sound recording and video to demonstrate the varied sounds honeybees make in the hive and what those sounds meant. After learning how the bees detect sound (they don’t have ears like we do), Mike discussed the different vibrational noises the bees use to ready their sisters for activity and that emerged and pre emerged queens use to communicate. Of interest to me was the fact it appears that the workers only release the next virgin queen once the first virgin queen has departed and that the quacking and tooting communications aren’t used by the emerged queen to locate and kill her entombed sister queens as I had previously thought.
John Newman demonstrated the art of mead making and I for one am looking forward to seeing more entries at our honey show next year after his expert tuition. Francisca Shaw showed us how to make beautiful wax wraps and she also had wraps for sale for charity. Moira Munro showed us several methods for swarm prevention, which will be very useful next season and Steve Goddard demonstrated his Dartington hive, explaining the pros and cons of using this hive type compared to the Standard British National. As well as the talks and demonstrations, Sue Fancourt had a selection of her candles on display and the second hand bee equipment stall and the raffle were also popular.
Gifts of appreciation were given to Nick Steiger, our former Chairman; Roger Wood who was former Chairman, Apiary Manager and more recently Newsletter Editor and Kimberley Pilgrim, former Treasurer for their contribution and commitment to HBKA and the committee. The unique personalised gift boxes presented were hand decorated by Jackie Baldwin Taylor.
Lastly I would like to thank all the presenters and volunteers for making the day such a success. It would not have been possible without you – special mentions go to Christine, Helen, Jackie and Moira. We plan to have another lecture and Workshop day in the spring so if you have any topics you wish to be included, please let the committee know.
Helen Swain
Chair, HBKA

12th November 2022 – Talks and Workshops Day

We are holding an all-day event with talks and workshops/demonstrations at the Countryside Centre at Hinchingbrooke Country Park on a range of topics. The full schedule and topic titles are still to be fully confirmed but the following contributors have agreed to take part:

Jack Silberrad – European Foulbrood – Jack, our Regional Bee Inspector, will be speaking about the rise in the local Cambridge variant of EFB, how to spot EFB and what you need to do. A chance to speak to Jack about his role at the National Bee Unit.

Jack Silberrad – Breeding better bees – simple queen rearing techniques  (title tbc)

Mike Ramsey – The vibrational world of the honeybee – For the last 8 years, Mike has been studying vibrations in honeybees as part of a PhD and postdoctoral research. Mike will be presenting some interesting facts he has discovered about the vibrational world of honey bees in this talk.

Steve Goddard – Dartington hives – A close up look at Dartington hives and how they differ from other hive types.

Francisca Shaw – Wax wrap demonstration – Francisca will demonstrate a simple way to make your own wax wraps and the important process of cleaning wax. She will also be selling wax wrap kits with proceeds going to charity.

John Newman – Mead making – John will talk about the process of making mead and we hope there will be samples for you to try.

Moira Munro – Tips and tricks in beekeeping (title tbc) – Moira will be covering a range of useful tips and tricks in beekeeping. If there is anything you have always wanted to know, now is your chance to ask.

 Additionally we will also have displays of other hive products, including wax candles, furniture polish, the Sun Hive and Flow hive, microscopy samples. We will also have a member’s sale stall for any members who wish to sell items. 

If you have any items you would like to sell or any items you would like to include in the displays, please contact me at chair@huntsbka.org.uk

If you would like to book a place to attend, please email events@huntsbka.org.uk. Entry is £5 for HBKA members and £10 for non-members and will include refreshments. Bring your own lunch or buy from the Country Park café. 

27-29 October 2022, National Honey Show, Sandown Racecourse, Surrey

1st October 2022 – Honey Show – Report on the day