The annual Honey Show of Nottinghamshire Bee Keepers’ Association has found a new home sweet home – just a stone’s throw from the association’s beehives in the old kitchen garden at Woodthorpe Park.
The show is a new addition to the ‘Grow Your Own’ event to be held at the plant Nursery at the park from 10am to 3pm on Saturday September 5th.
Alison Knox from the NBKA says: “We are delighted that the show is being held at Woodthorpe Park as that is where our bees live.
“The honey show has always been a highlight of the beekeeping year. It’s not only a massive draw for the public but also for our members, who look forward to the opportunity to show off their produce and take home a few certificates. We regard our annual competition as a way of encouraging new beekeepers to get involved, to raise the standards of their honeybee management, and to feel part of something very special.
“Many of the competition entrants will be bringing honey that has probably been produced from the trees and flowers in Woodthorpe Park, as many of us live quite locally. Honey bees can fly up to three miles to forage from a good source of nectar so the park is easy pickings for some of ours.”
Visitors will be able to look into a live ‘observation hive’ to see if they can spot the marked Queen bee amongst a few thousand workers. There will also be the opportunity to buy local honey and pick up information about bee keeping.
The Grow Your Own event itself will also be a hive of activity. The free event celebrates allotments, community gardens and backyard food growing. Allotment associations and local food producers will be selling produce, and refreshments will be available. Winter vegetable plants will be on sale and visitors can join in planting activities on the day.
Children are invited to enter a competition for edible crops they have grown in an unusual container. The Schools competition is for a trug containing at least three types of produce grown in the school garden. More details on 0115 9152727.
A range of free workshops will include veg plot design, summer pruning of fruit trees, permaculture, growing in small spaces, poultry keeping, trug-making and growing veg with children. Details of timings will follow.
Parks apprentices will show visitors a large vegetable garden they have created on an overgrown patch of land. They’ve been working one or two days a week on the plot – clearing, designing and planting the garden, learning new skills and finding out how to grow healthy food on a shoestring.
Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “The Grow Your Own event promises to be another inspirational day out for all the family. We are especially pleased that we have been able to work with our friends from Notts Bee Keepers to provide a home for their annual honey show and to give an opportunity for them to offer expert advice to anyone thinking of taking up bee keeping.”